Master Splinter
Race: Ratfolk (Deep Ysoki) | Class: Rogue | Background: Mob Goon / Scavenger
Description
3.5 feet of furry chaos. Twitchy whiskers, buckteeth, and cheek pouches perpetually stuffed with scavenged junk. Currently wearing a bloody wolf pelt and carrying a mechanical goblin skull as a trophy.
Personality
Walking ray of sunshine. Absurdly positive, puns constantly, and walks into obvious traps like they're surprise parties. Naively trusts people he probably shouldn't and distrusts people he probably should.
Background
Raised by the Cheese Cartel in the Undercity slums. Views Silas "The Snout" as a mentor and uncle figure. Has a complicated relationship with the cartel — it's the only family he really knows.
Has a recurring dream-ghost he calls the "Ghost Sensei" who teaches him combat techniques.
Current Status
- Location: Undercity / Consul's Landing (surface, sentenced to Engineers Guild labor)
- Wearing a bloody wolf pelt
- Holds a mechanical goblin skull trophy
- Sentenced to labor at the Engineers Guild alongside Heinrich
- Has been spending time in the Undercity tunnels
Key Relationships
| Person | Relationship | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Silas "The Snout" | Mentor / Uncle figure | Complicated |
| The Party | Teammates | Wary but loyal |
| Tibbald | Fellow party member | Dislikes, but tolerates |
| Captain Haldor Stout | Watch Captain | Avoids |
Known Traits & Quirks
- Cheek Pouches: can quick-retrieve small items mid-combat
- Has prejudice toward Dragonborne (source unknown to him)
- Will do almost anything for a good cheese
- Intensely loyal to people who earn his trust
Splinter Only
The Undercity Tunnel Run
After being attacked, Splinter snuck into the Undercity tunnel network alone to find out what was going on with the Cheese Cartel and why he was targeted.
The Waypoint System
Underground waypoints exist roughly every 3 miles. Each one has:
- A popup hole to the surface
- A quartermaster stocked with Cheese Cartel mission supplies and rations
- Everything is free to Cartel members — no payment, no log, no questions
Squeeks
Splinter ran into an old ratfolk mage named Squeeks in the tunnels. Key things to know:
- Squeeks is hunting whoever killed the Cartel's wolf scouts in the woods
- He did not discover Splinter killed them — Splinter had already cut the "K" mark off the pelt before showing it
- Squeeks immobilized Splinter without apparent effort. He is an extraordinarily powerful caster.
- Squeeks has a mentee with him — hooded, quiet, gave no name, stayed back during the encounter
- They parted on friendly terms
- Squeeks went west; Splinter continued north into the Undercity
- Squeeks carries a staff marked with 6 chevrons: 2 silver, 2 gold, 2 platinum — the meaning of these is unclear but they look significant
The Cheese Cartel — What Splinter Now Knows
The hierarchy is not what Splinter thought:
| Person | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Krenko | The actual boss | Leads the Cartel above Silas. All the "K" branded items — bracelet, dagger, everything — belong to him. "No one steals from Krenko." |
| Silas "The Snout" | Lieutenant | Reports to Krenko. Not the top dog. |
| Bippy | Lieutenant | Known inside the Cartel as an idiot. |
| Bonnie | Lieutenant | Explosives expert. Deliberately surrounds herself with people who share that specialty. Dangerous. |
| Frank | Lieutenant | Extremely powerful mage. Squeeks reports to Frank. |
| Squeeks | Reports to Frank | Field operative. Mage hunter. The encounter in the tunnel. |
Splinter does not yet know anything about what Krenko looks like, where he operates, or what he ultimately wants.
What Splinter Did Not Tell the Party
None of this has been shared yet. The tunnel run, Squeeks, the hierarchy, the waypoint system — the rest of the party doesn't know any of it.