The Rats and The Bastards

Old Prospero is the master alchemist who taught Clyve alchemy. He played an important role in the scoundrel's life and was something of a father for him, even though they met when Clyve was an adult.

He's barely five feet tall and has a very bent posture from his age. His short curly hair is still black despite being so old, and Clyve teases him by saying he dyes it with alchemy. He dresses humbly, grey robes with a blue sash at the waist and a good pair of walking shoes.

Prospero is kind, humble and wise, and he's trying his very best to help Clyve become the man he knows he can be.

The Hanes are a Balval clan directly related to Clyve. Recently, they have reunited after a lifetime of estrangement.

History: When Clyve's mother became pregnant at a young age by a minor lord of the United Aquilon Empire, her father exiled her from the caravan. For his entire life he swore she had died of a sickness, and the truth was only discovered upon his death. When Jack discovered his grandfather had been hiding his cousin and leaving him to the mercy of the world, he became enraged and began to search for him. Jack's uncle had participated in the lie, and when Jack found out he beat the old man so badly that he never walked another day in his life.

"Whistling" Jack Hanes: Jack is a man in his fifties. He has sharp features and rich grey hair cut shoulder length and parted in the middle. His left eye is missing and covered with a patch. Jack is a legendary gunslinger, his name comes from the holes he leaves in those who try to hurt his people, which are said to whistle when the wind runs through them. His mother was Clyve's mother's sister.

Patrin Hanes née Cain: Jack's wife and childhood sweetheart is a cunning and practical woman that would do nearly anything to protect her kin and people. She looks very similar to Trishul, save she has a few wrinkles of age and more than a few grey hairs. People who meet the family claim she is the most imposing of them by far, and she conducts herself ruthlessly when her caravan is under threat. Though she does not have the Second Sight like her daughter, she is said to get glimpses of the future by reading tea leafs. Balvalny culture forbids her from reading the leaves of another Balval.

Trishul Hanes: Trishul is a beautiful and tall slim young woman with a dusky complexion and long black curls. He is twenty four years old. Many comment that her brown eyes are particularly striking. Trishul has the Second Sight and can see and speak with the dead, however she can not command them and only the spirits of her dead ancestors are likely to help her. She can also cast dread curses on those who have done ill to her family, though she does not lay a curse lightly, reserving it for only the most evil of souls. In general she is seen as the most intelligent of her siblings.

Daniel Hanes: Daniel is the youngest of Jack's children at nineteen. Daniel is six foot four and slim. Unlike his brother and sister, he has shocking red hair. Of all his realtives, Daniel looks the most like Clyve. He keeps his hair shaved short and his face clean shaven. The young man walks around with a cocky attitude, but suffers from a fearsome temper that he tries his best to control.

Alex Hanes: The eldest of Jack's children at thrity three. Alex is a broad shouldered brute of a man with a face set in a permanent scowl and a small neat moustache. Like all of his siblings (save Daniel) he has a dusky complexion and curly black hair. His is kept chopped at the shoulders and parted in the middle like his father. He's a bit under six foot and considered short for his family. Alex is a quiet man, but when he speaks it's worth listening to. Takes respect and honour very seriously. Is the best rider of the Hanes.

Others: In total, the band includes about twenty three adult Balval, most of a more distant relation to Clyve than his cousins, but still fierecely loyal to Jack and Patrin.

Sugar: An albino rat and the youngest sibling. Sugar desires nothing more than snuggles and treats. His favourite person is Luca, and he is too nice to have a least favourite person.

Haze: A grey rat and middle of the siblings. A cunning sneak with a slightly malicious side, Haze thinks he should lead the brothers and fights with Chevalier often. His favourite person is Clyve, his least favourite is Virgil.

Chevalier: A black rat and eldest of the three siblings. Despite being spoiled he's brave and a good leader. His favourite person is Elisen, his least favourite is Grom.

Cinnamon: One of thirteen rhino sized capybara, Cinnamon does exactly what she likes and nothing more. She has a seemingly endless amount of calm and almost never becomes upset. Her favourite people are Luca and William, her least favourite person is Punch.

Brownie: A drunk marmot obssesed with booze who moves to the beat of her own drum. She is considered of equal "rank" to the wererats and serves as something of a general to the swarm. Brownie has many mysteries, with few anwers. Her favourite person is Nemo, her least favourite is Ilkya.

Nalutuesha: Of the small clan of wereporcupines that travelled to Bridge Town to battle the void worm, only Nalutuesha stayed. While recovering from injuries sustained during the battle she began to enjoy the fellowship of Rat Bridge and the people living at the manor. She was born a wereporcupine, as were generations of her ancestors. In her human form she is a pretty, soft featured young woman with dark skin and a nearly shaven head, but she is more comfortable in her porcupine form or among other werebeasts. Still, she is learning to come out of her shell and love being around people. In terms of sheer physical power, she is much stronger than the wererats. Her favourite person is Luca, her least favourite is Valka Vex.

The twelve souls who have been with Clyve for years are trusted and capable crooks. Recently, they have all been turned into wererats by Clyve, but they still have much to learn about their new powers and how to use them. Only Sailor and Blades are particularly skilled fighters, the others have other skills. Their names were selected by Clyve's rats, and their true names are a closely guarded secret.

Sailor: Sailor is Clyve's right hand man and second in command of the gang. They found him after he had been stuck on an island for seven years and nursed him back to health and sanity. Sailor is middle aged man a bit shorted than Clyve, but twice as broad. His face is full of lines and scars, and his pointed grey beard is the only hair on his head. He often wears a bandana so low it covers his eyebrows. The old pirate is packed so tightly with muscles that he looks like his old sunburnt leathery skin might burst under the pressure. Sailor has a rascal's nature and tends to pull pranks and generally torment the gang, but he cares about them deeply. Sailor is almost always grinning, he claims to have died on the island and that every day since has been a bonus.

Pete The Pincher: Pete is a former torturer turned gang medic. He's as tall and thin as a reed, had pale grey skin and a very minor point to one of his ears. Nobody is really sure of his parentage, but he's secretly half orc and half elf. Pete rarely talks and almost never expresses himself through anything more than a grunt and shove. Pete is filled with self loathing for lacking the courage to stop torturing innocent people, and he often suffers from horrible nightmares.

Blades: Blades was an assassin who served the political elite of her homeland until she discovered a conspiracy and was almost slain. She's a handsome human woman of average height and wiry build. Blades is mute, but none of the gang knows if she is capable of speech or not. Besides Sailor, she is the best fighter in the gang, and her stealth skills are legendary.

Scamper, Scrubber and Scrapper: These triplets are half ogres, tall of size and fat of belly. Despite their size they are complete cowards and pretty much useless in a fight. (Even after becoming wererats) They are the best at forgery among the gang, and each one is an expert of one aspect of the fine art of fakery. It's almost impossible to tell them apart.

Scribe: Scribe is a short old human with dark skin and plenty of wrinkles. At the peak of his career he managed the finances of an entire minor kingdom, but when it was discovered he was embezzeling a hefty bounty was put on his head. Keeps Clyve's books and manages most logistical matters for the gang.

Reader: Reader is a studious, mousy and bespectaled half-elf. She was a scholar of some note who was ruined by a bitter rival who framed her for a crime she did not commit. Mostly she stays in her chambers and does research for the gang.

Poet: Poet is a melancholy and rotund dwarf. At one point he was a celebrated writer among his people, but he was disgraced when it was discovered he had stolen one of his most famous poems. Now he mostly writes bawdy poetry to make the gang laugh. He still has many contacts in the literary world.

Fake-Face: Fake-Face is a gnome actor who lost his career in the bottom of his cups. He has tall frizzy hair, wide expressive eyes and a dignified expression. At one point he was a spy for the Aquilon crown, but now he turns those skills to the benefit of his gang.

Picker: Picker is a squat pale little bald woman who's an excellent scavenger and seller of stolen goods. Mostly she just wants to do her job and be left alone. She hates the name the rats picked for her.

Longeye: Longeye is actually a Balval man, though not related to Clyve. He has a pretty unremarkable apperance, short black hair, plain features, average height and weight. The man is an excellent scout and tracker, and tends to prefer spending time around the campfire playing cards than doing anything dastardly.

These characters aren't wererats or part of Clyve's inner circle, but still important. In total, the gang has about sixty gangsters.

Tony: A halfling gangster with a blue tongue who was recently brutally slain. The gang has been particularly agitated and wrathful ever since.

Agnes: A canine beastkin young lady hired after the riot. Agnes is cute, but a little scruffy looking. She's enegretic and tries to do everything she can to help out around the manor.

Golukk: A short and stout half-orc with blueish-grey skin, Golukk is the near constant companion of Agnes and her best friend. She's kind but can be tough when needed, and is stronger than she looks.

Elizabeth: The head maid is a tall, thin human woman with spectacles and hawkish features. She takes her job very seriously and rarely shows any mirth. Most of the gangsters are afraid of her.