Rucket

Rucket was the Chief Investigator of the Rat Catchers' Guild.^[1] She was described as tall and lithe with reddish hair which was cut short. Her eyes were of a startling tawny shade that looked more feline than human.^[2] She was described as both clever and frightening.^[3]

In her first appearance she wore pale leathers in the style of the South Nerek.^[2] Later, she was described wearing a cape and highly polished boots, and carrying a rapier.^[4]

She described herself as a very open person and did not hesitate to make herself appear unhinged to drive off unwanted company.^[5] She enjoyed dining on cat.^[6]

In Midnight Tides

Tehol Beddict and Bugg approached the board members of the Rat Catchers' Guild approached to propose a lucrative contract. When Tehol revealed that the knew the Guild was in fact a cover for their work as assassins and thieves, Onyx invited Rucket to observe negotiations, threatening that Rucket might need to "investigate" Tehol and Bugg. Rucket was dubious over the risk poised by Tehol, stating that Bugg appeared to be the more dangerous one.^[2]

She might have developed an attraction to Tehol as she regularly invited him to dinner when she had information to deliver. When Bugg showed up in Tehol's place at their first dinner meeting, she became irritable. After revealing that Finadd Gerun Eberict and the undead girl, Kettle, were responsible for a large number of deaths in the city, she drove Bugg away by feigning sexual interest in regurgitation and nose blowing.^[5] A later dinner with Tehol at The Trampled Peacock sparked a quarrel with the enormous Shand, Rissarh, and Hejun that quickly devolved into a brawl.^[7]

After the Tiste Edur invaded the Kingdom of Lether, Rucket browbeat Champion Ormly into divulging to Bugg the Guild's intelligence on the occupied cities. According to the Guild's spies, the Edur were taking the place of the Letherii nobility and the constabulary but otherwise allowing life to operate normally.^[8]

In Reaper's Gale

The Rat Catchers' Guild was one of the first victims of the new Tiste Edur regime. On his first day as Invigilator of the Patriotists, Karos Invictad outlawed the Guild and sent a hundred agents to Scale House. Scores of Guild members were arrested, although all later turned out to be illusions.^[9] Rucket established a new office in a disused area of tombs and tunnels below Adventure Alley where she spent her days involved in paperwork and researching floor plans and structural diagrams.^[10] At least some of the paperwork was for show as a way to make her minions believe she was too busy to interrupt.^[11] She also kept Unn on staff as her servant.^[11]

When Tehol Beddict came to visit, she was happy to see the face of someone other than the refugees who also occupied the complex. After receiving assurances that Onyx had produced a set of lacquered tiles to Tehol's specifications, Tehol convinced her to commit the Guild to a fifty thousand dock contribution that he said would lead to the end of the Patriotists and the return to pre-eminence of the Guild. Afterwards, they retired to Rucket's private rooms.^[10]

After Scale House mysteriously collapsed, she was joined by Ormly, who expressed nervousness about Tehol's plans to wreck the Letherii economy by hoarding coin. The plan was proving too successful and the Patriotists were stirred up to find the culprit. He accused her of losing all objectivity when it came to Tehol because of her lust for the man. Rucket insisted the true mystery was Bugg and how he had managed to hide so much coin. None of their rats had been able to find the coins' hiding place.^[11]

Rucket took to disguising herself in the illusion of an enormous black-haired woman with violet eyes wearing mauve silks when she had to leave her hideaway for business. On one such excursion she met an unsuspecting Tehol at Huldo's. Tehol warned her that his operation was about to go into high gear and the Guild would soon be bankrupt. Rucket assured him the Guild had already hidden their money out of the country once they understood the scope of his plans.^[12] She grew to like the intimidating power the illusion gave her so much that she considered gaining the weight for real.^[13]

She worried over Tehol after the Patriotists finally arrested him, admitting to Ormly that she might love him. Ormly also reported that Ublala Pung, who had sworn fealty to Rucket, had likely gone insane as he was spotted crawling on his hands and knees in a Tarthenal cemetery. While awaiting news of Tehol's likely execution date, the two Rat Catchers awaited word from Selush, who possessed one of Brys Beddict's fingers. When the finger began twitching, Selush sent word to Rucket.^[14] Rucket retrieved the revived Brys Beddict to slay Karos Invictad and rescue his brother. They were preceded into the Patriotists' compound by a horde of rats.^[15] Meanwhile, Rucket and Ormly spent a fortune hiring criers to proclaim Tehol a hero of the people to successfully turn public sentiment back in his favour.^[16]

When Adjunct Tavore Paran reached the Eternal Domicile at the head of her forces, Rucket, wearing her illusory glamour, welcomed her and introduced Brys as Lether's saviour and Tehol as Lether's new emperor. Tehol focused on the part of the introduction where she claimed he was not half-bad in bed.^[17]

In Dust of Dreams

(Information needed)

Notes and references