The Dried-Up Canal

Summary

The Dried-Up Canal is a hidden infiltration point providing secret access into New Smoke. Located behind a pile of shattered boulders that blocks sight of the town's walls, the canal is a man-made waterway that predates New Smoke's construction. The town's wall was built on top of the canal rather than incorporating it into the infrastructure. Nick Silver told the party about this location as a smuggling route, and in Session 7, Sucks Benedict surveyed it using his Trap Expert ability to assess dangers before the group attempted entry.

The canal connects to the Underground Drainage System beneath New Smoke, forming part of a larger network of tunnels that serves as a covert passage into the town. Access requires leaving the main path to New Smoke's front gate and following animal tracks through underbrush and Pitcher Plants fields.

Description

The canal is a dry, man-made waterway that appears to have existed before New Smoke was established. The town's defensive wall was built directly on top of the canal, with metal grates set into each side of the ravine where the canal passes underneath. The canal remains dry for approximately 20-30 feet before it fills in with dirt and rocks extending away from the town.

The entrance area is concealed behind a pile of shattered boulders that blocks direct sight of New Smoke's walls. The surrounding terrain includes underbrush and Pitcher Plants growing in the area. A marked stone sits within the rubble pile near the entrance, possibly serving as a navigational marker for those who know the smuggling route.

The metal grate at the wall has been compromised—it can be jiggled to come apart in a way that is easily hidden from casual observation but functional once the mechanism is discovered. Beyond this grate lies the Underground Drainage System, a dark maze-like network of tunnels arranged in an evenly-spaced grid pattern. Heavy metal grating overhead creates a very dark environment with only occasional tiny shafts of light filtering through, where shadows of people passing above can sometimes be seen.

History

Session 7

The party discussed using the dried-up canal as an alternative to the main gate, with one member reminding the others, "Yeah, we already know how to get in. You don't want to use the dried up canal." Despite this caution, the group decided to investigate the route.

To reach the canal, the party took their cart off the main path leading to New Smoke's front gate and followed animal tracks through the terrain. Upon arrival, they observed that "it definitely looks like it was a man made canal that perhaps existed here before the town was built." The group noted that "the wall was built on top of it, but there's about maybe 20 or 30ft of canal before it fills in with dirt and rocks away from the town."

The party identified the metal grates "set into the wall or set it to each side of the ravine underneath the wall." Sucks Benedict used his Trap Expert ability to survey the entrance, identifying timing-based dangers related to avoiding detection by wall guards during their approach. Guards were observed patrolling the walls above, at one point discussing stripper names while on duty.

The party discovered that the metal grate could be manipulated to provide entry into the Underground Drainage System beneath New Smoke. Once inside, they navigated the dark tunnels, eventually finding a freestanding metal ladder leading to a manhole cover. This ladder provided access to the surface within New Smoke, with at least one exit point located inside the Merchant Tent area where Goober and other vendors operated.

Notable Features

• Hidden entrance behind shattered boulders that blocks direct sight lines to New Smoke's walls
• Compromised metal grate that can be jiggled apart to allow passage while remaining hidden to casual observation
• Man-made construction predating New Smoke's establishment
• Dry canal bed extending 20-30 feet before filling with dirt and rocks
• Marked stone in the rubble pile, possibly serving as a navigational reference
• Access route requiring travel through underbrush and Pitcher Plants fields along animal tracks
• Timing-based security concerns due to guard patrols on the walls above
• Connection to Underground Drainage System providing covert passage into New Smoke
• Metal grating overhead in the tunnel system creating a dark environment with limited light penetration
• Grid-pattern tunnels beneath the town that can disorient travelers without guidance