Splinter — GM Private Notes
Scope: Information known only to Splinter's player. Do not reveal to the party without roleplay justification.
Active Mechanics
Cheese Compulsion (Custom Mechanic)
When Splinter is offered cheese:
| Condition | Save Required | Failure Result |
|---|---|---|
| Has not eaten cheese yet today | DC 15 Will | Aggressive compulsion to acquire/eat the cheese |
| Has already eaten cheese today | DC 10 Will | Same compulsion, reduced urgency |
On a failure he feels an intense, instinct-level need to get that cheese — not subtle, not easy to roleplay around.
Party Relationships (Splinter's Perspective)
- Dislikes Tibbald — genuine personal friction, not just wariness
- Likes the rest of the party — his default is to trust and be friendly
- His suspicion of Tibbald is worth playing up; Splinter doesn't broadcast it but it's real
The Undercity Tunnel Run — Session Notes
Splinter snuck into the Undercity tunnel network alone to investigate: - What is going on with the Cheese Cartel - Why he was attacked
What He Discovered
The Waypoint System Underground waypoints exist approximately every 3 miles. Each has: - A popup access hole to the surface - A quartermaster stocked with Cheese Cartel mission supplies and rations - All supplies are free to Cartel members — no payment, no questions
Encounter: Squeeks Splinter ran into an old ratfolk mage named Squeeks in the tunnels.
- Squeeks is hunting whoever killed the Cartel's wolf scouts in the woods
- He did not discover that Splinter killed them — Splinter had already cut the "K" mark off the pelt before showing it
- Squeeks immobilized Splinter without apparent effort — extremely powerful caster
- Squeeks has a mentee with him who gave no name (hooded, quiet, stayed back)
- By the end of the encounter they parted on friendly terms
- Squeeks went west; Splinter continued north into the Undercity
For Squeeks' full profile and GM intel, see NPC Master Index.
Cheese Cartel Power Structure (Splinter now knows) Splinter learned the true hierarchy:
- Krenko — the actual boss. Leads the Cheese Cartel above Silas.
- Silas "The Snout" — reports to Krenko, not the top dog Splinter thought
- Bippy — lieutenant, widely known internally as an idiot
- Bonnie — lieutenant, explosives specialist, surrounds herself with similarly-minded operatives. Dangerous.
- Frank — lieutenant, extremely powerful mage. Squeeks reports to Frank.
On Krenko specifically: - "No one steals from Krenko" — this is treated as law, not threat - The "K" mark on all the branded items (bracelet, dagger, etc.) belongs to Krenko - Splinter does not yet know anything else about who Krenko is or what he looks like
Squeeks' Staff — The Chevrons (GM Ruling Recommendation)
Squeeks carries a staff marked with 6 chevrons: 2 silver, 2 gold, 2 platinum.
Recommended interpretation: The Cartel Mage Order — "The Six"
The chevrons are rank markers within Frank's internal mage division. The metals denote what was accomplished to earn each one:
| Metal | Meaning | What It Takes |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Field Operative rank | Completed a significant magical contract — eliminating a rival mage, neutralizing a guild enforcer, etc. |
| Gold | Senior Operative rank | Eliminated or neutralized a named/important target with major political or criminal standing |
| Platinum | Master of the Order | Reserved for achievements of legendary difficulty — only a handful have ever been awarded |
Squeeks holds 2 of each, meaning he has achieved every tier of rank twice. He is effectively the senior enforcement arm of Frank's operation — the one Frank sends when the job cannot fail.
Why this matters: - Explains Squeeks' immense power (he has earned it across many contracts) - The mentee with him is almost certainly earning his first silver chevron - "Who holds the other platinum chevrons?" is a future hook - If the party ever recovers this staff it is a meaningful trophy — and a calling card that certain people will recognize
Open Threads (Splinter Only)
- [ ] What does Krenko actually look like / want?
- [ ] Who is Squeeks' unnamed mentee?
- [ ] What is Bonnie's crew capable of specifically?
- [ ] Squeeks went west — what is he actually hunting out there?
- [ ] The waypoint system: could Splinter use it, or would he need Cartel credentials?