Brass Jester
Demi-God
Chapter 9: Rats in the Walls
30th Vaen 12th Year of the Three
In Smades’ Tavern, drinking and discussing future plans. Raven raised her hand and looked at the Gauntlet. She had already learnt that it didn’t like being removed from her for any length of time.
‘So, Pater Ten wants this. So, what’s our next move?’
‘ You could sell it to me for a good price.’
The speaker was a well-dressed Halfling carrying a cane. He had a genial smiling face and was flanked by three burly men.
‘Pater Ten. I believe you have heard of me. I offer five Gold for the gauntlet.’
Raven shook her head. ‘It doesn’t want to be sold.’
Ten continued to smile but his voice now had an edge. ‘I could just take it you know. But I’ll increase the offer to seven Gold,’ He produced a coin purse and laid it on the table. Raven looked at it but made no move to take it.
‘No? You may regret crossing me. Do you know who I am?’
‘Yes.’ Frostbite stood. ‘ A jumped-up Halfling and I sent some of your people running some time ago.’
Ten was now visibly angry. ‘Ten Gold, here tomorrow or I take it from you for nothing’ He rose and stormed out, followed by his men.
‘Well, that went well,’ remarked Aelrindel, returning to the table.
‘Where did you go?’
‘Outside. I’d rather keep my shifting abilities secret at the moment. So, why is he so anxious to get the Gauntlet by the dark of the moon? That’s in six days’ time, on the second of Avaen.’
‘Something crossing the lake on that date. Must be illegal.’
‘Smuggling? Not unknown, but why do they need the Gauntlet? Must be something special – magically protected perhaps?’
‘So – Empire stuff. The Archmage puts all sorts of protection runes on Empire stuff.’
31st Vaen
Down at the docks looking for information. The ferry crossed the lake; the fishermen fished the southern end of the lake. No-one knew anything about smugglers. Finally, one fisherman opened up a little – He had seen lights out near Verin island over the last few nights. Unusual because no-one goes there, it is surrounded by steep cliffs and uninhabited apart from wild goats. They arranged to meet that evening.
Evening
The body of the fisherman was lying in his boat; his throat had been cut. From out of the shadows came a group of Cut-Purses, led by Caldas. He recognised Raven from their previous encounter.
The fight surged backwards and forwards across the docks, at one point Frostbite’s opponent fell off the quay, nearly taking Frostbite with them. However, Caldas was getting beaten down so when three of the Town Watch led by Constable Jakes arrived, he yielded. He tried to pin the blame for the attack on the heroes but Jakes was having none of it and had them all hauled off to the town Lock-Up (which was right next to the Tump.)
Caldas was a little cowed so it wasn’t hard to get him to talk. Pater Ten is smuggling rare calthite ore from the Island of Kitra for the Dwarf King. (1) The ore is in metal barrels sealed with an arcane rune which must be removed. The ore is to be brought to Verin island, stored until the rune is removed, then brought ashore and hidden underneath the disused tannery north of the town. (2)
32nd Vaen
Released from the lock-up they headed back to Smade’s tavern.
‘So, the Dwarf King is backing a plot to bring this calthite ore in’
‘It can’t be in the Empire’s interests. Why all the efforts to bypass the Imperial rune?’
‘So, should we investigate the island or the tannery?’
Frostbite looked up as Fennick entered and joined them.
‘To get to the island we need a boat, also our first attempt failed. The tannery we can walk to’
Fennick overheard this and was alarmed. ‘I don’t think going there is a good idea. It is outside the town walls and the undead from the Bodinmoor could already be there.’
‘It can’t do any harm to look the place over.’ Raven looked at Frostbite, who nodded and then at Aelrindel, who part-shifted into a bear. The stool creaked alarmingly so she shifted back.
‘How many beasts can you change into?’
Aelrindel paused and thought. ‘I suppose, effectively, any number, but we tend to specialise. It helps focus your thoughts; you always have to remember that you are not the beast. So, I like being a wolverine, but I can change into a bear as you’ve just seen.’
‘Could you change into … say … a dragon?’
Aelrindel shuddered and seemed to withdraw into herself. ‘That sort of talk is forbidden. Please … don’t say it again.
Later
The tannery was a large, sprawling bulding north of the town, beyond the walls. As they approached it was easy to understand why it was here, the smell was overpowering, the onshore wind blew the smell north, away from the town.
‘I thought this place was disused?’
An open door led to a staircase going down, it led to a narrow area with many stone jars and urns. Aelrindel just had time to shout a warning as a large swarm of Dire Rats emerged from amongst the jars. The melee was furious; Raven didn’t have chance to use her bow and Frostbite was dogpiled by many rats. Once the combat was over, Aelrindel found a few rats still (barely) alive and tried to speak with them.
‘Well?’ Raven was looking at her.
‘I got the impressions of fungus growths, spiders and creatures with a shell. The overall impression is that lots of things in here eat Dire Rats.’
Some of the urns contained traces of a thick black substance, like tar or pitch.
Further on there was another staircase leading down; they had to fight some more Dire Rats. The passage continued; a door led to a side passage that led back towards Lantern Town.
Entering an open area, against one wall were several iron cages, like animal cages but large enough to hold an ogre. In one of them was a Half-Elf who begged for release. His name was Rollf, he was from the town of Keldbridge. He was having a drink in the Corner Pocket tavern; then next thing he woke up here. They let him out and advised him to meet them later at Smade’s tavern.
‘The Corner Pocket doesn’t have a good reputation. The ale’s bad.’
A staircase up, Aelrindel suddenly stooped and picked up something from the ground. It was a small doll made of cloth and straw, with an inverted ‘Y’ shaped incision where the heart would be. No-one knew what it was but Aelrindel looked concerned and hastily put it back down.
‘I wish I hadn’t touched that,’ she said, wiping her hands.
From ahead came sounds of movement and the clatter of boxes and crates. A side passage led into a large chamber. Three people, an Elf, a Halfling and a Human, were moving cages of rats and other vermin. Even though they were bare-handed and getting bitten and clawed, it didn’t seem to worry them. The Halfling looked towards them.
‘Why are you here? We don’t need any help.’
‘Err … Pater Ten sent us to check on the progress of things as time is getting short.’
They all stopped what they were doing and the Halfling turned to face them. His hands moved to the buttons on his tunic.
Aelrindel suddenly had a flashback to her time in the Wild Wood. She had become separated from he companions and strayed into a part of the forest that seemed darker, eviller somehow. Carved onto several of the tree boles was the inverted ‘Y’ shape she had seen on the doll. Shapes moved amongst the trees, only glimpsed at first but becoming clearer as they approached. (3)
‘Stop him! Stop him! He’s going to …’
To be continued …
Mechanics
1. Scenario in Mythic Magazine Compilation #4
2. Okay – GM/ Player split personality syndrome. Not all of this is necessarily true.
3. Narrative Icon Connection High Druid +1
Cliffhanger or what?
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