The Brotherhood of The Black Rats

2.16 52 Spells

16| 52 Spells

“You see a large bronze doorway inset into the cave in front of you,” Stated Doc. “It appears to be locked.” 

“I pick the lock,” declared Thompkins. 

“Very well,” said Doc. “Roll for it.” 

“Come on Thompkins, you’re our best bet here,” Cheered Colin as the glamoured troll took up a pair of dice after moving a tiny plastic figure across the grid in front of him.  

“My cleric’s a level 27 lock pick you guys, and his name is Melnar,” replied Thompkins. “It’s no fun if we don’t use the right names.” 

“Come on Melnar, just pick the damn lock!” cheered Calvin.

Thompkins let the dice fall from his hands while he and the Twins watched in eager anticipation. It bounced once then rolled to a stop, displaying six simple dots on its white face.

“Huzzah!” cried the Twins in unison. 

“The door swings open with a shatter metal clang,” began Doc, reading from an open book on the other side the table. “As the sounds fade, the distant snarl of goblins can be heard from beyond…” 

“I hate Goblins,” said Thompkins, moving his figure one space back on the grid.

“Roll for initiative,” said Doc.

“Didn’t see that one coming,” retorted Gabriel from where he sat in one of the old antique lounge chairs, flipping through the pages of a magazine, utterly uninterested in the current table-top adventure his fellow Black Rats were partaking in. 

Thompkins and the Twins rolled their twenty sided dice and read aloud the results. Yet before they could progress further, an excited Simon burst through the door with Kai at his heels. 

“We’re hired!” he exclaimed, holding a piece of paper up for the others to see. “Or, rather me and Kai at least. Just came from the staff meeting. The gigs are ours.” 

“Congratulations,” said Gabriel. “It’s about time you both found some honest work.” 

“Nonsense,” said Simon. “How are things progressing on your end?” 

“Alvin Wong is a man-child in love with fast bikes and loose women; you thought he had a gambling addiction? You should see his Kawasaki collection,” answered Gabriel.

“So you’re best friends, I take it?” quipped Simon. 

“Turns out saving the man’s life gets one on the VIP list for the rest of it,” added Thompkins. “We’re set on our end.” 

“Good,” said Simon. “Twins, Doc, where you at?” 

“We’ll be spending tomorrow evening in the company of Alice Wong and her Grandmother, no thanks to your love potion.” 

“Well, you got to admit, it did come in handy in the end,” chimed Doc.

“As I knew it would,” said Simon. “This is great news, guys. We’re in really good shape.”

“What about Magic?” asked Gabriel “You figure that out yet, chief?  

“As a matter of fact, we have, or rather, Kai has…” Simon responded, casting a glance towards his second in command. “Gather round, guys.” 

The six thieves and one invisible voice took their places at the large round table in the center of the underground safe house, each one as eager as the next to hear what their grand play would be in the game to come.