A Death in the Family

Ethelred said, "Well, I am committed to helping you Hring. Wererats sound like nothing more than mother effin killers. However, I must ask if you have seen, or heard, of any other activities down in the sewers. Or is it just a lair

of wererats?"

"That is a good question. For the past 4 years, we have only found wererats and various ratspawn, but recently the men I've sent down have reported the the rats seem to be better equipped. They have had magical potions in much greater abundance, and several have even been seen wearing magical armor and using magical potions.

We are not sure where their help is coming from, but anyone who is aligned with the wererats should share their fate!" This last statement was accompanied by a fist pounding the table. "My men stay closer to the docks and the southeastern part of the sewers, mostly because it is easier to enter and exit the sewers down here because of the waterfront and the fact that the drop isn't as far, but also because we have enough men to have a rough perimeter set up blocking this portion of the city off from the rats.

When you," here Hring addressed Darvin and Talathel, "Entered the sewers, you just happened to drop into the hands of one of our patrols, but had we not intercepted you there, you would have met my men at the border of the rats' territories, where you would have been stopped. I do not know why you were roaming about in the sewers, but you were armed, and did not attack my men, so I assumed you were there to attack the rats, and asked for your help."

"I can see I haven't sold you yet on helping with this endeavor, but it would have been a shame to have to put you down because you had turned against your own, when a bit of preparation could have prevented it."

Turning to Gurkirat, he continued. "Ramman was once one of my most trusted assistants. He was especially good at gathering information for me about the politics of the city, and he knew the alleys and back ways of the city as well as he knew how to make a man bleed."

"About 4 years ago, Rhora began establishing herself in the city. She is a natural-born wererat, not an afflicted like a person becomes when bitten by a wererat, and Ramman stumbled upon what she was doing one evening while investigating another matter. He found out as much as he could and reported back to me about the problem. I asked him to keep an eye on Rhora, and he did for several weeks before he was found out. He was able to get out, but contracted filth fever, another of the diseases carried by the vermin, and wandered out delirious and was taken to a healer, who cared for him."

"He was delirious with the fever for 3 days, and by the time he was lucid enough to tell anyone what had happened, it was too late for him. He had also become a wererat himself. You see, after 3 days, it becomes permanent, and there is no longer anything that can be done for you."

"The next full moon, you will become a wererat for the three nights of the full moon, and will attack anyone near you out of sheer animal rage, seeking out safety in the sewers and dark places their kind favor."

"We thought we might find a way to heal Ramman, and had my personal physicians attend him, here at my estate. He tore through the guards at his door, my family, and many of my staff before finding his way to the sewers. It was the worst night of my life." Hring paused a moment, shaking his head at the memory.

"He didn't emerge from the sewers again for weeks, but one day he just showed up at one of the parks. I had reported what happened, and when the city guards tried to apprehend him, he transformed into a wererat, tore through them, and went into hiding again."

"Since then, he has methodically begun a rampage of terror that the Ramman I knew would not have been capable of." Hring scowled.

"In answer to your question, he has gained control of his shape-shifting, but at what cost? Perhaps you would fare better. Perhaps not."

"There are three cures for the disease form of theriomorphy. The first is to eat belladonna within 1 hour of being bitten. This is not always successful, even with the help of a healer, but it's a chance. Also, know that belladona is toxic, and can severely weaken you after you've taken it."

"The second way is to have a powerful cleric (Level 12 or higher) magically heal or remove their disease within three days of the attack."

"And finally, if someone can magically remove the curse or break the enchantment during one of the three days of the full moon, and the person is strong enough, they can beat back the illness."

"Ramman ran away from us before we could try to break the curse, and it was already too late for the other two methods, so we lost him. I have made many sacrifices in this battle, but I WILL see Rhora dead before I am done!" This last comment was shouted, as if Hring was directly challenging Rhora to face him.