Kenneth tries to think of a good, nearby location.
Vandis glares at Dagobert for giving his name away to Old Thom, "We'll talk later dwarf" he growls quietly to the ratcatcher.
He lets go of the old codger's collar and puts an oak-like arm around his shoulder and grins, "Yes, a drink between friends. Let us go."
"Foreigners. All you barbarians think knowing your name steals your soul. And don't call me "dwarf"."
Kenneth:
Old Thom is as ready to go as he's going to be, though he continues looking around for help that doesn't seem interested in arriving.
"Right, Thom, we're off to the Goodly Cup for a friendly chat.
"Oh, and shortbread, pull yourself together, man. The fight's over, and ale's to be had."
"Foreigners. All you barbarians think knowing your name steals your soul. And don't call me "dwarf"."
"No, you idiot, but if he knows our names, then it's that much easier for him to find us, find out about us and so forth." Vandis explains as if to a simpleton.
"Besides, you are a dwarf." he adds.
"Not so's you'd notice. Trimmed my beard."
You make your way a block or so until you reach an area that Kenneth swears is the Goodly Cup. It's not until he leads you down some stairs into some ruined, gothic cathedral that you finally see the sign marking the dive bar. The sign depicts a scantly clad halfing woman sitting in a tea cup with shapely legs hanging over the edge. The sign is faded and bears several tags of graffiti.
The inside is dimly lit by oil lamps and has no windows at all. The place is filled with the worst sort, but everyone is at least keeping to themselves. Behind the bar is a middle-aged halfling woman who may have been quite beautiful at some point, but years of hard living have left their mark upon her features. She eyes you suspiciously for a moment as you enter but that is all.
You make your way a block or so until you reach an area that Kenneth swears is the Goodly Cup. It's not until he leads you down some stairs into some ruined, gothic cathedral that you finally see the sign marking the dive bar. The sign depicts a scantly clad halfing woman sitting in a tea cup with shapely legs hanging over the edge. The sign is faded and bears several tags of graffiti.
The inside is dimly lit by oil lamps and has no windows at all. The place is filled with the worst sort, but everyone is at least keeping to themselves. Behind the bar is a middle-aged halfling woman who may have been quite beautiful at some point, but years of hard living have left their mark upon her features. She eyes you suspiciously for a moment as you enter but that is all.
As we make our way over to the darkest corner we can find in the bar, Samael looks around to see if anyone in the bar seems to be paying a bit more attention to the group than others.
Once we get into the corner, Samael turns to Old Thom - "So old man, it seems that the company you keep has started to draw some attention. It would clearly be in your best interest tell us what you know about the Beggar King."
Vandis looks Dagobert up and down.
"Ah yes, your trimmed beard is a perfect disguise." he says with mock seriousness.
"Yes, it is, isn't it." agrees Dagobert proudly. He looks around the dive, hoping to see no dwarves.
"Seems as though Samael is just a bit polite. Why don't you haul your huge musculature over there and talk to Old Thom?"
Shaking his head at the dwarf's obliviousness, Vandis goes to join the conversation.
"Are your lips feeling loose yet?" Vandis asks Thom with quiet menace.
"Oh...yer here to talk about him," mutters Old Thom. "I ain't seen him in months. I think the bastard's gone insane if ya' ask me. He's bleedin' the coffers dry buyin' up mercenaries, thinkin' to take on the thieves guild. He doesn't realize ya' can never completely take out the thieves guild. Buggers are like a hydra. He's tryin' to do it just the same, though."
"If I was you I'd find another line of work. Mess with insane guys like that and no good can come of it."
Thom looks longingly at the bottles stocked behind the bar before continuing.
"Ya'll change yer' minds when you see the mist that clings to the tower."
"Tell us more of this mist."
"It's been circlin' around that tower of his for weeks and weeks now. I saw a guild agent get lifted up by it and torn to shreds in just a few seconds. I dunno' where the Beggar-King got it, but it's as deadly of a trap as you could find. I don't go anywhere near that tower. 'Course, I wouldn't know how to get there. I haven't been through his whole place mind you and the rooftops is suicide."
"I don't trust rooftops myself. Tell us about other ways in. Where do the rats travel?"
"I don't trust rooftops myself. Tell us about other ways in. Where do the rats travel?"
"This is Smoke, the rats travel wherever they want. They're rather thick around the Beggar-King's place but that's what ya' get for bein' close to Ratcatcher Row. I heard there might some underground parts of the place but I never been there myself. Only way into the place I know of is through the creepy gate out front."
"That sounds inviting."
Kenneth tries to decide how much of this to believe.
Dannad had followed the group in silence, trying to keep his eyes peeled for anyone that had been following them.
When they reach the good cup, he'd tucked the blade somewhere about his person to hide it. Upon seeing the matron he'd walked up to her and begun inquiring about their stock and other offerings.
Insight on Old Thom (1d20+9=16)
Dagobert considers the old rascal's words carefully.
"He's not a very inviting person, Vandis," says Old Thom in reply.
Dannad:
For two silver you can get broiled catfish, taro, onions, rice, and mince pie. You can see by looking at the stock behind her that they have about everything to drink, but it's definitely bottom shelf kinda' booze. The halfling is not very open or friendly, too used to keeping secrets and minding her own business, but she serves quickly and doesn't give any attitude either.
"Tell us a bit more about this gate then. It sounds like the best way to go."
Thom then orders a drink of dark red gobwine. With a glance around to see if anyone else is looking he begins drawing a crude map on the table with a finger dipped in the dark liquid. When he's done the beginning parts are already starting to dry and fade.
"This should take you to the gate. It's a terrible thing of wrought-iron marked with a demon's head. Kill the bastard if ya' can. I'm startin' to fear what he's doin' with the folks he takes under his care and I don't want to be next if I can help it. If he catches you, though, I'll deny everythin' and tell him how ya' slaughtered my boys."
"How long have you been frightened of him? Sounds like he's turned into a king rat and that is not something I want to see in this city."
"How long have you been frightened of him? Sounds like he's turned into a king rat and that is not something I want to see in this city."
"It's been awhile now, around the time that fog appeared. Too many of my lads've gone missing. I'm a nasty old bastard myself, I know, but I do look after them kids the best I can. Here in Smoke we take what we can for family."
"It's been awhile now, around the time that fog appeared. Too many of my lads've gone missing. I'm a nasty old bastard myself, I know, but I do look after them kids the best I can. Here in Smoke we take what we can for family."
Samael leans forward from the background where he's stood taking everything in. "How well guarded is this gate? You say it's out front - does that mean we'll just be marching up to the front door and banging on it?"
Samael leans forward from the background where he's stood taking everything in. "How well guarded is this gate? You say it's out front - does that mean we'll just be marching up to the front door and banging on it?"
"The gate itself isn't guarded all that much that I know of, but someone's always let me in before. That entrance, from what I seen, is mostly used by fences and thieves comin' to drop off their goods and barter with each other."
"Anything else you think we ought to know? I don't like the sound of this King Rat - Beggar King, rather - at all. Once one rat takes over, the rest are just cannon fodder. That upsets the balance of the whole nest. If it applies to rats, it applies to people, that's what I say."
"WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT RATS!!!" Vandis shouts at Dagobert.
"Rats are always relevant."
"No, nothing else at all I'd care to relate. Told ya' I ain't seen the guy in months."
"I've told ya' everything I can. Can I go now?" asks Thom with tired eyes.
"Mind you take care of your boys. If any of them want to try a different career path, they know where to find me."
Dagobert looks hard at the map on the table, trying to memorise it before it fades.
Old Thom throws a few silver pieces down on the table and leaves quickly, keeping a watchful eye on Vandis as he does so.
Daggobert and anyone else who cares to can memorize the paths and streets or even write them down before they fade.
"The Smoke never sleeps. Anyone watching for us will see us as easily now as in the morning."
Dagobert gathers his belongings and prepares to leave.
"Are you feeling a bit better Dannad? Kenneth's songs are very cheering."
Dannad had ordered the broiled catfish with taro, onions, rice, and mince pie along with a bottle of Goblin Wine. After returning to the table he'd sat there distracted while eating and drinking.
When Dagobert says his name he jerks and looks at the dwarf.
"Yes, what? Oh, um, he plays well.... Sorry, was lost in considerations. Had a close one earlier, I did."
Quickly taking in the table, he catches the last bit before the wine completely dries.
"This gate sounds like it may be a tad bit interestin'."
After leaving the vicinity of Dim Lane, you make your way towards the western wall of the city and follow Old Thom's directions towards the demesne.
After an hour or so of wandering and reorienting yourselves you reach the head of a dark alley. An iron gate topped by leering gargoyles and sharp spikes bars the way. Through the rusted bars you can spy the dilapidated shacks and ruined tenements that overhang the shadowed alleyway. All is still save for the red glimmer of hungry rats and endless drums of rain on the cobblestones. Above, the sooty stacks of the dread charnel house belch out what looks like ash and mist. This mist, however, does not seem to follow any particular wind currents and flits about quite randomly.
Buried somewhere in this foul den of wickedness hides the object of your hunt: The Beggar-King of Punjar.
The iron gate bars entrance to the alley. Over ten feet in height, the gate is topped by leering gargoyles and sharp spikes. The gate is secured with a rusted lock, cast in the face of a snarling devil. A trail of stinking sewage runs down the center of the alley, seeping past your boots and staining everything it touches.
"Rats!" Dagobert is instantly enthralled, his attention entirely on the scurrying rodents.
"Rats!" Dagobert is instantly enthralled, his attention entirely on the scurrying rodents.
The whole place is thick with rats. Probably more than you've ever seen scurrying about in the open.
"Amazing. It's not often you see so many. That usually means there's a focus ..." Dagobert tuts unhappily, as a thought strikes him. "A king-rat. Oh my goodness. Shul will not be pleased and nor am I."
On the way through Smoke, Kenneth takes a moment for a brief chat with Dagobert. "You see, my ratcatching friend, what our giant warrior was concerned about . . . The humanoid form of rat can remember names. And find people using those names. Best not to call us by proper name while in Smoke. The four-legged rats may not care who's hunting them, but the two-legged ones very much do."
"Ah. Now you see, this is why I like rats. They can't talk."
Dagobert nods as the message finally sinks in.
"Right. I'll call you something else then, Ken ... Gilbert."
"This looks foul enough." Vandis mutters at the gate.
"So it does, Vincent. That gate's very uninviting. Old Th - sorry - Middle-aged Timothy was right about that."
For the most part everything is eerily quiet. The soft squeak of nearby rats and the occasional shout or noise far in the distance is all that you hear. If not for the dilapidated buildings and alleys all around you, you'd almost forget that you were even in the middle of a large city.
The entire alley smells of sewage and rotten meat. The strange smoke pouring out of the charnel tower continues to wave and billow strangely in the night sky.