I ran three animal-based RPGs, in which the players played pets and familiars. It started because of the awful AD&D CD-ROM adventures, in which the characters referred to each other as "Fighter" and "Thief" rather than by real names. They were so bad that I decided to run them but have my players play the characters' pets, instead. It turned out to be a lot more amusing than we expected; so much so that I ended up finally writing an adventure expressly for the animal characters!
This is, by the way, about as detailed as my adventure writeups ever got....
The Animal band has been around for about four years now, and have had several remarkable adventures. Several years ago they saved their Humans from a Mad Scientist's Laboratory. Two years after that they helped their Humans defeat a Vampire in a Castle where they'd been shipwrecked. Now, after many years of adventuring, the Humans have decided to settle down for a while in the City where they all live to spend their hard-earned wealth. This has left the Animals with some time on their paws, claws, and talons, and they're using it to relax and wander around the City a little.
The Humans are:
Man Fighter: Badger's fighter. A robust, hearty Arquian who takes his eating, drinking, and fighting seriously. He's a bit of a pushover for women, who take great delight in making the mighty warrior blush (a fairly easy deed). He respects Dog and Badger for their fighting skills, but mostly ignores the other Animals and thinks his companions are a bit soft in the head about them. He's been around Woman Fighter's house a lot recently.
Thief: A whispery, sneaky sort who enjoys pretending that he's of higher birth and is proud of being a "gentleman thief." He gave Rat a ring that detects magic some time ago in an attempt to teach him to steal magic items for him. Druid disapproves of the "corruption of an animal," but Rat's sneaking and spying has come in useful several times - once he got into a prison cell with the keys he'd stolen from the guard, and saved all the Humans! There are a lot of Sewer Rats in the City who think that Farm Rat is a silly Country Bumpkin, but he'll show them....
Woman Fighter: Dog's friend, a young swordswoman with a magic blade. She had a magical collar of protection made for Dog a year ago, after they discovered that leather armor made him itch miserably. She's looking for more items of protection, perhaps magical armor, because Dog is constantly on the front line with her and Man Fighter, attacking the enemy. She talks to Dog a lot, and Dog is quite aware of the growing affection between Woman Fighter and Man Fighter.
Cleric: A mild, peace-loving priest who sees the best in people, tries to mediate arguments, and has a dry sense of humor. Has a solitary, monastic background that sometimes leads him to feel a bit uncomfortable in social settings. He's always kind to the Animals, although up until recently he didn't have a companion himself. About a year and a half ago, however, he found Baby Snake curled up in his shoe when he woke up. Being a gentle man, he tipped it out and let it go free. Baby Snake began to cry, and the rest of the Animals found out she had been kicked out of her hole and didn't know where to go. They adopted her, and when Cleric kept finding the baby in his shoe in the morning, he finally decided it was a sign and took the little creature into his care. Snake has grown into quite a large serpent now, however, and Cleric has run into some trouble carrying her around the City. The other Clerics are a little nervous about Snake being in the Church, too, even though Snake is always a perfect Lady.
Druid: Raven's companion, and, although usually a quiet sort, the main spokesperson between the Animals and the Humans. Raven has been quite useful with the wand during fights, and she's been working on his mimicry skill with him. She also cares for Badger, although Badger is more independent than many of the other Animals, and prefers to keep to himself around the campfire (although Woman Fighter has been known to coax him into a head-scratch). Druid was the one who convinced the Humans to give Badger the amulet that lets him run very fast once a day. Druid isn't very comfortable in the City, and spends most of her time in the Park.
Old Wizard: Toad's familiar, an elderly man whose fragile health has been worrying his companions. Young Wizard has been trying to get Old Wizard to settle down and begin a life of research, and is happy to have Old Wizard safely home at last. Old Wizard has given Toad two magic rings, one for defense and one for utility. Toad wears them on his back legs, making him look a little silly, although none of the other Animals would ever admit that to the kind and wise old amphibian!
Young Wizard: Cat's familiar. She discovered a skill for magic on the way to Ankham, and over the years has passed her apprenticehood and become a member of the party. Somewhat lower level than her companions, she is a little defensive about her fledgling skills and can sometimes act haughty around strangers in her attempt to be taken seriously. Cat wasn't entirely thrilled at being plunged into an adventuring career, but she's become a very useful scout for the group.
But they aren't important to the story.
It's a fine, warm summer day in The City, and Our Heroes have been lounging around by the Park, enjoying the smell of roses and fresh grass, and watching the Humans strut about in their summer finery. All of the sudden, you hear a lot of noise coming from the next lawn over....
***
The plot: Animals encounter Soot of the royal Mevernore Raven clan, who asks for their help in finding her brother and convincing him to return to the rookery before the Mevernore elder comes back; he’s due in three days. She thinks Pepper was last seen down in Dockside. Investigation will lead the Animals to the Rats.
Pepper had first approached the Rats, seeking work, but Raticus didn’t trust him. Sewage was standing up for the young raven, but unfortunately one night Pepper got drunk on some spilled rotgut and fell in with a gang of Seagulls. The Seagulls gave him the fawning name “Crebain” and let him hang out with them, using him as a gopher and the butt of jokes. However, when Old Salt heard of young Pepper, he immediately saw a chance to get a magic item he’d been lusting after for years, a Claw of Magic Stealing that he’d heard was stored in Stonepaen Castle. He intends to win Pepper’s trust and have the young Castleraven sneak in and steal it for him.
The Animals must find Pepper on the hulk of the Endurance that Old Salt has made his headquarters. It’s in the harbor corner, about a quarter-mile offshore, slowly rotting away. There are rumors that it’s haunted, so Humans leave it alone (the animals are responsible for these rumors), and the Tarin Tor haven’t gotten around to cleaning it up yet. This will probably require stealing a small rowboat and getting it out to the ship, fighting through the deck, and finally rescuing Pepper, who is in the captain’s room struggling with his sense of honor.
Potential encounters: Warning about the vampire rats in the sewers, a gargoyle eating cats, pigeon beggars, Talisman, and Cobble, Benedict’s stonedrake lizard.
NPCS
MEVERNORE, the patriarch of the Castleravens, and familiar to the Human conjurer Anthony Cahiers.
SOOT CASTLERAVEN: Pepper’s younger sister, who wants to find Pepper before he gets into trouble when Mevernore comes home. She’s the one who starts the adventure, when Our Heroes find her being terrorized by a bunch of Pigeon beggars looking for handouts.
PEPPER CASTLERAVEN: The “bad son” of the Castleravens, Pepper failed his familiar test and ran off to join a bad element along Dockside. Has been seen fraternizing with the rat Sewage.
Other Castleraven names: Pitch, Dusk, Shadow
***
OLD SALT: One-legged parrot (the other leg is a peg), hp 30, thief 7, mimicry - human voice. Old Salt wants Pepper to get him into the castle so that he and his cronies can steal the Crown Jewels and numerous magic items there, including a Claw of Magic Stealing to replace his pegleg.
Wand of Magic Detection
Wand of Flame Extinguishing
Crystal Parrot (Tome): Keeps watch, telepathically alerts owner if someone is present, active for 30 days then inactive for 30 days.
Golden Lions: normal adult male lions AC 5/6, 52 hp each. If slain in combat, return to statuette form. (usable 1/day) – KEPT IN RIGGING
Goat of Travail: Larger than a bull, hooves 2d4+2/2d4+2, bite 1d4, horns 2d6/2d6. Charge with horns for +6; AC 0, 96 hp, attacks as 16HD. Move 24” (usable 1/month for 12 hours) – KEPT ON DECK
Serpentine Owl: as Giant Owl, or as normal owl with 95% silence, see in dark as if light, hear mouse moving 60’ away, communicates with owner by telepathy (3 times max, for 8 hours) – KEPT IN CROW’S NEST
Marble Elephant: Becomes normal elephant, 24 hours at a time, 4/month. Not used on the ship! – KEPT IN PARROT’S PERCH
BILGE: Cat with one eye missing, hp 20, Ring of Water Walking on left paw
DEVIL: Scarred tom, hp 30, beserker
FLOTSAM: Seagull thug, hp 15
JETSAM: Seagull thug, hp 15
RIFF: Seagull thug, hp 15
RAFF: Seagull thug, hp 15
***
RATICUS: Head crime boss rat: Bag of Tricks, Ring of Telekinesis, Ring of Water Walking, Mouse Cart (Tome)
RAZOR: Pit bull thug for Raticus,
SEWAGE: Rat thug, hp 10 - Pepper was taken up by the Seagulls.
OFFAL: Rat thug, hp 10
SLIME: Rat thug, hp 10
JAKE: Rat thug, hp 10
***
Character Sheets (all in pdf):
Badger (Level 7)
Cat (Level 7)
Dog (Level 7)
Rat (Level 7)
Raven (Level 7)
Snake (Level 7)
Toad (Level 7)
