The Lair of the Rat Kings [Backer Draft Manuscript Preview #5B]
3 months ago
– Tue, Aug 11, 2026 at 05:02:48 AM
Hello Tail-blazers,
We're in our final days, and it's time for our final section of the draft manuscript! As of this update, backers have access to the entire approved draft and can read the book before any pledges are processed or payments collected. If you're with us beyond this point, you know exactly what this project is you're backing and a key member of the supporters bringing this project to life!
Before we get to the manusript download link, I just wanted to quickly go over a few key pieces of info. We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Lair of the Rat Kings finishes the crowdfunding campaign on August 13th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. There's still time to add a few more backers to our pack, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these final four days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.
Final Days Schedule
- August 10 - Reward Tier & Add On Review (That's today!)
- August 11 - Manuscript Preview 5B - The Rat Kings
- August 12 - Stretch Goal Review
- August 13 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next
Whether you're a rookie rat just setting out on your first adventure or an accomplished mouse dismatling a psionic threat, these are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be.
(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews, youtube Actual Play videos, and other helpful information.)
I want to highlight the Reward Tier and Add On Review post. Please review it prior to the conclusion of this campaign, as it outlines important information about your pledge selection, your rewards, and supporting this campaign that you should be aware of before we get to the end.
Tomorrow, we'll have a review of our Stretch Goal achievements, but here's a reminder about our current target.
At $8,000 in Funding - LAIR OF THE RAT KINGS MAP UPGRADE III
Map Upgrade 3 - Secret Lair. The big set-piece Secret Lair map will be upgraded and built to add excitement to this underground experience.
This is our third and final map upgrade for the book, adding additional resources so Onyx Path can jazz up their plans a bit and make the book even more special. With today's manuscript download, you'll actually be reading about all of the big set pieces that these maps belong to, so you'll have a better idea of how this could help out.
Digital and Print-on-Demand Rewards
We know times are hard these days, particularly with rising costs and economic uncertainty, so we’ve designed this crowdfunder to be as painless as possible. We offer a wide variety of digital options for backing, as well as leveraging print-on-demand technology to have physical products printed as close to you as possible to cut down shipping and reduce tariff concerns.
Creating and fulfilling physical versions this way gets you the best price, fastest delivery, and excellent customer support!
DriveThruRPG's printing partners are located both
within in the USA and the UK (and expanding), making shipping cheaper and
avoiding the tariffs incurred by international manufacturing and shipping!
Draft Manuscript Previews
Over the course of these 4 weeks, backers have received the entire current draft manuscript for Lair of the Rat Kings, so now it's time to think about feedback for the developers.
Because they want your feedback! These manuscript previews are of the current draft manuscript – the document in its latest, approved form. This may not be the final form after editing and any additional development, but you can consider it about 95% finished, so keep that in mind.
In fact, you can help guide the team through the next stages of development by providing feedback on these manuscript previews! The Onyx Path team has set up a special Feedback Form just for campaign backers for this very purpose:
<Lair of the Rat Kings Feedback Form>
You can use this
Feedback Form to share your thoughts directly with the Pugmire developers and help guide them through the next rounds of development and editing.
DRAFT MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS - BACKERS ONLY
Remember, thanks to BackerKit magic, these download links are visible to Backers only -
you must be logged in and reading this on the website to have access to the manuscript preview links. So, if you're reading this via e-mail, click that "Reply to this Update" or "Learn More" button on the bottom and I'll see you below this title treatment.
Final Days Review: Pledge Tiers and Add On Options
3 months ago
– Mon, Aug 10, 2026 at 10:10:23 AM
Greetings Tail-blazers,
I've got a lot to go over today, so let's settle and prepare for review.
Before we get into it, one more quick reminder about our current Stretch Goal target!
At $8,000 in Funding - LAIR OF THE RAT KINGS MAP UPGRADE III
Map Upgrade 3 - Secret Lair. The big set-piece Secret Lair map will be upgraded and built to add excitement to this underground experience.
Let's see if we can get this third and final map upgrade added to the final book! You'll know more about the "secret lair" with tomorrow's manuscript section.
We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Lair of the Rat Kings finishes the crowdfunding campaign on August 13th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. There's still time to add a few more backers to our pack, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these final four days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.
Final Days Schedule
- August 10 - Reward Tier & Add On Review (That's today!)
- August 11 - Manuscript Preview 5B - The Rat Kings
- August 12 - Stretch Goal Review
- August 13 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next
Whether you're a rookie rat just setting out on your first adventure or an accomplished mouse dismatling a psionic threat, these are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be.
(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews, youtube Actual Play videos, and other helpful information.)
PLEDGE REWARD TIERS
Like it says right at the top of the campaign story page, we've come together to help create a fully developed PDF and Print-on-Demand hardcover version of Lair of the Rat Kings, a book full of new rules for rodents, psionics, details of the Underneath and the setting in the shadows, and pre-built adventures, encounters, and set-pieces for Guides running the Realms of Pugmire roleplaying game.
PLEDGING YOUR SUPPORT
To borrow an analogy that I've used in past campaigns, this process we're a part of works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local Public Broadcasting Station (while they still exist): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards offered as a thank you. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.
Let's review the Backer Reward Tiers to ensure that you've pledged to a Reward Tier that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.
Lair of the Rat Kings
The main reward offered in this campaign is, of course, the main goal of the entire proposition: the finished PDF and a discounted Print-on-Demand hardcover for Lair of the Rat Kings. The first decision you need to make is fairly straight forward - are you just looking to add the new book, or is this your entry into this game line and you want to add the Realms of Pugmire core rulebook as well?
With that decision in mind, we've got two key reward tiers to choose from:
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Mousterpiece Pledge: This is the Lair of the Rat Kings PDF and Print-on-Demand pledge tier. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost and be able to download at your leisure. In addition, you will get a special code to order the discounted Print-on-Demand hardcover version as part of your pledge rewards.
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Snouts and Tails: This reward tier includes the Lair of the Rat Kings PDF (and PoD hardcover discount), as well as the Realms of Pugmrie core rulebook, which sets the stage for your underground adventures by providing all of the rules you need and setting lore necessary to make dog characters. As with the Lair of the Rat Kings PDF, you will receive a special discount code to order the Print-on-Demand softcover version of the Realms of Pugmire core rulebook.
In addition to these primary reward pledge roles, we also offer the following options:
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Pipsqueak Pledge: Not ready to commit, or just looking to offer general support? This pledge role is for you. This does not include any of our primary rewards, but allows you to select some digital optional Add Ons, as well as participating in the post-campaign Pledge Manager as a backer. You'll also be able to read the draft manuscript of Lair of the Rat Kings that we post throughout this campaign.
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The Big Cheese: Jump into the Realms of Pugmire tabletop roleplaying game with all four paws! This pledge gets you the entire library of Realms of Pugmire releases in both PDF and discounted Print-on-Demand hardcover option, including the Lair of the Rat Kings, the Realms of Pugmire core rulebook, the Curious Cats of Mau, Pugmire Unleashed, Threats and Curs, and the Realms of Pugmire fiction omnibus!
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Mice to Meet You: This pledge role offers a special limited premium reward in addition to the basics: an option to supply a name to be used by an NPC added to the setting.
After the campaign is over we'll launch our
BackerKit Pledge Manager and invite the backers to set up their rewards via survey. This allows you to confirm your pledge and add on anything that you might have missed, as well as possibly increasing your pledged reward tier, should you choose to expand your reward selection. Funding collected by BackerKit after the crowdfunding campaign does not count toward any campaign Stretch Goals, however.
There are two rewards - Access to the Manuscript Previews and Participation in Post-Campaign Pledge Manager - which are included in ALL reward tiers. That's just one of the perks of participating in this crowdfunding campaign!
The
Lair of the Rat Kings PDF and all digital pledge rewards will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Crowdfunding backers will receive redemption links allowing you to add the item to your cart at a $0 cost. Once you check out, it will be added to your DriveThruRPG library and available for download at your convenience.
PRINT-on-DEMAND BOOK: In addition to the PDF releases,
Lair of the Rat Kings, and the other titles offered as part of the
Snouts and Tails or
The Big Cheese reward tier pledges
will
available for purchase in Print-on-Demand formats offered by DriveThruRPG.
The cost of printing and shipping a PoD book is not part of your pledge amount, however Crowdfunding backers will receive a special link allowing you to purchase the PoD book at a discounted price.
Choosing Your Reward Tier
There has been some churn over this past week - a few Reward Tier adjustments and changes by backers, as budgets changed and people have read the manuscript previews. In these final days it's best to ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier that offers you the options and rewards you want to receive and are ready to lock down. This timing - before the campaign ends - is the absolute most affordable and inclusive these rewards will be, and will save headaches and heartbreaks if fully considered now.
This is just the first step, however, in completing your pledge for this campaign. Funds for additional extras can be added to your pledge by selecting Add On options and increasing the overall funding and maybe getting us closer to a Stretch Goal.
First Step: Reward Tier
To summarize the first part of this post, the absolute best way to ensure that you're getting the primary rewards you want from this crowdfunding campaign is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% of the options available to you. If you want the Lair of the Rat Kings PDF only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want all of the Realms of Pugmire books released thus far, double-check your reward tier to ensure the proper option is featured.
Once you've completed that important step, you're going to want to look at the Add On rewards for any reward "bits" that don't automatically fall into your reward tier. That takes us to the Add On step.
Step Two: Add-On Options
Once you've chosen your pledge tier, you've likely already included the main rewards you want. In addition to the rewards offered as part of the Reward Tier configurations, there are a few other possible PDFs you may wish to add. All Add-On rewards are described in our Add On menu below.
You can select an Add On option, which will increase the amount of your pledge by the listed amount. Add on options will be selected and confirmed again in the Pledge Manager when that's up and running
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REALMS OF PUGMIRE core rulebook PDF - A fantasy game about evolved pets and other animals with a strong connection to humanity, with dogs as the central characters. These characters live in the ruins of our world, using tools, language, and ingenuity to build a new civilization in their image, with the kingdom of Pugmire acting as a center of dog civilization.
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CURIOUS CATS OF MAU PDF - details the lives of the cats in the city-states that make up the Monarchies of Mau as they explore the world, plan daring heists and feats of intrigue, learn what they can about the Old Ones, and pounce on the sinister entities called the Unseen. You’ll need Realms of Pugmire to play this game.
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THREATS AND CURS PDF -an expansion for Realms of Pugmire offering 150 new enemies to be introduced as antagonists, rivals, or allies in your campaigns. Includes expanded rules and new tags to construct exciting new encounters, along with a selection of ready-made encounters featuring enemies introduced in this book. The Realms of Pugmire core rulebook is needed to use this book.
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PUGMIRE UNLEASHED PDF - More options for dog player characters, more advice on how to play dogs, and more information about dog communities beyond the kingdom of Pugmire. You’ll also find more species to play: badgers, birds, lagomorphs, and reptiles. Also includes rules for sailing and ships, gunpowder weapons, new spells, backgrounds and three adventures for the Realms of Pugmire.
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PUGMIRE FICTION ANTHOLOGY PDF/ePub/Mobi- A massive compliation of fiction set in the Realms of Pugmire, with dozens of tales about good dogs and excellent cats.
Pick a Pledge Tier, then Add On Options
Ready to join in? If you're backing for the first time, you can click
BACK IT and select your Pledge Tier and finalize funding amount in the next menu.
Using myself as an example, I've got all of the previous Realms of Pugmire books, so I'm here for Lair of the Rat Kings. Once I click BACK IT, I see my pledge level options. If I want to know a bit more about each level, I can click Learn More, or if I know what I'm looking for, I can click Back It.
The pledges as described earlier. It should be pretty self-explanatory, but you can click on the "Learn More" button to expand the Pledge Level info. For example, Clicking Learn More on the Mousterpiece pledge gives you...
This is the reward tier I'm choosing, as it exactly fits my needs for this project!
Once you're ready, you can click that BACK IT button and go right to Add On options.
As mentioned, I've already got all of the Realms of Pugmire PDFS, but it's good to double-check and ensure I haven't missed anything. It'll also note anything that's been popular with others in your pledge tier.
Once you've selected any Add-Ons you want, you click Next to confirm your pledge.
If you're already a backer but want to update your Pledge tier or Add On choices, here's what you look for:
Select Manage Your Pledge at the top of the campaign page, and then you can Edit Your Pledge
Select "Edit Pledge" on your review page, and then you can revise your pledge tier or Add On selections.
You can select a new Pledge Level from the available option menu, or Add/Change your Add On selection.
As before, you'll confirm all of your choices, and then receive an e-mail confirmation once that's done.
And with that, my pledge level and Add On options are set for your pledge.
You should also be aware that any available Add On options will be made available in our BackerKit pledge manager, so if you're unsure about adding on something at this point, you will be able to adjust your pledge in the post-campaign phase.
Pledging to the campaign also opens up the Stretch Goal rewards as thanks for your participation. We'll review our Stretch Goal accomplishments on Wednesday, but it's important to note that backers who wait and Pre-Order the
Lair of the Rat Kings book at a later date will not have any Stretch Goal bonus rewards automatically added to their rewards list if applicable (ie, they won't be notified about the backer shirt on redbubble).
REWARD DELIVERY
About 4-6 weeks after the campaign has ended, I'll launch our post-campaign Pledge Manager to collect information from all backers and confirm which rewards you'll be receiving. At that point, you'll be able to review your rewards and also also adjust any Add On Options that you may have missed. Once we have everything confirmed, I'll be able to deliver any rewards that are currently available - like the existing titles including the Realms of Pugmire core rulebook PDF, the Curious Cats of Mau PDF, and the Threats and Curs PDF. Backers who have pledged for these options will be sent special redemption links to claim these digital rewards from our partners at DriveThruRPG.com. Clicking these redemption links will allow you to add these PDF titles to your digital library to download anytime. I'll send an update when all of that is happening, though, so you are aware every step of the way.
So, while it will take some time for Lair of the Rat Kings to move from manuscript form to a final product, you won't be waiting a year for PDFs that already exist. (You'll be waiting about 6-8 weeks or so, just enough time for us to set up the reward infrastructure.)
Don't fret if you had forgotten to select additional rewards by the end of the campaign.
These Add Ons will be available to select in our post-campaign Pledge Manager for those who participated in our campaign and have full access to the Pledge Manager. So, if you are undecided at this time, you will be able to hold off until we're closer to the final reward shipment goes out.
Step 1: Pledge Tier
Step 2: Add On Options
Again, your first step should involve your main reward selection, and your Add On Options will build upon that.
Note that all funds are expressed in US Dollars, so take into account your conversion as needed.
It Adds Up!
That should explain the process of Selecting your Reward Level and adding Add On options and confirming your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve our Stretch Goal funding targets, so it benefits us all to suggest that you double-check to make sure you're getting all of the rewards you want.
Additionally, this may go without saying, please review your personal budget and ensure you've selected the appropriate reward tier and add ons for your current financial situation. BackerKit will begin charging your payment method at midnight the day the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly. Choose what works best for you now and is affordable at this time, knowing that you can upgrade your pledge level or choose Add Ons in the Pledge Manager at a late date.
Conclusion
As we move through these final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Pledge Level for the rewards you want (at least at this point). And beyond that - please make sure you've investigated and selected any add-ons you wish to receive. If you have any issues with the Pledge process, either selecting the reward tier or figuring out the Add On options, you can reach out to me or to the support team at BackerKit. I've found them to respond quickly and offer great support.
On Thursday, just before the campaign ends, I will send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including notes about our Pledge Manager and the communication plan going forward.
So, just like always: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to see some amazing set-pieces for Realms of Pugmire Guides, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!
I'll be back tomorrow with the complete FINAL manuscript section for Lair of the Rat Kings, making the complete text available for all backers to review before the campaign ends!
FINAL WEEK COUNTDOWN
3 months ago
– Fri, Aug 07, 2026 at 06:56:53 AM
Hello Tail-blazers,
We are officially in our final 7 days of this campaign. I'd like it to go on forever (especially because I have an appontment I'm not looking forward to scheduled right after it ends!) but we do have to finish up so the team can get on with the work of turning the manuscript into an actual PDF and PoD book.
So, over the next week I'll be sharing a handful of instruction and review-type posts about Reward Tiers & Add Ons, Stretch Goal reviews, and What Comes Next, so if you've got any process questions or are wondering about how the Crowdfunding steps work, I'm hoping to clarify any remaining questions before we finish. Of course, if you're still wondering about something, please ask and I'll help as best I can.
Final Week Guide
- August 10 - Reward Tier & Add On Review
- August 11 - Manuscript Preview 5B - The Rat Kings
- August 12 - Stretch Goal Review
- August 13 - Final Day Checklist & What Comes Next
The Campaign ends on August 13th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time... sort of.
Are you ever really sure what time it is in the dark passages of the Underneath? Maybe we can sneak down another tunnel or two and make the campaign last.. just ... a little... longer. It's called "OVERTIME MODE" and it allows us to keep the campaign rolling as long as backers are pledging.
Overtime ModeOvertime Mode extends the campaign past its original end time to give backers a final chance to make their pledge and adds an interesting twist to the end of the campaign. How long will it extend? That’s entirely up to backers: The campaign will keep going for an additional 10 minutes as long as pledges keep coming in – a chain of back-to-back pledges is called the Barker... err...
Backer Train. The campaign will end only when the Backer Train stops after a period of 10 minutes passing without any pledges.
You’ll know we’re in Overtime Mode when the campaign’s Backer Train counter displays a bright rainbow border and a new countdown that resets to 10 minutes after each new backer joins that final Backer Train ride.
So, we've scheduled the campaign to conclude on August 13th at 2:00 pm Eeastern Time, but it'll be extended in 10 minute chunks as long as backers keep pledging. Will we add an extra 10 minutes? An extra 20? Or will it all finish up as we programmed? Who knows, but we'll find out together! Mice Unite!
Growing our Pack
I know, this is something I've already said many times (
and seem to say during every project!), but for this final week, you are officially a Realms of Pugmire recruiter. It's time to share your excitement for
Lair of the Rat Kings. Basically, we want to recruit as many curious backers as possible to see how long we can keep our Barker Train running over this final week.
I know I've ended many update posts with "Keep spreading the word! Invite others to join in!" - but what does that mean, and how do you do it?
Easy answer - don't stop talking about
Lair of the Rat Kings until 2:01 PM Eastern next Thursday August 13th (and then as long as we continue running in Overtime Mode). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it. But what else have I got to talk about?
The state of the world? That gets a little depressing fairly quickly. And - they've learned to tolerate me during a crowdfunding campaign. But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.
We all know this project is quirky and niche - it's player options/setting supplement/adventure tools for the Realms of Pugmire game - focusing on the world of the rodents. This book covers a lot of different ideas and topics, and surely something in there will be interesting to potential backers! Yet those barkers haven't yet heard about this campaign and would love to join in. We're right in the middle of relentless news and events so it's not surprising that new backers are just finding out about the campaign every day. If you have an opportunity to let someone know, please do and let's make sure they have a chance to join in before the end.
For me, one of my main ways of coping with these exhausting times is to dive into a game world with my friends. Reading the
Lair of the Rat Kings manuscript has been a much-needed escape over the past weeks, and my friends and I will absolutely be designing our own mice as part of our self-care in the future.
So, let's help out our awesome TTRPG fans and make sure that we've spread the word as best we can and everyone has an opportunity to participate in this campaign!
Resources to Share
If you're inviting new backers, or if you are a new backer (hi new backers!), here are a few key resources to be aware of for this campaign.
Backers are able to review the (soon-to-be) complete manuscript for this book before the campaign closes and any pledges are processed. With the exception of the Set Pieces section from chapter 5 coming on Tuesday (the actual Lairs of the Rat Kings that give the book it's title!), the entirety of the rules and options from this book are available for download and review by backers, along with all of the setting information for this fuzzy and fascinating world.
Anyone who pledges to this campaign before the end can read the entire book now AND provide feedback directly to the developers to help guide the manuscript through the final phases of development and editing!
And, if you join now, as I've noted, we'll be posting the final section of the book next week before we reach the finish line.
More About Lair of the Rat Kings
I love that you can read the manuscript before any pledges are processed or payments collected. But sometimes you still want more info about the book. Well... podcast time! The folks over at A Bunch of Gamers have two episodes all about our Rat Kings!
Eddy's episode talks about narrative dungeon crawling, how Psionics work, and of course, several tangents!
Travis' episode talks about choices made regarding the relationship between the Cult of Labo Tor and psionics, design choices on narrative dungeons, and more!
Give 'em a listen when you can!
Lair of the Rat Kings Fiction
The other fun way to learn about this setting is to read some of the in-game fiction that fleshes it all out! Two new stories have been shared as part of this campaign (and will be incorporated into the final book). Check them out:
Rodent Resource Roundup
The Discord is particularly lively and fun, but you might be able to gain further insight and some in-depth conversation at any of these Onyx Path discussion zones:
Share the Links!
1) Don't forget to share a link to the Crowdfunding page in any discussion you have (where appropriate) - and feel free to pass any of the long list of links above to those who may need more info (or, just point them to this post!)
2) Don't forget to tell us about any post or review or discussion you write! Come to the comments section and let us know so we can all go and contribute! I know I keep saying it, but really - these last days are key. Keep the enthusiasm high and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.
Final Week
We've got one week to go, everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! We work together because it's the right thing to do, and because backers make it better! Let's finish strong! And let's continue exploring this amazingly furry and fabulous setting together, sharing our feedback with the writers and delving into the draft manuscript, and let's see if we can't get another Stretch Goal before we review next Wednesday!
At $8,000 in Funding - LAIR OF THE RAT KINGS MAP UPGRADE III
Map Upgrade 3 - Secret Lair. The big set-piece Secret Lair map will be upgraded and built to add excitement to this underground experience.
Sneak Peek: Red Paw Gang
3 months ago
– Thu, Aug 06, 2026 at 06:28:43 AM
Hello Tail-blazers,
AS we complete the third week of our campaign, I've got one final sneak peek for you from our final draft manuscript section. Wow, we really are getting to the end.
As a reminder, anyone who jumps on the campaign for the next week has the ability to read the entire draft version of the book - before any pledges are processed or payments collected. We want to make sure you know exactly what you're supporting with this campaign. And the Onyx Path team also wants you to be able to start using the game materials as soon as possible!
This last sneak peek is from the second half of Chapter 5, which contains four big chapter- and story-concluding set pieces dealing with the Rat Kings from the title of the book.
King Kola Rump-White & the Red Paw Gang
The Red Paw Gang has menaced the Underneath for years, regularly raiding, pillaging, burning, and murdering their neighbors. The beleaguered villages hold out little hope that the Red Paws will cease their marauding anytime soon. Heroes have promised to take action several times in the past. Most of them have wound up feeding the Red Paws’ carnivorous plants the hard way. The few survivors either fled, or in one jaw-dropping case, joined them.
That lone exception was Kola Rump-White, a cunning rat, who has since risen through the Red Paws’ ranks to become one of the Rat Kings. Kola is a tactical genius (just ask him!) who has meteorically ascended the ranks of the Red Paw Gang, rising from a mere grunt with dreams of greatness and plunder to the king of the gang. This band of cutthroat dogs, cats, rodents, and a lagomorph plagues the nearby areas of the Underneath, as well as parts of the nearby surface. To hear him say it, he and his gang are of one vicious mind. However, his control over the Red Paws is far less than absolute; truly, he is more like a dog jerking a sled this way and that as it hurtles down a mountain, just ahead of an avalanche.
Kola has led the Red Paws for close to a decade, which is an eternity in bandit years. He talked his way out of a beheading through sheer audacity; after most of his adventuring party met their ignoble ends at the paws of the gang, he grabbed the other survivor and held a knife to her throat, claiming that he’d captured her and was a new member of the gang, entitling him to a cut of her loot. As the gang’s ranks had recently swelled to the point that no one member knew everyone else, they took his word for it and gave him a share of his former friend’s plastic.
That former friend survived the encounter, as Kola successfully bargained for her life, eventually getting her to join the gang. The then-leader of the Red Paw Gang, Palan, never trusted her and kept a close eye on her during a raid to test her loyalty. When he wasn’t looking, she put a dagger through his neck and fled. Kola took credit for the kill, claiming that Palan was holding the gang back from their true potential. The Red Paws were initially unsure what to make of the coup, but rapidly fell in line after he delivered a rousing speech and led them to victory over a well-guarded surface caravan.
Since then, he’s declared himself one of the Rat Kings, handing out lofty titles to each of the Red Paws to make them feel like nobles and constabulary. This had three immediate effects: it made the gang members feel entitled to tithes from neighboring villages, it granted an air of legitimacy to that entitlement, and it froze the gang’s violent culture as it was. The Red Paws see chaotic bloodshed as a completely valid response to “commoners” not obeying their demands. Though King Kola has tried several times to curb his gang’s horrific violence, they see it as the morally correct way to maintain their status.
The Red Paw Gang
The Red Paw Gang has divided themselves into a quartet of cliques, based on their personal views of the world and their roles within the gang: the Law, the Leaders, the Nobles, and the Recruits.
Each of the key gang members has varying loyalties, with some indifferent to King Kola or even secretly seditious. The rank-and-file members of each clique generally support Kola, although they tend to take their cues from their leadership.
The Law
Led by Sheriff Lucy Longhair, the Law sees themselves as the rightful legal authority within the Underneath. Longhair is supported by Constable Corso and a fluctuating group of “deputies.”
Constable Fabio Corso
Once a rising member of the Church of Man, Corso was defrocked and expelled from the order after he became a barghest, accepting favor from the Unseen while insisting that he was the one controlling the demons. Though cast out, he’s retained the air of a righteous dog, dishing out spells and wicked punishments on any who dare stand against him. He takes special pleasure in savagely castigating shepherds defending their people from the Red Paws. Seeing himself as the paw of Man, Constable Corso is the second most vicious member of the Red Paws, second only to Duchess Thunder.
His knowledge of Church of Man lore is deep, though he’s twisted many passages to suit his ends. Because of this, two-faced tricksters have an easier time of talking their way out of trouble with him than those who are actually schooled in the ways of Man. His position within the gang, “correcting” legitimate shepherds, brings him great joy, to the point where he’s content to serve under King Kola, though he holds no true loyalty to him.
In combat, Corso delights in hamstringing enemy frontline fighters with debilitating spells like Leash Foe, allowing Red Paws to bypass the front ranks to strike the more vulnerable members of the opposition. Once melees have gotten chaotic, he targets enemy shepherds with spells, his mace, and his venomous tongue.
Stat Block: Blessed (Realms of Pugmire, p. 188)
Sheriff Lucy Longhair
“The Sheriff,” as she’s known within the gang, is a rarity within the Red Paws; she’s a cat perfectly capable of violence, but she rarely chooses it. Instead, she prefers to enjoy her status to order others to do her bidding. Her greed and sloth are well known within the gang; she frequently stays behind on raids, but still demands first pick of the loot from her deputies. She argues that staying behind keeps the burrows safe from enemies and has brutally humiliated the few who’ve called her out on her laziness, so no one has had the guts to depose her.
She’s more than just a brutal dictator; she’s also somewhat a populist, using her share of the loot to acquire objects she shares with the rest of the Law, such as a music box and a scratching post. Because of her sloth and high-ranking position, she’ll fight tooth and nail to preserve her comfortable lifestyle but has almost no loyalty to the gang or King Kola. If someone deposed him, she wouldn’t bat an eye unless the revolution cut into her supply of tuna.
When it comes to fighting, Longhair uses the openings Constable Corso creates so she can savagely assault enemy spellcasters. If she can’t get at the back rank, she’s more than happy to simply takeout whoever seems weakest or closest to unconsciousness.
Stat Block: Forager (Realms of Pugmire, p. 188)
The Nobles
Headed up by Archduke Burrowlord, the Nobles see themselves as the true aristocracy of the Underneath. They are quite greedy and violent. In addition to the following Nobles, there is a handful of less members of the clique.
Count Quicksaber
Some among the Red Paws joke that the Count’s name is because he’s a rodent quick to turn his saber on anyone, including other members of the gang. Though no one has ever proven that he’s removed fellow Red Paws, he’s often the one to notice their absence and the first to pick over the departed members’ prized possessions. The Nobles have long felt pressure to do something about the Count, but he gives second pick of the murdered members’ belongings to them, so they’ve taken no real action against him.
Privately, he knows how many gang members he’s taken care of and knows there’s one missing Law member that wasn’t his fault: Detective Violet, who was poised to lead the Nobles to overthrow King Kola. He suspects Vizier Silverteeth but has never revealed his suspicions or the fact that he didn’t do anything to her, for fear that the psyker would reduce him to ashes. He was prepared to follow Violet in her uprising, so being the default suspect in her disappearance cuts him deeply. He has no idea who should lead the gang, but would give his left paw to see Silverteeth eliminated and Kola deposed.
Quicksaber is a cunning fighter in combat and often maneuvers through battlefields to eliminate weaker targets. When the tide turns against him, he disappears into the shadows, only to strike again.
Stat Block: Assistant of Labo Tor (Realms of Pugmire, p. 171)
Archduke Preston Burrowlord
The Archduke allegedly hails from a long line of noble rats, though few have ever heard of the Burrowlords. He is greedy and proud, often leading the Red Paws’ raids. As such, he’s become the face of the Red Paws for many outsiders. Though he’s an extremely competent combatant, he’s a poor leader, often taking first pick of loot and choosing to personally undertake tasks instead of delegating. This makes his appointment to King Kola’s second in command strange to everyone except Vizier Silverteeth, who sees it as a brilliant stratagem to prevent an organized uprising from the Nobles.
Archduke Burrowlord truly believes that his family was in charge of Underneath rat burrows, largely because that’s what his mother taught him when he was a pup, and it has never occurred to him that she might have been exaggerating in order to make him feel pride for his family. He believes that his position of second in command is a title of honor and feels beholden to Kola as a result. Though he’s a prideful and selfish rat, he holds King Kola in high esteem.
When it comes to fighting, the Archduke wades right into the thick of things, doling out damage wherever he feels will make the most difference. Perhaps because of his pride, he’s absolutely fearless in battle and will only retreat if someone he respects makes the call for him, such as Duchess Thunder or Vizier Silverteeth.
Stat Block: Chieftain (
Realms of Pugmire, p. 169)
This is just a small taste of the Red Paw Gang, the first of four big set-pieces for the Lair of the Rat Kings.
Backers will get the full text - and the complete draft manuscript - next Tuesday!
Tomorrow, we're going to kick off our final week with a review of all the stuff you should know and a schedule of all the things I'll be posting in our final week. Let's keep rocking right until the end!
