Yarl in Charge

[dmw71]

"Sure, maybe we can come back sometime," Oak placates Cookie, tapping her on her shoulder.

"My fancy words have served me well so far. In Rivington." Oak chides while finishing his meal. "I'm not looking to be on retainer or anything, but if my talents might ever be of use to you, I'm willing to consider any opportunity you bring to me -- for a fair cut."

Wererats, eh?


He fills his glass from the pitcher, taking a sip, and watches Cookie devour her food.


"So, what are you going to do?" he asks bluntly, diverting his glance to Yarl.

[Computer +1]

The same thing I always do. Put me head down, move forward and bleed the fucker who gets in me way. Yarl flashes a smile. Its the Rivington way, eh? he says while slapping Oak on the shoulder.

I can promise a cut of what comes in, just keep an eye out.

[hedgeknight]

The other two patrons in the cafe eventually leave, Jentha smiling and patting them on the shoulder, promising to see them tomorrow. She then walks over to your table and pulls up a chair. Cookie is licking the honey from her fingers and would lick her plate too but for the fact she's afraid she'd drop it. Instead, she sips her milk and closes her eyes contentedly.
"About that matter of business," Jentha begins. "You've probably heard of my problems these past six months or so. Someone's been dumping bodies in my back alley. Some say it's the work of the Sickle Man and some believe I'm serving up meat pies out of the kitchen. All I know is my customers are disappearing faster than a biscuit on Cookie's plate."
Cookie giggles, half asleep, and Jentha smiles before growing serious again.
"I need to do something before I'm forced to shut down for not being able to pay my bills. I don't trust the Flaming Fist and the Watch don't care, even though they used to escort the patriars to my cafe all the time. There is another I would ask to help...but he's...well, he's a little unique and helps me get rid of the bodies, asking for nothing in return. He's trustworthy and may be able to work with you too. Do you think you can help me?"

[Computer +1]

Does Yarl know who the Sickle Man is? Gang related? Gang leader? Whose territory are we in, does Yarl know?

Also, as far as Yarl knows, does the Guild care much about Outer City?

[dmw71]

Oak sits patiently by, only occasionally "wrestling" with Cookie to prevent her from wiping her honey-coated fingers on his sleeves.

He listens intently, allowing Yarl to lead the conversation with Jentha. He wracks his brain to recall any information he may have heard or learned about the "Sickle Man" the proprietor mentioned.

General Roll: [1d20]=17

---

I don't have a feel for the general role dice play in this game, so I will just supply them when I sense there's a chance they might be needed.

I created a 'General Roll' macro for Oak, which is just an unmodified d20 result. I will also try to provide any likely modifiers that might be applicable for you to reference:

Intelligence: +3
---

Arcana: +3
History: +5
Religion: +3

Feel free to use these rolls, or completely ignore them.

[hedgeknight]

A little overdue background information...

The neighborhood where the Smilin' Boar is located is Bloomridge. The kingpin of this neighborhood is Goblin Behnie, who has a reputation for being a violent man. His foragers are the best in the city, however, especially for illicit Watch tokens, licenses, and docking permits.
Numerous crews work the Lower City, open overlapping in territory; most of the time this isn't a problem. Some neighborhood communities form their own crew in a direct attempt to protect and control the community. The Bloomridge Dandies are wealthy merchant scions who loudly proclaim the Flaming Fist isn't doing enough to protect their neighborhood. They relish the opportunity to display their bravery by patrolling the neighborhood taverns wearing expensive swords and purple armbands.
The Guild oversees just about all illicit activity in the city, with all of the Outer City neighborhoods paying protection money to them. The current master of the Guild is a lady known only as Nine-Fingers Keene. She is an unassuming brunette with a forgettable face and voice. She has hundreds, perhaps thousands, of informants in the city and is said to even control votes in the parliament with her influence. Rarely does anything happen in the city that the Guild doesn't know about. Whatever is illicit and illegal, one can bet the Guild gets its cut. Nine-Fingers is said to be many things, but one thing stands out: don't betray her.
Kingpins function as the crime bosses for the Guild. Under them are the operators, enforcers, and footpads. Protection, gambling, and smuggling tend to be the day-to-day affairs of the Guild...at least on the surface. (It's only a matter of time before the Guild comes calling to meet the new kingpin of the Rivington Rats )
While Nine-Fingers is the master of the Guild, Rilsa Rael is the Guild overseer for the Outer City. Rilsa walks openly in the neighborhoods and does not hesitate to enforce Guild law upon any who are out of compliance. She personally brought Little Calimshan into the Guild and holds open office once a month to hear complaints from Outer City residents.

The Sickle Man is a term the locals have dubbed to the person they believe to be behind the bodies showing up in the alley near the Smilin' Boar. Every body - of all races, genders, and social classes - are found with curved slices across their wrists and a heart-piercing wound. The Fist hasn't been able to turn up any leads on the murderer.

[Computer +1]

Yarl sits back and thinks for a moment or two. Have ya spoken to Goblin Behnie about yer little problem?

[hedgeknight]

Jentha snorts and shakes her head.
"You know I did, but...I was told by one of his informants that he 'has too much on his plate to divert resources for a couple of dead bodies.' And then I was told he would take the time if I agreed to pay...a lot of coin, that I don't have."

[Computer +1]

I don’t wanna promise nothin’. I have me balls in a dozen fires at the moment but, if I’m still breathin’ in a few days, I can circle back an see if I can help. Yarl looks around sharply and flushes a little. But dont be expecting much, I’m mostly good at hitting things, not solving mysteries.. He flashes a toothy grin An if I hit the Sickle Man or whatever it can’t hurt me stock with the Guild.

[dmw71]

Oak, again considering himself a guest on this quest, simply nods in agreement with Yarl and any offers he extends.

[hedgeknight]

Yarl's words are good enough for Jentha, who sighs deeply and swallows a few times before speaking.
"You want some food for the road? No extra charge. I have enough pigs-in-the-blankets to sink a ship."
"And more biscuits?" Cookie murmurs, smiling as she doses.

Jentha gets up, glances at Oak and mouths the words "Thank you" before disappearing in the back to get the food.

Cookie sighs and opens her eyes a bit. "I wish we could stay here forever. Don't you, Oak?"
She slips her sticky hand into the rogue's and closes her eyes again.

[Computer +1]

Shame, she seems ok.. Yarl snorts and stands up. Still, I can’t make promises I can’t keep. If I don’t take care of home today and Sticks’ tomorrow then its all over anyway.. Yarl looks at the sleeping Cookie for a moment and shakes his head. We gotta head back…

[dmw71]

Oak nods his agreement and begins to gather his belongings in preparation of departing.

---

How much were the drinks and meals?

[hedgeknight]

Three blind mice.
Three blind mice.
See how they run.
See how they run.
They all ran after the farmer's wife.
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a sight in your life
As three blind mice.
Three blind mice.

Cookie skips and sing-songs all the way back to the docks, holding Oak's hand and occasionally licking the fingers of her "sticky" hand, determined to get every bit of honey residue. Trueshot is waiting, as promised, even though is a bit exasperated.
"Took you long enough! Looks like you stayed for lunch," he grunts, pointing at the bag of take outs.
You get in the dingy and shove off, hugging the shoreline as much as possible and thereby avoiding the swiftness of the river's current. Your boat sails past several larger docked ships, all sporting green lights to ward off the fog, which is especially thick today.
On one ship there seems to be some type of ruckus on deck. You see a ring of people up there and two men in the middle fighting, much to the delight of those watching. Squinting through the fog, you recognize the ship as being the Low Lantern...a permanently docked ship now turned into a bar and taproom. It is said a lot of illegal business goes down in there. Settling disputes are probably common on deck. You've heard the owner, Laraelra, is a mean bitch, yet the Lantern welcomes all types...even Drow!
As you approach the end of the docks, another ship stands out only because it too seems to have something going on. You hear screams in the fog, and even the clanking of swords. Squinting, you can barely make out its name: the Uncivil...Servant...or maybe it's Serpent; hard to tell in the fog. But...you do see a small rowboat anchored at the rear end of the ship. Your path will take you very close to it. You are within about 10 yards when you hear a cry for help cut through the fog, coming from the deck of the ship.

Ignore or Investigate?

[dmw71]

Being in the trade, Oak finds great comfort when in a boat, surrounded by other ships. At the same time, he's aware of Cookie's fear of water, so he does his best to ease her nerves during their passage.

He isn't oblivious to the activities on the other ships as they pass, but he is more interested in making mental notes of details spotted on the various ships for himself, and relaying those observations in simplified terms to Cookie in an attempt to help her mind on something other than her fear.

He is more than content to leave the destination, and what happens along the journey, to Yarl, considering him to be in charge.

[Computer +1]

Thanks fer waiting True.. Yarl says while sliding him 5 gold. Snag some grub if ya want he offers from the leftovers.

Yarl sits and tries to think about what he will say to the collected Rats when they get home. Will they listen to him? If it comes to fighting who would even care to back him up? Yarl was used to being the muscle for hire, he knows that loyalty bought with coin only comes so far. As for loyalty from the Rats, who there can he say is a friend? Eston and Cookie stood and watched the fight and wouldn’t have shed a tear had it gone the other way. Trueshot is following along enough to ferry them but to shed blood for him? Even if they somehow agree to follow him then what? Sticks still has his plans that the Rats are tied up in not to mention that, sooner or later, the Guild is going to poke their noses in. Yarl looks down at his frilly shirt and nice pants and feels the fool once again.

When he hears the sound of fighting at the Low Lantern he doesn’t even try to see the action that usually he would be all over. Fighting started as the only means to survival but over the years Yarl took pride in his work. He scrapped with bigger, stronger, faster and meaner fuckers than himself and learned how to get through it. He wishes he wasn’t in this mess now and tangled up in shit beyond his pay grade…

The cries for help from the other boat falls on deaf ears. “Every sad fucker in the Gate needs something” he thinks to himself. After the humiliation of bringing Vic home Yarl has had enough of doing good deeds. He rescues some high breed girl and still gets shit on. Rich fucking cunts can all burn..

[hedgeknight]

The current is swift during high tide and Trueshot struggles against the current, but perseveres and is able to bring their boat back to the rackety docks on the Rivington side of the river. Slick Will and Crying Cyrus are waiting at the dock to help tie off the boat, and to escort their new kingpin back to the Den where most of the rats await his orders.
Inside the dilapidated warehouse, there are nearly thirty gang members waiting, nearly all of the Rats. Eston greets Yarl with a smile and a slight bow of his head, while Judas and some of his loyal friends stand off to one side, arms crossed, sour looks on their faces. On the other side of the warehouse are many of the younger recruits like Dancer, Skipper, Skye and another dozen or so.
Oak gets a lot of different looks, most of which are not too friendly.
Cookie doesn't care, running over to her friend Skye and telling her all about eating honeyed biscuits at "the grinning piggy" and how beautiful the gardens were in the Upper City.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Judas speaks up.
"So, Blacktongue...you made it back and you've called a meeting. We have answered the call of our new...kingpin...and now stand ready to hear your first words to us."
Judas gives a shit-eating grin and steps back, watching Yarl very closely.

[Computer +1]

After quickly changing into his armor and losing the frilly shirt, Yarl stands before the Rats. He doesn’t know what he should say so he starts with his most recent enlightened opinion; First thing I’d like to say is the rich are a bunch of fucking cunts. (He hopes he gets some kind of positive reaction or a laugh.) We are here cuz’ Slymorn is dead and I ain’t. I’m not gonna lie, we had words which led to a fight. I finished it.. He looks at the assortment of those gathered. Rats been the only people I ever had. Been the only people I ever needed. He feels pauses for a moment. An’ we Rats gotta be smart together. The rich cunts look down on up from their high and mighty homes. Well I say fuck em’ all. He flushes with anger. Time is come where Sticks’ is takin the Faithless up and inside. Good I sez. They move up and we take the river. They fuck it up and fail, we take the river. Slymorn couldn’t see it. He lost his nerve and then lost his head. Its time for the Rats to take and keep whats ours.

[dmw71]

Oak nods in agreement as Yarl voices his low opinion of the upper crust.

He waits patiently, gauging the reaction of the gathering of Rats.

[hedgeknight]

After quickly changing into his armor and losing the frilly shirt, Yarl stands before the Rats. He doesn’t know what he should say so he starts with his most recent enlightened opinion; First thing I’d like to say is the rich are a bunch of fucking cunts.

"Eat the rich!" yells a teenage boy known as Skipper. The other Rats join in hooting and hollering for several seconds before calming down.

We are here cuz’ Slymorn is dead and I ain’t. I’m not gonna lie, we had words which led to a fight. I finished it.. He looks at the assortment of those gathered.

Several pairs of beady eyes boldly meet his gaze; Judas and his "crew" give him a hard glare.

Rats been the only people I ever had. Been the only people I ever needed. He feels pauses for a moment. An’ we Rats gotta be smart together. The rich cunts look down on up from their high and mighty homes. Well I say fuck em’ all. He flushes with anger. Time is come where Sticks’ is takin the Faithless up and inside. Good I sez. They move up and we take the river. They fuck it up and fail, we take the river. Slymorn couldn’t see it. He lost his nerve and then lost his head. Its time for the Rats to take and keep whats ours.

This draws a lot of cheering and hollering, pumping fists in the air, the display of knives as if stabbing someone or cutting a throat. Once the din settles a bit, Judas shouts loud enough to quiet the rest: "And how do we know Sticks'll keep his word? What if it's a trap to lure the Rats into a hole and wipe us out? Why should we, all of a sudden, trust you to be King of the Rats?"

All eyes, beady or not, turn toward Yarl...awaiting a response.