"Dag, I hope you're not expecting us to eat that for rations. Other than Argua, I mean. Tripe just doesn't travel well, and that looks like it has traveled plenty."
"Don't be silly Uncle, even we aren't so depraved as to eat our henchwomen."
"... You've hired an old barrel of tripe ... as a hench ...woman? Have you been hitting the dwarven margaritas for breakfast again Dag?"
"Oh come on Seamus, I never drink before 9. Well maybe at 8 on special occasions. Anyway this is just not any old barrel of tripe, it's a..."
As Dag is speaking an ugly grey-green head with black circles around its eyes has been slowly poking it's way out of the top of the tripe keg.
"...kegtroll! By Bathazar's Brazen Blue Bracers that's a Kegtroll! Those never come this far north! Oh Lady, Lady, excuse my manners Ms. ... Tripe is it?"
The small creature who's arms and legs are also emerging from holes in the barrel nods shyly.
"I'm so sorry you were introduced to our group via this scurrilous rascal, Ms. Tripe, but I am soooo chuffed to meet you. Please call me Uncle Seamus! Are you here to join us on our quest for the Holy Quail?"
Again the kegtroll nods, maybe a little less shyly, and thumps the outside of her keg with the heel of her hand for emphasis.
"Good, good! Welcome to Seamus' Scallywags! That's my little name for our group, I'm sure it will catch on soon. Anyway, I hope a full share will be ..."
"Seamus! We're hiring her as a henchie – 1 silver falcon per day! And a gobbo street rat like her is lucky to get that!"
"Don't be ridiculous Dag! This is a genuine honest to goodness kegtoll! A very special kind of fairy she is, with amazing natural talents. You don't want forty three fortnights of bad luck do you?"
"...Forty three ... But we already agreed to a deal!"
"You know where you can stick your deal Dag, and Tripe and I are going to go discuss the mission over breakfast while you visit the privy to get it out."
And the wizard and the kegtroll walked, hand in hand, into the tavern as Dag stared after them in consternation.
Tripe is a 62 pt henchman, appropriate for a party that needs someone to deal with traps and locks. She will sign on for $150/wk – her social disadvantages are such that she doesn't expect a fair deal. If you treat her fairly however, you may gain a friend for life.
Tripe
62pt. Kegtoll
Tripe is a from a strange tribe of insular gnomes commonly called the "Kegtrolls" by outsiders. (Treat as ugly gnomes with social stigma and lifting strength instead of extra FP.) They have earned this name through their bizarre practice of living most of their lives inside of kegs, crates, boxes, and chests. The outside of these containers tends to be weathered and dirty, and the inside is an intensely private secret that a kegtroll will guard with their life. Tripe is no exception – her battered wooden keg emblazoned with a bold red "Tripe" is her armor against the world, her disguise from pursuers, her cozy home, and the source of her name.
Already a bit of a rebel by kegtroll standards, she was less traumatized then the average kegtroll would have been when bizarre customs house accident on the docks of her far away home resulted in her getting shipped to Town. She has been exploring and learning ever since, and has developed a fascination about the exploits of delvers from the tavern tales she has heard when disguised as a stool in the back of various taverns. Tripe is, in fact, ready to give it a try.
Tripe will be virtually no use in combat – she will probably hide in her keg – but her natural tinkering abilities give her impressive lock picking and traps skills. Gods help her if she ever needs to run away.
ST 8 [-20]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 10 [0].
Damage 1d-3/1d-2; BL 20 lbs.; HP 8 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 10 [0].
Basic Speed 5 [-15]; Basic Move 4 [-5]; Move 2.
Dodge 5; Parry -; Block -
Advantages
Gizmo [5]
High Manual Dexterity 2 [10]
Honest Face [1]
Lifting Strength 2 [6]
Night Vision 5 [5]
Resist Poison 5 [5]
Widget Worker 4 [20]
Disadvantages and Quirks
Appearance (ugly)[-8]
Cowardice [-10]
Curious [-5]
Odious Personal Habit (Lives in a battered and dirty keg) [-5]
Post Combat Shakes[-5]
Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5]
Skinny [-5]
Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10]
Usually too shy to talk, but will thump her keg to get attention when needed[-1]
Collects shiny trinkets of little value [-1]
Loves street dogs and alley cats [-1]
Imprints on people who are genuinely nice to her despite her social disads[-1]
Favorite food is odorous preserved fish – eats it whenever possible[-1]
Skills
Armory Missile Weapons – 14* [1]
Camouflage (keg only) - 16‡ [2]
Climbing - 12 [1]
Crossbow - 14 [2]
Disguise (as a regular keg) - 14‡ [1]
Escape - 11 [1]
First Aid - 11 [1]
Forced Entry - 17* [1]
Forgery – 9/11† [1]
Holdout - 10 [1]
Lockpicking - 18*† [4]
Scrounging - 15* [1]
Search - 10 [1]
Stealth - 12 [1]
Streetwise - 11 [2]
Traps – 17*%/19*%† [4]
Urban Survival - 11 [2]* Includes +4 for Widger Worker.
† Includes +2 for High Manual Dexterity
% +1 from Kit
‡ Includes +4 for her keg
Equipment
$1000, 47 lbs. (Med enc)
Battered and Stained Wooden Keg with "Tripe" in large red letters – when she is standing her arms extend from flapped holes in the side, her legs extend from holes in the bottom with the hole caps as sandals, and her head extends from a hole in the top with the hole cover as a hat. When she is sleeping or hiding these are all retracted and it looks like a regular keg (+4 to disguise as a keg, +4 to camouflage in any situation where a keg might plausibly be laying around.) It provides DR 2 to the torso when she is active and to all hit locations otherwise. The inside is actually quite nice and cozy and contains the rest of her possessions (including innumberable small shiny things that aren't enumerated below). If it is destroyed (DR2, HP 15) she will freak out until she can find a new container. $400, 30 lbs.
Coins : $71 (All polished until very shiny)
Crowbar $20, 3 lbs (Can swing it at skill 7, 1d damage, but probably won't)
Crossbow (ST 10) $150, 6 lbs (Acc 4, 1d+2 imp, range 200/250, 8 turns to reload, fires it from small hole in keg)
- 8 bolts $16, 0.5 lb
Lock picks $50, 0.1lb
Personal Basics $5, 1lb
Rations (preserved fish) $8, 2 lbs
Trapfinding Kit (+1) $250, 2lbs
Wineskin, 1 quart water $10, 2.25 lbs
(Don't forget the gizmo!)