Hold my hair

Once Liga Bur is sure that the last of the rats are dead or have scurried off back to wherever they came from, the leathers are secure, and the pack ponies are safe he tends again to Mir Hundur's wounded feet.

The bandages have held up well and will suffice to get them back into town where he can find a proper vet to look after his faithful campanion.

Finally taking the time to look after his own wounds, Liga Bur makes his way down to the river to wash out his wounds. Only very shallow scratches, but the cuts are already starting to take on a sickly shade of purple.

And his own face looks decided green and sickly in the reflection of the water. 

He's not feeling so good either, now the adrenaline has worn off.

In fact, he doesn't feel right at all.

His tummy aches, and he has a sudden urge to...

BLEURGH!

Deader, deader, deader..........Ratman

 As Fortu leads the frightened mules away from the smouldering huts, gently scratching behind their ears to distract and ease them, he reflects on the fight.

He knows that living as a slave has greatly sheltered him from life, but a rat that can change into a human is unbelievable. The transformation right in front of him had unsettled him, giving the old looking man an easy swing with his cudgel. Fortu is convinced that without previously taking the healing potion he would now be dead, the blow doing more damage than expected. He is relieved that they caught and killed both the lightening fast rat and the transformed one, although embarrassed at his own swing and miss, between the three on them. The sight of Arowe's rapid archery and Liga Bur's rat jam was impressive and he was happy enough with himself when fighting standing on the mezz'. As a team they had worked well together.

As he returns to the others he drapes a muscled arm around Rifkin's shoulder. "Back in the pits many men were scared, such that they'd piss themselves before each fight. But in the pit its 'stand and fight, win or die' and they would be there. If you ever run again like that, while in Arowe's cadre, keep running for if I survive I will hunt you down and kill you myself."

With a grin and slapping the Bard soundly on the back "Now explain to me what these items might be worth?"

Surprisingly Good Haul

Dragging the rat king Koenig and his dire rat general a safe distance from the burning buildings, the four adventurers sort out the loot.
Rifkin seems to have a good grasp of what's what and makes some informed guesses.
Pipes of the Sewers?
Silver sickle +1?
Wand of Healing?
Amulet of Health?
Potion of Bulls strength?
Potion of Barkskin?
12gp, 8sp, 14cp.
Most interestingly though, inside the waterproof scroll case, you find a tattered Map showing the location of a 'magical' pond.
After the flames die down you also find that, although singed, the finished Leathers are mostly salvageable and the dead tannery workers and the rat catcher you gather up a few more coins.
33gp, 48sp, 76cp.

Riffling through the Rats and Rags

Although several of the outbuildings of the tannery are aflame behind them, Fortu, Arowe and Liga Burr quickly search through the filthy and raggedy clothes of the old mystic.
Most of his stuff seems worthless but you do discover the previously heard pan-pipes, a coin purse, a couple of potion bottles, a silver scythe, a scroll case and an odd looking, engraved wooden stick. Only the urbane Arowe recognises it for the wand it is. Unfortunately the symbols carved into it mean nothing to him and give no clue to its purpose.
The Halfling Liga Burr though is much more interested in the amulet hanging from the chain around the giant rat's neck. Despite the blood and grime covering it, he can sense its power.
Baffled by the items, the practically minded Fortu skirts the flames and releases the two tethered mules before their building catches alight.
Aside from that, there's not much the trio of injured adventurers can do to prevent all of the closely built, wooden and thatch outbuildings burning down. Only the main building escapes that charcoal fate.
While the fires are still raging, the slightly elf Rifkin wanders back to find his previously semi-abandoned friends.
"Thank Olidammara that you're safe! I was worried that you were all rat food! Did you hear me though? I tried to help from where I was..."
The three burned and rat bitten warriors turn to him and stare.
Ignoring the silence, the foppishly dressed bard spots the wand and coos.
"Blimey, that's going to be useful!"

Much Better by Halfling

Across the main field, the Halfling acrobat Mabel's gaze lingers. perhaps a little too long, on Liga Burr's scarred and muscular arms. A gaze her brother Poppin can't help but notice.

"What ya lookin' at?", he sneers good naturedly. "Not that dirty freak? I'm not sure if he's even a full halfling. He looks like if our old Auntie Jemima shagged a sack full of rocks and had a lumpy baby!"

Biting her bottom lip, Mabel denies the obvious attraction whilst simultaneously maintaining her view of Liga Burr's ridiculously broad shoulders.

"I was just wondering if he knows anything about the history of this place?", she semi-lies in response.

Giving myself an edge

 Fortu finds himself alone on the mezz' floor with 3-4 extremely large rats. Although he has had no formal education he can usually sum up a fight;

 if he jumps he knows he will land badly then be totally surrounded by the numerous, quicker, large rats.

if he stays at the mezz' edge he can limited the number of rats that can reach him and hopefully kill them before they kill him.

Hoping that the nimble Arowe and surly Liga Bur are in a healthier situation than himself he edges to the side wall of the mezz'. Thinking of healthier he remembers the potion he spent all his gold on, praying that he wasn't duped he reaches for it.........

Next Game?

Hi guys,
Looking at the diary, I could do either Saturday 19th or Sunday 20th Dec for a next game. Currently, I can do either morning or night both days so that would be:

• Friday 18th Night (UK) / Saturday 19th Morning (Oz)
• Saturday 19th Morning (UK) / Saturday 19th Night (Oz)
• Saturday 19th Nigh (UK) / Sunday 20th Morning (Oz)
• Sunday 20th Morning (UK) / Sunday 20th Night (Oz) 

Any of those work fo you guys?
Scott