Aethelburg's Shadow Price

The flickering gaslight cast long, dancing shadows across the cobblestone streets of Aethelburg. Rain lashed against the grimy windows of the Crooked Tankard, blurring the already indistinct faces huddled inside. You grip your tankard, the cheap ale lukewarm and doing little to warm the chill that's settled deep in your bones. You're not from Aethelburg. You're a… well, that's complicated. You've been called many things: fortune seeker, charlatan, adventurer, fool. Tonight, you're just another weary traveler seeking respite from the storm. But your past, like the rain, is relentless. It clings to you, a persistent whisper promising trouble. You came to Aethelburg seeking something. Maybe it's the legendary Sunstone, rumored to be hidden somewhere within the labyrinthine catacombs beneath the city. Perhaps you're after a long-lost relative, swallowed by the city's underbelly years ago. Or maybe, just maybe, you're running from something you'd rather not face. Whatever your reason, Aethelburg isn't known for being kind to newcomers. The city is a festering wound, riddled with corruption, simmering with unrest, and steeped in secrets darker than the shadows that cling to its alleyways. The Watch is more interested in lining its pockets than keeping the peace, and the guilds operate with a ruthless efficiency that makes even the most hardened criminal think twice. Tonight, a stranger enters the Tankard. He's tall and gaunt, his face hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat. He scans the room, his eyes lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary. He nods curtly to the barkeep and makes his way to the darkest corner, beckoning you with a crooked finger as he passes. He speaks in hushed tones, barely audible above the din of the storm and the drunken chatter. "I understand you're looking for... opportunities," he rasps, his voice like gravel. "I might have something that interests you. Something... profitable." He pauses, his gaze unwavering. "But be warned. What I offer comes at a price. Are you willing to pay it?" Your adventure begins now. What do you do?