The Ditch – Beneath Zaddfum Trestle

Rat and Splat
Zeno and Elei
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Near the entrance to the Rat and Splat, you will encounter a wererat named Zeno. He is trying – and failing – to explain the dichotomy paradox to his companion, Elei (the idea that completing an infinite number of tasks requires an infinite amount of time). To prove his point, Zeno proposes an experiment: he wants to shoot an arrow at you, arguing that the distance the arrow travels can be divided into an infinite number of intervals.

At this point, you have a few options:

  • Agree to participate in the experiment – Zeno will shoot and kill you, which ironically disproves his paradox. The Nameless One will then resurrect and can demand compensation for the trouble.
  • Suggest that Nordom shoot at Zeno instead – You can order the modron to either intentionally miss the wererat or fire a lethal shot.
  • Offer to shoot the bow at Zeno yourself – Just like with Nordom, it is up to you whether you want to land a lethal blow or just aim close.

If Zeno dies, or if you spare his life and demand compensation, you will be rewarded with the Philosopher’s Eye (+1 Wisdom, +1 Intelligence, -1 Dexterity, +50% Missile Resistance).

To enter the „Rat and Splat,” you must provide the correct password (which you can learn by speaking with Wotyxsil): „Fur always on top…”

The Rat and Splat Tavern

Poirat
Orville
Tripler (6am – 1pm)
Fragile-Tail
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Orville the Bartender will tell you about the thieves who robbed Wotyrxil, provided you have enough copper on you (10,000 copper pieces) or can be properly intimidating (Intelligence and Charisma at 13+). You will learn that the last surviving thief from that gang is Fragile-Tail, who is hiding out in the back room. Orville will let you see him if you do him a favor first: deal with the Kuo-toa leader in the Flooded Area.

Orville will also reveal that your old acquaintance from the Lower Ward – the wererat Mantuok – has ousted him from the gang. You can do the bartender a favor and take care of Mantuok (unless you’ve already done so). The wererat was originally found in the Warrens of Thought (a vanilla game location), but at this stage of the adventure, you will likely find him in the underground of the Bones of the Night in the Lower Ward.

The Investigation of Tripler

At one of the tables, you will meet a wererat named Poirat, who is investigating a break-in at The Division of Debt Collection. He will task you with solving the mystery of the „Plague of Threes” (and direct you to a skeleton named „Tripler”).

Tripler appears at different times of day across three different taverns:

  • 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM: The Rat and Splat
  • 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM: The Rivergate
  • 10:00 PM – 5:00 AM: The Styx Oarsman

Before you can uncover his secret, however, you must learn more about him. To do this:

  1. Speak with Tripler by visiting one of the taverns at the right time.
  2. Speak with Orville the bartender.
  3. Head to the Styx Oarsman and talk to Zegonz – you will learn that a scientist, Doctor Krauss, was interested in Tripler.
  4. Go to the Library and speak with Krauss about a mysterious fragment of „Tripler” currently in his possession.

After discovering Triplers true identity, you must find the skeleton once more as it cycles between the three taverns. Tripler whose real name turns out to be „Paw” – will blame you for the death of his daughter, but you will manage to extract information from him: the amulet maintaining the curse (a Jade Jaw) was sold to Zegonz at the Styx Oarsman. Once you retrieve the item from the barkeep, you can return to Tripler. Using the amulet will break the curse.

Confronting Poirat

Finally, you can return to Poirat. As it turns out, the wererat has been lying to you the whole time; he knew exactly what was behind the plague but was too terrified to use the sensory stone himself, so he used you as a guinea pig instead. You can hand over the Jade Jaw to him, but be warned: it is actually one half of a key needed to open a portal to Alfheim. Fortunately, Poirat has the second piece. You can take it from him by force or by cunning (stealing it).

Once you have both pieces, they will automatically combine in your inventory to form a Jade Skull.

Fragile-Tail

Fragile-Tail can be found in the locked tower right behind Orville. The bartender will hand over the key if you help him clear out the Kuo-toa. Alternatively, you can always just kill Orville and loot the key from his corpse.

Depending on whether Fragile-Tail is alive (he can die if the Rat and Splat was previously raided by the fish-men), you can either speak with him directly or loot a journal from his body, which contains all the information necessary to advance the main plot.

Fragile-Tail is quite a talkative wererat, though he will demand payment for his information (you can use Charisma 16+, Strength 18+, or Intelligence 16+ to convince him to waive the fee). You will learn that his crew was attacked by a drunken Wotyrxil (the same one who sent you to find the stolen flute).

In a desperate bid to escape, Fragile-Tail and his gang set up camp near the flooded clock tower, which – at the hour of anti-peak (midnight) – turned into a portal to Cania. Before his companions could realize what was happening, the portal pulled everyone except Fragile-Tail through to the other side.

You can also talk to the wererat about Many-as-One (if you’ve encountered them) and Mantuok. In fact, Fragile-Tail will be interested in buying the Grimoire of Pestilential Thought, provided you took it by force from Mantuok earlier.

If you have sufficient Wisdom (16+) and do not have Vhailor in your party, you will discover that Fragile-Tail is a fence with some interesting items for sale, including:

  • Soego’s Dustman Holy Symbol (+2 Dexterity, -1 Charisma, +25% Stealth)
  • Rat Amulet (Anarchists only; +2 Armor Class, +1 Strength, +1 Constitution, -2 Wisdom)

Upon exiting the tavern and leaving the walkway, you will briefly cut away to Baator, where a figure named Anit’bil listens to a report from Akershus the Bard.