Rats

Rats are well practiced at adaptation. Due to the relative speedy reproduction rate a rat pair and the offspring can quickly overrun an area unless held in check by something. They are seen as are opportunistic survivors and frequently live around humans. The term rat has often been used to denote small mammals with a certain appearance. For the purpose of this writing Rat denotes members of the Genus Rattus. The unaltered strains of Rattus tend to be medium size rodents with long tails.

Many areas in Valorn play host to these creatures. (It is even rumored that an abandoned inn in N’Rolav plays host to a small colony.) However, several species have gone beyond that of normal ratdom and are significant because of that. These rats are not content to scurry away when humans approach and instead have been known to pull down the unwary and unprepared.

Sewer Rats

(Large, Giant and Huge)

The sewers of Dundee have been home to all kinds of runoff and discarded things for decades. Because of this, rats in the sewers have grown more sizeable and when skinned hats may be fashioned from them. They have adapted to the dark and somewhat slimy environs, and their underbellies are less furry than in their nonsewer brethren. The claws of the larger ones are actually useful as handheld weapons and some wear them as gloves.

Swamp Rats

(Sabertooth and Giant)

If the sewers have been a fertile place for rats, so too have the swamps. These rats have adapted quite well to life there. Their feet are broader and slightly webbed. Their pelts are slightly oily and each hair is a bit broader with interlocking barbs. This appears to aid in keeping water from easily soaking through to the skin. The adaptive reason behind their oversized tusks is not yet known. Some have theorized an unnatural crossing with a swamp viper species, others that it is a secondary sexual characteristic.

Sea Rat

Fiercer than the rats of the swamps or sewers, this rat subspecies has made its home in the ruined lighthouse to the south of Dundee. While larger, they appear closest to the original species being very nimble and agile.

Mouldering Demonic Rat

Perhaps these do not even belong in a writing about creatures of Valorn and Kilican, but they are another example of how adaptable rats can be. Either they have the ability to create portals or they are utilized as demoralizing attacks by one who can. These rats are a threat to even the strongest of the Adventurous subspecies. While they have occasionally been seen in ones and twos, more frequently they overrun an area in swarms. They are the largest of the documented rats and greatly feared for the chaos they bring. One faces them with respect and caution knowing a swarm could be seen at any split marc. It is unknown whether these rats are created as the fearsome adults that are seen or breed.

Rattus is a common source of protein and often collected and eaten by poorer members of a community. Cooked over a fire a rat haunch is a delicacy in some of the poorer houses of Valorn, and a well known Grill offers sewer rat stew on the menu. Attempts to find the recipe were rebuffed.

Lineagist Urkki on rat hats as a fashion statement: “Rat hat is the new black, if new black stinks like dead rat and looks like dead rat.”

Art by Kaballoi, #93482