Kosta and Deimos paused at the opening of the alley, seeing the wet trail they had been following turning into it.
“Gods, they’re fast” Deimos breathes heavily.
A small voice from behind them interrupts, “Ere, you look lost”
They turn, seeing a small Tiefling girl, maybe 7, 8 years old, dressed in well worn leathers, a thin knife tucked into her waistband.
“Fear not child,” Kosta responds, reassuringly, “We are fine.”
“No, no, wasn’t a question. Ya lost. Pair of uplanders well out of pocket.” She grins, as another child, this one a kuo-toa, seems to appear behind her, a small half-brick in his hand.
“Seems to me,” she continues, “seems to me, that you’re trespassing, on my streets, on Gulpy streets. And with no tribute in hand. Tsk, tsk”
“Whatever,” Deimos says, tossing a coin her way, as a third street kid leans into the alley, “help us, there is more of that, and some hot food.”
At the mention of food, their eyes light up, with the leader trying to maintain her cool attitude, “Eh, sure, we can do that. Whatcha need?”
Mariola and The Gulpies
Mariola de Cassola, most feared queen of the streets of Quartzel, is an 8 year old girl, a Tiefling orphan. She runs a gang called The Gulpy, an ever fluctuating hoard of other street kids, who runs all over Quartzel. Mostly they are harmless, their loyalty bought with some free food, or a bit of coin. But if they decide you’re their enemy, suddenly you’ll find a knife at every doorway, the sound of small pattering feet chasing you in the dark, nowhere to run…
Welcome back! Another week exploring the depths of Quartzel, this week we meet the street kids who run the whole thing. Hopefully in the rich tradition of The Artful Dodger, Short Round or The Lost Boys, I wanted to get the sense of slightly cheeky, slightly funny, but actually quite dangerous. Mariola is their leader, a vicious knife fighter, with O’l Stabby (can you tell I had fun with the names this week?) but her real move is the summoning of The Gulpies. A good roll on her turn and the whole balance of the combat can change, as street kids pour in from all directions.
Obviously, I’m not going to suggest that you really have your players rock up and kill a bunch of kids, The Gulpies should be a something your players can maneuver around, either buying loyalty with hot food, or run from.
But play it right, and they will lend a hand, Mariola joining you as an ally and bringing her gang with her.