Glibnik stared at the mouldy cheese crust. He’d overheard a cheese merchant talking about
how the finest cheeses, were produced with ‘controlled rot’. Even though which sort of
cheese it had originally been, could no longer be determined, it was definitely rotten.
“And I’m in control, I chose to eat it” he murmured to himself. The sun was setting, and
Glibnik could feel the cold sneaking up on him. Not being able to afford a warm bed, would
soon go from a slight nuisance to an actual issue. He was annoyed, the last week had not gone
well at all.
No great adventure had shown itself, and no great companions had joined him.
He had even put up posters, in close proximity to taverns and inns, which adventurers and
mercenaries were known to frequent. His sword was without a doubt, sharper than his pen.
But he had worked really hard on those posters, used rats’ blood to paint the letters, so they
were easy to read and everything:
‘Vork Vonted: I am Glibnik, I am strong and fight good.
Hire me. Don’t have to pey good koin.
Find me in trass or allyvay”
But none had come looking for him. He felt lonely, and sorry for himself, as he started eating
his rot-controlled cheese. If nothing spectacular happened soon, he had to skip town,
especially after what happened at the docks. And then he heard it, the scampering, the sound
of his main nemesis, well second after Karkaroz, rats.
Glibnik had fought off minor armies of rats, at this point. And in these streets, they were large
as hounds. His eyes darted along the cobblestone alleyway ground, looking for the culprit. He
could hear it, but it was nowhere to be found.
That was his mistake – looking down, instead of up. With a quick swoop, a 3 clawed winged
rat, snatched his cheese and flew behind him. Large as hounds, sure, winged and with 3
claws? That was new. As he turned, he heard the voice:
“I have been observing you Goblin”
A small, hooded figure was standing in the alleyway, with the mutant rat hovering next to it.
Glibnik instinctively grabbed the handle of his war flail with his left hand, behind his back.
With his right, he loosened the leather strap that kept the flail’s head and chain tightened to
the handle. He hoped it looked like he was just scratching his back. With both hands.
Awkwardly. Maybe he could swing the entire two-handed weapon with his right hand. Catch
the hooded figure off guard. The swing would be imprecise and with little power, but maybe..
The figure was smaller than Glibnik himself, which was rare. It’s robes a greyish colour, and
as the last sunlight shone on the figures head, Glibnik saw for a brief second, that it was
wearing giant goggles, reflecting the sunlight.
The figured tilted it’s head and studied Glibnik for brief second, then let out a series high
pitched squeaks before it spoke again.
“Oh no no Goblin, I’m not here to hurt you, you can let go of your weapon”
The figure threw its hood back, and opened the front of its robe, to show it was unarmed. It
was a Rat folk, with pristine black fur, wearing oversized goggles, many of its whiskers were
singed or burned almost entirely off. Its face was covered with small red scars, and when it
spoke, a mouth full of daggerlike teeth was revealed.
Had it not been for the kind emerald green eyes, and the playful smile, it would have looked almost demonic, downright evil.
Around its waist, it carried what looked like half an alchemy lab. Small sleek vials and larger
bubble glass vials adorned its belt. On its hip a large tome was fastened with iron chains.
Glibnik did not know a lot about magic, but this Rat folk was a spell slinger for sure.
The figure smiled broadly at him and continued talking, in rapid fire pace.
“I can see how it looks, sneaking up on you in an alley. Allow me to introduce myself:
My warren name is Grater Brain, but my friends call me G.B, and this”
Grater Brain pointed at the flying mutant rat
“is my familiar Lil’ Grater, I’m terribly sorry about him stealing your, eh,” He looked at the
rotten cheese crust trying to hide his disgust. “Piece of mold”.
Glibnik was reminded of the theft and felt rage that almost overwhelmed him.
“You tell your flying rat to give me back my food! This is the alleyways, so alleyway rules
apply: Finders keepers, or we fight to the death for it!” Glibnik shouted while pointing
angrily at Lil’ Grater. G.B let out another series of high-pitched squeals, apparently that
constituted his laugh.
“Grater give back Mr. Goblin his food” If rats could yell and curse, that’s what Grater did, it
flew high above Glibnik and dropped the cheese crust on his head. G.B put his hands up in
front of him, to signal he came in peace.
“I saw you fight 3 nights ago Goblin, trust me, violence is the last thing I want from our little
exchange. You fight well, you seem used to punching”
Glibnik starred at him in bewilderment for a bit. 3 nights ago, he had been stealing buckets of
fish guts at the docks. Normally that was not a problem, but lately The Bringers of Light, a
local ruthless and violent gang, had sized control over the harbour and docks. The only light
they would bring you, was if they happened to kill you at dawn. Glibnik could care less about
gangs, and what they controlled. He did however care, when 3 members of the gang, attacked
him for trespassing. But he hadn’t used punch. Glibnik used flail.
It was very effective. Well obviously the Grater Brain hadn’t ratted him out, because if so Glibnik would be dead.
Killing 3 members of the Bringers of light wouldn’t go unpunished.
Glibnik liked the demon rat man.
“Well Mr Demon ra.. G.B, why are you here? Did you see my see poster? I knew it would
work!” Glibnik was excited, this had to be it, the great companion. It all made sense. As a
little Goblin, he was scared of magic and demons, and a few days ago he saw a rat. It was an
omen! Grater Brain looked puzzled but smiled again:
“Poster? What? No, no no. You see Goblin, I’m in a predicament, and I think you can be of
great assistance. I am, among other things, an alchemist. And I’m trying to brew a very
special elixir. The problem is, I need someone to test my elixirs along the way, without ehm,
dying. Someone who can stomach the hardiest of concoctions, without a hiccup. Pun very
much intended”
G.B ‘laughed’ again. Glibnik felt devastated, he wanted to help Grater Brain, he really did.
But Glibnik was not a liar, and he did suffer from hiccups. Often at that. Actually hiccups,
and the fact that he shed his entire set of teeth, on a weekly basis, was two of his biggest
personal quirks. He felt angry, he mostly got the hiccups after he ate food that turned out to
have been poisoned. He almost shouted at Grater Brain:
“Well suit yourself then! But you are missing an opportunity of a lifetime! I’m a great
warrior and I have the strongest stomach any Goblin has ever had, even if I do get the
hiccups”
It took G.B a few seconds to piece together what was happening, at first, he looked taken
aback by Glibnik sudden outburst, but then he smiled, almost fatherly.
“No no, that was just a figure of speech. You can have the hiccups from dusk ‘til dawn. I just
want you to try my elixirs for me, and well, utilize your formidable combat prowess. What say
you Goblin, follow me and have an adventure of a lifetime?”.
Glibnik spat out 3 teeth before he smiled from ear to ear. G.B said the magic word.
Adventure.
“Glibnik Rotgut at your service Mr G.B. You point, I kill, you brew, I drink” Glibnik looked
Grater Brain in his eyes and held his gaze:
“I do NOT kill innocent people, or good people, or small people, ‘cept gnomes and haflings,
and Goblins and and Kobolds and..”
Grater Brain stopped him midsentence: “Nor do I dear Glibnik, nor do I. But haven’t you
forgot something? What payment do you want?”
Glibnik thought long and hard before he spoke: “Help me kill a red dragon, and we’re even”
His entire stomach felt like it got incinerated, Karkaroz’ hatred and wrath almost knocked
Glibnik off his legs, the pain was immense. This was perfect.