Rat King

Three troublesome new F.I.R.E. recruits, under the supervision of the more experienced Grenouille, cleared out an infestation of experimentally mutated rats that had taken over Productivity Dome Three.

## Prompt

`Good morning dutiful employees of F.I.R.E. As we move towards the second quarter of this fiscal year, it is of upmost importance that we keep a safe and clean workspace. It is due to this reason that we’ve required those of you with low short term gains to assist in the cleanup of the prized newly developed Productivity Dome 3`

`We’ve, well, had a bit of an infestation you see, a hegemony of rodents. As of signing your employment contracts, you are obligated to put a halt to all monarchies and oligarchs as they can impose their will on the great invisible talons of the free market.`

`You have until tonight to complete your duties or a penalty in monthly salary will have to be placed.`

`Happy hunting`

`~ signatory Vesak Esquire.`

## Character Developments

* First Appearances for
	+ Player Characters
		- Requiem
		- Tyburn Braithwaite
		- Ashkha
	+ NPCs
		- Orange Dragon Middle Manager

## Entry #1

`[From the mission log paperwork of Tyburn Braithwaite]`

Requiem and I convened outside of Productivity Dome Three at the appointed time, whereupon we crossed paths with Ashkha, a kobold woman with a propensity for fire-based magics, and Grenouille, a more experienced F.I.R.E. operative and ostensibly our supervisor for this mission. Our customary pre-mission verbal sparring was interrupted by a self-important orange dragon whose name I do not recall, who seemed quite put out by Requiem's show of less-than-perfect gratitude for the mission we had been tasked with and proceeded to try and make an example of him. A regrettable verbal contest began and fortunately culminated in the orange dragon's return to appropriate professionalism and the dispensing of valuable intelligence necessary for our mission. With the necessary details established, we were ushered into Productivity Dome Three by a member of the maintenance staff, who cautioned that there was a two-minute clearance window on the airlock to exit the dome and that we should therefore plan to remain inside until all threats had been neutralized.

Once inside the dome, we began the search for rats. Seeking the high ground, Requiem was the first to encounter the vermin, dispatching several rodents with lasers for eyes. He also discovered a rat that had imbibed heavily of holy water and considered itself to be a divine messenger of some unknown god; attempts to reason with the creature proved fruitless, and when it demanded that we kneel and pay tribute to beings unknown we dispatched it. Ashkha also proved herself to be a capable naturalist, happening upon signs of rat habitation such as scat and footprints; these traces eventually led us to a bolt-hole in the wall that seemed spacious enough for the smaller members of our party to access. Grenouille passed through and discovered a laboratory on the other side; he began searching the books for useful information while the larger members of our company began the search for an alternative route of entry.

With my keen eyes, I was able to discern another way into the laboratory; as we passed through, we were greeted by a large company of rats, as well as two enormous ratlike oozes that seemed to have been the result of strange experimentation. After an exemplary performance by all involved, featuring noteworthy feats of strength from Requiem, skillful displays of fire magic from Ashkha, and exemplary team coordination by yours truly, the beasts were dispatched. Unbeknownst to us, deeper into the laboratory Grenouille was tangling with a strange amalgam of rats in the shape of a man. He held his own in combat against the amalgam with no aid from the company for several rounds until we were able to arrive and provide backup, preserving both his own life and the life of his son, who he had for unknown reasons chosen to bring with him on the mission.

In the aftermath of the conflict, investigation of the laboratory revealed logbooks detailing the nature of the experimentations that occurred here, as well as a single vial of a potion that purportedly allows the drinker to command rats for a brief period of time. I am holding onto the potion for safekeeping, lest this unique and fascinating power fall into the wrong hands.