Dog gone Rats!
The local Aleworks needs desperate help, seems they have a rat problem, and not just rats no! These stubborn dachshunds would have no trouble with normal rats, these are rats of unusual size, with a strong taste for ale themselves!
Plot points/Scenes
The proprietor upon seeing you enter immediately produces flagons of ale for each of you and begs you to sit down. "Please, Please take a seat, are you enquiring about the post or did Bernice send you?"
"Thank goodness you are here..." Just then a loud crashing sound comes from below you, and you feel the vibrations in your feet. This sets off almost every worker in the establishment as a cacophony of alerted barks rings out. After Archie calms the staff he huffs a sigh and begins to speak. "Please you must help, we can't get any work done, and I'm liable to lose everything if I don't sort this out! There is a pack of Rats in the basement!" acting strange Archibald stops to correct his posture, standing proud. "Now normally this would never be an issue for us, but... well... one of my workers was injured and I can't risk it happening to anyone else."
- DC 10 insight check to reveal: "You're not the first folks I've had look into this, the last group well four went into the basement, and only three came out and ran off! I never got a chance to ask them what happened, but I have had the basement locked tight and guarded since!"
The Basement
A lone hound wearing a pith helmet and armed with only a spear dutifully guards the hatch leading to the basement, which has had a full beard placed on top of it to keep it shut. with the help of some other dogs they remove the barrel and you enter the dark basement. The air wafting up is humid and smells of stale alcohol, ducking as you step down the stairs you see the environment is in complete darkness only dimly illuminated by the light from above. All you can make out are the shapes of assorted double-stacked casks filled with alcohol.
Effects:
- All creatures in here suffer the blinded condition unless they have dark vision or a light source. Creatures in dim light at lightly obscured and will subject others to a disadvantage on sight-based perception checks.
- Puddles are noticed when stepped in can be lit for 2 rounds and cause 1d8 fire damage per turn to creatures or players who enter or start their turn there. Archibald will be very upset if any fires are started and will demand the party help to put them out quickly!
- Perception checks DC 10 reveal empty barrels, seating, tables, candelabras, and standing sconces that are unlit.
- Perception Check DC 15 reveals that there are puddles near the casks and barrels, one of which is toppled over likely the source of the noise you heard earlier. Upon further inspection the liquid is alcohol.
- Perception Check DC 18+ "You hear the quiet skittering of tiny feet all around you, then suddenly see a mass of rats flee from your torchlight back into the darkness.
- DC 13 Survival/investigation check to find bloodstains and search for the body. "Gruesomely the corpse has been dragged through a hole in the wall only large enough for small sized party members to fit through
- The encounter consists of Rats, Rat swarms, Giant Rats, and a Ratman.
- The Rats: Prefer to stay in the dark, and will prioritize attacking any players in the dark. Attacks made against blinded characters have advantage. Rats have a stealth roll of (18) vs the party passive perception which is -5 in dim light. Rat's passive perception is 10, they are looking for food not people. If detected they will attack the players in a favorable spot. The Rats will run and hide when outnumbered, vs disengaging and attack when they have the use of pack tactics.
The Nest
The whole was made by tunneling and leads to what appears to be the rat's nest. It is a cave-like room, full of rubble, and detritus with a flagstone wall on the far side. There is a putrid-smelling puddle emanating from a broken sewer grate at the base of the wall, echoes of skittering can be heard from beyond. The corpse of an orc lay mangled and folded on the ground
Loot:
- The Corpse is wearing leather armor, carrying a longsword and a satchel containing a letter from a loved one, a potion of healing, 6gp, 10sp, and 39cp.
- The letter says Priscilla longs to see them and will be waiting at the usual place in Eastlight.
- There are some other gnawed bones as well.
END
Archibald will reward the party with 30gp for their effort and a round of ales on the house, they are pale in color and average at best! Archie will then offer the party more work if they are willing as a friend of his needs assistance. see: Not the Bees! As they leave they will encounter a small brown bag on the ground with 5gp. A woman will approach soon after and ask if they have seen one matching the description if they return it she will offer room and board for the night.
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