ClocktowerEchos

Rats in the Mall

Well...we are rats, not dedicated Ratholics.

@ArisenMoon

Edited for RP thematic correctness

Rats in the Mall

THE LAST IRONCLAW

The Great-Clan of Ironclaw has all but faded into myth and legend, consumed by the tides of time. Of his thousand children, none of them had the will or the spirit to carry on his legacy and tore his Empire apart into a thousand squabbling, fractured, petty realms. Now his name is only spoken in tales and his empire a lost glory that all rats strive to emulate.

But in the years following the collapse Great-Clan of Ironclaw, before the Night of Death, one of his successors sought to reclaim his forbearer's empire. Great-Great Emperor Nailthorn II of Walmar, the last bastion of the glory of Ironclaw and the former capital of the Great-Clan. With the knowledge his Empire was dying and when it did, the legacy of Ironclaw would be lost to time, he gambled everything on one, last desperate gambit - an ambitious and colossal expedition to reclaim the lands lost to the barbarian, the rebel and the savage.

The task was Herculean, its challenges would be beyond hellish and its premise would push rats to their absolute limits but there was one rat who could possibly pull it off: Falavar Steelheart. Personal bodyguard to the late Great-Great Emperor Nailthorn the First, Hero of the Battle of Falling Fountains, and brutal suppressor of the Lansend Smalls Uprising, Falavar was brave, ambitious and strong yet gregarious, sharp and loyal, all ideals that the great Ironclaw Cat-Slayer himself possessed. He alone possessed the skill, experience and wits to lead the expedition to reclaim the lost glory of the Great-Clan of Ironclaw.

Falavar was the final hope of a dying legacy, the Last of the True Ironclaws.

Reposting from the Discord, would anyone want some old, old history of their people to interact with this or have any other ideas?

Rats in the Mall

Discord because why not.

Rats in the Mall

@Elgappa I can quickly set one up if we need one.

Rats in the Mall

@ArisenMoon

At the moment i am still working on the map (Gimp is a bitch...i wish i had the money for Photoshop..), but i would tendate to either the first, or the Third floor! Your choice...Fire-Maniacs or big Scary Jungle?

@Elgappa

Have you tried Pixlr? Its like a cruder version of PS but its online.

Rats in the Mall

@ClocktowerEchos
Fair point.

How about having this band be led by an outcast member of one of the Merchant Clans (preferably a minor one)? With no way to climb up the order of succession with ease, this Rat figured it'd be a better idea to first carve up a respectable reputation and gain some money through work as a Condottiere leader. When the time comes, he could be a returning war veteran of sorts, looking to systematically tear down his Clan and rise to the top with the help of his personal army of War Rats and considerable wealth gained from his military service. Would that work better?

@Kreegs

Like I said before, you need more than just brute strength to get anywhere in Origlian politics. The Ratpublic as a whole is ludicrously wealthy and the second a Merchant Clan hears of someone trying to destroy the entire clan, they are going to throw everything at you until the problem is solved by either bribing you to go away or hiring assassins or mercenaries in greater quantities than you could. Even if you do win out most of the other Clans are not going to take kindly to someone just showing up and inducting themselves into their societal group, especially if said person is an outcast.

I'm not saying you can't play this idea, I'm just trying to say you can't expect to bash down the doors to Origlio and expect things to work out on pure martial skill alone.

Rats in the Mall

@Kreegs The thing is that the Ratpublic doesn't usually go out of its way to make enemies since you can't trade with dead people. You're more than welcomed to act as guards in a major trade post just be aware that I don't even know where exactly Origlio itself is located much less its trade posts yet.

Also if you're going to get involved in Origlian politics at any point in time during your climb to power, you are going to need more than just soldiers to get places. And also preferably a shit load of money since money rules all in Origlio, without it you're just another large group of Condottieri.

Rats in the Mall

@Elgappa Because I got bored and I stay up later than I should, I made some stuff. Two mythical locations and two legendary weapons for both religions.

El Dorato

Of all the mythical places within the Mall, none are more glamorus and far-fetched than that of El Dorato. Every rat has their own idea of what it is -wealth beyond measure, women beyond beauty, knowledge beyond genius, battle beyond glory- but such a mythical realm has been the target of adventurers ranging from simple bands of friends exploring the lost halls to heavy planned and researched expiditions with scribes and soldiers. One of the most persistant legends is that within El Dorato, there is a living Creator made of gold who lives in a giant palace of equally magnificent gold and will share the secrets of transmutting gold to any who find him.

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Squeekra-La

A utopian valley said to be somewhere on the roof of the Mall where Rats live in haromny with all other animals, living hundreds of times past their normal lifespans and aging little. A lush, earthly paradise that existed before the time of the Creators, its said to be home to the legendary Pearl of the Orirat, a magical sphere the can force thoughts of peace and harmony on to the mind of any being.

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The Burning Blade

The golden sword used by the Burnt Prophet himself in his fateful duel against the Chosen of the Creators in the Battle of Burning Waters. It radiates with heat and its warm to the touch. Legends state that when the Burnt Prophet wielded it, it wreathes itself in holy flame to smite the heretic and said to contain a fragment of the Prophet's very soul! Lost during the Battle of Burning Waters when both the Prophet and the Chosen were swallowed whole by the earth!

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Forgebreaker

Used by the Chosen of the Creators in the Battle of Burning Waters against the Burnt Prophet, Forgebreak is a massive hammer carved with runes and blessings of all the Creator Gods. Said to be able to crush the bones of Skulkers and even able to rend the very ground itself, its said that the hammer choses its user during the Creator Cult's time of need. It was lost with its weilder during the Battle of Burning Waters where the Chosen of the Creators split the earth in two and martyred him with the Burnt Prophet, tumbling into the abyss below.

Rats in the Mall

Finished NS. Their stats are as follows:

Richness - 5 (+1 from low Military, base 5)
Military - 1 (Skulkers at the Door!)
Population - 3
Control - 3
Knowledge - 4 (+1 from low Ferocity, base 4)
Ferocity - 1 (A Rat or just a Mice)

Sub Total = 17/15

Pack Divided Weakness + 2 Points

Total 17/17

The Most Serene Ratpublic of Origlio

^{The Most Serene Ratpublic of Orilgio}

^{Strength in Gold-Gold, Power in Gold-Gold!}

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_History

While it is the Warrior and the Conqueror who gets much of the glory in the annals of history, it is the Administrator who makes all of their accomplishments possible and their tales record for generations to come. The rats of Origlio proudly claim descendant from Dhogez Goldeneye, a powerful steward for Ironclaw Catslayer who had done the logistics for his army as well as organizing many aspects of Ironclaw’s armies and realm.

In recognition of his services, Ironclaw rewarded Dhogez with a small store called “Orologio d’Oro”. Once a family own watch and jewelry shop in the time of the Creators, had become the Kingdom of Origlio after Dhogez couldn’t quite make out what the words said atop the shop due to him missing an eye. It was not as large or as grand as the fiefs given to the generals or warriors of Ironclaw, but Dhogez was wise enough to understand that Ironclaw had to placate his generals by rewarding them handsomely less they rebelled.

At first, the darkened glass windows of didn’t seem to hold much, but upon exploration it was discovered the Ironclaw had blessed them with a massive trove of gold and timekeepers! So thankful was Dhogez and his followers that not once did they ever try to rebel or show dissent to the great Ironclaw! Using their new-found wealth and timekeepers, the Kingdom of Origlio soon became wealthy from trade and unlocked the secrets of clockwork in the form of Cogsmithing.

As the generations past, it was only a matter of time until a bad ruler came along and forced the hand of the people. King Gutbuster the Greasy had rose to power with more sins than chins and more chins than sins. Completely ineffectual and disliked, he was said to not only eaten Smalls but also other Rats! It was this when the wealthy nobles who would go on to form the Merchant Clans decided to overthrow their king, using their wealth to bribe all his guards and leaving him open for assassination.

With their fat, lazy king now tied up and thrown over the side of a railing, left at the mercy of the Mall, the nobles did something unspeakable and in a case of extreme willpower and goodwill (by rat standards), they decided no one rat should hold all power and thus formed the Merchant Clans and the elected position of Merchant Lord. From there on, the wealth and power of the Ratpublic of Origlio only grew as more and more trade posts sprung up and caravans and ships crossed the mall regularly.

The current Merchant Lord is one Lokier Swiftsilver of House Ritter.

_Leadership

Viewing themselves as “enlightened” and “civilized”, the Ratpublic does away with the cruel, barbaric and simplistic notion of pack alpha is leader. No, instead they are built upon the foundations of representation and voting! Never mind the fact that only a select few people can actually vote and all of said voting is held between feuding Merchant Clans and its governmental wheels are polished with blood and gold, but small details.

In truth the Ratpublic is controlled by a handful of Merchant Clans (sometimes known as Merchant Families/Packs/Dens/Houses/etc) who are headed by a Patrician with notable members of them being called Merchant Princes. Together they vote for a Merchant Lord who has functionally unlimited power but is tether by a council comprising of the other Merchant Clans and serves for life. Whether said life sentence be for five seconds or five years all depends on how crafty and cunning the person in question is. Bloodlines and personal skill are undoubtedly valued, true political clout and power comes in the form of gold backed up by prestige. A rat could be the most well-known and prestigious member of a famous family with deeds innumerable, but if he can’t count any gold to his name, he is nothing.

Famously, while the Ratpublic’s government has little public bloodshed like in some tribal cultures, the amount of politicking, wheeling and dealing, intrigue and assassination that goes on behind the scene can easily overwhelm anyone not born into it. Anyone who isn’t always at the top of their game and on top of their finances can see their power crumble in mere seconds. However, such cut-throat politics has made the Merchant Clans cunning and crafty beyond many other rats in the Mall (if not a little paranoid) and is a mark of pride that they often use to get others to do their bidding.

_{Territory and Resources}

The primary holding of the Ratpublic is the remains of an old family owned jewelry and watch store named Orogoio d’Oro, the Golden Watch, whose name they misinterpreted and used as the basis of Origlio. Their holding is small but heavily built up with many diverse levels and platforms, held up by supports or even hanging from the ceiling. Clockwork machinery is everywhere from manually operated elevators to conveyer systems to contraptions to help with manufacturing. The “capital building” is located in the husk of a large, ancient grandfather clock said to have been older than the Creators themselves with its interior clock face now used as the meeting place of all the patrician families.

Through a system of clockwork gauges and pumps, water is pumped into many hanging gardens or large-scale plant pots now used to grow crops needed to feed the populace. Worms are even raised in select enclosed dirt pastures although only the super-rich can afford to feast upon such a delicacy such as worm roast. There is a constant ticking all through Origlio from its machinery and a constant chattering of merchants in markets and bazars. Locals have managed to drown out such white noise to but many outsiders who visit, the noise is defending and often keeps them up at night and unable to focus, something which Origlian negotiators have taken advantage of in the past.

However, the true extend of the territorial claims of the Ratpublic lies far beyond the mere storefront. The Merchant Princes own a massive network of trade posts, merchant enclaves and scavenging outposts to fuel their mercantile empire. It’s with this network that they have become the wealthiest faction of rats and have eyes and ears over all corners of the mall. However, it’s not uncommon for some of these outposts to fall silent or come under attack and when the Ratpublic isn’t busy trying fighting amongst themselves, they will mount expeditions to reclaim the outposts. Or what’s left of them.

_{Culture and Faith}

Opulence is a blessed life and poverty is a death sentence within the Ratpublic. As such, the pursuit of wealth is considered to at the top of any self-respecting rat’s priorities. They labor daily to feed the needs of the Merchant Clans, more than happy to try and get a leg up on their betters by whatever means they think they can successfully pull off. In such a materialistic culture, it is signs of wealth that are displayed proudly or whatever can be interpreted to mean wealth. The styles and manners of the Merchant Clans are imitated by the common folk in reverence.

Being taught a craft and mastering it is the common expectation for those living in the Ratpublic with both men and women having jobs to preform to gain money. Women typically have jobs they can better preform at home such as weaving or sewing or cooking prepared meals to be sold while men have more physically demanding jobs like smiting and manufacturing. Its long said in the Mall that if you need something, you go to the Ratpublic. And if you cannot find it in the Ratpublic’s markets, public or black, then it does not exist at all.

Those who aspire to go beyond the simple apprenticeship path can look to one of several major institutions of higher learning in Origlio. The College of Coggery is where engineers are taught the fine art of cogsmithing and clockwork that the Ratpublic runs on. The Schola Militarum d’Origlio is where those who hope to make a living by commanding mercenaries and soldiers go. The Collegia Alchema is dedicated to the art of healing and alchemy, and by extension poison. The Chamber of Iudexes trains the law bringers and iudexes to persecuit the criminal (usually those people who are too poor to be able to just bribe their way out). The Schola Fiancia is of course famous and high respected -as well as ludicrously expensive- being based on mercantile pursuits and business management with many Merchant Princes being sent here as well as foreign students.

Smalls are not given much thought of in Origlio. They are expected to work and labor just as everyone else in the eyes of the Merchant Clans (although they will ensure that a Small will never gain enough power to challenge or join their clan). Some Smalls have made a name for themselves by being experts craftsmen or being taken as mistresses by Merchant Princes. And while the government as a while cares little for the actions or wellbeing of the Smalls, being remarkably apathetic towards them in every regard, racism is still displayed by the common folk and if a Darkwing requires Smalls to feast on as part of a contract, the Ratpublic is more than happy to let them take whatever they want. A dark conspiracy floats around the lower levels of Origlio that somewhere, the Merchant Clans actually have a facility dedicated to literally breeding Small for the express purpose of use as living currency with its many mercenaries. Of course, such rumors are just the mutterings of the drunk and delusional. Are they?

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The “wealth over all others” ideology extends its hands into religion in the Ratpublic, or the lack thereof. Zeal and devotion cannot buy titles thus making it a worthless endeavor in the eyes of the Ratpublic who pay lip service to both the Cult of the Creators and the Faith of Fire. If anything, they lean slightly more towards the side of the Creators as much of their wealth, knowledge and power derives from the old world.

During the “Great Schism”, the Ratpublic stayed neutral for most of the war, profiting buy selling to both sides and becoming even more wealthy in the process. It was only towards the end did they put their support behind the Creators which even than they only did half-heartedly. When the time for peace talks came, it was the Grandfather Clock of Origlio that was chosen as neutral grounds for peace talks.

That said, there are a few holy folks in Origlio and the Merchant Princes know what kind of money donations can bring in. As such there are a small handful but richly decorated and ornate churches and cathedrals to both the Faith of Fire and the Cult of the Creators that rival the finest temples either side can offer. Such is their splendor that some zealous followers from outside go on pilgrimages to Origlio just to see the masterfully built and exquisite decorated temples and cathedrals and most importantly, leave donations for their “gods”.

_Military

The Ratpublic of Origlio has a pitiful standing, native army, only really counting the personal retinues and household guards of the Merchant Princes and the Merchant Militia levies. The real bulk of the fighting strength of the Ratpublic comes in the form of mercenaries. Some are native born and take up arms to feed themselves, some are exiles or rouge warriors who defected from their home tribes, all united in the taste of gold and glory.

Leading these forces in most cases is a Paymaster and a Household Commander, the former responsible for the payment of all the mercenaries while the latter is the overall commander. The art of war has been turned into a military science in the Ratpublic with the Schola Militarum d’Origlio being dedicated to military science and leadership. Merchant Princes themselves sometimes will take to the field, not as any true test of arms, but because doing so gains them prestige and glory to use in the political carrier.

The most basic unit of a mercenary army in Origlio is the Condottere, mercenaries for hire who are seen in flavors of pikerats, halberdier, swordsrats and crossbowrats. Individually they are formed into their own companies with names and traditions as simple as the “Company of Fratzo Blackhide” to as gaudy and outlandish as the “Ever Victorious Host of the Slayer-Lord Pukpuk Skybreaker the Magnificent of Kalka”.

Above the basic mercenary free companies, the Ratpublic also emplys Marines-at-Arms and Exploraters. Marine-at-Arms is the name given to the soldiers who serve aboard ships and caravans as lightly armored guards. Exploraters are those adventurous rats who go out and hunt for lost relics and mystical lands in the name of glory and gold and while many never find such lofty dreams at best, they are often hired as heavily armored units for a merchant prince’s retinue.

With the ludicrous amount of wealth the Ratpublic has, it comes as no surprise that they can simply buy some extremely exotic allies and equipment. Darkwings (Crows) and Ironbacks (Turtles) make regular appearances in the Ratpublic as mercenaries with Ironbacks even being used to as war platforms to mount things such as the infamous Clockwork Crossbow; a crank operated rapid fire repeating crossbow. The Ratpublic claims to have been the first to successfully hire and field a mercenary Darkwing but are suspiciously tight lipped when pressed for details.

In addition to being able to hire such exotic allies, Origlian Paymasters are notorious for being able to sway and bribe all but the most elite and loyal of warriors from other tribes and factions with their honeyed words and bags of gold. There have been more than one occasion where a host of enemies finds half their army suddenly turned against them thanks to the promise of ludicrous wealth, of which the Paymasters always deliver on. Usually.

Although not readily apparent, the Ratpublic actually holds claim to a sizable store of gun powder (referred locally as “fire dust”). The reason why the Ratpublic doesn’t use cannons or explosive bombs in their arsenal is obvious; they can make a lot more money selling to the people who are addicted to it than wasting it themselves.

Rats in the Mall

@Elgappa Decided to come up with some more animals and ended up with some myths instead and an friendly animal.

The Beast of Kyburgrad

"Be a good-good child or the Beast of Kyburgrad will eat you-you!" - Common scolding of children in the village of Greyfur; no longer said said village wiped out by something, leaving no survivors and no ruins to pick at.

A mythical monster said to have single handly destroyed the city-state of Kyburgrad and left it in bloody ruins, no one knows who or what the Beast of Kyburgrad is. Some say it is a blood starved Stinker while more superstious folk claim its a possessed spirit who punishes the unworthy and unfaithful. However, the darkest rumor says it is actually a Small who survived being fed Pink-Corn and became a hideous monster who made a dark pact to purge the mall of life. More than a few Rats have used this to justify actions against Smalls, but that doesn't explain why not even Smalls are spared when this monster supposidly "attacks". Its said that calling its full name will bring the beast to you for it can hear from a thousand miles away and thus those few who talk of it call it the "K-Beast".

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The One Reborn

"I will not go there! You know the stories, ratling and so do I! Now let me through or I will eat all of you! Nothing you can pay me will get me to run down that accursed hallway!" - Brave-Tail, Mercenary Skulker
"O-oh by the Creators! What horror-horror I seen-seen! Its form-form, it burns into my eye-eyes! Yes-yes! Creators above help me-me!" - Jikjag "the Mad" after apparently witness the One Reborn; burned at the stake for heresy and insanity

The story of Doctor Frankenrat's Folly is told across countless schools and colleges, of how someone who was blinded by his own ambition and delusion fused together dozens of dead rats and Smalls and even a Winged One a Furred One and pumped it full of sustance the Creator's left behind along with clockwork machinery. The abomination that resulted was a tortued beast with many heads and limbs, all crying in pain and agony, full of unbriddled raged at the constant pain it feels. After devouring Frankenrat and his assistants, the undead monster charged into the deepest, darkest recesses of the Mall where only its etheral cries and blood curling howls can be heard, sending shivers down even the spines of Skulkers and Stinkers. It is much to Origlio's shame that they are directly responsible for the creation of the "One Reborn" as Frankenrat was their brightest student who never understood the concept of "ethics".

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Jormungand, the World Eater (Giant Fucking Danger Noodle)

"As the Tales have fortold,
The black beast of cold,
When brothers waged battle,
They hear the deathly black rattle
Of Jormungand, Bane of Rats!
Who leave not a scrap,
For when his hunger unfurls,
He shall devour the world!"
- Song of Skalabrimbor, an Ancient Prophecy

In the oldest of tales speaks of a great slumbering beast that sleep deep within the bottom floor of the Mall who is said to once have nearly brought the Mall to ruin before being put under a spell by the mythical wizard, Skalabrimbor the Wise. According to old myths, when the Mall is divided and its people slaughter each other, their blood will seep through the floors and awaken the World Eater Jormungand, named after a passage in a book the creators left behind called "Viking Myths for Kids". Some claim that the Great Schism nearly awoke the beast and is what caused the superstitous to push for peace.

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Swift Tails (Squirrels)

"Themagestyrequestyourprensenceatthenextcoucilmeetingmilord!"
"...What did you just say?"
- Conversation between a Swift Tail messenger and a local lord.

Nible and quick, Swift Tails sometimes inhabit the upper levels of the Mall in search of berries or fruits or seeds. Its not uncommon for Rats to pay these Swift Tails to deliver messages across great distances faster than any courrier ever could. However, given their rapid speech, the message sometimes becomes unintelligable without the help of a translator!