Ptolus: 165 Vock Row - "Rat-catchers"

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A moment later, Ella is trailed back to the table by a gnome who looks like he hasn't seen the sun in a very long time. Nor, for that matter, a barber. Almost lost in a fog of wispy white hair, bushy eyebrows and whiskers that totally obscure his mouth, he whistles a little as he follows her, the sound seemingly involuntary.

"Which, uh, map did you, uh, need copied?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Thurst ponders the guards' story thoughtfully and then poses a few questions of his own, "Did you notice anything else out of the ordinary that night? Other than having four arms, did you notice any other visual identifiers on the rats? How about weapons or equipment?"

Appraising the guards carefully, the dwarf continues, "I'm gonnae assume neither one of you jumped into the sewers after them, what happened next?"

The guards look at each other, their expressions conveying just how stupid they think these questions are.

"They were ratlings."

"Furry. Filthy. Smelly."

"Like dwarves, but with tails."

"They skittered off, and I stayed and guard the hole."

"And I went and got help."

 

[Wool]

Thurst raises an eyebrow at the two brutes. Unaccustomed to dealing with people less sophisticated than he is, the dwarf takes on a tone of mock humility and makes a show of placating himself before the two guards. "Oh, I'm sorry, we must've gotten off on tha wrong foot. You cannae blame me for being thorough though, afterall you two donnae appear to be the brightest lads I've met."

While the two guards try and decide if they should be angry or not, Thurst turns and whispers to Mairan, "I'm not sure how useful these two are gonnae be. Their area of expertise seems to be bashing things and belching. I hope you have a better idea on how to talk to idiots than I do."

Temporarily losing interest in the guards, Thurst examines the hole in the wall, trying to estimate how long breaking through that much stone would have taken.

 

[Fyrie Windlitened]

Mairan nods almost imperceptably at Thurst and addresses the guards, "The guildmaster must be very happy with you two for your quick reaction and scaring off the beast. Do you usually patrol in pairs?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Climbing higher, Aeshen again misses the soft sound of the rotten wood giving way beneath his feet. But this time, his reflexes are fast enough, and he leaps forward, clawing at the steps ahead with one hand, pulling himself up as the planks fall down into the darkness behind him.

[sblock=ooc]Missed the Spot, nailed the Reflex save.[/sblock]

* * *

"No," the guard snarls as Mairan. "We told your dwarf: I was standing guard and he was on patrol."

Meanwhile, Thurst picks at the stone, pulling out loose rocks and looking at the tool marks.

[sblock=Thurst]It probably took the ratlings hours to break through. While there are some tools used, it also looks as though teeth and claws were used at various points.[/sblock]

* * *

Still fuming over the gold as the library assistant begins to transcribe the map, Valana returns to Sheva Callister's journal.
[sblock=Valana](Whoops, forgot those results!)

Sheva recounts carrying Gormadoc out of a ratling den in the sewers over in Midtown. The halfling had contracted a disease during his fight with the creatures, and was weak with what she calls "filth fever." She also notes that the ratlings themselves seem to be immune to filth fever and other diseases.[/sblock]

 

[Aeshen]

Aeshen pauses to catch his breath and brush himself off again before continuing through the tower.

 

[Filthy]

"I guess that's what happens when you traipse around a filthy sewer.", Valana mutters after reading of Gormadoc's illness.

Turning her attention back to the maps, she continues trying to memorize them while waiting for Ella's return.

 

[Vdou]

"How long will your inscription take, Master Gnome?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"Almost done," the gnome murmurs, the quill in his hand scratching very quickly on the sheet of paper.

* * *

Aeshen walks more carefully now, listening to each step he makes. It's sound that first clues him in, rather than smell, when he reaches the top: He now walks on a layer of dried guano, making the floor slicker and more silent. Looking up, he sees the ceiling of the chamber covered in dark bodies hanging from the exposed guts of the clockwork above.

Dozens of bats as large as a child look down at him from above with black eyes.

 

[Aeshen]

Aeshen looks up and for the first time questions his ability to perform this task. He has no real idea of how giant bats will react to noise and motion - a good way to vacate normal size bats. He resigns himself to fate, pulls his sword and does his best to terrify a couple dozen 200lb bats - yelling, charging, throwing whatever objects present themselves, and other similiarly suicidal things.