nezum sidequest

Level 2 ratfolk
Village on Nezum coast
The village is in a sad state, but this is nothing new. You scrape by, barely subsisting on what little crops still grow in the moldering fields. The village is little more than a collection of shacks, sheds, and weathered barns. The skies are an almost perpetual grey. It rains often, leaving the ground pocked with small pools of standing water amongst the thick mud.

Each year a ship from the capital arrives at the dilapidated docks of your village to collect a tribute to the empress. The imperial soldiers haul empty crates onto the land, ordering the village to fill them with the expected crops. The soldiers inform the village elder that this year is special and to select five villagers to represent the village in presenting the tribute to the empress. The party is among those selected.

The village elder has just finished making his selection for representatives. He nods reassuringly to you all. "I know it's a large task for you all, to represent our village before the empress herself. I trust you'll do well in showing her our tenacity and loyalty. Gaining the empress's favor for our village could be just the boon we need in these difficult times."

The trip ahead is likely a week or so, you know the capital is far away but you're not sure how far and you've never had the luxury of seeing a map.

The other villagers finish loading the offering into the crates and as they begin to be loaded aboard the ship, one of the guard approaches you. "Come on, we're on a tight schedule, can't be waiting on you lot." He herds you onto the boat to the stairs that lead below deck. "Down there, near the bow you'll find your spot."

The area below deck has been set up with some makeshift hammocks, which already hold about 10 other rats, clearly not guards.

One of them speaks up. "Hmmph...wonder how many more of us they're gonna pack down here, s'lready cramped."

Another pipes up, "Ay, Rancel, quiet down. Can't imagine they want to be here anymore than the rest of us."

In time, the boat unmoors and sets sail. For many of you, this is the first time you've been on anything bigger than canoe or raft.

That night, as you try to rest in the swaying boat, you hear a small, quiet movement nearby. One of the others below deck has crept up to you. "Psst, hey, you're awake, aren't you?" he whispers. "Listen up, few of us here think something's off. Doesn't make sense that the empress would suddenly want to see some peasant farmers. We're following the coastline, roughly, so I think we're headed for the capital at least, but we're putting together a plan in the event that things go South. If the time comes, are you with us if we need to fight?"

Sterling kills a "spy".

Arrive at the capital. They're herded off the boat and into the city. The heavy gates close behind them. The city is magnificent. Walls of polished white stone, reds, and golds. The streets are a clean, even cobble. There's no refuse, everything looks near pristine. There are no people in the streets but plenty of buildings are lit. There are numerous shops along the streets advertising high end clothing and luxury goods in their windows. The party is told they'll be put up for the night and be meeting the empress tomorrow after they've been cleaned and dressed appropriately. As they walk down the street they cross a canal. At they near the long houses where they'll be staying a group of three jumps from any alleyway, ambushing the guards leading them.

If the guards survive: they'll try to brush off the attack as riff raff, criminals, bandits, terrorists, etc. A band of which the guard has been trying to root out and exterminate. The party could offer to assist, wherein they'd raid one of the hideouts and capture or kill several more from the group (the guard would execute any that the party leaves alive). The party then continues on to meet the empress as planned but with an extra feat to bolster their reputation and request for aid.

if the attackers survive: they'll explain that the empress has gone mad and has been disappearing people in mass for some unknown reason. That the city is a near ghost town except for the guards and they're a small group hiding throughout the city attempting to gather the forces and resources for a strike at the empress herself to put an end to this. They'd need the party's help to acquire a few more supplies and for the final mission. They'd raid one of the guard storehouses for weapons. After having everything they need they'd help sneak into the palace to assassinate the empress.