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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- More gossip about the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and mutant craziness.
- Beau learns how to play Alvatafl
- 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…
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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
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
- Writ of Salvage
- Golden Cat Goddess Statuette
- 10 crates of copper ingots (80 enc. points)
- 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
- Grimwald, Fish stevedore at the Blessed of Mannan dock
- Beorgor Zucker, head of the Reik and Talabec Trading Company
- Herr Hohenzoll, local merchant
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