Episode 33: Fish, Cats, and R.A.T.s Report

General Summary

The Enemy Within: Death on the Reik Episode 33 - “Fish, Cats, and R.A.T.s” 1/19/23 Post-Game Notes   Day 91 - Angestag 9 Brauzeit, 2512 IC   Crew shoves off from the Weissbruck pier and heads for the canal queue.

• While they’re waiting, Captain Kris paces back and forth on the deck and gives a stirring speech regarding his difficult decision picking a first mate. He enlists Karl’s help to set up a challenge between Beau and Godabert for the honors.
• In the middle of roping together buckets of water, pontificating on the virtues of strength and balance, while preparing to weigh down the candidates’ arms with heavy sacks of wool, Beau loses his characteristically miniscule patience and hurls the buckets back at the captain. “I won’t dance for you!” Godabert graciously accepts the commission.
• Just before entering the lock, a duo of river wardens boards the ship for inspection. One of them, Sergeant Engelbert Wilpert, undresses Karl with his eyes while the other, Captain Leopold Kummel, takes advantage of the salvaged boat situation, asking for 1 gold in “salvage taxes.”
• The Crew knows he’s full of shit, but after a bit of posturing on both sides, the bribe is paid, and the soon-to-be-renamed Schnuckiputzi heads into the lock channel.
• Kris just misses kissing the rock wall of the lock, and unfurls the sail for a gloriously speedy journey down the canal to Altdorf.

Making great time, the Crew puts in at the canal-side inn The Broken Pickaxe that evening.

• More gossip about the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and mutant craziness.
• Beau learns how to play Alvatafl

  Day 92 - Festag 10 Brauzeit, 2512 IC   More smooth sailing and the Crew continues to make excellent time. They dock at The Harrow & Falconer, just northeast of Schlafbild.

• Halfling owners are impressed with Beau and his “assistants” after hearing the first-hand story of how they saved Henrietta from the bandits.
• The “bandits” may be more than just ruthless rogues. There’s an air of folk heroism about them…

  Day 93 - Wellentag 11 Brauzeit, 2512 IC   Henrietta welcomes her heroes at the Hartsklein lock, lets them through for free, and supplies them with two bottles of wine and fresh produce from her garden.   Next stop, Altdorf Flats, and an official Writ of Salvage from the State Army rechristening the Crew’s vessel The Wrecking Ball.   Crew ties up at the Blessed of Mannan Dock, in Dockland in The City North, at Josef’s suggestion. After quick, efficient assistance by the Fish stevedores, the foreman makes introductions.

• Can’t have your boat here idle for over a week, lads. The harbor fees would be astronomical to offset lost labor.
• However… You lot look like just the kind of group that one of our clients has been searching for. Grimwald, maybe you could take Captain Kris and his crew to meet Beorgor?

Renate thanks the Crew and departs. They will always have a friend in Grunburg.   Grimwald, a bald mountain of a man with a small fish tattooed on his lower jaw, leads Kris, Beau, and Godabert to an impressive two-story waterfront warehouse and office: The Reik and Talabec Trading Company.

• Inside other burly Fish stevedores and even burlier armored guards move about uncharacteristically conducting business that involves writing, calculating, and generally using some portion of mental acuity.
• A heavy-set, well dressed man comes out and introduces himself to the crew: Beorgor Zucker, president of the R.A.T. They import luxury goods from Bretonnia, The Wasteland, and other exotic locales; and export grain, building supplies, and other staples. He thinks he can find a buyer for the Crew’s wool.
• After a conversation, the perceptive Zucker suggests that the Crew might be the right group to help as “emissaries” of the R.A.T. He has recently come into possession of several crates of exotic artifacts from Araby, but attracting buyers is tricky. He wants to give the Crew a sample statue to take with them on their travels. Every time a buyer comes in, “sent by Captain Kris,” Zucker will take care of a week’s worth of harbor fees. Sounds good!
• The artifact in question is an eighteen-inch statuette of a cat-headed goddess. Godabert inspects - definitely magical. Seems to “sing” on the amber wind.

Meanwhile, on the boat, Karl’s keen hearing alerts him to an interloper creeping along the deck outside his cabin. He leaps into action, shouts at the black-hooded figure, and the ensuing clamor alerts some of the workers across the dock.   The Crew come out of the offices in time to see two shadowy rogues being chased by Karl, off of the boat. They are headed down The Street of a Hundred Taverns, where it might be easy to escape into the crowds and alleys.

• Kris and Beau are able to cut one of them off easily, flexing those athletic sinews. The other disappears. The cornered cultist pleads innocence and “a simple misunderstanding.” Beau ties his ass up. Before he can answer another question, however, a poisoned crossbow bolt slices through the darkness and into the poor bastard’s throat.
• He drops a tiny vial with some purplish liquid before he dies.
• He carries an ominous note related to the pursuit of Karl, the inheritance, and the “purple palm.”

Godabert enters the street looking for the crossbow wielder but comes up empty. He does return, however, with almost a dozen alley cats in tow, all mewling affectionately to their new lord and master.   Day 94 - Aubentag 12 Brauzeit, 2512 IC   Godabert negotiates with Herr Hohenzoll to sell the wool (+75 GC).   Beau finds a copper merchant who gives him a deal on ten crates of raw metal (-50 GC).   The Crew now has a little over a week to enjoy Altdorf (and for Karl to try to clean his hand) before their meeting with Gustav and Binroy at Mezzo’s.   Between Adventures triggers!

• Kris’s event: Accused Ally! Karl is locked up on spurious charges. (Three endeavors spent to release him and prevent an execution.)
• Beau’s event: Sticky Fingers! His purse is cut and he loses half his money.
• God’s event: Unexpected Esteem! (See God’s endeavors narrative for details.)
• Karl’s event: Malicious Malady! While in lockup, Karl avoids contracting the Bloody Flux despite several days and nights of decadent sodomy.
• Crew banks money in boat fund (free endeavor): 17 GC

  Interlude:   See individual Between Adventures narrative, episode 33.5.   * * *

Rewards Granted

XP:

• 10 for playing along with the Weissbruck river wardens (all)
• 10 for smooth gossip-gathering and camaraderie along the canal (all)
• 15 for making friends (and agreeing to work with?) the R.A.T. (all)
• 25 for capturing one of Karl’s stalkers (all)
• 25 for a quick, tight sesh!

• Godabert: 85
• Beau: 85
• Karl: 85
• Kris: 85

  Loot:

• Writ of Salvage
• Golden Cat Goddess Statuette
• 10 crates of copper ingots (80 enc. points)

  Boat Fund:

• 17 GC
• Spent 1 GC on “salvage taxes” in Weissbruck
• Spent 1 GC on lock fees in Weissbruck
• 2 GC from Kris, God, and Beau; 1 GC from Karl
• 5 GC Writ of Salvage purchased

Character(s) interacted with

Locations scouted and new NPC’s engaged:   Weissbruck:

• Captain Leopold Kummel, River Warden and
• Sergeant Engelbert Wilpert, River Warden

Dockland, Altdorf:

• Grimwald, Fish stevedore at the Blessed of Mannan dock
• Beorgor Zucker, head of the Reik and Talabec Trading Company
• Herr Hohenzoll, local merchant