I Smell a Rat: Lee's Stats

[Michael Thayne]

A few weeks ago I finally ran I Smell a Rat for the first time (life happened shortly after the Kickstarter delivered, so I didn't get to use it nearly as soon as I'd hoped). One bit of feedback I have: it would've been nice to have stats for Lee. Even something very simple like:

ST 11; DX 12; IQ 12; HT 12.
Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11; Will 12; Per 12; FP 12. Basic Speed 6.00; Basic Move 7; Dodge 9; Parry 10 (Wrestling).
Traits: Very Wealthy.
Skills: Acting-12; Fast-Talk-12; Detect Lies-12; Savoir-Faire-12; Wrestling-14.

The part of this that ended up being relevant for my group is the Acting/Fast-Talk skill, when Lee feigned ignorance of what was up with her Uncle Merle. I ended up deciding on the fly she had IQ 12 and Fast-Talk at default, but I think this ended up being a mistake because the premise of the adventure is basically Lee trying to con the PCs into doing a dangerous job for way too little pay. (My PCs got suspicious once the cleric cast Sense Evil and it pinged on the flaming skull vial in the smugglers den.) Physical stats, however, could be useful if the PCs attack her and she needs to run away.

I also wish that before I ran the adventure, I'd read the bit under "Rewards" at the end about Lee hiring assassins if the PCs try to blackmail her. That would've helped a bit for knowing how to roleplay her when the PCs tried to get a better deal out of her.

[Kromm]

I did actually create her stats; there just proved to be insufficient space for them. Printed books are annoying that way. The following was a third section for Chapter 4, after Secrets Within Secrets and Adventures in Alchemy.

—

Our Friend Lee

If the adventure goes well, the GM might establish Lee as a business contact for the party. In town, she'll exploit her Wealth and skills to broker deals for them, charging a nonnegotiable 5% finder's fee; e.g., if she locates a quest that promises to pay six PCs $1,000 apiece, she'll want $300 up front, while if she sells treasure for $10,000, she'll skim $500. She won't go adventuring!

Lee

125 points

ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8; Parry 8.

Advantages: Honest Face [1]; Magery 0 [5]; Wealth (Very Wealthy)* [30].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Always respect the deal) [-5]; Greed (12) [-15]; Sense of Duty (Family) [-5].
Quirks: Dislikes rats; Dresses conservatively; Hides her Magery; Terse; Vengeful. [-5]
Skills: Connoisseur (Luxuries)-12 [2]; Current Affairs-12 [1]; Detect Lies-12 [4]; Diplomacy-12 [4]; Fast-Draw (Knife)-12 [2]; Fast-Talk-12 [2]; Gambling-12 [2]; Holdout-12 [2]; Knife-12 [2]; Merchant-15 [12]; Propaganda-12 [2]; Riding (Horse)-12 [4]; Savoir-Faire-14 [4]; Smuggling-12 [2]; Streetwise-12 [2]; Writing-12 [2].

* Reflects social position – Lee doesn't carry $20,000 in possessions!