===== 11 Tarsakh =====

I arrived in Phlan via ship from the southern shores of the Moonsea.  Upon disembarking, we were informed we had to register with the chief clerk of the city.  I ended up talking with a couple folks from the ship whilst registering, and with seemingly fortuitous chemistry, we ended up getting word of a job.

As a newly minted adventuring group, we headed to meet an Ian Cockburn, the proprietor of a local general store.  While cleaning out room in the basement, they accidentally penetrated the old city sewers.  An ancient terror poured through the breach: rats.

Our job was to vanquish this scourge, and secure the safety of the goodsir Cockburn and his employees.  His immediate basement was overrun by the beasts, some measuring nearly a full meter in length!  My new companions and I launched into our task with relish, driving the beasts back.

Having secured a basecamp in the tunnels, we pushed our advantage.  We firmed up our flank, then pushed deeper into the darkness.  I scouted ahead, though the environment didn't suit me at all; the dust and choking stink of ages conspired to throw me off my game.  Fits of coughing gave away my position, and pulled another wave of the vile family of rodents on top of us. These too we dispatched with ease.

I shifted to be as the wolf to scout ahead again.  The smells danced coyly in my noise, promising more conflict ahead.  Echos of tinny, shrill shrieks reverberated, growing louder as we got closer.  Unfortunately, the wolf doesn't see well in the dark, and I was quickly overrun.  The one known as Daer'ys was surrounded and was nearly laid low.  

I was forced back into my native form due to the onslaught of vicious bites.   I called upon the earth to hold the rodents in place, and great weeds spouted from between the cobblestones to tangle one of our foe.  The rest pushed forward unabated.  After the one known as Najila stabilized Daer'ys, I called for a tactical retreat before channeling the air in a massive explosion, blasting back the waves of rats, incapacitating 3 of the larger ones.

When the reverberations died, it was clear the tide had turned.  We pushed forward and broke the backs of our foes.  The combatants were dispatched, and the smaller rodents fled.  

Searching the nest, we uncovered a good amount of money, and a locket referring to a Marie Resan.  

We returned victorious and claimed our rewards.  I spent a bit of my share on improving my armor.  I met up with the local forestwarden and obtained his permission to sleep in the park (weather permitting).  We went back down to investigate the paths the rats retreated through.  I took the form of the rat and followed their tunnels to the surface in the slums district outside the wall.  

Confident in our solution, we looked forward to our next job and any potential information on Ms Resan.