Advetnure 3 - Of Rats and Cats and Men
We had a Fallen London game this Saturday, but it was not our regularly scheduled program. At the eleventh hour Peter (Who plays the American) could not join us. Of course I didn't want to turn my guests away. I also didn't want to send the heroes back out to sea when so many players couldn't join us. Garret (the Robot), and Hannah (Edith, the Reporter) also could not be there.
With only 3 of the 6 players we decided to have some smaller episodes in the City! These started out entirely separate, but soon melded around a linchpin of a street Urchin. That pin was James', "Kid," not an active member aboard the Tugboat, but somebody who has been following the heroes around.
We began the evening with Erik's Irishman, Ermanach. This tall Zailor doesn't seem to fit into his surrounding. He doesn't look like his parents, and work keeps him away. Without a trip to the Zee to pull him out of the house he spent a few days handling some small chores. Ermanach found satisfaction painting a fence, fetching a ham, and calling on the neighbors. Emily Olson just down the road is sweet on the tall Irish Zailor.
His domestic life was interrupted when the smallest Olson boy got lost in the sewers. Rats can be caught for ready money (or good eating) in Fallen London. Emily's youngest brother, Samuel Olson was on the hunt for the biggest rat anyone had ever seen. that was until the pretty turned the tables and Samuel got lost in the sewers. Heeding the call to action Ermanach clambered into the filth and found the boy. He brought him back to safety, earning some cheers from bystanders and great big hug was an ever grateful Emily. All that despite his filthy clothes.
Elsewhere, Jack Weston (played by Steven) put back on his Constable uniform and had a few dull days of patrol. He walked up and down LadyBones Road tipping his hat, demanding the pickup of refuse, and occasionally saying, "Whats all this then?" It would have been a boring day on the beat if it wasn't for a paper airplane. Some cryptic message was flown a few feet past his face. Not wanting litter to lie around officer Weston stooped to pick it up. He noticed the writing on the pages but could barely make anything out. The paper had so many words crammed into too small a space, with sentences overlapping over and over. Still Constable Jack Weston could identify a repeated word - "Honey."
Knowing the disaster Prisoners Honey could bring to a fragile mind, Jack Weston was on the case. Someone in his neighborhood was likely addicted to this powerful hallucinogen. The lawman went off to a place where he could find foolish dreamers, into the very grips of Bohemians and Artists. He went to the VeilGarden.
Conveniently Jack Weston met the "Kid" in the VeilGarden. Although the Urchin was handing a completely different matter. The "Kid" had recently been called upon by many other orphans and outcasts. Homeless children had heard that he recently moved on up in the world and was living with Edith. These children call him money-man now, as he took thousands of dollars from the Collyer house. Eager to receive some charity from their former peer, the grubby urchins asked him to assist in buying / stealing some meat pies.
All of them ran off to Caligula's Coffee in the VeilGarden. The plan was for the Kid to stand in line and actually buy one Meat pie. The others children would use such a distraction to raid the shop and take many others. For the Kid having money doesn't take away his desire the steal more money. He attempted to steal from a patron just ahead in line of him. A man caught his hand in the cookie jar, and called out for a Constable. Enter Jack Weston.
Now, Jack and the Kid had met before on the Tugboat, but they never developed a great working relationship. After a few explanations / excuses they reintroduced themselves to each other. Then the two found it best to work towards finding the honey addict. They returned to the Reporter’s home so as to follow a new person of interest, John Glasglow, once a bright student now a Honeyed fiend.
Meanwhile Ermanach had Rat trouble. The intelligent Rattus Faber of Fallen London had declared war on Ermanach for disturbing their peace in the sewers. They broke into his house and tried to make off with butter, some of his clothes, and a whole ham. Ermanach had never seen anything like this. The Rats used tiny tools, ropes, and even wheelbarrows to carry away their loot. The Irishman did manage to catch one of the little invaders and offered a scrap of paper and pencil lead. Once all the Rats had carted away their spoils Ermanach was left with a Rat manifesto. Then he thought he ought to get some cats.
Ermanach went to the Reporter’s house to deliver the Rat Political Tirade, and to get a cat. The mystic Cats of Fallen London are difficult to catch but usually hang around Spite. Ermanach knew of a street Urchin that might be able to help. So, the Kid and the lanky Irishman went off in search of a talking cat. Luckily the Urchin caught one and was invited in the home of a hedonistic grey cat. It shared some its vast knowledge with the Kid and two cats where tasked with protecting the home-front from Ratkind.
the Grey-Cat also mention the Constable should seek out the King of the Flit to close the honey case. Ermanach went home with his Cats, while the Detective and the Urchin headed off towards the Flit. Seeking answers of where the Honey might be coming from.
They managed to get across the rooftops safely, and were granted an audience with the King of the Flit. The Kind shared details on the downfall of the John Glasglow. The King had one of his many spies show them where John could be found on LadyBones Road. Finally they made it back to where it all began and Jack Weston could overhear the poor man attempting to battle a coat rack. Throwing his voice he imitated his defeat. John Glasglow accepted and proceeded to toss the coat rack out of this building into the arms of the law. Glasglow then threw himself out in a possible act of repentance, and a clear act of defenestration.
Long story short the case was closed, no one died, and the Kid took possession of the some drugged up Honey.
To close out the evening Ermanach sought a permanent peace with the Rats. He braved the sewers again. In the dark below the streets he came upon a gladiatorial battle in miniature. With harpoon in hand he faced off against a rat the size of a German Sheppard. He was victorious and left cheese to appease the appetites of the Rattus Faber. Ermanach hopes that such a truly ridiculous war might be avoided.
The only other thing to mention from last night would be the reports of a Certain American. A drifter from across the pond has checked himself into half a dozen hotels, has left a very large tab, and is nowhere to be found.
His fate is to be determined in the next game of Fallen London!
Adventure 1 — Adventure 2 — Adventure 3 — Adventure 4 — Adventure 5 — Adventure 6 — Adventure 7 —Adventure 8 — Adventure 9 — Epilogue