DM's Note: This was a heavy roleplaying session. For NPC reactions, I rely mainly on roleplaying with few dice rolls. However, when the stakes are higher and I'm uncertain how a NPC would react, I use a Monster/NPC Reaction table. Roll a d20: 1-5 Hostile; 6-9 Uncertain (possible re-roll next round with -4 penalty); 10-11 Neutral/Cautious/ Uninterested; 12-16 Maybe willing to trade, exchange info or accept a bribe; 17-20 Friendly, likely to aid if in self-interest. I might grant a penalty or bonus for roleplaying. This session featured heavy use of this Reaction table with interesting results!
The party flees through the sewer-caves with five giant rats and four ratmen in pursuit. The pursuers quickly overtake the party and rush to attack the two fighters, Hayabusa and Harlack. A giant rat bites Hayabusa in the ankle. One of the ratmen fires a crude pistol at Hob, but the halfling ducks and the bullet whizzes over his head. The party has no choice but to turn and fight.
Hayabusa the Mantid Samurai flourishes his katana and gives a crazed war shout. It scares the rats off. All of the ratmen also flee in terror. Relieved, the party limps out of the sewers and returns to the surface on Midden Street. Since they are wounded and in need of rest, they head back to the Dripping Tap tavern. It is late, well after hours.
[DM's Note: Glome's world does not feature a normal day-night cycle. Instead, the strange radiance of a Dead Star perpetually casts its dim purplish light over the city. It forever looks like dusk- hence the City of Eternal Twilight- due to Glome's location near the northern pole and the close proximity of the dying star. People use clocks to tell time. Poorer folk rely on bells from clocktowers and temples. The typical business day runs from Prime Bell to the Ninth Bell. For a typical laborer or guild worker, the Ninth bell signals dinner hour and quitting time. However, many businesses are open round the clock, and the City never truly sleeps.
The party turns onto Cinder Street when all at once a globe of darkness covers them. Everyone is blinded, except Hayabusa and Harlack who have infravision. Hayabusa feels small hands clutching for his coin purse. He sees the heat radiance from five short humanoids in their midst. He draws his dagger and nicks one of the pickpockets, which lets out a high pitch scream. Hob casts a Firebolt blindly toward the noise. His shot goes wide and he's lucky not to hit one of the party members. Then Big Mac drops a bardic rhyme laced with magic and casts Charm Person. "Hey, little buddy drop the darkness."
The globe of magical darkness vanishes. In their midst, the party sees five short pale humanoids wrapped in dark hoods and cloaks with only their beady eyes and large hook noses showing- Dark Creepers!
Gangs of Dark Creeper Thieves roam the streets
Four Dark Creepers immediately flee; only the charmed Dark Creeper remains. "Hey friend, what you need?" it croaks at Big Mac.
Big Mac asks for its money, but the greedy creature is reluctant to part with its gold so easily. Big Mac says he's throwing a party for his new friend and he could use a contribution to buy beer. The Dark Creeper gives him five silver pieces; then Big Mac tells him he can leave.
[DM's Note: Charm Person does not grant control of a creature. A charmed creature will not do anything against its self -interest. Also, so this spell cannot be abused while shopping, my Old Skool Rules specifically state that: "By some quirk of magic, merchants, innkeepers, and
most shopkeepers are curiously immune to the spell or
unaffected by its casting. Perhaps because few of their
kind would give a discount to even their own mother."]
By the time the party returns to the Dripping Tap, they find the common room mostly empty. The dwarven bartender Bronk wrinkles his nose and complains about their smell. The characters crash at the private meeting room that the Delver's Guild had rented.
Harlack wakes up, feverish and sick. He has contracted Filth Fever from a ratman's bite. [DM's Note: a RTD- Rat Transmitted Disease. For diseases, I use 3.5 rules with temporary ability score damage]. Harlack certainly can't afford a Cure Disease spell from a Temple, so he's going to have to ride out the disease and hope he recovers naturally.
At the Prime Bell, the party heads down to the common room of the Dripping Tap and orders stew for breakfast. They discuss how to sell the silver medallion they found in the rat's trash nest (which they think is worth 250 gp). Bronk tells them the Jeweler's Guild is only a few blocks away. However, Big Mac thinks he can fetch a better price by pawning the medallion to one of his underworld contacts. He makes some quiet inquiries. A shady dealer tells Big Mac to meet a guy outside in the alley in an hour.
Big Mac brings Harlack along for muscle. They are met in the alley by five street punks with mohawks and piercings who call themselves the "Meat Hives." Their leader, Yurlick, wears a worn top hat and has crazed eyes. The sociopathic punks brandish razors, a sledgehammer, a pistol, and a spiked chain.
"Lookee here, boys. A little man wants to make a deal, eh? What you blokes about?" says Yurlick.
Big Mac drops a rhyme about their rat hunt and finding the medallion. Harlack waits nervously. Yurlick stares at the halfling, then bursts out laughing.
"Alright, you cheeky bastard. I'll buy your medallion." They haggle and finally settle on 280 gp.
As they leave, Big Mac and Harlack overhear one of the punks whisper to Yurlick. "Why didn't we just cut 'em up and take it?"
Yurlick shrugs. "I dunno. I rather liked the funny little man."
[DM's Note: The players really lucked out. I rolled a 17- Friendly- on the NPC Reaction roll].
Next, the whole party heads across town to the Ministry of Security to collect the bounty on the giant rats. On the way, they notice an advertisement board with various wanted posters.
After a few miles, the party arrives at the Ministry of Security, an ominous black tower of stone and steel. Imperial Police Troopers stand guard outside the Ministry. The crowds give the Police a wide berth.
[DM's Note: The normal city watch is a private constabulary called the Merchant Guard, which is employed by the Guilds. Their mission is to protect private property, prevent theft, and maintain the civil peace. The Merchant Guard has a bad reputation as corrupt and incompetent. The Imperial Police, however, are elite soldiers known for fanaticism and undying loyalty to the Emperor. All of them are Reforged- humans upgraded with machinery and metallic parts through sorcery. Word on the street is that it is very dumb to mess with the Imperial Troopers].
The Troopers direct the party to a window stall with a metal curtain. They bang and the curtain rises to reveal an ancient Reforged clerk with a breathing tube sitting in a booth. "I am Ministry Deputy Fabian Thisk. What is your business?"
The party hands over 11 rat tails and collects the bounty of 1/gp per tail. Hob asks Deputy Thisk what the record is for the rat tail bounty.
The Reforged clerk chuckles dryly and says, "The record is 57 tails held by Tully the Rat Hunter." The party is in awe of this news and asks where they can find the Rat Hunter. The Deputy doesn't know.
Hob also asks if the Ministry has any other jobs available. The Deputy tells him about the bounty on Voltarus, a brigand leader. The Ministry thinks Voltarus and his Blood Reavers are hiding out somewhere in the dungeons beneath Glome.
After the party splits up on various errands. Harlack and Hayabusa set off to replace their weapons which were damaged by the Gray Ooze. They head to the War Forge smithy. Meanwhile, Hob goes in search of affordable housing, and Big Mac goes looking for Tully the Rat Hunter.
Hob locates a cheap boarding house on Slop Street called the Sleeping Dog. The caretakers are a woman named Dorna who fancies herself to be a fortune-teller, and her husband, a hairy drunk named Paulie. There's no working latrines - only chamber pots which you have to empty yourself into the sewers. The rooms are also cramped and not especially clean. However, the rent is cheap- 5 silver pieces a month (per person). Hob secures rooms.
Harlack purchases a new battle axe and scale mail, and Hayabusa replaces his damaged katana. Big Mac has no luck in finding Tully. He asks people all over Old Town, but no one knows where the Rat Hunter lives. Rumor has it that the Rat Hunter is a recluse and a bit of a misanthrope.
The party meets up later and rests in their new rooms at the Sleeping Dog. The next day, Harlack's Filth Fever has improved slightly. [DM's Note: Keith made one save; he needs 1 more to be cured].
Harlack, Hayabusa and Hob decide to visit Sal's, the bar they heard about where a lot of mercenaries hang out. They want to hire retainers for their next venture into the sewers.
After the others leave, Big Mac is locking the door to his room when he hears something behind him. A pistol being cocked.
Big Mac slowly raises his hands. He hears a man's voice. "Why are you asking people all over town about me?"
Big Mac turns and sees a human man wearing a brimmed hat, a snakeskin vest, and leather coat. He is heavily armed and has a string with rat-tails around his neck. He holds a pistol pointed at Big Mac's head.
"Tully! Hey, you're the Rat Hunter! We need your help. We found a huge nest of giant rats. Do you know about the ratmen in the sewers?"
Tully snorts and gives a pained look. "Do I look like I was born yesterday? Of course I know about the damn ratmen."
"Wanna help us?"
Tully sighs. "Here's the thing. I'm not easy to get along with. Plus, I'm sensing you're sort of a bitch."
Big Mac won't give up. "Hey, I was just headed to the Perilous Pit. Why don't you come along and I'll buy you an ale. Drinks on me!"
Tully lowers the pistol. "I'll probably regret this, but ok . . . if you're buying."
Hours later, the party meets up at the Perilous Pit. Hayabusa and Hob had success in hiring retainers at Sal's. Hob hired a light infantry soldier named Ortan who ends every sentence in "eh?" Hayabusa hired Yang, a light infantry soldier; a cocky archer named Elmor Quickbow who swears he never misses; and a Woman-At-Arms named Sista Steel.
Big Mac and Tully had made a pit stop at Floyd's Smokeshop and smoked a few bowls of dragonweed with Floyd. [DM's Note: https://youtu.be/5gGZAIFteAg ]. By the time the others arrive at the Pit, Tully is lit up and eager to kill rats. He recommends they buy a shitload of flaming oil.
"But I have one condition," Tully says. "If we find any treasure, I get a full share."
The party discusses it, and Hob extends his hand.
"Deal."
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