RAT (#26/31-6/30, #146-57/365) [OOTP IV]
STAMINA: See below
ATTACKS: 1
WEAPON: Small Bite
ARMOUR: None
DAMAGE MODIFIER: -2 to the Damage Roll
HABITAT: See below
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 2-12
TYPE: Animal
REACTION: Neutral-Unfriendly
INTELLIGENCE: Low
The common RAT was first detailed in Return to the Pit (p. 74) and while the existence of other types was acknowledged there, insufficient space prevented publication of the relevant details. Instead, for the edification of adventurers, rat-catchers, Hags and others, twelve more species of Rat are detailed on the table below. The type can be chosen depending on habitat or determined randomly by rolling two dice separately.
1st Roll 2nd Roll Type SKILL STAMINA Habitat
1-3 1 CASTLE RAT 6 2 Towns, Dungeons, Ruins
Also known as the Tomb Rat, the CASTLE RAT is a large agile fast-moving grey-furred rat species typically drawn to living in various stone human constructions, such as castles, tombs, crypts, towers, citadels, fortresses, pyramids and necropolises. There is absolutely no truth to the rumour that Castle Rats are used in the making and brewing of Ratbeer, but they sure enjoying gnawing into barrels of the stuff to drink it!
1-3 2 CORN RAT 3 2 Plains, Towns, Wilderness
A common pest on the Pangarian farming island of Cirrus is the CORN RAT. Also found on Titan, amid farms and crops, they are usually harmless rodents, seeking to eat corn and other grains and seeds. Occasionally however, when cornered in their lair or infected with rabies or some other disease, they become a chittering horde of aggravated creatures seeking something meatier to eat, like people!
1-3 3 DESERT RAT 2 2 Deserts, Wilderness, Plains
The DESERT RAT is a lean lithe rodent with dun-coloured fur. They are typically found scurrying around dunes and rocky outcrops at night, looking for plants or beetles to gnaw on. Desert Rats will clutch at food with their forepaws, chewing on it nervously while their ears twitch about, alert for danger to flee from. However, they will tackle bigger prey if in a large swarm and extremely hungry. Desert Rats are extremely good at sniffing out water and have even been known to chew through waterskins and drinking cannisters. More than a few merchant caravans have woken up to find all their water gone courtesy of these thirsty vermin! As a result their name is used as a curse by the nomad tribes of the Twin Sun Desert and elsewhere: "Son of a Desert Rat!"
1-3 4 FANG RAT 5 2 Dungeons, Caves, Ruins, Hills, Mountains
This is a crazed looking black rat with mad red eyes and slavering jaws from which two long fangs protrude, found lurking in holes and burrows in dungeons, caves and rugged upland terrain. It will run at opponents without fear and will jump and attempt to bite them on the leg or arm (Test for Skill to avoid). The rat uses fangs to inject poison into their victim like a venomous snake. This venom causes -1 SKILL -4 STAMINA to the victim if bitten.
1-3 5 HELLRAT 4 3 Demonic Plane, Dungeons, Ruins, Caves, Volcanic Areas
As there are Hellhounds and Hellcats in the Demonic Pit, so too are there HELLRATS! These are larger than typical rats, with scaly red skin, spikey horns and a pointed tail, that occasionally burp small flames. Indeed, in combat, roll a die each Attack Round; on a 1 or 2 the HELLRAT breathes fire on their opponent for 1 STAMINA damage. Hellrats have escaped to Titan from the Pit, and are known to infest various areas including dungeons, caves, ruins and volcanic areas, as they are immune to fire and fire-based attack damage. Some have even been recorded from the prison cells of the dungeon of the Fire Giant Kuperan, Monarch of the Sands, by one adventurer fortunate enough to escape such a predicament!
1-3 6 PLAGUE RAT 4 3 Towns, Towns (sewers), Ruins, Dungeons
The PLAGUE RAT is a breed of rat twisted into sheer malevolence by the Dark Lord Disease. Plague Rats are vile things, some thin and scrawny while others are huge fat and as big as small dogs, with coarse black hair, fierce sharp yellow teeth and diseased red or yellow eyes. As their name suggests they are carriers of a virulent disease, in this case the Bubonic Plague. Anyone bitten by a Plague Rat must Test for Luck to avoid catching the full infection; even those who are Lucky must still lose 1 SKILL and 6 STAMINA points as they still feel extremely unwell. Unfortunately for those who are Unlucky, this terrible pestilence is invariably and quickly fatal if not treated with all haste. Bubonic Plague begins to take hold after five hours, and the victim loses 2 STAMINA points every hour from then on, until dead or cured. Ravening turbulent hordes of Plague Rats are known from cursed cities, ancient ruins and foul dungeons, and sometimes kept as pets by Hags or other misanthropes, although they are more likely to be found lurking out there squeaking in the darkness, waiting for some poor fool to chance by the Plague Rat lair and be attacked!
4-6 1 SEWER RAT 5 3 Towns (sewers), Towns, Dungeons
The SEWER RAT is also known as the Giant Sewer Rat, for it is an impressive creature, bigger than a common rat but smaller than a true Giant Rat. Having grown larger and stronger feeding on the stinking refuse of city drainage systems, the Sewer Rat is sleek and dangerous, with black fur, glowing red eyes and open jaws flashing long needle-sharp teeth. When gathered together in a swarm, they will attack anything! Dwarfs know them as Slime Rats for their habit of infesting the deepest and most disgusting Dwarf latrines and cess-pits, and to be called 'a slime rat' by a Dwarf is both a gross insult of the highest order and an immediate challenge to a fight. Equally, to be called a 'sewer rat' is likewise offensive in all big human cities. In Port Blacksand, one can play the extremely dangerous 'Rat in Hand' game at the tavern of the same name using live Sewer Rats (see Blacksand, p. 62), while the abandoned Rohmer Theatre in the Old World port of Blackhaven is allegedly infested with a horde of the savage creatures.
4-6 2 SWAMP RAT 3 2 Marshes, Rivers, Lakes
Also known as the Water Rat, SWAMP RATS are brownish mangy wetland dwelling rats that actively hunt prey by scent, including lone wayfarers if they are not careful. For the voracious appetites of Swamp Rat imperils them to attack, they are literally always hungry. They are kept as pets by some swamp people, such as Bograts, while others, like Marsh Goblins, consider Swamp Rats their favourite food and are more than happy to bite the head off a live rodent and munch happily on the remains!
4-6 3 TAILLESS RAT 4 2 Towns, Ruins, Dungeons
Certain spellcasters of a less than salubrious repute have long been known to take the form of a rat in order to escape foes, spy on enemies, or access small cracks and crevasses. Interestingly, when taking the form of such a creature, a small flaw is always evident, and hence the case of the TAILLESS RAT, perhaps best exemplified by the witch Mistress Crowfoot of Ruddlestone who was known to favour this acaudal animal shape. Of course, a Tailless Rat could also be a disguised ally of the spellcaster (Shareella the Snow Witch disguised her White Dragon pet as a white rat), or just a simple shuffling nearly blind huge Tailless Rat of the underworld, content to scavenge through debris in search of food. Roll on the below table to determine what the Tailless Rat is, if anything, and it will transform within 1-2 Attack Rounds unless steps are taken to prevent this, such as sprinkling ground Minotaur horn on it for instance.
Roll True Type
1 Tailless Rat.
2 Hag (see Beyond the Pit, pp. 65-66).
3 Shapechanger
4 Doppelganger
5 Changeling
6 Young Dragon (Roll: 1-2 Black, 3-4 White, 5 Silver, 6 Gold)
4-6 4 TREE RAT 3 2 Forests, Jungles
Also known as Forest Rats, TREE RATS are large arboreal brown-furred rodents with long pink prehensile tails. True to their name, they spend most of their time living high in the treetops, eating fruit and nuts and staying out of the way from predators such as Pocket Dragons, Serpents, Wraith Apes and a wide variety of eagles, falcons, hawks and owls. Tree Rats also descend to ground level, to root around under rotting logs and forest floor leaf-litter for choice grubs and bugs to feast upon. Occasionally however, when cornered in their lair or infected with rabies or some other disease, they become a chittering horde of aggravated creatures seeking something meatier to eat, like people!
4-6 5 VERMIN RAT 3 2 Ruins, Dungeons, Caves, Towns, Towns (sewers)
The VERMIN RAT is a species of large rat found lurking in drak, refuse-strewn places across north-eastern Khul, such as old cellars, town sewers and mouldering caves. They have been known to swarm together in symbiosis with Vermin Millipedes as a swarm (see Return to the Pit, p. 194), but may also be found as a pack of simply rats.
4-6 6 WHARF RAT 4 3 Sea-shore, Sea (on ships), Towns, Towns (sewers), Lakes, Rivers
The WHARF RAT is a creature of Titan's cityports and town harbors, a huge black shabby-furred rodent known to teem and swarm in some numbers. Dwelling among the rubble and refuse of the dockside, Wharf Rats eat anything they can find and have been known to attack dogs and even lone people. Worse though, is when they infiltrate a ship, and infest the bilges during a long sea voyage making life aboard quite unbearable for all and sundry.
All Rats attack as a horde, so for every second Rat present add +1 SKILL, +2 STAMINA, and +1 ATTACK. All Rats also carry diseases - anyone bitten must Test for Luck or be infected (see Advanced Fighting Fantasy, p. 54, except for the Plague Rat, whose details are given above). Attacking packs of Rats tend to disperse and flee squeaking in terror once half their numbers have been decimated, but some, potentially crazed with disease, have been known to fight to the death. Most Rats though are afraid of fire, and will not approach anyone bearing an open flame unless they have vastly superior numbers.
GREAT RAT (#7-8/30, #158-159/365) [OOTP IV]
STAMINA: 8 16
ATTACKS:
Great Rat - 1
Gigantic Rat - 2
WEAPON:
Great Rat - Large Bite
Gigantic Rat - Very Large Bite
ARMOUR: None
DAMAGE MODIFIER:
Great Rat - None
Gigantic Rat - +2 to the Damage Roll
HABITAT: Dungeons, Ruins, Caves, Towns (Sewers)
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED:
Great Rat - 1-2
Gigantic Rat - 1
TYPE: Animal
REACTION: Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: Low
Even larger than the Giant Rat is the GREAT RAT, truly a rodent of unusual size, measuring at least six feet long from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail, with a massive wolf or dog-sized body, grasping paws tipped with curved claws, and red eyes that glow with malice. The Great Rat is a denizen of the darkest sewers, the deepest dungeons and the most ancient catacombs, where it hunts alone or as part of a mated pair. They will have a nest, straw-filled and bone-lined and full of the flotsam and jetsam of a rat's home. When hunting the Great Rat sniffs out prey with its long nose and whiskers, snarling and attacking ferociously with clasping talons and yellow two-inch chisel-like incisors.
Great Rats are remarkably intelligent and often used by a variety of people as guard-creatures or even pets. For example, Roggmondo, tattooist of Royal Lendle was known to keep a pet Great Rat he called Bransell, that dealt with ungrateful customers or nosy officials, while the mage Ar Gadayon also kept one as a guard in his mysterious Tower of Hades. The murderous inkeeper Todd and his wife had a Great Rat pet at their deathtrap of an inn north of Gundobad, while even the notorious Vampire lord Count Reiner Heydrich also possessed a tame Great Rat, at least in his first incarnation at the family estate in Mortvania.
Ridiculous as it may seem, even bigger than the Great Rat is the GIGANTIC RAT, a rodent of enormous proportions. This takes the terrifying form of a huge grey-furred beast, larger than an elephant with four clawed legs and vicious teeth. Thought to be bred by Rat Men Priests and Wizards deep underground for use as war-beasts and the like, Dwarfs and Skorn have reported that Gigantic Rats are occasionally found in the deepest largest caverns of the Underearth, where they are particularly fond of feasting on beds of subterranean fungi.
More unbelievable is the account of an adventuring scribe Mandalaxis, who braved the perils of the Riddling Reaver's aerial flagship, the Twice Shy. Mandalaxis claimed she encountered a Gigantic Rat guarding an ingot made entirely of gold and a metre across, in an enormous subterranean purple grassland. This was allegedly accessed by a Portal of Darkness in the bowels of the ship, but few give Mandalaxis' tale much credence following her subsequent disappearance while exploring the manse of the Riddling Reaver in the Arantian highlands.
