Torrent is a water genasi with hair resembling kelp that floats around freely, ignoring wind (or lack thereof).  His skin is mostly a murky blue and is tinged with floating patches of green, like pond scum floating around.  He's wearing mismatched clothing made of leather.  He walks around using a seven foot shepherd's crook as a walking stick.  Though he was forced to bathe at some point in the last week, he nonetheless smells (at best) like stale water.  His demeanor appears calm, and he enjoys the company of his new companions.

"Naw, ain't no worries kid.  I usually live out in tha wilds.  The trick ta feelin' comfortable is ta make sure the city ain't used to you rather'n the other way round."

And just to clarify, Ash, Nicolas, and Reynard, your services have been contracted by the council on the same terms as the rest of the party: dispensation to enter the catacombs, normally off-limits to treasure seekers, and a share of any treasure recovered in exchange for the service of clearing out the monstrous creatures which you may encounter. 

Tarek is a tall, dark-haired human, much like Ash. He looks youthful, although in his mid-20's, and he sports full facial hair. There is a sort of divine radiance in his eyes. He wears bright temple robes underneath a set of chain mail. He smiles, and his face lights up with the same radiance his eyes show. "It is wonderful to meet you, Ash," Tarek greets, and extends his hand for Ash to shake. "I am Tarek Johanssen. I work in the temple here in Ekuepool." He lifts his amulet to show Ash the holy symbol. "I can help you navigate the city, if you wish. I assume you are to join us in our future expeditions?" Tarek adds.

At Tarek’s display of his amulet, Nicolas steps forward. He is a lean-built human who wears purple and white robes over his leather armor. He lowers the white hood of the robes to reveal a handsome, tanned face that is completely bald. In fact, there is no hair anywhere on his head, not even facial stubble or eyebrows.

He speaks in a calm, measured voice. "My name is Nicolas, the aforementioned medic the council hired. I wasn’t aware there would be a holy man in the group. If it is not too intrusive, which deity do you serve?”

Ash grasps his hand, and shakes it "Your assumptions are correct:

Tarek nods to Nicolas. After he finishes speaking, Tarek answers, "No, it is not intrusive. I serve the Bright Spirit, Pelor. Do you serve a deity? Most healers here in the city serve some form of god."

Nicolas chuckles. "My skills as a medic are generally a bit more . . . mundane." He pats a bag full of healer's kits. "My grandfather was a field medic and taught me everything I know. As far as serving a deity goes that's . . . a long story, to say the least. Suffice it to say, I have some skills as a medic, a few gifts as a magical healer, and a somewhat complicated relationship with a divine entity." He looks around sheepishly before hurriedly adding, "It's a good story, I promise. Just better told when there's time to tell it right."

Fluin looks sheepishly at Torrent, Anakis, Tarek, and Aluzira. “Oh yeah,” he says as if remembering something unpleasant, “I meant to tell you, on my way over here, I ran into Rowan. She said her cousin, you know, that little cook, Ulben, who came with us, had come around asking about the money she’d promised that the militia would pay us. She said she gave him some coin and that he said he was giving up on looking for his wife and was going back to working at the inn where he started, something about something the bog men said to him. I dunno, but I guess he isn’t coming either.”

He looks down at his feet awkwardly, then, remembering his manners, gestures to the third man who’d come with him. “This is Reynard Ferrand,” he says and then, as an aside, “He’s from one of the noble houses.”

"Welcome, Reynard!" Tarek greets him. "What service have you come to provide to our group?"

Anakis looks at her feet upon hearing Ulben was leaving them, "Ulben was funny. So clumsy. I'm going to miss him." She looks towards the entrance of the underground, takes a deep breath, "When do we want to go down there?"

"Ah, well that's a shame.  We'll miss the two'a'ya.  Ya both pulled me outta a scrap I couldn'a survived myself.  Be safe, friend.  N' you new folk, welcome.  I admit to a bit'a nervousness working outside'a the Bog, but I'm sure somebody has some Undercity experience."

Aluzira smiles sadly.  "At least the city got its best cook back! Although the reason why is sad; he was very likable.  I wonder what the bog men said..."  Shaking her head to clear it, she resumes listening to the others.

Ash frowns "Bog men? I know better than to ask, but I am going to anyway......"

"Dun worry about it. There's a myth bout folk that grew up outta the Bog. We saw a person who claimed a portion of land out there that warned us offa hunting on their property. Some kinda frustratin mage"

"Serves me right for asking. I am even more confused than before. That doesn't matter though. I am assuming 'down there' means the catacombs?"

Reynard who, like Fluin, isn't carrying much gear with him, but wears only his fine nobleman's clothes, leather armor, and a rapier at his side, stands aloof from your group. He looks dismayed at Tarek's mention of "service", and Fluin interjects with as much delicacy as he can muster, "Oh, I'm sorry for the confusion. Acheron and Nicolas are the ones who've been appointed by the council to join you. My first duty as a guardsman is to serve as bodyguard for Sir Reynard here on some important business he has about the city, so I guess we should get going. I just wanted to stop by and say 'good luck'." And with that, Fluin and Reynard begin to walk back up Juniper Way towards the Upper West Mek.

Lightning flashes and rain begins to pour down. The underground waterway at the bottom of the stairs isn't swollen with rainwater yet, but if the rain continues, it may soon become a raging current like the one that swept Anakis away the other night. The guards await you on the bank with a white boat that stands by, usually to help retrieve barrels of goods that flow down the river from other parts of the city, but today is being used to ferry you across to the tunnel that leads to the undercity. The landing at the bottom of the stairs is protected overhead by a vaulted  stone ceiling and is still mostly dry, though muddy and bog-like in appearance. The guards seem impatient to get underway as the level of the river begins to rise from the inflow of rainwater that's falling all over the city.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Nicolas pulls out a torch and casts Light on it. He then hops down into the boat and looks back at the group expectantly.

Ash shrugs "You make a valid argument." he agrees, but looks at the more senior members and waits for their verdict.

Tarek joins Nicolas in one of the boats. "So? Let's get going. The sooner we collect the coin, the sooner we can go back out to defeat more of those toads, or another enemy of your choice."

The small boat is big enough to fit four comfortably, including the punter who stands ready with a pole, so it will have to make two trips to get you all across.

The daylight grows dim as the thunderstorm builds in intensity, throwing the subterranean cavern into shadow. Nicolas's light spell illuminates the water of the murky underground river and the ceiling of vaulted stone directly overhead, built of sturdy enough construction to support the weight of the city above it. The tunnel is thirty feet wide and continues across the river where the failing daylight dimly reveals the other shore about sixty feet away.

Seeing that Nicolas and Tarek have already come aboard, the punter calls up the stairs to the rest of you, "Alright, who else will come on the first crossing? I can see the water already beginning to rise. We need to get underway before the current is too strong."