RP:Rowen shows Basil her rather eccentric rat trap designs

Setting

Kelay Tavern

30th April 2010

Basil actually blushes and gives his head a gentle shake. "You give me too much credit." Nonetheless, he reaches up and takes the parchment, eying them curiously and turning them this way and that in an attempt to discern from which direction they are intended to be viewed. "I'm all ears.

Rowen the rat tries to count Basil's ears but can only see two, the same as most folks have, she chooses not to ask him about his statement, however, she is too exited, wanting to show him her wonderful designs. "This first one, is a cage open one side, with a book of riddles, chained to the far wall...the chain is important, so the rat can't take the book home with it...the poor rat will get so absorbed in trying to solve the riddles that it will stay in the trap until I come around collecting them."

Basil regards it with disbelief."What other designs did you have in mind?"

Rowen gleefully shows Basil her second design..completely missing his incedudity at her first..."This next trap contains some waternelon to attract the rat, everyone knows rats love watermelon, but the watermelon is soaked in a magical potion that turns it into a plague of locusts. Problem solved, one less rat to eat Larket's food.

Basil listens just as intently, his brows slowly furrowing. "Erm...." A moment longer he hesitates before decisively shaking his head. "Speaking as a mage in her majesty's service, I'm afraid I cannot condone the creation of such a trap. Creative, yes, Rowen, but perhaps a mite overly so."

Rowen is extremely puzzled, she cannot understand Basil's objection to this fine idea. She is not, however, down hearted, she has plenty more designs...she shows him another.."The third trap contains a mirror, and some glue on the floor. The rat will spend hours admiring its handsome face in the mirror, then when it comes to move , it will realise the glue has set and it is stuck."

Basil told you, "ooc: You, madame, are making me giggle." You told Basil, "ooc Thanks, I am making these up as I go along, so glad you are enjoying them *hugs dear Basil*"

Basil listens very dubiously now, but as Rowen's description of the trap continues, his expression shifts to a more thoughtful one. "Well..." Softly, he hums, pursing his lips in consideration. "With the right glue, and the right mirror, that trap may actually work." He nods, the grin returning. "It could work very well, in fact. I would say that is certainly my favorite thus far."

Rowen is delighted that Basil was so impressed by her mirror plan She shows him the next "This plan takes a bit more work. We set up a fake lottery and sell cheap tickets to all the rats in Larket. Then we send all of them letters saying they have won a two week family holiday on the beach in Chartsend. We send wagons to take them all 'on holiday' then we 'forget' to send wagons to bring them home at the end of the two weeks." . You told Basil, "ooc Just one more ridiculous plan after this one, maybe Basill can suggest some traps that might stand a chance of working, or Row could ask him for help with Nigel's belief that he is a rat."

Basil raises the back of his finger to his lips, idly nibbling upon his knuckle as he does his best to visualize this next plan. "Hmm..." With genuine consideration, he tilts his head from one side to another, weighing the design's feasibility. "Well, I certainly like it better than the locust plan. Are... um... are rats avid lottery players?" As unlikely as it may seem to the mage, he must admit, he is speaking to a rat firsthand, and between the two of them, he would guess that Rowen would be the expert in rodent psychology.

Rowen replies thoughtfully, "Well I am an avid lottery player, though, to tell you the truth, now that you mention it, I have never seen any other rat buy a lottery ticket. Perhaps we need a huge advertising campaign, to persuade them to try it. You are going to love my next plan my friend! For this one, we need to hire a hypnotist. He will mesmerise the rats and make them believe that they are not in fact rats, but some species of migratory bird, perhaps a swallow. Then all the rats will fly south for the winter."

Basil nods dryly. "Mmmhmm. Tell you what, Rowen." He taps his temple. "I'll take all these plans of yours and see if I can come up with some suitable... blend of the ideas provided. There's certainly a great deal of inspiration there. Why don't I send you a proposal for a design, a submission for the official rat catcher's approval? What do you say?"

Rowen grins at Basil completely taken in by his tactful response, she believes he is most impressed by all her designs. "That would be very good of you Basil, you could tidy up a few loose ends for me, thank you so much!" The rat, rubs at her whiskers. "Now onto the other matter I wanted to ask your advice on, I am worried about Nigel. Poor Nigel, soon after I got the post of rat catcher, started believing he was a rat, and now he wants me to catch him...only I don't think I'll ever get a watermelon for him, but I don't wanna disappoint the lad! All the stuff I've got is designed for restraining rats. It won't fit Nigel. Also I am scared I might get into trouble with the Guild of fully liscensed Shark Catchers and flower pressers...And what is going happen if Nigel here turns up to his job as guard shark at Venturil Castle and tells em all he is a rat, they'll laugh at him!"