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I THINK THIS
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YERSINIA
GET IN THE C AR
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A uthor: Bria n Ca mpbell
Comic Book Story & Art: Steve Prescott
Developer: Etha n Skemp
Editor: A ileen E. Miles
Art Director: Aileen E. Miles
A r t: Mi tc h Byrd, Joe Corron ey, Bri a n LeBla n c , La rry
Ma c Douga ll, Steve Presc ott, Jeff Rebn er, Ron Spenc er
Ba c k Cover A rt: Steve Presc ott
Layout & Typesetting: Aileen E. Miles
Cover Design: Aileen E. Miles
Playtesting (The Scooby Cthulhu Troupe): Fred Annet, J r.,
A hn a E. Bla ker, Sha w n Con ra d, Za c k DeLon g, Peter Ja mes
DuBois, Phillip Gra n n er, A la n Holmberg, Bjrn Ma ier-Ellison ,
La rs Mic helson -Hubbel, Ma ri Mic helson -Hubbel
Scumdangle Elfbiter: J ustin Achilli.
Speal thanks
Rebecca "PokGigante" Schaefer, for having the biggest
Pikachu in the office.
Justin "Cryptologist" A c hilli, for brea kin g the E&Dc ode.
Rob "Spoit" Ha tc h, for the soun dhis bloodvessels ma de w hen
he sa w the a dfor "Ca lga ry Con fla gra tion " a c tion figures.
A ileen "Creditmon ger" Miles, for en surin g tha t her n a me w ill
n ow a ppea r t lea st three times on most Werew olf books.
Etha n "U N DEA DU N DEA DU N DEA D" Skemp, for en tirely
too muc h exc itemen t a bout lurc hin g, dessic a tedc orpses t the
loc a l c in ema .
Mike "Dyin g Breed" T in n ey, for fi n di n g a pla c e tha t sti ll does
ka ra oke.
7 3 5 PA RK N O RT H BLV D.
SU IT EI2 8
CU RK ST O N , GA 3 002 1
U SA
G A H E S T U D I O
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Hun ter the Rec kon in g, Werew olf the Wi ldWest, Ra tki n ,
A xis Mun di T he Book of Spirits, Hen geyoka i Sha peshifters
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T he men tion of or referen c e to a n y c ompa n y or
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or c opyright c on c emed.
T his book uses the supern a tura l for settin gs, c ha ra c -
ters a n d themes. A ll mystic a l a n d supern a tura l elemen ts
a re fic tion a n din ten dedfor en terta in men t purposes on ly.
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PRIN T EDIN T HE U N IT ED STATES.
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T here a re a c ouple of thin gs a bout this book tha t
just... a ren 't right. Please remember a s you rea d tha t w e
White Wolfers rea lly a ren 't in fa v r of terrorism a n ddon 't
w a n t to extermin a te the huma n ra c e. We're just w ritin g
a bout a bun c hof c ra zedw erera ts w i th a n en tirely di f f er en t
set of prin c iples. We don 't expec t you to go out a n d sta rt
emula ti n g T w itc hers, rea lly (t lea st w e hope you w on 't!),
but c on sider this a n ote to pa c i fy w homever's mother
might ha ve pic kedup the book.
T ha n k you. Drive through.
" T he ansur U z e in never giving up even when you are att
beet to hell and you only have won guy buT DAmn us Rot
T hraptors have fiting spit iMea n spirit."
Sc umda n gle Elfbiter
Ratkin
Jntroduction: T he Shadow o
Chapter One: (Ratkin legends
History a s the w erera ts tell it
Chapter T wo: Jnfestina the " W orld
'-.^.y^-'^ ^!^:V .
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A look a t Ra tki n soc iety ,;^ ''
;
lssfli% -,~ *
Chapter T hree: Crumby flits and Shiny T hings
Ra tki n c ha ra c ter c rea tion
Chapter four; Aspects and (Renown #
Ra tki n "a uspic es" a n d Ra n k
4
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Chapter five: Systems and StwyteU inf
O ption a l guidelin es for in ten sifyin g irtie Ra tkua ^experiepc e _ * : ,5.
Appendix One: (Ratkin Gtts
Appendix T wo: (Rat flastards
Appendix T hree: T he (Real W orld
1 2
1 8
2 8
54
78
96
1 06
1 2 6
Contents 1 1
to*
We a re the Little Folk we!
T oo little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you'll see
How we can drag down the State...
Mistletoe killin g a n oa k
Ra ts gn a w in g c a bles in tw o
Moths ma kin g holes in a c loa k
How the} must love what they do!
Rudya rd K iplin g, "A Pic t Song"
A W orfo o{
T he shadow of the rat, c rossin g in to power, never to be buried.
T .S. Elliot, "T he Wa stela n d"
Lon g before the da w n of huma n history, sha pec ha n gers
w a lked the Ea rth. T he w orld w a s hon est a n d b ruta l then
mon sters ha d n o n eed to hi de their true forms. Legen ds spea k
of the Cha n gin g Breeds, sha peshifters w ho served a s the gua rd-
ia n s of the Ea rth. First a n d foremost a mon g the sha pec ha n gers
w ere the Ga rou, a ra c e of w erew olves en trustedw i th the sa fety
of ma n kin d. For three thousa n d yea rs, the Wolves w a tc hed
over hordes of huma n s. T he w orst of them exploited the
huma n s a s sla ves, c ulled them a s breedin g stoc k, a n d sa c rific ed
them to f ulf i ll c a rn a l urges. Lorema sters w ho kn ow the old
stories c a ll this time the Impergium, a n era w hen the un re-
stra in ed forc e of c ha os reign ed supreme.
Surroun dedby a pri ma l w orldof ra ge, huma n s livedin fea r
of violen c e in the n ight, espec ia lly w hen the moon w a s full.
Werew olves sta lked the da rkn ess, in spirin g terror through
sheer a troc ity. Mon sters bredin the da rkn ess, but the Children
of Wolf protec ted ma n kin d from the sa va ge horrors of the
n ight. Ra c ia l memories of Ga rou violen c e ha ve been b uri ed in
the huma n subc on sc ious ever sin c e. T o this very da y, the mere
sight of a w erew olf in its Crin os form is en ough to drive a ll but
the sta un c hest huma n s beyon dthe fra gi le li mi ts of their sa n ity,
overw helmin g them w i th the ma dn ess of Delirium. T he terror
of the Impergi um w i ll n ever be forgotten .
N on etheless, the story en ds ba dly. It's sa idtha t the Ga rou's
triumphs w ere so grea t tha t they bec a me proud of their sa va ge
a c c omplishmen ts. Soon, they dec la red themselves the grea test
of Ga ia 's c hildren , in timida tin g a n y w ho threa ten ed their su-
prema c y. A s the Wolves' fury a n d fa lse pride grew , they exa c ted
their ra ge on the other sha peshifters of the w orld. O verc ome by
hubris, some even dema n ded tha t the other Cha n gin g Breeds
serve a s their subjec ts. O f c ourse, the other sha pec ha n gers
refused, sec ure in their devotion to the Ea rth.
Introduction 1 3
T he Ga rou la shed out a t huma n villa ges tha t prospered
too muc h, li mi ti n g their floc ks to stri c t popula ti on quota s.
Even tua lly, they c ulled the popula tion of a n y other ra c e tha t
supposedly threa ten ed their suprema c y. A ll of thei r vic tims
a t lea st, those tha t ha v e survived remember the horrors tha t
follow ed, though ea c h disa grees on the origin a l c a use. It w a s a
da rk a ge in the history of the Cha n gin g Breeds: the Wa r of
Ra ge, a holoc a ust for Ga ia 's c hildren . En tire spec ies w ere
deva sta ted or driven in to exti n c ti on . T o "protec t" ma n kin d,
the ea rliest Ga rou c on duc ted c a mpa ign s of gen oc ide a ga in st
the other sha pec ha n gers of the w orld.
T his w ould c ha n ge history forever.
T he stories you a re a bout to rea da re n ot a bout thi Ga rou
the vic tors of the Wa r of Ra ge but of on e of their ma n y
vic tims. We w i ll n ot c on c ern ourselves w i th the grea test of the
Ea rth Mother's c hildren , but w i th on e of the most reviled. T he
Goddess en trusted them w i th the pow er of pla gue, the sa c red
duti es of disea se, a n d the fi n er a rts of destruc tion ta sks seen
a s ev i l to some, but essen tia l to others. For thousa n ds of yea rs,
thei r offspri n g lived in the sha dow s of the w orld, hidin g from
the un c hec ked ra ge of the Ga rou, the c orrupti n g evils of the
Wyrm, a n d the ma dn ess of huma n ity. T his book is a bout the
la st a n dlow liest of Ga ia 's serva n ts: the Children of Ra t. T his is
the story of the Ra tki n ,
legacies of the (% ats
Let us return to the w orldma n kin d left behin d. T o un der-
sta n dthe presen t, w e must first un dersta n dthe pa st. T he Ga rou
spea k of their prow ess a s grea t hun ters, but in the sprin gtime of
the w orld, ea c hof the Cha n gin g Breeds ha dits ow n sac redduties.
T he Ba stet kept the sec rets of ma gic ; the Gura hl a c ted a s the
hea lers of sa c redpla c es, a n dso on . O f a ll the sha pec ha n gers, the
w erera ts a tten ded to the foulest of these ta sks.
T he Ra tki n ha ve a lw a ys ha d un sa vory reputa ti on s, a n d
n ot just for the stra n ge tra di ti on s of their soc ieties. O c c ultists
a n d mystic s sti ll spea k of the w erera ts' a ffi n i ty for c ha os a n d
thei r sin gle-min ded devotion to un spea ka ble a rts. Durin g the
Impergi um, the Ra tki n w ere reviledbec a use of the respon sibili-
ties the Goddess ga ve them. T he w erera ts a lw a ys ha ve been ,
a n d a lw a ys w i ll be, defen ders of the Wyld in its purest form.
When ever a threa t rose a ga in st the free-flow i n g n a ture of
c ha os, the Ra tki n sw a rmed to oppose it.
O n e group threa ten edthis forc e more tha n a n y other: the
huma n ra c e. Huma n tribes grew fa ster tha n their ma sters, the
Ga rou, c ould c on ta in them. O nc e the huma n s learn edhow to
fa rm a n d b ui ld c ities, the w erew olves w a tc hed their progress
c a refully. If the Wolves fa iled to c ull the huma n popula tion
suffi c i en tly, the Ra tki n w ere en trusted to c orrec t their mis-
ta kes. With methods ra n gin g from the subtle to the shoc kin g,
the w erera ts restored the ba la n c e betw een the order of the
huma n c ities a n dthe c haos of the w ild. T heir bruta l effic ien c y
w a s w ell-kn ow n to the pri ma l Ga rou. Sin c e Ra tki n suc c esses
w ere based on Ga rou fa ilures, a n imosity grew betw een the
Wolves a n d the Ra ts.
O verpopula tion ha s a lw a ys been a c hief c on c ern of the
w erera ts. A Ra tki n c olon y c a n on ly en sure the survi va l of a
privilegedfew ; the rest must get by a s best they c a n . In the ea rly
da ys of the w orld, youn g w erera ts w ouldoften lea ve their n ests
a n d roa m the w orld to seek their fortun e. T o surv i v e, they
w ould ma ke da rk pa c ts a n d sec retive c on tra c ts w i th other
supern a tura l c rea tures. Ra tki n ha d n o qua lms a bout un derta k-
in g ta sks the other Cha n gin g Breeds thought too un plea sa n t to
fulfi ll. When ever the popula tion of Ra tki n surged, pla gues of
w erera ts w ouldsw a rm in to the soc ieties of other sha pec ha n gers,
offeri n g to help them w i th thei r direst troub les... for a pric e.
N ot surprisin gly, the Ra tki n ha d few forma l dea lin gs w i th
the Ga rou, even before the Wa r of Ra ge. O n ly a few a spec ts of
w erera t soc iety ha d c a use to c ommun e w i th them. First a mon g
these w ere the Ra tki n ba rds, the in termedia ries betw een Ga rou
septs a n dRa tki n c olon ies. When other sha pec ha n gers w a n ted
to ma ke a pa c t w i th the ra ts to c a rry out some da rk deed, the
ba rds used their diploma c y to sea l the pa c t. T hough they lived
a mon g the elite of w erera t soc iety, they brokered a n d n egoti-
a ted on beha lf of the dispossessed, despera te a n d di sen fra n -
c hised of their ki n d.
T he Wa r of Ra ge put a n en dto suc h c oopera tion . When the
Ga rou dec la red w a r on the Children of Ra t, the Ra tki n ba rds
w ere the first to die. Colon ies sc urried for sa fety, fleein g the
gen oc ida l c a mpa ign s of the w erew olves. T he la st survi vi n g
Ra tkin ba rds performed on e la st a c t of despera tion on beha lf of
their ra c e, ga therin g a t a sac redsite kn ow n a s the Fieldof N ettles.
T here, they rec itedthe c rimes c ommittedby Ga rou a n din ton ed
a n epic c urse a ga in st their oppressors. A c c ordin g to legen d, they
vow ed tha t their desc en da n ts w ould return from the fa rthest
rea lms of c rea tion to a ven ge the dea ths of the sla ughtered.
Boltin g for sa fety, ma n y other w erera ts sought sa n c tua ry in
the spirit w orld, hidin g w ithin the frin ges of rea lity. A fter the
Wa r of Ra ge, c oun tless thousa n ds of Ra tki n esc a ped in to the
spirit w orlds of the U mbra . Sw a rms of Ra t K i n folk, Ra t-spirits
a n d other roden t w a rriors ha ve been breedin g there ever sin c e.
Dista n t a n c estors of the modern Ra tkin bec a me ephemera l,
even mythi c a l, through prolon gedexposure to the spi ri t w orld.
T here, thousa n ds of yea rs of exposure to c haos in its purest form
w a rped their min ds a n d souls. Cut off from their huma n
K in folk, the most da n gerous of Ra t's c hildren bec a me in c rea s-
in gly fera l, developin g a loa thin g for the huma n w orldthey left
behin d. Lost in the madn ess of the velvet sha dow , they w a ited
for the fulfi llmen t of the Ra tki n ba rds' shoc kin g prophec ies.
A s gen eration s bred, prospereda n ddiedin the shadow s of the
spirit w orld, the w erew olves asserted their domin a n c e over the
physic al w orld. Show ing fa lse c on trition for their c rimes, they
esta blishedthe Con c ord, a trea ty tha t brought to a n en dto three
thousa n d yea rs of terror. T he Western Conc ordiat reac hed the
a greemen t tha t huma n ity ha dthe right to develop its ow n c ivili-
za tion . T he Ga rou w ere to sta y hidden , w a tc hin g over Gaia's
c rea tion from hidden plac es. T he Ea rth Mother en trusted them
w ith Her greatest sac redsites... leavin g the vic tims of the Wa r of
Ra ge w ith un dyin g memories ofbetra ya l. Sinc e then , the w erew olves
ha ve been a t odds w ith the rest of the Cha n gin g Breeds.
While the Ga rou tried to bec ome more huma n e by livin g
a mon g huma n s, the Ra tkin rema in ed hidden . T he w erew olves
c ompromisedthe puri ty of the Wyldby a llow in g huma n soc iety to
flourish. T he w erera ts, on the other ha n d, follow eda very differen t
pa th, relyin g on their most fera l in stin c ts to survive. T he Ga rou
thought tha t the Ra tkin ha dpassedfrom the w orld, just a s they ha d
t
Ratkin
forgotten ma n y of their a n c ien t vic tims... but they w ere tra gic a lly
w ron g. T he Ra tkin ra c e ha s ha dthousa n ds upon thousa n ds of yea rs
to rebuild, repopula te a n d prepa re for the future. T he w erera ts
refused to lie dow n a n ddie; in stea d, they bolted in to the hidden
pla c es of the w orld. Sinc e then , the Ra tkin ha ve lived on the
frin ges of rea li ty... a n d the frin ges of sa n ity.
T he Con c ordbega n the A ge of Ma n , but n ow , a s the La st
Da ys a pproa c h, tha t a ge is en din g. We live in the w i n ter of the
w orld. T he w erera ts ha ve w a tc heda n d w a itedfor millen n ia for
sign s of the c omin g A poc a lypse. A s the En dT imes dra w n ea r,
more of the w erera ts' di sta n t a n c estors a re return i n g to the
dimen sion they left behin d, fulfi lli n g the c urses of the a n c ien t
Ra tki n ba rds. T he Children of Ra t a re rec la imin g their lost
K i n folk, seizin g the sa c red sites they protec ted lon g a go, a n d
severin g the w ebs tha t ha ve heldthe w orld in sta sis for millen -
n ia . Werera ts c a rry the sec rets of the Impergi um in their blood,
forb i dden kn ow ledge of the spirit w orlds in their souls, a n d a n
un dyi n g a n ger in thei r hea rts.
Livin g outside huma n soc iety for thousa n ds of yea rs, the
w erera ts ha ve bec ome the livin g embodimen t of c haos itself. In
their despera te struggle to brin g tha t pure forc e ba c k in to the w orld,
they w ill stop a t n othin g to hea l Ga la 's c rea tion ... by a n y mea n s
n ec essary. Coun tless glea min g eyes w a tc hfr om the da rkn ess. T he
c hitterin g of c oun tless sharpen edteeth ec ho a message of reven ge.
T in y c la w s ha ve w orn a w a y the w ebs of the spirit w orld, brea c hin g
the ba rrier betw een un told dimen sion s a n dthe dyin g Ea rth.
Prepa re yourself, for the forc e of c ha os is return i n g to the
w orld. Prepa re yourself, for these a re the Fin a l Da ys. T he
shadow of the ra t, c rossin g in to pow er, ha s return ed.
A (Doomed
I looked forward to redeeming at last the local fame of the line
which ended in me. I would reside here permanently, and prove that
aDeLa Poer... need not be a fiend.
H.P. Lovec ra ft, "T he Ra ts in the Wa lls"
T he w erera ts a re exiles from a doomedw orld, survivors of
lives filled w i th violen c e a n dhorror. T he disea se of lyc a n thropy
isn 't a blessin g, a fter a ll... it's a c urse. N o doubt you've hea rdthe
ti me-w orn legen ds of how a sha pec ha n ger's a tta c k c a n doom its
v i c ti m. Perha ps you believe tha t a disea se c a rried by on e of
these mon sters c a n lea d to outbrea ks of ma dn ess or orgies of
destruc tion . In the w orld of the w erera ts, these legen ds a re
ba sed on hideous truths.
Werera ts c on sider breedin g a sa c red duty; thus, a sc a n t
portion of the w orld's popula tion is desc en dedfrom the Ra tki n
ra c e. When a w erera t breeds w i th a huma n , or even a ra t, their
offspri n g is kn ow n a s Kinfolk. If the mother is a roden s Ra tkin
or a r a t, she bea rs a li tter of ra t K i n folk; if the mother is a homid
Ra tki n or a huma n , the c hild is huma n K in folk; very ra rely, if
on e of the pa ren ts is a ma teri a li zedspi ri t, the frea k tha t results
is Spirit K i n folk. For a ll sha pec ha n gers, lyc a n thropy is like a
la ten t or rec essive gen e, on e tha t c a n rema in un detec ted for
yea rs, or even dec a des. In fa c t, the ta in t of Ra tki n blood c a n
en dure for gen era tion s, lyin g dorma n t w i thi n its in heritors
un ti l mi sfortun e a w a ken s the fa mily's c urse.
Full-blooded w erera ts a re sha pec ha n gers w ho c a n sprea d
c orruption through disease a n d tra n smit it through a c ts of vio-
lenc e. When a Ra tkin w oun ds a n in n oc en t huma n , he ma y c hoose
to in fec t him w ith illness. T here's a c ha n c e die sic kness ma y
even tua lly tra n sform in to the Birthin g Pla gue, a virulen t pa thogen
tha t ha s been evolvin g for thousa n ds of yea rs. T he in fec tion c a n be
tra n smitted in other w a ys a s w ell: w oun ds, poison a n dpla gue a re
the three most c ommon . Performin g the proper rites en sures this
in fec tion . Most huma n s w ho a re c on sumedby the Birthin g Pla gue
suffer horrible deadis, but the few w ho possess a diin ta in t of
w erera t blood in herit the legac ies of the Ra tkin rac e.
For these un fortun a te few , the limits of rea li ty they on c e
kn ew a re shredded by a thousa n d ea ger c la w s. U n ti l the
in fec ted K i n folk un dergoes his fi n a l meta morphosis, he is
overw helmed by c ha n ges to his body a n d min d, tormen ted by
Ra t-spirits lurki n g in the spirit w orld, a n d pla gued by revela -
tion s from the Ra t In c a rn a . It's a gra dua l proc ess, on e tha t
slow ly a da pts its vic tim to the horrors of a n a ltered existen c e.
Ma dn ess preys upon those w ho ha ve c a rried the c urse
w i thi n their vein s. T he simple lives they on c e kn ew a re torn to
shreds, repla c ed by a c a llin g of sa va ge violen c e. For a blessed
few , voic es in their min ds direc t them, prepa rin g them for
b a ttle. Ma n y a re c a lled, but few survi ve. Some in fec ted K i n folk
self-destruc t, in flic tin g their ra ge on huma n s w ho in voke their
w ra th. T he stron gest en dure un ti l the terri fyi n g momen t of the
First Cha n ge, w hen the tra n sforma ti on is c omplete. T hey
fin a lly lea rn to a ssume Crin os form a n drejoi n the Ra tki n ra c e.
T he limitless freedom of the Wyld a lters their lives forever.
Aspects of (% at'$ family
W e search for vengeance.
Someone will pay.
W e' I I show no mercy.
T hey chose this fate.
Lea ther Strip = :; ; ; , * : ; v.v.
In fec tion is a lw a ys a desc en t in to ma dn ess. O n c e a K i n folk
v i c ti m is c on sumedby the Birthin g Pla gue, he is overw helmed
by vision s of his forgotten herita ge. If he ha s ha d n o prior
c on ta c t w ith the supern a tura l, the experien c e tea rs a w a y the
illusion s of huma n soc iety. T he Pla gue a w a ken s dorma n t memo-
ries in his blood. He hea rs voic es; he rec eives vision s; he
embra c es c ha os.
Rela pses c a n la st for da ys, mon ths or yea rs, even tua lly
lea din g to the terror of the First Cha n ge. By the time the
w erera t is utterly c on sumed w i th a n ger a n d c ompletes his
meta morphosis, he kn ow s the role he must fulfi ll in the c omin g
A poc a lypse. Ea c h Ra tkin a tten ds to on e a spec t of w erera t
soc iety. T oda y, there a re eight sa c redw a ys tha t must be obeyed,
ra n gin g from the w ise a n d spi ri tua l to the utterly dera n ged.
T un n el Run n ers a re the ma veric ks of Ra tkin soc iety;
they a c t a s the sc outs a n d spies of the sw a rm. Con sumed by
w a n derlust, they lea rn of sec ret pa ths through the w orlds of
flesh a n d spirit.
Sha dow Seers gua rdforbidden sec rets lyin g dorma n t in
their blood. U n li ke their more violen t brothers a n dsisters, they
va lue w isdom over ven gea n c e. T hrough c a lm medi ta ti on , they
c a n un dersta n da n ythin g c loa kedin sha dow s. T oo muc h in tro-
spec tion , how ever, lea ds to in sa n ity....
Introduction 1 5
K n i fe-Skulkers hire themselves a n dtheir pa c ks out to
a n y w ho w ould pa y their pric e. T he distin c tion s a n d ta boos of
supern a tura l soc ieties mea n n othin g to them; justic e is a ll-
en c ompa ssin g. A s a ssa ssin s a n d thieves, they w ill ma ke a n d
brea k c on tra c ts w i th a n yon e.
Wa rriors w ieldtheir Pa in Da ggers w ith ra pturous a ba n -
don . Ma sters of guerri lla w a rfa re, pa c k ta c tic s, a n d sw a rm
stra tegies, they prove Ra t's ri ghtful position a s a T otem of Wa r.
T heir methods of ki lli n g ra n ge from the ima gin a tive rec on -
struc tion of modern -da y n i n ja to the ela bora te stra tegies of
survi va li sts a n d militia s.
T hese a re the four sa c redw a ys, preservedsin c e the da ys of
the Impergi um. Y et a s more Ra tki n return from their exile in
the spirit w ord, the w erera ts a re un c overin g n ew a spec ts to thei r
soc iety. Some follow ers rec a ll the sec rets of forgotten lore,
w hile others a re the result of the ev er-a da pti n g n a ture of the
Bi rthi n g Pla gue. A few a re the result of lustful w erera ts w ho
bred w i th ma teri a li zed spirits. T he Ra tki n w ho f ulf i ll these
duties a re kn ow n a s Freaks. Most ma ke n orma l w erera ts seem
san e by c ompa rison .
Pla gue Lords c omma n d the forc es of disea se, fightin g
the tempta tion s of the Wyrm a s they pra c tic e their da rk a rts.
T hough they w ere thought destroyed in the Da rk A ges, thei r
pla gues ha ve return ed to the w orld in guises more sin ister tha n
ever w itn essedbefore.
Ratkin En gin eers a re the result of the grow in g pow er of
the Wea ver. Ma n y a re in fec ted in la bora tories, usin g their
shoc kin g n ew in telligen c e to in sidious en ds. From the rubble of
the modern w orld, they sa lva ge a n d devise in gen ious devic es.
T he Mun c hma usen ha ve return edfrom lost rea lms of the
spirit w orld, fulfillin g the c urse of Ra tkin ba rds millen n ia ago.
Most rec a ll fa n c i ful ta les of rea lms tha t n ever w ere; some in sist
tha t they a re outc a sts of A rc a dia . T hough ma n y a re born a s
spirits, the Birthin g Pla gue tra n sforms them in to flesh a n dblood.
A n dla st, but n ot lea st, a re the T w itc hers, Ra tkin w ho
reflec t the ra ge of a dyin g w orld. A s servitors of the Ra t God,
they un lea sh a n a rc hy a n d destruc tion , prepa rin g huma n i ty for
the Fin a l Da ys of the A poc a lypse. Suc c umbin g to ra ge is a ll too
ea sy for these ma dmen . T hey delight in ra n tin g fa lse prophec ies
of the w orld's doom.
Ra t c a lls to a ll of these c hildren , ec hoin g the c hi tteri n g
dema n ds of thousa n ds of brethren w a i ti n g in the spirit w orld.
She ma kes her dema n ds in myria d w a ys, often c oordin a tin g
va stly di fferen t w erera ts to exec ute the a ppropria te portion s of
on e ma ster pla n . Eight a spec ts of Ra tki n soc iety reflec t her
ma n y n eeds a n ddesires, a ll foc used upon on e goa l: prepa ra tion
for the fi n a l ba ttle for the w orld.
r
C\ieme and
T hey must know it was the rats; the slitherin g scurrying rats
who will never let me sleep; the daemon rats that race behind the
padding in this room and beckon me down to greater horrors than I
have ever kn ow n ; the ra ts they can never hear; the rats, the rats, the
rats in the w a lls.
H.P. Lovec ra ft, "T he Ra ts in the Wa lls"
Ma ybe the other Cha n gin g Breeds feel a s though they've
been blessedby their lega c ies, but w erera ts c erta in ly don 't. T he
domin a n t moods in w erera t stories a re ra ge, ma dn ess a n d des-
pera tion . Let the other sha peshifters spea k of Ga la 's hea lin g love
the Ra tki n revel in bla c k humor, fa ta lism, a n d c yn ic a l self-
sa tisfa c tion . Sufferin g ha s distorted their idea ls. T hey a re n ot
a mora l; they ha ve merely a ba n don edthe w a ys of huma n soc iety.
Most w erera t stories in c lude the theme of betra ya l. A fter
a ll, Ga ia , the spi ri tua l Mother of a ll Cha n gin g Breeds, a ba n -
don edher most devotedc hildren w hen she a llow ed the Ga rou
to esta blish themselves a s lords of the Ea rth. T he w erew olves,
in turn , betra yed a ll of the sha pec ha n gers durin g the Wa r of
Ra ge, w hen they sla ughtered en tire ra c es. T he Ga rou la ter
c on demn edthem duri n g the Con c ord, w hen they relega teda ll
of the Cha n gin g Breeds to the sha dow s a n d bega n the A ge of
Ma n . Fortun a tely, tha t a ge is c omin g to a n en d, a n d the
Ra tki n 's c ursed lega c y ha s given them a c ha n c e for reven ge.
Shadow s a re len gthen in g everyw here, for the w orld itself
ha s gon e ma d. Hell is here. Stories of c rime a n d un c hec ked
exploita tion a boun d. In T okyo, a ma dma n relea ses poison gas on
a subw a y; in Middle A meric a , a w ould-be messia h sa c rific es his
follow ers to his sec ret, tw isted vision s; throughout the w orld,
huma n s on the fri n ges of soc iety stoc kpile w ea pon s, stren gthen
ga n gs a n d a rm themselves in sec ret militia s. In the da rkest
c omers of the w orld, terrorists strike ba c k a t w orldgovern men ts.
In the light of da y, the homeless sta rve on the street. From the
slums of the T hirdWorld to the c ities the First World, huma n s
ha ve va stly overpopula ted the pla n et. N ow , a t lon g la st, their
c iviliza tion ha s begun to self-destruc t. T he Ga rou a re un prepa red
to live in this w orld, but the Ra tki n thrive in it.
A s the A poc a lypse dra w s n ea rer, the w erera ts ha ve a n
opportun i ty to b ri n g ba c k the puri ty of the Imper gi um... on e
w a y or a n other. A ll Ra tki n believe in helpin g c ha os flow freely,
though n ot a ll of them a gree on how to do it. Cha os ta kes ma n y
forms, a n d so do the w erera ts. T he w orst of them serve a s
terrorists a n d a n a rc hists, strikin g out a t a n ythin g tha t c a rries
the ozon e sten c h of order. T he best of them c a re for the vic tims
of huma n c i v i li za ti on , livin g a mon g the homeless a n d desti-
tute. Ca reta kers show sympa thy for others w ho must live a s
a n ima ls... a n d even tua lly rec rui t them to their c a use. T he
stra n gest w erera ts ha ve been so possessed by pure c ha os tha t
they a re overw helmedby ma dn ess, c hi tteri n g in respon se to the
pri mi ti ve c a ll of the Wyld. T he most bestia l Ra tki n a re n ow
fer a l, violen t a n d often in sa n e.
Rega rdless of how w erera ts c hoose to live their lives, it's
eviden t in a n y Ra tki n c hron ic le tha t the en d of the w orld is
a pproa c hin g. T he c loc k is tic kin g. A ll tha t ma n kin d ha s bui lt
over the la st fi v e millen n ia w ill be torn dow n . T he return of lost
w erera ts to the w orld hera lds the a pproa c h of the Fin a l Da ys.
Ra tki n mystic s a n d oc c ultists believe tha t on e da y, million s of
their brethren w i ll return from the spirit w orld to sw a rm the
Ea rth. T housa n ds of yea rs of livin g a mon g huma n s ha ve ma de
the Ga rou ta me, but the w erera ts' spirit a llies ha ve been
c on sumedby the un dilutedforc e of the Wyldin its purest form.
A s on e of Ra t's c hildren , you must n ow a c t a s a n a gen t of
c ha os, a servitor of the Wyld. Y our god is c a llin g you; your
a n c estors a dvise you from the spirit w orld; your destin y is
bec kon in g a s a n ew a ge begin s. A v i r ulen t c urse ha s restored
your a n c ien t lega c y a n d c ha n gedyour li fe forev er. Fightin g off
the tempta ti on s of ra ge a n d ma dn ess, you must prepa re the
w orldfor the Fin a l Da ys. T he sec rets heldw i thi n this tome w i ll
show you the w a y. A ll you n eedto do is listen to the w hisperin g
w ithin your blood... a n d keep rea din g....
Chaos U nleashed
... you, you will die of the shame,
And then we will dance on your graves.
Rudya rd K i pli n g, "A Pic t Son g"
T hese a re the La st Da ys, a n d you ha ve rec eived the c a ll.
T he Ga rou ma de a c ompromise w i th ma n kin d, esta blishin g the
Con c ord tha t a llow ed huma n c iviliza tion to thri v e. N ow the
Wea ver's w ebs c hoke the w orld, dri vi n g the Wyrm further in to
ma dn ess w i th ea c h pa ssin g yea r. T ime is run n i n g out, a n d the
w erew olves' fa ilures ha ve brought on the A poc a lypse. Y ou
must dec ide w ha t extremes youw ill c hoose to hea l the w orld.
In fulfi llmen t of a n c ien t ba rdic prophec ies, the Children
of Ra t a re return i n g to the w orld in grea ter n umbers tha n ever
before. From the depths of the U mb ra , they c ome. From the
hidden pla c es in the la rgest c i ti es, they slin k from the sha dow s.
From the most forsa ken rea lms of the w ildern ess, c oun tless
c hildren c hi tter a messa ge of ven gea n c e, sha rpen their teethfor
b a ttle, a n d ga ze upon the w orld through a n gry red eyes. Y our
brethren a re the Wyld in its purest form, a n d w hen the en d
c omes, they w i ll emerge from the rubble of the huma n ra c e.
Ra t is c a llin g. It is time to a n sw er.
Introduction 17
'fever (Dreams
Skin pulses. Pares sweat. A fever rages. A homeless man
collapses in analleyway, falling beside arustingdumpster. A few feet
away, passers'by ignore everything, rendering a dying man effec'
tively in visible. T he body lies on the wet asphalt. Rain has been falling
from the gray sky for hours now. Gregor is only sixteen , but the street
has been his home for over a year. He's lived in the city of Seattle ail
his life, but now, he's about to die there.
N o on e offers help. Even on a good day, few people will lookhim
in the eye. Stra n gers don 't c ome n ea r hi m, a /ra id tha t he'll beg for
c ha n ge. Despera tion ledhim to the alleyway; sta rva tion brought him
to a n open dumpster; misfortun e rendered him un c on sc ious. A n d
n ow , toda y, a n other " problem with the homeless" is about to be
solved, away from the scornful glance of the wealthy and significant.
As the rain soaks into Gregor's army surplus jacket, his body
is wracked with pain. He tries to rea son through what happened,
sea rc hin g despera tely for an explanation. He remembers rumma gin g
through the tra sh; a glimpse ofapacket of food; somethin g quickand
deadly sinking tiny yellow teeth into his skin. A brief thought: Did
somethin g bite me?
His drugged bra in reels, gra spin g for the truth like a drowning
man. He could have been infected w i th just a bout a n ythin g. A n other
thought: Ma ybe I c ould ma ke it to the c lin ic before it c loses.
False hope dies quic kly. Gregor's hea lth ha sn 't been too good; he's
spen t too muc h time there already. His medication has run out.
Maybe whatever infection he had before today is growing worse.
A sharp pain in his head silen c es a ll spec ula tion ... a n d then the
voic es sta rt.
He's n ot even sure w ha t the w ords mean; they're all nonsense.
T he soun ds betw een the noises a re un n ervin g. Chitterin g. Whujjflin g.
Sc ra tc hin g. T he soun d o/ a thousa n d teeth grin din g. T he soun d o/
thousa n ds of tiny claws scratching, trying to breakthrough from God
knows where. N oise a n d pa in c on sume his min d. T he ra in bea ts
dow n on his skin like a thousa n dtin y pa w s sc ra bblin g a t him .Musc les
ten se up on the ba c k of his neckas he rolls in to a hea p of trash.
T he lastsensation Gregor feels before he /a lls in to un c on sc ious-
ness i sn 'tpa i n / ul... i t's a lmost sw eet. A s da rkn ess fa lls on his sen ses,
he feels the sc a mperin g of four tiny feet across his neck....
Julia's tale
A young w oma n kn eels beside a half-c onsc ious ma n . She
ban dages his suppura tin g w oun ds, sea rc hes for his identification ha lf-
hea rtedly. T he pa ssers-by on the street, ten feet a w a y .keep their eyes
foc used stra ight ahead, struggling to ignore everything, stra in in g to
render suffering invisible. One of their own has been abandoned; the
rest of them must survive.
T he w oma n 's c ool blue eyes sta re dow n a t the sw ea tin g body.
She rega rds him w i th kin dn ess, w ith sympa thy. Dra ggin g the body
out of the ra in , she ta kes shelter in a doorw a y a few feet away.
T here's a pile of dry cardboard; she fashions it into a crude shelter.
She intones abrief prayer, a n dsoon , the w in ddoesn 't bite a t her skin
a n ymore. T he ra in doesn 't ba tter a t the youn g ma n 's flesh. T he
c hild's open sores w eep for a tten ti on ..T he fi rst of the buboes are
taking shape, round and surgin g w i th bra c kish fluids. As she a djusts
the ba n da ges, she pra ttles to the shiverin g body.
Chapter One: Ratkin Legends 1 9
"Sssssh. It's a ll right, c hild. It's a ll right. Don 't w orry, I'll
ta ke c a re of everythi n g. Be still, a n d I'll sta rt c lea n in g you up.
Y ou n eedto foc us on the soun dof my voic e. I kn ow you c a n hea r
me, c hild. Ca n you remember my n a me? Listen to your blood...
you'll hea r it. I c a n remember your n a me. I c a n remember the
n a mes of a ll my brothers a n d sisters; you w ill, too. It's in our
blood. Listen . T ha t's the rhythm tha t poun ds in your n erves.
T he thi n stra in of memory in your vein s."
She falh silen t, and Gregor's chapped tips try to form a name:
J'U 'L-I 'A.Ascratchingsound;ahissofair;achuckleandacough.
"Y es, tha t's it. Juli a . Cla w s in the da rkn ess. I've been
through this, too. T he vision s ha ven 't sta rtedfor youyet. If you
fa ll un c on sc ious a ga in , w e might lose you, c hild, but I'll keep you
a w a ke. Don 't w orry, my first In fec tion w a s just a s ba d. When I
c lose my eyes, I c a n still see the en dless tun n els my a n c estors
burrow ed in the spirit w orld. I a m Cla w s-in -the-Da rk, a mystic ,
a c hildof your fa mily. Welc ome to the w orld of the ra ts."
Gregor sighs. She's in sa n e, he thinks briefly. Cute, but
in sa n e. Begga rs c a n 't be c hoosers, I guess... He laughs again,
and coughs.
"We a re a ll Mother's c hildren . Let the fev er run its c ourse,
a n d you'll un dersta n d. While you're fi ghti n g it, I'll tell you a
li ttle story. Wouldyou like tha t? Sta y a w a ke! T ha t's somethin g
else your blood should remember: stories. Y our mother, if she
ha d but the thi n n est stra i n of Ra t blood w i thi n her, n o doubt
told you stories w hen you w ere sma ll, a n d you listen ed. Listen
to the soun d of my voic e."
Gregor is focused on two words: Ra t blood? Nonsense. She's
spea kin g n on sen se. Fairy tales. Her own little w orld. T hen he begins
to fade into a warm fever dream, and the first of the stories begins.

"When the w orld w a s youn g, bea sts ra n free throughout
the w orld. In the begin n in g, the Ea rth Mother brea thed li fe
in to everythin g: the birds in the hea ven s, the fi sh in the sea s,
a n d a ll c rea tures tha t w a lked or c ra w led or sw a m or flew . A n d
from a ll this c ha os, on e c rea ture evolved to li ve in the c en ter
of it a ll: the sma rtest, the boldest, the most dangerous c rea ture
on Mother's w orld. T ha t c rea ture w a s the most in telligen t, for
it c ould rise up on tw o legs a n d sa y: I am human.
"A n d in the begin n in g, Mother lookeddow n a n dblessed
the bra vest a n d w isest Women a n d Men , ma ki n g them gua rd-
ia n s of Her w orld. T heir w isdom c a me from their a ffi n i ty to the
a n ima ls She ha dc rea ted. T hese Blessed O nes w ere n either fully
Bea sts n or fully Men . T hey w a n dered un ti l they foun d the
sa c redpla c es of the w orld, a n d c a redfor them a s they c a redfor
ea c h other. T he rest of the huma n s ra n free, like the bea sts in
the fields, but the Blessed O n es a c ted w i th Her guida n c e.
"I kn ow our Mother by ma n y n a mesthe Goddess, the Earth
Mother, Gaia. Y ou ma y c a ll Her w ha t you w ill. N o ma tter w ha t
n a me you c hoose, youw ill kn ow tha t She w a tc hes us from every
tree a n d lea f, every river a n d c loud, from the hea ven s a bove a n d
the a spha lt below . In Her w isdom, She blessed the Cha n gin g
Breeds so tha t they c ould protec t Her c rea tion . She blessed us
w i th Her stren gth, so tha t w e c ouldhea l quic kly from i n jury a n d
disea se. She blessedus w ith the Cha n gin g Wa ys, so tha t w e c ould
pr
p^
w a lk the Ea rth in forms of our c hoosin g. She gifted us w ith the
Sac redWa ys, so tha t w e c oulduse the w isdom of the spirits to a id
us. T hese a re the first of the gifts She ga ve us.
"N ow ea c h of these BlessedO nes, these Cha n gin g Breeds,
ha d a sa c red trust to uphold. T hose w ho lea rn ed the w a ys of
Bea r bec a me Gura hl w e kn ow tha t they w ere on c e grea t
hea lers. T he sly on es w ho c a pered w i th Ca t bec a me Ba stet
w e kn ow of their a ffi n i ty for sec rets, ma gic a n d mystery... a n d
of their a rroga n c e. Those w ho ra n w ith the w olves bec a me
Ga rou, grea test of the hun ters a n d defen ders. A n d a fter a ll of
the Cha n gin g Breeds ha dbeen blessed, She lookeddow n upon
the la st a n dthe low liest, the sma llest a n dthe most silen t: the
Ra tki n , the Brothers a n d Sisters of the Ra ts.
"In those ea rly da ys, ra ts w ere shy a n d sw eet, just a s they
a re sometimes toda y. T hey w a n ted n othin g more tha n to hide
a n dbe sa fe, to breeda n dea t w ha t they c ouldfin d. A n d so, the
Goddess ta ught the huma n s w ho lovedthe ra ts how to hide a n d
sta y hidden , to fi n d food everyw here, a n d a bove a ll else, to be
sa fe. T he w orldw a s pure, a n da ll w a s in ba la n c e, a n dea c h of the
Cha n gin g Breeds kn ew its role in the w a y of a ll thin gs.
"T hen, a s in a ll legen ds, somethin g terrible ha ppen ed, a n d
the w orld w a s c ha n ged forever."
Jmpergium
I n the shelter of a doorway, in the murky light of an alleyway,
a young woman shelters a dying man. He c a n barely hear her,
focusing only on the gentle sweetness of her voice. Worn ra gs
surround a soft face; her eyes are light blue, an unnaturally clear
az ure, as though they have seen far too much. Julia crouches, pulling
her down jacket closer around herself and sheltering her ward out of
the rain. She w ra ps him in a n other layer of cardboard, pulls out a
plastic bottle from ben ea th a pile of Cra sh, and sips the cool water
inside it as she drones him to sleep.
A s she spea ks, the alleyway... c ha n ges. Da mp cardboard be-
comes warm grass. Cold rain becomes a gentle breez e. Gregor hears
leaves w a vin g over his head. A brief thought: I must be delirious.
Julia 's c ool ha n d w ipes sw ea t from his brow with.... A cool rag? A
paper towel? A newspaper? He can't tell.... Julia's voice soothes him,
even a s the c lutterin g ma dn ess begins to wear at his mind....

"Those w ho c a n remember ba c k fa r en ough remember the
Cha n gin g Breeds a s the Bete; they ha ve c ha n gedso muc h sin c e
then . A ll of them upheld their sa c red ta sks, for they w ere a ll
supposed to be equa ls muc h ha s c ha n ged sin c e those da ys.
T he sepa ra tion of the w orlds of flesh a n d spirit w a s almost
n on existen t, a mere slip of a v ei l tha t c ould be brushed a side
w ith a c a lm ha n d. In those da ys, the lin e betw een Ma n a n d
Bea st w a s gossa mer-thin . N ow on ly the w isest c a n remember
w ha t tha t w orld w a s like.
"The Wolves w ere supposed to protec t the huma n s from
the terrors of the n i ght. T he Gura hl ten ded a n d c a red for the
sa c redpla c es of the Ea rth, w here pow erful ma gic s la y sleepin g.
Cora x soa red through the skies; Mokole sw a m ben ea th c old
w a ters, drea mi n g memories more a n c ien t tha n even w e c a n
rec a ll. A n d in this qui et w orld, the Brothers a n dSisters of Ra ts
the Ra tki n w e ha d our role to pla y a s w ell. We w ere the
least a n d the low liest, a n d so Ga ia told us our duties la st.
Bec a use w e trusted to Her so muc h, w e w ere pledged to the
ha rdest job of a ll.
"When w erew olves fa iled to properly c omma n dthe tribes
of men , the Ra tkin w ere supposed to go to w ork, sw iftly a n d
silen tly. If a tri be of huma n s grew too stron g, a few stea lthy
w erera ts w ouldhelp to keep the b a la n c e betw een the huma n s
a n d the mysteries of Mother's w orld. If n ec essa ry, w e w ould
stea l food to keep the villa ges sma ll. If w e w ere a sked to, w e
raidedthem to ta ke w ha t the huma n s shouldn 't ha ve. A few of
us w ould stea l a tool, or a trea sure, or a shin y thi n g tha t the
Goddess didn 't in ten dthe huma n s to ha ve. If the Goddess ba de
us to, w e w ould even ta ke a c hild in the n ight to w a rn the
huma n s of their la c k of c a ution . T hey lea rn ed their pla c e.
"A n dw hen w e a bsolutely ha d to, w e used a w ea pon tha t
n on e of the other Cha n gin g Breeds fully un derstood: disea se.
When Ga ia c omma n ded us, our mystic s w ould un lea sh a n
un seen en emy tha t dispa tc hed the w ea k a n d the w retc hed,
spa rin g them their sufferi n g. Ga i a c a lledon us to thri v e in the
pla c es w here the Ga rou fa iled, sta yin g hidden a n d silen t un ti l
w e w ere n eeded. A n d oddly en ough, the w erew olves bega n to
resen t us for w ha t w e did, for w ha t w e w ere askedto do a s pa rt
of Ga la 's pla n .
"We w ere supposed to be the equa ls of the Ga rou, but the
Wolves set themselves a bove a ll others. T he Gura hl a n d the
Cora x, the Ba stet a n dthe Mokoleea c h of these c hildren ha d
sac redta sks, but the Ga rou c onsideredthemselves the w atc hdogs
of ma n kin d, the ra c e from w hic h a ll the Cha n gin g Breeds c a me.
A s suc h, they believed they w ere Mother's fa vored c hildren .
"A s the proudest a n d stron gest, they c la imed tha t they
w ere the grea test of Ga ia 's c rea tion s. T hey sta lkedthe n i ght in
pa c ks, terri fyi n g a ll w ho opposed them, a c tin g a s if they w ere
lords of the Ea r th... a n din a w a y, they w ere. T he Wolv esthe
Ga r ouw er e hun ters a n ddefen ders, a n dthey sw ore to defen d
ma n kin da ga in st evil. Y et in their stren gth, they sta rtedto rule
over men , a n d tha t w a s the begin n in g of thousa n ds yea rs of
horror. T ha t w a s the begin n in g of a da rk time the Ga rou do n ot
like to remember. T ha t w a s the begi n n i n g of the Impergium.

Before Gregpr's eyes, a feverish vision . A moun toin top; a
campfire; the risin g/ull moon . Mon strous c rea tureshalf-man, half-
wolfhowl in rage. V iolen t rites are performed by the light of flames.
Huma n sla ves c ow er in abject servitude. A mystic in lupine regalia
looks down from the moun ta in s, rega rdin g the campfires of his human
subjects below. Ba thed in moon light, he lets loose a terrible howl to
warn them of his anger. No one dares oppose the fury of die night.
T he moon is full, and the flockof humans cowers below; they
know that the night has teeth. Naked and cold, they gather around
a campfire, w a itin g/or their masters to cull the herd. T hey are wary,
for their lords may walka mon g them, if they choose. T heir lords may
sacrifice them to their gods, if they so desire. And when the moon is
full, their lords may exact their terrible ra ge, if they w ill it.
Deep in the woods, a rat runs for cover, boltin g for the safety
of its burrow . T on ight, there will be fire and bloodshed, vengeance
and terror. T he fear of this n i ght, a n d every night like it, will be
remembered for thousa n ds of years. T he horror will never end.
Chapter One: Ratkin Legends 2 1
"Huma n s ha ve forgotten tha t time, lon g before the da w n
of ma n kin d's history. Millen n ia before men a n d w omen ga th-
eredto b ui ldthe fi rst c ities, they w ere li ttle more tha n sla ves to
the Ga rou. T he w erew olves ha lf-men , ha lf-bea sts c ould
ma te w i th a n dbreedw i th w homever they c hose. Some ra n w i th
the w olves, ta kin g the a lpha 's ma te; some w a lkeda mon g men ,
selec tin g huma n s to bea r or sire their brood. In buildin g up their
ra c e, the Ga rou used the stron gest huma n tribes a s li ttle more
tha n breedin g stoc k. While some fera l huma n s w ere a llow edto
run free, the stron gest w ere c on ta in eda n d c ow ed in to submis-
sion . Huma n s don 't remember, but w e do it's in our blood.
Listen c losely, a n dyou'll hea r the ra ts c hitterin g horror stories
of w ha t ha ppen ed w hen the w orld w a s youn g.
"T he w erew olves w ere filled w i th a furi ous a n ger, a n d
terrible pride, a n d they herded huma n s in grea t ma sses. A ll of
the Cha n gin g O n es c ould breed w i th bea sts or men of their
c hoosin g, but the Ga rou seized the best breedin g stoc k for
themselves. T hey w ere more tha n ma sters, a n d their huma n s
w ere less tha n sla ves. T he Ga rou c on sideredthese huma n tribes
their floc ks li ttle more tha n w a lki n g sheep. T he Ga rou
herdedhuma n s together to w a tc h over them. T hroughout the
w orld, they formed ma n y di fferen t tribes, a n d ea c h of their
huma n K in their Kinfolk a da pted to their w a ys.
"A n d w hen the w erew olves w a n ted to w a lk a mon g the
floc ks they ten ded, they shifted in to their terrible ba ttle forms
thei r Crin os forms. Ha lf ma n . Ha lf w olf. T eeth a n d c la w s.
T error in the n ight. T hough the Goddess is n ot a s pow erful a s
She on c e w a s, She w ould la ter try to c lea n se the huma n
memory of the horrible rec ollec tion of this Impergium. T his
merc i ful ben evolen c e depen ded on the Delirium. When hu-
ma n s see a w erew olf in his f ull mon strous Crin os for m, tempo-
ra ry in sa n ity is the result. Men a n d w omen , bein g the herd
c rea tures they a re, quic kly in ven t "mass delusion s" to repla c e
the horrific memories. N ow thin k of the sufferi n g the w erew olves
must ha ve in flic ted to c rea te thousa n ds of yea rs of in sa n ity!
"A n d the rest of us, w e lived in terror of the Wolves. T he
Gura hl lumberedoff in to the w ildern ess w i th their mystic s a n d
hea lers; the Ba stet luredout those w ho w ere c urious a n dpron e
to mysteries, a n d la id dow n w i th them in their Den s. A n d a ll
the other Cha n gin g Breeds foun d thei r ow n huma n s to live
w i th a n dn urture. O n c e a ll the tribes ha dbeen formed, the la st
a n dthe low liest, the sma llest a n d the most quiet sc a ven gedfor
food w i th the Ra ts. T hose w ho w ere despera te to survive sought
out our n ests a n d begged for food. O ur c hildren ha ve lived on
the fri n ges of huma n soc iety ever sin c e, livin g in terror of the
w erew olves in their midst.
"A n dw hy I a m tellin g you a ll this? I a m tellin g you, c hild,
bec a use the ma dn ess in my vein s ha s in fec ted you a s w ell. Y ou
un dersta n dmy story, don 't you? It is more tha n a mere fa i ry ta le.
Soon, Gregor, youw i ll remember it a ll. Blood c a lls to blood,
a n d you ha ve a n sw ered our c a ll...
Kinfolk
sudden ly, they kn ew w e w ere the on es w ho w ould c ommit the
dirtiest deeds to c orrec t their mista kes, for w e w ere loya l to Ga ia .
"Those w ere despera te times. Durin g the Impergium, some
Ra tkin stra yedfrom their n ests, sc aven gin g a w a y from the rest of
th,e c olony. When there w a sn 't en oughfood to feed us a ll, either
w e w ouldha ve to sla y the w ea k, or the stron g w ouldsc out out other
plac es for food. T o survive, some of the w ea ker Ra ts ma de dea ls
w ith a n yon e w ho c ould c lothe or feed them. T hey in filtra ted
huma n villa ges, seekin g ba rter a n d tra de. T hey petition edGa rou
septs, offerin g to w ork w ith them. Assassins, thieves, w hores,
c utthroa ts w hen w e w ere despera te en ough, w e'd be w illin g to
do a n ythin g. Before lon g, our huma n K in folk ha d thoroughly
in filtra ted the low est c astes of huma n soc iety, w a itin g for the
libera tin g c a ll of their brothers a n d sisters a mon g the ra ts.
"A n da w a y from the Wolves, w herever w e c ouldhide, w e'd
breedour sw a rms a n dform our a rmies. We lovedGa ia , a n da s w e
bec a me more n umerous, more of us w a ited to a n sw er Her c a ll.
Sec ret n ests hidthousa n ds w ho c ouldw ea r the forms of thousa n d
ra ts. O ur c a refully hidden c olon ies tra in edlegion s in the sa c red
a rts of our kin d. A few a mon g us even sc outedout the sa c redsites
of the Wolves a s w ell, the c a ern s w here they ma de their pla n s for
w a r. O ur ba rds lea rn ed w here a ll the Blessed O nes ma de their
homes. T hey w ere the emissa ries of our kin d, lea rn in g more of the
other Cha n gin g Breeds, a n d c a refully lea rn in g their sec rets, so
tha t w e c ould serve the Goddess better.
"T he Wolves w ere the protec tors of ma n , a n d they lea rn ed
to ha te our kin d. T hey lived a mon g the stron gest, w hile w e
c ow ered w i th the w ea k. But w hen the w erew olves fa iled, Ga ia
c a lled to us in stea d. When someone ha d to die, sw iftly a n d
"O ne thin g w e lea rn edw a s tha t there w ere a few beliefs a ll
the sha pec ha n gers sha red. If yo uli ke... if you li v e... I w i ll tea c h
you more la ter. T here a re three pri ma l forc es in the w orld tha t
vie for a ll c rea tion : the Wea ver, the Wyld a n d the Wyrm.
T hese three forc es ha ve been loc ked in a n en dless ba ttle: they
form the tri n i ty of the T rial. Every mystic w i ll tell this pa r t of
the story di ffer en tly, so I w i ll n ot spea k of it overly muc h; it is
the ha rdest pa rt of the legen d to rela te.
"T he first of these prima l forc es w a s the Wea ver, she w ho
brought struc ture to the w orld. Pic ture a spider w eb la id out
a c ross a ll c rea tion . Y ou ma y thin k of her essenc e a s a ma ssive
spider sleepin g in the c en ter of this va st fa b ri c of order. She lies
on the w ebs tha t un derlie a ll c rea tion ; sometimes they sha ke
w hen the w orldstirs. Her spirits a re the gua rdia n s, the mon itors,
the preserves of a ll order, sta sis a n d c on formity in the w orld.
"Ca ught w i thi n this lifeless w eb is the sourc e of a ll life, a ll
en ergy, a ll c rea tion : the Wyld, tha t w hic h brought life to the
w orld. Her spi ri tua l servitors a re c a pric ious, elemen ta l, myste-
rious a n d in defa tiga ble; they bri n g us c ha os, ma dn ess, in sight,
c rea tivity a n d the en dless stren gth of the n a tura l w orld. T heir
en ergy is so grea t tha t the Wea ver c on ti n ua lly tries to c on ta in
the limitless possibility of the Wyld, a struggle betw een order
a n dc ha os tha t n ever en ds.
"When the w orldw a s youn g, there w a s a ba la n c e betw een
the order a n dc ha os, betw een the Wea ver a n dthe Wyld. A n dto
keep the ba la n c e betw een them, there w a s a third forc e in the
w orld. A forc e of c orruption . A forc e of destruc tion . A forc e of
ba la n c e. We c a ll it the Wyrm. I w ill tell you more of this la ter,
bec ause it is the most da n gerous pa rt of the legen d to tell.
"N ot everyon e a grees w ith this, but I w ill sa y it: Huma n s
ha ve a lw a ys loved the Wea ver, the first of the three pri ma l
forc es. A s men a n d w omen c on tin ued to evolve, they lea rn ed
to w ea v e c lothes, to ma ke tools, to buildhomes. Pic ture their
ha n ds, if you w i ll, a s the w rigglin g of a thousa n d spider legs.
In stin c tively, most huma n s believe in order.
"Early in the history of the w orld, the Wea ver w en t ma d.
T he v a st overpopula tion of the huma n ra c e ha s ma gn ified this
ma dn ess a thousa n d-fold. Reflec tin g the ra pida sc en sion of the
huma n ra c e, the Ma dWea ver a ttempted to bin d everythin g
w i thi n her lifeless w ebs. T he pri ma l forc es of the Wyld w ere
stifled, a n d min ion s of the Wyrm w ere boun d for millen n ia ,
driven to in sa n ity by their c on fin emen t.
"T o oppose the Ma dWea ver, the servitors of the Wyld
must sever the w ebs tha t proli fera te everyw here. A s the hu-
ma n s build up their c iviliza tion , they despoil the w ildern ess;
this stokes the ra ge of the w erew olves to a fev er pitc h, forc in g
them to the ra pturous a ba n don of Wyld violen c e. Y et w hen -
ever ra ge surges, the foul c orruption of the Wyrm sets in . We a re
more c a reful in our dea lin gs w i th the spirits. N ot a ll of my
brothers a n d sisters a gree w i th me, but I w i ll sa y it: We ha ve
preservedthe true forc e of the Wyld, ra w en ergy return in g in to
the w orld. When ever huma n c iviliza tion grow s too stron g, w e
a re the on es w ho must c orrec t the ba la n c e, just a s w e didin the
spri n gti me of the w orld...
"Forgive me. I'm gettin g a hea d of myself, a n d ruin in g
the story...."
the W ar of(Rage
Gregor listen s, and his mind starts to race. W orms? W eavers?
T he W ild? W hat the hell is she talking about? I t's all too much. He
can hardly keep att the words straight. He barely listens anymore.
T he fever is growing worse. I t bums like fire; he dreams of fire. More
painful memories return.
His memories. Grea t pa in . Sleeping curled up on the floor. His
father sla shin g him a c ross the backwith his belt. Hidin g a little money
in a secret place, for the day he would leave. A house in flames.
Broken gla ss. Shoutin g a t people, on the street. Freezin g under a
bridge. Gia n t ra ts in a dumpster. A bra w l in a n alkyway; he can't
quite remember. Somehow, he kn ow s, he is not like this gen tle
w oma n w ho tells him pretty stories.

"A ll of the Cha n gin g Breeds upheld their ta sks, but the
Wolves set themselves a bove a ll others. If you a sk on e of the
Ga rou toda y a bout this, he w ill be loa the to ta lk a bout it, but
he w i ll remember. A n dhe w i ll feel the sa me w a y toda y as he did
thousa n ds of yea rs a go. We w ere a ll equa l in Mother's eyes, but
the Wolves a lw a ys believedthey w ere first a mon g equa ls, tha t
they w ere Mother's fa v ored c hildren . T he Wolves, c on sumed
by furi ous a n ger a n d fa lse pride, set out to prove they w ere the
grea test of Ga ia 's c hildren . T hey a lrea dy heldthe most sac red
sites, a n d the stron gest tribes of breedin g stoc k, but they
dema n ded tha t a s the grea test of the Goddess' c rea tion s they
ha d the ri ght to rule over everythin g.
"Long a go, the Ga rou pledged to defen d ma n kin d a ga in st
evil, a n dfor them, the grea test of these evils w a s the Wyrm. Suffic e
it to sa y tha t even then , there w a s evil in the w orld. T he
w erew olves kn ew it. T hey c ould smell its foul sten c h. T hey
jea lously gua rdedtheir floc ks from this da n ger, a n d justified it by
sa yin g they did it in Ga ia 's n a me. A n d w hen ever they w ere
c on sumedw ith this fa lse pride, w hen ever they slakedtheir lust on
the huma n breedin g stoc k, the foul c orruption of the Wyrm set in .
"Eac h of the Cha n gin g Breeds ha s its ow n story of w hy the
Wa r of Ra ge began. Some sa y it is bec a use the Wyrm c orrupted
the Ga rou, a n d tha t ever sin c e then , a n y w erew olf in a fren zy
of a n ger a c ts a s a c rea ture of evil. Some storytellers like to sa y
tha t the differen t tribes bega n to w a r a ga in st ea c h other, a n d
tha t some c un n in g w erew olf tric ked them in to fi ghti n g a ll the
other tribes to bri n g the Ga rou together a ga in stron ger tha n
ever. It doesn 't rea lly ma tter. O ur dista n t a n c estors, the Ra tki n
ba rds, remember the true ta les, but they ha ve a ll been killedby
the w erew olves. It doesn 't ma tter w hic h version is true. T he
Ga rou ma de w a r a ga in st a ll the other Cha n gin g Breeds, a n d in
the en d, they c la imed domin ion over the Ea rth.
"A n d in this w a r, w e w ere the most despera te of a ll those
w ho fought. O ur sa c red ta sk w a s to keep dow n the popula tion
of the huma n s by w ha tever mea n s Mother en trustedus. If tha t
mea n t stea lin g a little food, so be it. If tha t mea n t sprea din g on e
of Mother's disea ses, so be it. Wha t w e didw a sn 't evil it w a s
pa rt of the w a y of a ll thin gs. U n fortun a tely, the w erew olves
didn 't see it tha t w a y.
"The Wolves w ere the hun ters, the gua rdia n s, the protec tors.
T hey stalkedthe n ight, searc hin g the evil tha t w ould prey upon
Ma n kin d. T he Ea rth Mother toldthem tha t evil w ouldc ome, tha t
they w ould fin d it a mon g themselves, a n d the Ga rou sw ore to
defen dhuma n ity again st the min ion s of the Wyrm. For millen n ia,
the w erew olves ha ve believed tha t they ha ve been a ma ssin g
a rmies to oppose the Wyrm. T he grea test en emy to the w orld,
how ever, w a s n ot w ithout, but w ithin . T he a n ger tha t ga ve them
stren gth, tha t is the most destruc tive forc e in the w orld. T he pride
tha t set them a ga in st the other Cha n gin g Breeds, tha t w a s the most
da n gerous threa t to our w orld. T o this da y, the Ga rou suc c umb to
c orruption , n ot from the ta lon s of c rea tures a roun dthem, but form
their guilt, their pride, a n d their ra ge.
"The Wolves c ould n ever a c c ept the idea tha t the Wyrm
c ould ha ve in fested them. A n d ever sin c e then , c hild, they
ha ve set themselves a ga in st the w orld, tryi n g to c ure it of a
disea se tha t ha s in fec ted them sin c e the da ys of the Impergium.
T he rest of my kin dkn ow tha t it's da n gerous to holdtoo muc h
a n ger. It w ill give you stren gth, surely, a n d speed a n d in stin c t,
but it w ill a lso poison your min d a n d ta i n t your soul. Even a
Ra tkin kn ow s tha t the pa th of ra ge c a n un lea sh a f ur y of
destruc tion ... but it w ill destroy you a s w ell.
"In short, the w erew olves use the Wyrm a s their sc a pe-
goa t, b la mi n g it for a ll the ev i l in the w orld, but you must
kn ow the tr uth..."
the ixdbus
T he vision : Afire again. I t bums tike the sickness in Gregor's
blood. A watch fire, lit in front of a darkcavern. Shapes inside.
Glitterin g. W huffling. Madness. Ma ssive mon strous shapes slouch
about inside, furtively sniffing the air, watching for danger. Ready
for ba ttle. N ot w olves. N ot men . Bloa tedra ts sc urry a roun d the fire.
T iny paws reach for sharp things, shiny things. Paws curl around
handles. A tail lashes around, snatching up a burn in g bra n c h.
Chapter One: Ratkin Legends
Gia n t ra ts, risin g up on their hind legs. Hun dreds of them,
scuffling out into a wooded glade. Sniffing the air for danger.
Frantically combing out their fur. Grasping at something with tiny
paws... with tiny... thumbs? A tiny knife? Yellow teeth.
A howl in the night. Scurrying! T ake cover! T he W olves are
stalking the night again! T he moon is full, prepare for attack!
T housands of rats, c ow erin g in a circle. Howls of wolves in the
forest. Huge hulking shapes, lumbering through the trees. Scatter!
Squeal! Bloodshed!
Gregor writhes, a mi Julia c a n barely hold him down.

"Be still! Listen to the soun dof my voic e! If you listen , the
pa i n w i ll go a w a y. Listen a n d remember.
"Listen to w ha t ha ppen edn ext, a n a troc ity so grea t tha t w e
ha d n o w ords to desc ribe it. Huma n s n ow do, bec ause they've
learn ed from the Wolves' example. T hey c all it genocide. Like I
sa id, the Ga rou a lrea dy ha d dea lin gs w ith our Ba rds they w ere
the ea siest to hun t dow n . Ra tkin w ere hun ted, ha rrieda n dherded
to pla c es w here they w ere sla in en masse. O nc e there w a s a time
w hen the Ga rou kn ew w here the Ra tkin kept their nests a n d
sac red pla c es. Messen gers from the la rgest septs w ould c ome to
petition the ra ts... sometimes this w ouldbe don e to enlist a few ra t
pa c ks in a strike a ga in st the others. O f c ourse, the w erera ts w ho
a c ted so open ly w ere the first to die. Fea rin g retribution for the
sla ughter, the w erew olves ra tion a lizedthis by c la imin g the Spea k-
ers w ere disea sed, a n d tha t the killin g w a s a n a c t of self-defen se.
"We a ll remember the deta ils differen tly; the ba rds w ho c ould
ha ve remembered them perfec tly w ere the first to die. We do
remember the story of how the la st of them perished. T hey
ga thered together a t a sa c red site the Field of N ettles a n d
bega n to c ompose on e la st epic ta le of w ha t the Ga rou ha ddon e
to betra y the Cha n gin g Breeds. A n d a t the en dof it, they spoke a n
epic prophec y of w ha t the Ga rou's trea c hery w ould lead to. T he
Ra tkin ba rds c ha n tedc urses a bout the Children of Wolf. When a t
la st the Ga roufoun dthem a n dsla ughteredthem, the Ra tkin ba rds
spa t out c urses of how their c hildren w ould ha ve reven ge. T hey
spoke of dea dly pla gues tha t w ouldra ge throughout the w orld.
"T he Wolves tried to ki ll us a ll, a n dthe ki lli n g c on tin ued
un ti l they c ouldn 't fi n d us a n ymore. T hey thought they ha d
w ipedus out. We w eren 't dea d, of c ourse. We just left. Wha t do
you do w hen a pla c e isn 't fit to live in a n ymore? Wha t do you
do w hen someon e sta rts ki lli n g off a ll your brothers a n d sisters ?
Y ou lea ve, just a s w e did, boltin g to w herever else you c a n fin d.
O ur a n c estors kn ew tha t the Wolves w ouldon e da y hun t them
dow n , so they ha d a lrea dy sta rted diggin g their tun n els w hen
the Wa r of Ra ge sta rted, tun n elin g out of the physic a l w orld...
a n d in to the spi ri t w orld.
"The U mbra is like a va st pa la c e, on e w i th en dless rooms.
Most of Mother's c hildren on ly sc urry a roun dthe groun dfloor, like
they do in ma n y buildin gs. Ma ybe they'll w a lk through a few of the
rooms, a dmire the w a llpa per, sea rc h the dra w ers. We don 't n eed
rooms. We've in fested the w hole buildin g, from the c ella r to the
a ttic . O ur a n c estors left the w orld, a n dfrom tha t momen t on , they
dista n c ed themselves from huma n ity a n d huma n history.
"T here w a s a da n ger, how ever. Sha pec ha n gers a re c rea -
tures of tw o w orlds, bein gs of flesh a n d spirit. If a shifter spen ds
too muc h ti me in the w orldof flesh, then his soul begin s to die.
T ha t's the pa th the w erew olves ha ve ta ken they've a llow ed
ra ge to overc ome rea son . If, how ever, a sha pec ha n ger spen ds
too muc h time in the w orld of spi ri t, then he w ill ev en tua lly
bec ome pure spi ri t. T housa n ds of yea rs a go, thousa n ds of our
kin dbec a me ephemera l, livin g on in the U mbra a s sha dow s of
their former selves.
"Suffic e it to sa y tha t from tha t momen t on , w e ha ve been
stea dily breedin g our huma n in stin c ts out of our flesh a n d
blood. Don 't get us w ron g w e still like a bit of huma n
breedin g stoc k on c e in a w hile but w e don 't n eed it. We've
got K i n , just like a n yon e else, but w e n eedthem fa r less tha n the
other Cha n gin g Breeds do. We c a n fen d for ourselves, just a s
our K i n folk c a n get by w ithout us.
T /tf Concord
"By the en d of the Wa r of Ra ge, the Ga rou ha d proven
themselves the ma sters of the Ea rth through en dless bloodshed.
O f c ourse, n ot a ll of the Wolves supported this c rusa de for
suprema c y, but those w ho didn 't w ere c ow ed in to submission .
A fter the killin g bega n to slow dow n , a n d the Cha n gin g Breeds
ha d lea rn ed to flee from the sight of Crin os Ga rou, the w ea kest
of the w erew olves slouc hed forw a rd a n d mourn ed. Ga ia 's c re-
a tion s ha dbeen w ipedout, ma n y to the poin t of extin c tion . A n d
a s the terror built to a fever pitc h, the un thin ka ble ha ppen ed.
"Ma n bega n to w a ge w a r a ga in st the Ga rou.
"The Wolves w ere furi ous. A c ross the three thousa n d
yea rs of the Impergium, a ll tha t they ha d don e, they sa id, ha d
been for the sa ke of ma n kin d. T he Wolves ga theredin moots,
a n d ma n y of their tribes ga theredtogether to deba te w ha t they
should do in respon se. Red T a lon s c a me to the moots w i th
pa c ks of w olf K i n folk they preferred life a mon g w olves to
existen c e a mon g the trea c herous huma n s. T hey sc ra tc hed the
groun d a n d grow led in a n ger a n d c a lled for a n other c rusa de,
this time a ga in st the huma n s. T he Get of Fen ris, a n other tribe
of sa va ge mon sters w ho reveled in b a ttle, how led in a pprova l.
"Y et for ma n y, the thought of visitin g the a n ger of the Wa r
of Ra ge a ga in st the very huma n s they sw ore to protec t w a s
un thin ka ble. O n e group of w olves, fla un ti n g thei r heri ta ge by
c a llin g themselves the Children of Ga i a , sued for pea c e. T he
Sta rga zers, mystic s w ho lost themselves in fa sc in a tion w ith the
mysteries of huma n soc iety, joi n ed w i th them. T he Bla c k
Furies, a tri be c omposed a lmost exc lusively of w ise w omen ,
rushedin to defen d the huma n fema les w ho ha dbeen a buseda s
breedin g stoc k for gen era tion s.
"T he Sixteen T ribes of the Ga rou w ere dividedon how to
respon dto huma n ity's rebellion . In ma n y septs, pa c ks of Sha dow
Lords, Get a n d Red T a lon s join ed w i th pa c ks of their like-
min ded b rethren to begin the sla ughter. T he n obles of Ga rou
soc iety respon dedby a ssemblin g the Con c ordia t. U n i fi ed, they
opposed a c ts of gen oc ide a ga in st the ra c e from w hic h the
Cha n gin g Breeds lea rn ed rea son a n d hon or.
"O ur sc outs ga theredw ha t i n forma ti on they c ouldof these
dec ision s. We w ere still hi di n g in the spi ri t w orlds, fleein g to
fi n d sa fer breedin g groun ds. When the n ew s fi n a lly rea c hedus,
w e lea rn ed tha t the Wolves ha d esta blished the Western
Con c ordia t, the ba sis of the Ga rou N a ti on . More i mporta n tly,
they pledged to a llow huma n s the freedom to a c t w i thout
Ratkin
' . in terferen c e from the Ga rou.
, We ha dpledged to c urta i l the
grow thof huma n c iviliza tion , a n d
the Wolves en sured tha t w e w ould
n ever be a ble to do it.
"In esta blishin g the Con c ord, the w erew olves
b etra yedGa ia 's w orld. We w ere supposedto sha re Her
c rea tion , but in stea d, the Ga rou relega ted a ll of the
Cha n gin g Breeds to the sha dow s. T hey esta blished the V eil, a
pledge tha t they, like a ll sha peshifters, w ould rema in hidden
from huma n soc iety. Ga ia respon ded by giftin g them w i th the
Deli r i um, shelter i n g huma n i ty f r om the a troc i ti es the
w erew olves c ommitted. O f c ourse, it fedupon the horror tha t
the Ga rou ha dvisitedupon the huma n ra c e for three thousa n d
yea rs. T he era of the Cha n gin g Breeds c a me to a n en d, a n dthe
A ge of Ma n bega n .
"Somew here, un doubtedly, the min ion s of the Ma dWea ver
rejoic ed. T he huma n s, of c ourse, c on tin uedto evolve. T a kin g
up the Wea ver's w a ys, they b ui lt their fi rst huma n c ities
thousa n ds of yea rs ago. T he a rt of a gric ulture ga thered them
together in tow n s a n dvilla ges. T he Sixteen T ribes c on tin ued
to sprea d throughout the w orld, w a tc hin g over their K in folk,
but they lea rn ed to a c t through sec rec y.
"And the forc e of the Wea ver grew stron ger in the w orld.
T he Wolves bega n to lose touc h w i th thei r Wyld n a ture,
bec omin g more Ma n tha n Bea st. A n d, sa dly, Mother upheld
the dec ision s of Her fa vored c hildren . A s the huma n s a n d
Wolves sw a rmedover the w orld, w e hid in the w a lls of rea lity,
despera tely tryin g to repopula te our ra c e... a n d c ursin g our
Mother for a ba n don in g us. We ha dlovedGa ia , but She ha dn o
love left for us. We ha d n o c hoic e but to quietly pra y to other
gods for suc c or. T he Ga rou ha d driven us from the w orld, a n d
w e ha ve been pa ti en tly w a i ti n g ever sin c e.
"O thers w ill tell you of huma n history, but this is the on ly
epic tha t rea lly ma tters, the on e tha t expla in s the torturedw orld
tha t surroun ds you the c iviliza tion tha t left you to die. For
thousa n ds of yea rs, the w erew olves ha ve lived in a w orld of
huma n s. T hey've livedw i th them, they've bredexten sively w ith
them. N ow , they're more men tha n w olves. O ur sc outs ha ve
c on firmed w ha t's ha ppen ed to the rea l w olves in the w orld:
T hey're dyin g out. Most of our ra c e, on the other ha n d, va n ished
from the w orlda lon g, lon g time a go. For thousa n ds of yea rs, w e
ha ve w a tc heda n dw a ited, for w e kn ew tha t the Ga rouw ouldfa il.
A n d w e kn ew tha t on e da y, w e w ouldha ve to ta ke up the ta sk
tha t Ga ia ha d a ssign ed us: to thrive w here the Wolves fa iled.
"When a li tter of our c hildren ga ther a roun dtheir mother,
she'll w hisper to them of the w orld w e kn ew lon g a go. Ba c k
before the Wa r of Ra ge. Ba c k in the da ys of the Impergium. T he
Wolves do n ot remember, but w e do. Every Bea st tha t c a n w ea r
the sha pe of Ma n , every Cha n gin g Breed, ea c h of us tha t they
hun ted a n d ha rri ed a n d terri fi ed, they remembered. N ot sur-
pri si n gly, the Ga rou remember themselves a s the heroes.
"We remember di fferen tly. O ur blood sin gs a di ffer en t
son g of w ha t ha ppen ed. A n d the vision s you ha ve un dergon e,
c hild, the Birthin g Pla gue tha t in fec ts your vein s, tha t w ill be
a pa rt of youforever. T ha t sic kness in you right n ow . . . it isn 't
the en d of your life. It's the begin n in g of a n ew on e. It's your c a ll
to ba ttle.
"T he huma n s, a n dtheir w erew olf gua rdia n s, ha ve ha dfive
thousa n dyea rs to throw the w orldeven f ur ther out of ba la n c e.
A n d w hy do w e n eedto survi ve ? Mother a ba n don edus, but She
kn ew She'dn eedus someda y. T he w orld the w erew olves tried
to c rea te fa iled; they a re a n a n a c hron ism, a sha dow of the
hon ors they on c e w ere. T he w orld the huma n s ha ve tri ed to
c rea te is fa i li n g. Soon , it'll be little more tha n rubble. I don 't
kn ow ... how ... it's goin g to ha ppen exa c tly, but a ll this a roun d
you? A ll of the c ities of men w i ll be la id low . Ea rthqua ke,
pla gues, meteors, n uc lea r w a rs the En d c ould be just a bout
a n ythin g. It c ould c ome tomorrow , or w e ma y n eed to w a i t for
dec a des, but a n yw a y you look a t it, the En dT imes a re here. N o
ma tter w ha t it is, w e'll survive it. T ha t's w ha t our c hildren do.
We must survive, by a n y mea n s n ec essary.
"T he w erew olves den y the rea l even ts of the Impergi um
a lmost a s muc h a s the huma n s do. Why do you thin k huma n s
ha ve don e so muc h to poison the w orld? T hey rebel a ga in st
their ra c ia l memories. T he w erew olves' slaves a re still rebellin g,
c row din g out a n d despoilin g the Ga rou's most sa c red sites. A s
Ga ia grow s w ea ker, the V eil She uses to obsc ure the memories
of huma n s grow s w ea ker a s w ell. By the En d T imes, it w ill be
gossa mer-thin , ba rely obsc urin g the horror tha t festers a n d
breeds in the sha dow s of the w orld. T he Lie w ill be c a st a side...
a n dma n kin d's horror w ill begin . But w e... w e w ill n ever forget.
We w i ll remember.
"The w orldyou see a roun dyou n ow , c hild, is the result of
five thousa n d yea rs of lies. T he huma n s lie to themselves,
c la imin g to ha ve built up everythin g of c onsequenc e in the
w orld. T ha t's n ot surprisin g; Mother ha s tha n kfully hi dden a ll
their memories of how the w orld bega n . T he Wolves lie to
themselves, tellin g themselves tha t they a re still the protec tors
of ma n kin d a n d Ga ia 's w orld. T ha t's n ot surprisin g, either
they've c on vin c ed themselves tha t the 'A poc a lypse' w ill mea n
the en d of everythin g.
"But n ow , my little on e, thousa n ds a n d thousa n ds of Ra t's
c hildren a re return in g to the w orld. We remember the truth.
We remember the horror of the Impergium, the gen oc ida l
c rusa des of the Wa r of Ra ge, a n d the terror of the Exodus. But
n ow , the En dT imes a re here, a n d w e a re prepa red to rec la im
Mother's w orld. O n c e, She a ba n don ed us, but n ow , w e kn ow
w e holdthe la st hope of c lea n sin g Her w orld. A ll tha t ha s been
built up w ill be torn dow n , but n ot through the foul c orruption
of the Wyrm. Look a roun d you, a n d you w ill see tha t the
limitless c ha os of the Wyld is a lrea dy c lea n sin g Ga ia 's w orld."

Gregor listen s patiently, but the disease is makinghimfatigued.
He suc c umbs to the a ge-old
1
memories in his blood, listen in g to the
beating of his heart. For generations, his brothers and sisters have
fallen asleep listen in g to their mothers tell wonderful stories. As the
infection inside him slowly ravages his body, Gregor descends into
slumber... and prepares himself to awaken into his new U fe.
Away from the glance of the wealthy and significant, another
Child of Rat hears the call of his god. Away from the cold order of
huma n soc iety, a n other Ra tkin is redeemed. T he Birthing Plague has
c la imedhi m, lea din g him into a rapturous w a kin g dream: adreamof
a thousand rats.
Chapter One: Ratkin Legends 25
^l I"!'"*-* *< -^ f t .JihW-'.-'*'? .'.'- <J V '
A Hez umi
" Listen, O My Beloved Children, and I will tell you a story
of a foolish man and his descendants. At the end of the First Age,
Gaia the Earth Mother made the T en T housand T hings of
creation. She created the valkys and the mountains, the forests
and the deserts, and the endless waters of the oceans. And in the
midst of the T en T housand T hings, she raised a sacred hill to
watch over it all.
" For reasons only She knows, the Earth Mother set w omen
and men upon the Earth. A lmost immediately, one foolish man
ran to the top of the sacred hill and said, 'T his land is mine! I t
will be mine forever!' Gaia wanted the man to respect what she
had created, so she sent W olf to watch over him.
" Each day and night, W olf hunted in the forests beside the
sacredhill. From the woods, he howled, 'Be cautious! Y ou must
respect this hill. I fyoudonot, my children will devour you.' T he
man did not listen he fathered many children, taught them to
build fires, and drove away the w olves that howled in the night.
" By the dawn of the T hird Age, a hundred men lived at the
top of the sacred hill. 'T his land is ours!' they said. 'I t will be
ours forever!' Gaia did not want so many men to live on the
sacred hill, so she sent T iger to them.
" T iger took the form of a human warrior and walked
among them. I n the center of their village, he said, 'You are still
living on this hill, but you do not respect it. I will teach you
honor, so that your children and mine may live on the hill
together.' T he men did not listen they tore down the trees in
the forest, made weapons, and hunted the tigers.
" By the dawn of the Fourth Age, a thousand men had built
agreat city around the hill. 'T his land is ours!' they said. 'I t will
be ours forever!' Gaia was getting very impatient, so she sent
Raven to them.
Raven flew through the city in the night, stealing all the
w ea pon s and tools the men had made. T hen he cried out, 'You
are still on the hill, but I will steal every tool that you make. You
will have to leave and build somewhere else .'But the men did not
listen each time Ra ven stole from them, they built new and
better tools.
" By the dawn of the Fifth Age, a hundred thousand men
lived in the city by the sacred hill. 'T his land is ours!' they said.
'I t will be ours forever!' So Gaia sent Fox to them.
" Fox poisoned their food and their water. From the bottom
of a well, she said, 'T his is what you have brought on yourselves!
Y ou ha v e ma de the la n d/ a llow , a n dn ow n othi n g w i ll grow here.
Y ou must lea ve the hi ll.' But the men di d n ot li sten the}
brought thei r food from a distant place, and they covered the hill
with stones and tar. And the hill was sacred no more.
" T o this day, the men in the great city do not listen. And
O M} Many Beloved Chi ldren , a t the da w n of the Sixth
Age, a hundred million men w ill live where the sacred hill
once was. 'T his land is ours!' they will say. 'I t will be ours
forever!' T hen Gaia will send Ra t to them.
"Ra t w ill look upon them and say, 'O n c e this w a s a
sa c red hi ll. W olf came, but you did not li sten . T iger a n d
Ra v en a n d Fox came, but you did not listen. 1am the
sma llest of Ga i a 's children, but now, you will hear me.'
And Rat will run through the city of ten million men , sprea d-
in g a terrible disease that will kill them all in the night. ~ ~ -
" And a plague and a pestilence will sweep across the land,
O My Ma n ^i Beloved. T he men w ill lea rn tha t the} shouldha ve
listen ed, for Rat will do what none of the others could do. You,
My Ma n } Beloved Chi ldren , w i ll sw a rm over the million s of
bodies dyi n g on the hi ll. A n d the hi ll w i ll be ours forever. And
the hill will be sacred again."
I
T he story w a s pan of a bookof essays... it was c alled " T he Rat
Race" which, I learned, means a race where, no matter how fast
you run, you don't get anywhere. But there was nothing in the book
about rats, and I felt bad about the tide, because, I thought, it w a sn 't
a Ra t Ra c e a t a lt, it was a People Race, and no sensible rats would
ever do anything so foolish.
Mr. A ges, Mrs. Frisby and the Ra ts o/ MMH
the tale of Grego
A " W orld of Savage Horrors:
A Knife Skulker's
Gregor's eyes are glassy , and his skin is cold. Sweat clouds his
brow. Shiverin gin the da rkn ess, a s ra in pours dow n justin c hes a w a y
from his cardboard ha ven , he slowly comes to his senses. Had he
heard the words correctly? O r w a s he just ha lluc in a tin g?
He'sbeen a sleep/ ora lon gti me. It'sda r kn ow , ora tlea stda rker
tha n the gra y sky that usua lly ha n gs over Sea ttle . Someon e ha s sa ved
him from dyin g on the street, but his sa vior w a s c lea rly in sa n e. She
ha d a lot of lovely stories, and he'd been delirious enough to believe
them. Julia talked n on sen se, tellin g ta les of defending the W ild, of
fighting the min ion s o/the Worm, of human W eavers buildinga vast
c iviliza tion like a grea t spider w eb .
U n expec tedly , Gregor's reverie is disturbedby a loud interrup-
tion. A truc k ba rrels dow n the street, ma kin g a la te-n ight delivery.
In terror , Gregor c urls in to a ba ll , w ishin g tha t he c ouldhide , w ishin g
tha t he c ould just c ra w l in side the w a lls a n d get a w a y from the
ma dn ess of the w orlda roun dhim. Shiverin g, he /a lls ba c k to sleep...
. . .a n d w hen he w a kes up, Julia is lon g gon e. T he ra in ha s
stopped, and the alleyway is bathed in the nacreous light of the full
moon . T he vision s tha t ha da ssa iledhis sen ses rema in in his min dlike
a dull a c he. Ra t bloodin his veins.
7
A rmies of wolves sla ughterin g his
brothers a n d sisters? O bviously, his medic a tion is run n in g out.
A n other episode like tha t, a n d he'll sta rt w a n derin g the streets,
prea c hin g a bout the en d of the w orld.
T ha t las t thought sets his min dra c in g. His n erves ten se like steel
w ires. Sen sory overload returns . W hispering voices; surging blood;
the chittering of tiny teeth. I nstinctively, he stands erect, then
slouches, sniffing the air for danger. T he glin t of moonlight reflects
off a nearby w in dow .
His hea rt ra c es. Gla ss! he thin ks. Sma sh it! Wha t a lovely
soun d of broken gla ss! I n a flash of preternatural speed, he rushes
a t the w in dow pa n e. Within sec on ds, his fist shatters it. Long jagged
c uts bleeda lon g his ha n d. His sen ses a re out of control, sc a n n in g/irst
left, then right, rea dy to la sh out a t a n ythin g n ea rby.
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 2 9
Apick-uptntckenters thealkyway, andhisheartpounds. Hide!
Da n ger! Ma ke yourself sma ll! Gregor dives into the doorway again,
frantically trying to hide behind a wall ofsoggy cardboard. He is far too
big, though; there's no way he could hide in there. For some reason,
his hands had start clawing at the wall, trying to wear a hole in it.
A door slams. Footsteps. A chuckle. T owering over him, a man
in a leather jacket walks up to Gregor's pitiful attempt at subterfuge. His
white hair is swept backin a long ponytail. W rinkles on his face betray
a lifetime of suffering. He stands in the alleyway and smiles. And
Gregor, in the depths of mind, can hear the voices whispering again. Joe.
His n a me is Joe. T housands of tiny voices chitter in gleeful affirmation.
SomethmgaboMthisguyisn'tright.Hiseyeslookalitdebeady,and
he seems to slouch a bit too much. Gregor muses pragmatically. Either
tha t girl slipped me somethin g psyc hotropic , or I rea lly a m in the
c lutc hes of the Ra t People. T hen the rat man begins to speak...

"Y our ride's w a itin g, kid. I don 't thin k you're gon n a ha ve
muc h luc k ma kin g a hole in tha t w a ll. Y our fin gers a re bleedin g.
Hey, I got a bottle of Ja c k Da n iels in side the truc k, if you n eed
it ba d en ough. Sin gle-ma lt w hiskey's on e of the best c ures I
kn ow for the Pla gue. Don 't ma ke it go a w a y, but it'll ma ke you
feel a da mn sight better.
"I kn ow w ha t you're goin ' through. I got in fec ted ba c k in
'8 2 . Y ou w a n t to sleep here in the a lley, tha t's fi n e w ithme, but
I'm supposedto drive you out of here. Y ou w a n t to sleep in the
ba c k or ride up fron t? Y ea h, good c hoic e... I w ouldn 't w a n t to
sleep in the ba c k of a pi c k-up tr uc k either. Ma ke yourself
c omforta ble. It's gon n a be a lon g dri v e...."
T he Cities
A twenty-year old Ford rattles down the expressway to 1 -5.
Gregor stares out the window, trying not to make eye contact with
Julia's friend. Even from the freeway, the city looks cold and
unforgiving. T hen the driver starts rambling, the same kind of
nonsense Julia was on about. Damn Rat People. A ppa ren tly, they
love to go on about their delusions.

"T ake a look a t tha t mess out there, kid. Ma kes you sic k,
don 't i t? T ha t's the w orld the Wolves w a n ted. Everythi n g Juli a
told you, tha t's the result of w ha t the Ga rou a gree on . Da mn
fools en dedthe Impergium a n dlet the huma n s ha ve their ow n
c iviliza tion . Five thousa n dyea rs of huma n progress, a n dlook a t
w ha t they've got. Street gangs. Ra mpa n t c rime. Pollution .
Homeless dyi n g on the street.
"Don 't even try to tell me it's the fa ult of the Wyrm. T ha t's
w ha t huma n s do to the w orld. Some folks'll try to tell you tha t
Wyrm doesn 't b ri n g ev i l in to the w orld, tha t it just ma gn ifies
the da rk emotion s tha t breedin side people, but I don 't buy tha t
N ew A ge c ra p. T he Ga rou bla me the Wyrm, but it w a s huma n s
tha t dida ll tha t. A n d the Wolves let them.
"Take a look up a t the top of those skysc rapers. T he people
in those buildin gs w ea r n ic e c lothes, tryin g to live so fa r a bove the
people sta rvin g on the street. T he ric hfolks thi n k they're sa fe up
there. T hey've b ui lt up la yers a n d la yers of c ra p tec hn ology,
c orpora tion s, w ea lth a n d progress tha t they thin k it'll sa ve
them from a ll the ma dn ess a roun dthem. La yers of w ebs, bin din g
up everythin g. It's fun n y, isn 't it? T he huma n s n ow a c t like they
ow n the w orld, a n d hun t dow n a n ythin g tha t threa ten s their
superiority. It's a ll ba ss a c kw a rds; everythin g's gon e to hell.
"T he solution seems pr etty da mn obvious. It w ould be so
ea sy to tea r it a ll dow n . N o ma tter how shin y a n d n ew they
ma ke tha t buildin g, there's ra ts in the w a lls, kid. Sprea d a li ttle
disea se through v en ti la ti on system.... ta ke out the struc tura l
foun da ti on w i th a li ttle pyrotec hn ic s... a ll tha t steel a n d
c on c rete... it w ouldn 't ta ke muc h to reduc e it to rubble.
"Y ou kn ow , every time I c ome to the big c i ty, I thin k the
sa me thin g. Y ou kn ow w ha t's the biggest problem they got
here? O verpopula tion . It's like somethin g w a s keepin g the
w orldun der c on trol, a n dit's just n ot there a n ymore. T oo ma n y
da mn people on the pla n et. Every time I see so ma n y people
w a lki n g dow n the street, I thin k, 'Wha t w ouldha ppen if a few
of them just... disa ppea red?' In the history of the w orld, w ould
it rea lly ma ke muc h di fferen c e? Ma ybe O 'T olley's w ould sell a
few less burgers a n dQueequeg's w i ll sell a little less espresso, but
w ha t's w ron g w i th tha t? T oo ma n y da mn people, tha t's w ha t's
w ron g w i th the w orld. K i ll 'em off, tha t's w ha t w e should do.
Da mn stra ight.
"Hey, I got some c heeseburgers un der the seat. Y ou hun gry f
the W ilderness
" U m... n o," Gregor explains. " I 'm a veget..." He stops
himself, watching Rat Ma n 's reaction carefully. " I used be a
vegetarian, but those burgers smell... ur n ... krnda good."
Gregor hates meat, but he starts rummaging through the bag.
T he taste is foul. T hen again, if some swaggering] oe Bob has offered
to give him a ride out of town, he's not in much ofaposition to refuse
his courtesy. As long as he's safe and fed, it doesn't really matter.
Gregor fastens his seat belt and obeys the first law of hitchhiking: Let
the driver do most of the talking.

"Don 't get me w ron g, ki d. T he c ities a re sc rew ed, but it
a i n 't tha t muc h b etter outside of 'em. T here isn 't muc h rea l
w ildern ess left. T ha t Wea ver they tell me a bout, it's bin din g up
everythin g. I thought I w ould be sa fe, sta yin g out on my da d's
fa r m, but I w a s a fool. A hun dreda c res a ll a roun dme, a n d I lost
it a ll. I ha d a pa tc h of w etla n ds on on e c omer of my property,
un til the EPA c a me in a n dseized it. T hose ba sta rds w a y out in
Wa shin gton w a n t to regula te everythin g. Sta rted tellin g me
w ha t I c ould do on my ow n la n d. T he w ebs a re everyw here.
Phon e lin es, pow er lin es, ba rbedw i re, television a eria ls, televi-
sion tra n smission s, ra dio w a ves they just keep grow in g.
Every a spec t of our li fe is c on ta in ed, regula ted a n d c on trolled.
"Wildern ess?T here a in 't n on e left. A n yw here the govern -
men t c a n sen dits a gen ts, a n yw here you c a n get ra di o or the T V ,
it's rura l, but it a i n 't w ild. A n d the huma n ra c e keeps breedin g
a n d breedin g, ta kin g up more of the pla n et. I sa y its ti me the
pla n et fights ba c k."
" Fights back?" Gregor asks nervously.
"I'm ta lki n g a bout justi c e, ki d. We're pla n n in g to mete out
some c oun try justic e. We holdour ow n c ourt, out in the w ild.
Judges, juri es a n d exec ution ers. If the vision s hit youjust ri ght,
w e c ould tea c hyou a lot a bout bein g a Skulker. O r if you like,
you c ould tra in in on e of our a rmies. We got K in everyw here,
a n d w e a re prepa red."
Gregor tries not to flinch. Militia s. T hese Ra t People a re a ll
pa rt of some mi li ti a . I'db etter be rea l polite. T hat's when Gregor
notices the paper targets sitting under the seat. One of them has the
outline of a policeman, and several big holes in the center of its head.
'"Course, I'm n ot a skin g you to join up w i th w ha t w e're
doin g. T here's a lot of movemen ts sta rtin g out in the w ildern ess;
the on e I join ed is just on e of them. I sign ed on bec a use I w a s
a n gry a bout losin g my la n ds, a bout losin g my rights. Everyon e's
lookin g for someon e to bla me. Some bla me the govern men t;
some bla me the ba n kers; some bla me the Jew s, or the bla c ks, or
the en viron men ta lists, or the U n itedN a tion s. Me, I kn ow it's a ll
just the sign s of the A poc a lypse. Soon the w hole da mn huma n
ra c e is gon n a get w iped out w hen the Wyldfights ba c k.

"U m... the W ild?" Gregor desperately tries tochange the topic,
but to no avail.
" Yeah, kid. T hat's who we are. T he force of the W yld. Chaos
unleashed. And you've just been recruited."
the Spirit W orld
" W ait a minute? Didn't Julia send for you?"
" Hell, no, kid. T heRatGodsentme. T heVoicestoldmeyou'd
be in that alley. Rats workin mysterious ways. One of them steals
something, takes it somewhere else. Another one kn ow s where to
pkkthat thing up, knows it'll be there. A third one is waiting to use
it. N o one is able to follow who does what, 'cause the Rat God makes
a plan for each one of us. W e hear, and it's done."
Gregor casually looks over at the door a few inches away. T he
locks have been broken off. T here's no handle on the inside. T he
window won't roR down. His seat belt's already c lic ked in to place.
He thinks he could make a breakfor it, but that's when he n otic es the
pistol sticking out of Rat Ma n 's boot. T his is all in sa n e. He's in
morta i danger. But he's also hungry. He decides to play along and
gag on a few more of those nasty day-old cheeseburgers. Suddenly,
they don't taste so bad.

"'Sc use me. I kn ow it might seem like our fa mily's a little
bit c ra zy, but you've got to w iden your perspec tive a bit. Even
the w orld you see outside tha t w in dow is just pa rt of a bigger
pic ture. We're w a i ti n g for rein forc emen ts from a n other dimen -
sion . T here's a w orld w a i ti n g outside the on e you see, a
reflec tion of everythi n g tha t ha ppen s in this on e. Y ea h, I see
tha t look on your fa c e I didn 't believe it myself 'til someon e
took me there. Y ou'll see for yourself, a n d fi n d w here the Ra t
Ra c e ha s been breedin g a n d buildin g for the la st fi v e thousa n d
yea rs. T he c ities, the w ildern ess they're just a reflec tion of
the spirit w orld.
"T ha t's the best pa rt of bein g on e of us. We c a n step out in to
a w orldtha t isn 't a s messedup a s this on e. It's a ddic tive; w e've got
spirit tun n els goin ' through the w hole da mn pla c e. O ur K in a re
holed up everyw here, so the Wolves don 't fin d us. We've got
ac c ess to rea lms n o on e else even kn ow s a bout, a n dhidin g pla c es
w here w e c a n w a tc h the pla c es everyon e does kn ow .
"If you c on c en tra te, you c a n sta rt to see tha t other w orld.
La te a t n ight like this, w hen the w hi te-li n e fev er sets in , you c a n
pra c tic a lly drive there. Y oujust sort of zon e out a n d..."
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 31
Voice
Joe flashes on the high-beams, reflecting light off metal. T hat's
when the disease catches up with Gregor again. T he trees becoming
luminous, and suddenly, there's a lot more of them outside the
window than there used to be. T he truckisn't even on a road any
more, just a long shin in g path leading off to the horizon .
T he world is suddenly full of patterns. Gregor sees the road is
paved in spider webs, telephone wires pulsing to the horiz on the
W eaver. T he cars are gone, replaced by speeding, lumin ous lights,
the energy of trees by the roadside the W yld. T he city quickly
receding into the distance, its buildings pulsing darkand blackwith
ma ssive, corrupt tendrils the hallmarkof the W yrm. Gregor
shakes his head .trying to shake off the effects of the trip. T he sic kn ess
is drivin g him in sa n e; he's ha lluc in a tin g a ga in .

'"Sc use me, kid. We're gon n a ta ke a little short c ut. Don 't
like usin g the da mn roa ds muc h. A s I get older, roa d ra ge gets a
li ttle too ea sy. Wha t the hell you expec t, huh, bein ' a
sha pec ha n ger? Ha ha ha ha ! Everyon e's gettin g pissedoff! Even
the huma n s a re gettin g a n grier a n dmore violen t. Y ou c a n tell the
En dT imes a re a pproa c hin g... see it in a thousa n ddi fferen t w a ys.
"Don 't look a t me tha t w a y. It a i n 't like I'm gon n a sta rt
quoti n g from the Book of Revela tion s w ell, n ot yet. Look, I
kn ow it's a ll a bit muc h. It's a ll a lot to ta ke in , a n d if it w eren 't
for the vision s, you proba bly w ouldn 't believe a n y of it. Y ou
thi n k w e're a ll in sa n e, don 't you? I ha d it a bit ea sier I guess. I
w a s c hosen lon g before I w a s in fec ted.
"Y eah, I see tha t look on your fa c e. Y ou've hea rdthe voic es
too, ha v en 't you? Didthey put you on medic a tion ? Didyou get
tha t w hole "c hemic a l imba la n c e" ta lk? I still la ugh a t tha t on e.
T hose voic es.... those were your brothers and sisters calling for you
from the spirit world. T ha t w a s the soun dof your fa mi ly, tra pped
in the U mb ra , hidden behin d the v elv et sha dow , w a i ti n g to
brea k free. I kin da like it. T he voic es a n d the vision s go a w a y,
on c e you c ha n ge, but un ti l then , you better listen rea l c lose to
w ha t they tell you."
"I thought I w a s losin g it, too... un til I hea rdthe V oic e. It
ha ppen s to a lot of our K in folk, too. T ha t's how our fa mi ly ha s
sta yed together for so lon g. I remember si tti n g in my livin g
room, ba c k on the fa rm, w hen I hea rd someone c a llin g my
n a me. I di dn 't kn ow w here it c a me from, but I turn eda roun dto
see w ho it w a s. T here w a s n o on e in the house. T here w a s n o on e
w ithin miles, but someone w a s c a llin g me, c lear a s da y.
"T he spirits of the Ra t God w ork in mysteri ous w a ys.
Before I got my Bi rthi n g Pla gue c olla psed in the middle of
my kitc hen from the fever! I dida ll sorts of thin gs for the Ra t
God. I kn ew the En dT imes w ere c omin g. I sta rted stoc kpi li n g
food in my ba semen t. I bought up c a ses a n d c a ses of a mmun i -
tion . T he gun run n in g w en t a little fa st a n d loose, but I kn ew
the da y w ould be a t ha n d w hen a ll Hell broke loose.
"T ha t w a sn 't the sc a riest pa rt, though. T he sc a riest pa rt
w a s w hen I Cha n ged... a n dfoun d out w ha t w a s rea lly goin g on .
See, you're my K i n , di sta n tly rela ted, a n d I'm ta ki n g you to
meet the fa mi ly. We're a ll fa mi ly, boy. We've got K i n folk, but
n ot like Mother's other c hildren . We left the w orldfor so lon g
tha t a lot of our K in 's blood ha s bec ome di luted. T he blessin g
of the ra t bloodn ever goes a w a y i t lies dorma n t in your blood,
like a disea se a n don e of our K in c a n 't rea lly dra w upon tha t
gift unless he sta rts to hea r his Momma c a llin g for him.
"When everythin g's rea lly qui et, on e of our K in might
sta rt to listen for sign s of his brothers a n d sisters a roun d hi m.
A n ythin g might set him off. A sc ra tc hin g in the w a ll. A
w huffli n g un der the floorboa rds. In the middle of a da rk street
la te a t n ight, he ma y sta rt to hea r a c hi tteri n g soun d c omin g
from n ow here. It's en ough to drive some people ma d. T ha t's the
idea . Y ou've been hea rin ' the V oic e, boy.
"I'm sure someon e's toldyou a bout the struggle, the b a ttle
betw een good a n d evil. T he Wolves seem to thi n k tha t the
A poc a lypse is a foregon e c on c lusion . I'm n ot so sure. A fter a ll,
w ha t exa c tly's a t sta ke? Will the A poc a lypse mea n the en d of
a ll of c rea ti on ? I'm thi n ki n ' tha t ma ybe the "en d of the w orld"
w ill just mea n the en d of huma n c iviliza tion . For me, there's
n othin g w ron g w i th tha t. T he best thin g tha t c ouldha ppen to
Mother's w orld is the en d of the huma n ra c e.
"A ndonc e the huma n s ha ve been extermin a ted, million s of
our brothers a n dsisters a re gon n a sw a rm over the w orld. N o ma tter
how muc h the Wyrm destroys, w e a re the purest form of die Wyld,
a n d w e w ill surge over the pla n et to c lea n se it of evil. Pure c haos
w ill overw helm everythin g tha t rema in s. A t lea st, tha t's w ha t I see
w hen I drea m. T ha t's w ha t the Ra t God w hispers in my hea d.
"N ow I've got thi s li ttle plot of la n d just outside the c ity.
Ha sn 't got muc h more tha n a tra i ler a n d this pi c k-up... a n d
w ha t I've got buried un der the ba c k ya rd. T ha t's w here w e're
goin g. T ha t's w here you c a n rest up a b i t. Y ou're fa mi ly n ow ,
a n d w e'll ta ke c a re of you."
x

T he truckcomes to a stop out in the middle of U pper Butt
Crack, W ashington, somewhere off an access road in the eastern
part of the state. T here's no point in bolting now, not unless Gregor
wanted to hide out in some bam somewhere. Might a s well play
along, since none of these people can be trusted anyway . joe 's farm
isn't very impressive, just a double-wide tra iler on a patch of land.
Sure enough , you can seethe " nature preserve " from where the truck
is parked, fenced off by the government. T he Ford stops on a oil-
soaked stretch of asphalt. N o one's around for miles.
T hat'swhenGregorhearsarusdingsoundabouttenfeetaway,
like something's coming up out of the ground. T he din settles as a
craz ed young woman pushes up a piece of plywood from under-
ground. T here's a tun n el stretc hin g down under the earth. Who's
this "fa mily" tha t foun d me, a n yw a y? Gregor thin ks. Surviva list
frea ks? A loc al militia ? Some religious n uts ta lkin g a bout the
Ea rth Mother a n d the Fin a l Da ys?
T he raggedy young woman leers at him from underground.
U nfortunately, Gregor has always had a weakness for dangerous
women. He can smell her name: Ariel. Like the angel. He hears a
whuffling soun d a t the backof his mind, and the headache starts to
come back. Ariel stra ighten s her dreadlocks and looks over Gregor
with eleva tor eyes, sc a n n in g him from top to bottom. T hen she sta rts
off with her opening line:
" Shit! You looklike a mess. Be careful stepping over those
sacks. Fertiliz er ain't cheap these days."
Ratkin
Crash Space:
A Shadow Seer's < Cale
So much for romance. She's a s craz y a s the rest of these Rat
People. Gregor jumps down in to the hole; the tunnel beneath it is lit
by a single glow stic k. T he sacks of nitrates are piled ten feet high. I n
the dim orange illumin a tion , Gregor c a n make out a big metal wall,
some w in dow s, a n d four w ords: K IN G CO U N T Y SCHO O L
DIST RICT . A riel jumps up into the driver's seat, turns on the
headlights of the school bus, and show s Gregor his n ew home.
"Brillia n t, isn ' t it? Buryingawhokschool bus in the backyard. T he
filtration system is over there. A n ddon ' tgo too n ea r the Emergen c y Exit!
I t's a spirit-world thing; you w ouldn 't un dersta n d. We got the idea
w a tc hin g K oresh on T V . T hin k of it: a million roun ds of a mmun ition
storedin a buried school bus! T hey 'd take some of the children down there
for Bible stud}, too! I'm a Seer, myself, so I like the idea ."
"Are you gon n a tell me more of those werewolf stories now?"
Gregor asks. He tries not to looktoo hard at the fifty c an s of porkand
beans stored behind the driver's seat.
"Y ou don 't w a n t to listen to those w erew ol/stories. T hey're a ll
lies. W e all started out a s pa rt of the same family, so I guess w e have
a few ideas in c ommon , but tha t ended five thousand years ago...."
Gregor w in c es. Every Ratkin seems to have his own delusions
about the end of the world. Resign in g himself, Gregor sits dow n n ext
to the Pork & Beans, gets ready to sn a ga c a n w hen n o on e is lookin g.
Pic kin g out the bits of meat will take a w hile though; a n y more ba d
mea t, a n d his vegeta ria n system is gon n a ma ke him puke.
"A re you about to tell me the rea son you're buried in this sc hool
bus w i th a ll these sa c ks of fertiliz er and boxes of ammunition?"
"Da mn stra ight. See, i t's like thi s..." Her eyes start to go glassy
with religious fervor... \
Mystic Shit
"Let me set the rec ordstra ight. I'm sure Juli a toldyou a lot
of N ew A ge n on sen se, but she a n dI don 't a gree. We both kn ow
the Ga rou terrorized the other Cha n gin g Breeds duri n g the
Wa r of Ra ge a n d esta blished themselves a s the lords of the
Ea rth. For fi v e millen n ia , w e'v e w a tc hed a n d w a ited from our
breedin g groun ds in the spirit w orld, so n a tura lly, our perspec -
tive is a little di fferen t. O ver la st few millen n ia , w e've preserved
our sa c red stories fa r a w a y from the ma dn ess of Ea rth. T he
Wolves, how ever, ha ve been livin g in this in sa n e little w orld
for thousa n ds of yea rs, a n d a s thei r stories ha ve been retold
a ga in a n d a ga in , the Lie ha s been rein forc ed over a n d over.
"A sk the Wolves, a n d they'll tell you over a n d over the
story of how the w orld fell a pa rt. In the begin n in g, there w ere
three pri ma l forc es in Ga ia 's w orld: the Wyrm, the Wea ver a n d
the Wyld. T he Wea ver ma de a ll the struc ture of the w orld,
c rea tin g the trees a n drivers a n dmoun ta in s. T he Wyldbrea thed
life in to the w orld, a llow in g the Wea ver's c rea tion s to thrive.
A n d to prev en t the w orldfrom grow in g too quic kly, the Wyrm
sn ipped a t the threa ds of c rea tion tha t prospered more tha n
they should. I a gree w i th tha t pa rt.
"Somew here a lon g the w a y, the Wea ver grew too a mbi-
tious, a n dtra ppedthe Wyrm in her threa ds. T he Ma dWea ver
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 33
w en t in sa n e, tryin g to bin d a ll of c rea tion in her w eb , a n d the
Wyrm, in its f ur y, la shedout a t everythin g. T his a lso ha s some
truth to it. T here's on e pa rt I still w on der a bout: Wha t exa c tly
c a used the Wea ver to go in sa n e? For every even t tha t ha ppen s
in the spi ri t w orld, there's a c orrespon din g even t in the mun -
da n e w orld, the physic a l w orld, r i ght? If the Wea ver rea lly did
go in sa n e a n d try to c on trol everythin g, n o doubt there w a s
somethin g simila r goin g on in this w orld.
"Y ou c a n see w here I'm goin g w i th this, ri ght? T he w orld
w a sn 't throw n out of ba la n c e a t the da w n of time, like some
folks'll tell you. T he Wea ver w en t in sa n e a roun dthe sa me time
tha t huma n s tried to ma ke the w orld their ow n . A fter the
Con c ord, it's the huma n s w ho sw a rmed a c ross the pla n et,
tryin g to bin d up a ll the n a tura l pla c es of the w orldw i thi n the
Wea ver's lifeless w ebs. I don 't bla me the Ma dWea ver, 'c a use
she's just a reflec tion of huma n c i vi li za ti on . T ha t sa me c ivili-
za tion the Ga rou ha ve been protec tin g for thousa n ds of yea rs.
"T he Wolves w i ll tell you tha t the Wyrm bec a me c orrupt,
a n d tha t a ll the sufferi n g in the w orldis the result of its ten drils
of c orrupti on . Where da rk emotion s surge, the min ion s of the
Wyrm exploit a n d vi c ti mi ze. Just like in the Impergium, w hen
they thoroughly i n fec ted the Ga rou. T he Wa r of Ra ge w a s
in stiga ted by the Ga rou, but c uriously en ough, they don 't like
to remember tha t. T hey w on 't ta ke respon sibility for it, a n d
they sure a s hell a ren 't tryi n g to ma ke up for w ha t they did.
"In stea d, most Ga rou look a t a ll the sufferin g in the w orld, a n d
they ha ve the sa me response: they bla me the Wyrm. T he Wyrm
ha s bec ome a sc a pegoa t for everythin g the huma n s a n dthe Ga rou
ha ve don e, for a ll of their fa ilures. Even though they thin k the
A poc a lypse is a foregon e c on c lusion , they're w illin g to die on e by
on e fightin g the in evita ble. A n d a lon g the w a y, they ferven tly
protec t the c ause of the w hole da mn problem: the huma n s."
W totkerwit
Ariel sta rts rocking backand forth right about then, shaking
with religious fervor. She's practically gayngoffinto another dimen-
sion, like that " spirit world" Joe talks about. Gregor stealthily cracks
open another Beenie W eenie can behind his back, dips his fingers in
the tomato sauce. T he porkand sausage don't bother him as much
as they once did; in fact, he's getting to enjoy the taste. T he
" Emergency Exit" is wide open at the backof the bus. T he front of
the bus is lit up with headlights, but he could easily hide in the back.
Gregor watches Ariel closely, waiting for his chance to bolt....

"I'll put this in simpler terms: Do you kn ow w ha t ha ppen s
if ra ts breedmore c hildren tha n their en viron men t w ill support?
T hey kn ow tha t w e kn ow tha t w hen a c olon y is too big, they c a n
either a ll die slow ly of sta rva tion a n d disea se, or a few of us c a n
die quic kly. It's on ly logic a l for us to turn a ga in st ea c h other un til
the ba la n c e is restored. Mothers ea t their w ea kest c hildren , a n d
the w ea kest of the sw a rm is destroyedfor the ben efit of a ll.
"N ow , c on sider this: T here a re too ma n y huma n s on this
pla n et for the Ea rth to support. T hey c a n a ll suffer slow ly,
through disea se a n dsta rva ti on , or the w ea kest shouldbe killed.
T he Wea ver's w ebs shouldbe severed. Every huma n tha t dies,
before tha t ba la n c e is restored, hea ls Mother's w orld. O f c ourse,
n ot a ll of my brothers a n d sisters w i ll a gree w i th me. Some sa y
w e've got to 'sever the Webs tha t drove the Wyrm in sa n e.'
- "**?
!*/'
:>
\- '- . - \Y ' ' .
\v\\. \V
' '
\
Some sa y w e shouldc a re for the huma n s w ho a re sta rvi n g on the
street a n d get them to join us. Me? I just pra y for the da y w hen
the huma n ra c e dies out. N ow you kn ow w hy this Pla gue is
ha mmerin g you so ha rd..."
(ftatkin (Psychology
"Y ou proba bly un dersta n d w hy your body's been rea c tin g
so stra n gely to the disea se. Look a t you! Y ou're so sc a red tha t
your ha n ds a re tw i tc hi n g. I c a n a lmost feel your musc les ten sin g
from w here I'm sittin g. A n d you look like the vision s a re
pushin g you over the edge. T his ma dn ess you ha ve, this disea se
you better get usedto it, bec a use it's goin g to be w i th you for
the rest of your life. Y our blood, my fri en d, pulses w i th the
Wyld, a n d there's thousa n ds of yea rs of fera l in stin c ts a n d
memories flow in g through it ri ght n ow .
"We kn ow the forc e of the Wyld better tha n a n y of
Mother's other c hildren , bec a use our a n c estors ha ve ha d to
hide in the spi ri t w orlds lon ger tha n a n y other Cha n gin g Breed.
Y ou look skeptic a l. If you're quiet en ough, you c a n a lmost...
hea r... the spi ri t w orld. Sit still a n dlisten to the bloodflow in g
through your vein s. Y ou'll hea r your n erves surgi n g... tw itc h-
in g... Y ou w a n t to move... to sc ra tc h... to gn a w !
"T ha t's the Wyld a live in side you! A sourc e of en dless
stren gth! (T HE CA LLIN G O F EN DLESS CHA O S!) GLO RIO U S
MA DN ESS... CLIMBIN GT HEWA LLS!!! T EA RIN GT HEMDO WN !!!
RIPPIN G A N D T EA RIN G A N D CHEWIN G!!!
RA T MA DN ESS!!!
HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE!
CHCHCHK CHK ! CHK ! CHK ! FT ! FT ! T IT IT !"
Gregor drops his fourth can of beans, leaps over the nearest seat
and runs for the backof the bus. T he door is shut, but if she does that
again, he's going out the back. His hands start tearing at the comers
of the door, trying to remember how to open it..,.
"Ssssh! Ssssh! Ca lm dow n ! It'soka y! It ta kes some pra c tic e
to get usedto your n erves ra c in g like tha t. See, if the stress a n d
a n ger builds up in you too muc h, your rea son c a n 't c on ta in the
ra ge b ui ldi n g in side you. But if you c a n foc us yourself on w ha t
you hea r surgin g through your vein s, you c a n ma ster tha t
en ergy. It's a good thin g w e've brought you somew here sa fe.
"If you sit in a sa fe n est like this, a n d medi ta te on w ha t you
hea r, you c a n lea rn to c on ta in tha t ma dn ess. Y ou c a n help
rea son w in out over ra ge. T a ke a deep brea th. Listen to your
hea rt bea tin g. Listen to those c hi tteri n g soun ds you've sta rted
ma kin g. Do you un dersta n d them? I w ouldn 't min d fi n di n g a
n ic e, sa fe qui et spot w here I c a n sta y c lea n a n d ma ybe breed a
few dozen kids. When you're rea lly quiet a n d listen in g to the
blood in your hea d, the surgin g of your n erves, w hen you sta rt
to c lea n the f i lth a n dfouln ess from your f ur , tha t's w hen you c a n
remember the fra gmen ts of Mother's w isdom w i thi n you."

Gregor ha s made his way to the backof the bus. His hand is
about five feet away from the handle. One thought runs through his
mind U ke a mantra: must... open... door.... Gregor opens the
emergency exit, and U ght floods the backof the bus. Screw this, he
thinks. He's gonna run until they pin him to the ground. N o more
damn lectures. W orms, W eavers, W ild screw it!
T hat's when the gateway to the next dimension opens.
T he emergency exit opens up on a vast spirit tunnel, dimly lit
by the illumination of another reality. No sane man would dare walk
down thatpath, andprobably, no one ever has. T hree tiny forms leap
out of the light, start run n in g around the floor of the bus. " Christ!
Rats!" Gregor reflexively jumps about a foot off the groun d. T he
three rats stop in un ison , then slowly turn to lookat Gregor perched
on top of the bus seat. T here's a chittering in the backof Gregor's
mind; he can start to make out words.
" W hat were you expecting?" the first rat says. " W erewolves,
maybe?"
A ftofons' < Cale:
Switcher Society
Gregor siz es up his situation. He is homeless and diseased,
buried in a school bus under a farm in Eastern W ashington. T hree
rats have entered the room from another dimen sion to talkto him. On
the plus side, he's got two more cans of beans in his pocket, and a
psychotic religious nut might want to sleep with him. Gregor does
some quickmen ta i arithmetic and decides he might as well listen to
the Rat from Dimension X.
"Don 't w orry, kid. I'm n ot disea sed... yet. I won't bite you,
not if you come down offa that bus seat. Stop acting like a damn
housewife! W ho the hell are you?"
" Sorry. I 'm Gregor. U rn... I don't know my full name yet.
U r n ... Sleeps-in-Alleys? Eats-in-Dumpsters?"
" W hat's with this T hree Names shit?" the rat says, clear as day.
" Drinks'of'Vodka? N ibWes-a t-Fren c h-Fries? Verbs-with-Pretentious-
Poetry? W here the heU were you infected, a poetry slam? Are you
trying to get in touch with your I njun ancestors or somethin' ? W e need
to find you a name. First we got to figure out what the hell you are."
Gregor starts laughing, can't stop. It's a il a dream. T hen the
Voices answer him in his head, something like a scream, h'ke a sound
of metal being torn. Round about that time, Gregor decides to shut
the hell up. He falls onto the ground and curls into the fetal position.
I t seems like a definite improvement.

"Hey, kid, n ow tha t you've been in fec ted, you're on e of us.
T ha t sic kn ess you ha d, tha t w a s your Birthin g Pla gue. T he
vision s youha d? T hey hold a ll the c lues a bout w ho you rea lly
a re. We ma y n ot a ll a gree on how to survive the En dT imes, but
w e're a ll pa rt of the sa me fa mi ly, a ll desc en da n ts of the fi rst
Birthin g Pla gue our Mother relea sed upon the w orld. T he
eldest a n d the youn gest, the fa ttest a n d the sma llest w e a ll
ha ve our plac e w ithin Ra t's fa mily. O nc e Her blood begin s to
pulse in your bra in , you'll begin to hea r the ma n y n a mes of your
brothers a n d sisters.
"U n fortun a tely, the first time you Cha n ge, the voic es stop...
for a t least a little w hile. Most Ra tkin don 't hea r the voic es unless
they've gone rea lly n uts, w hen Ra pture ta kes holdof them. T here's
a few luc ky ones, though, w ho n ever ha ve to be a lon e. T he voic es
c a ll them a ll the time. Ra ts like me. Ra ts like you. T he T w itc hers.
"Y eah, tha t's it, Greg. We a ll sta rt off on a first-n a me basis,
but your true n a me, w ell, you don 't get tha t un ti l a fter your Ri te
of Pa ssa ge. My kin d, w e don 't go in for tha t. I got me a n a me,
( s,
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 35
a n d I foun d it the old fa shion ed w a y: I stole it. It's a n a me
someon e threw a w a y... tha t's the best kin d. I c a n tell you're
gon n a be on e of us, so this'll be ea sy.
"Let me tell you a bout the Ri te of N a mi n g, a n oldT w itc her
tra di ti on . Y ou ta ke a big tra sh c a n filled w i th Stuff: the bigger,
the better. T hen you kn oc k it over. Most of these thin gs in
there got w ords on 'em. Y ou pic k on e a t ra n dom, gra b it in your
teeth (or your li ttle pa w s, if ya a i n 't got the guts), a n d you'v e got
the begi n n i n g of a n a me. T a ke me for in sta n c e. I w a s the r un t
of the li tter, so Mom c a lledme John n ie. O n c e I w a s olden ough
a n ddi dn 't di e i n some terrible w a yI foun d the n ea rest pile
of tra sh, sn a tc hedthe fi rst piec e of pa per tha t fell on me, a n dra n
off w i th my n a me. O n e of the homids rea d it to me, a n d he said
it fit me just right. I'm proud of my n a me.
"I'm John n i e Mc Muf f i n , a n d don 't youforget it."
Crash Space
Gregor can't stop laughing. He's snapped. He's gone. He's off
in Joe's W hite-Line Dimen sion . He's trapped in Julia's Fever
Dream, or hearing about the end of the worldin Ariel's U nderground
Survwalist School Bus, and he's snapped.

"Don 't w orry, ki d, w e don 't a ll live like this. We don 't a ll
joi n militia s, or live on the streets, or sign up a s mon keyw ren c hers
a n d ec oterrorists. Some of us a re sma rter tha n tha t. Some of us
rea lly a re ra ts. T his pla c e here... this is just a n other Ra tki n n est,
a n ic e bit of c ra sh spa c e. A n yon e else sa w it, they'dthi n k it w a s
a mess, but it's home. T he sa fe plac es bec ome sites w here w e c a n
rest up a n d sha re stuff. Y ou ha n g out w i th these people lon g
en ough, you'll see w ha t I mea n .
"Crash spa c es a re the on ly sa fe pla c es to medita te. Ra ts
don 't rea c t a ll tha t w ell to stress; if you lived in a sew er tun n el
lon g en ough, you'd kn ow w ha t I mea n . Y ea h, if a ra t lives in
fi lthy c on dition s w i th c on sta n t da n ger, he's gon n a a c t like a
fera l li ttle bea st. If his home is overc row ded, he'll get so w oun d
up he'll be set to a tta c k his brothers a n d sisters. T here's
somethin g a bout a n est, though, tha t's got a c a lmin g effec t on
everyon e of the blood. I a lw a ys get ki n da w a rm a n d sleepy
ki n da hun gry, too. T his is your c ra sh spa c e, a n d you better
remember w here it is.
"N ow , there a re some kin da n ests I'dn ever go n ea r, a n dI'd
a dvise a ga in st you goin g there either. T hey c a ll 'em ra t c olo-
n ies; they're huge a n dda n gerous. A roun dhere, w e're a ll ra ther
i n forma l. We a ll see thin gs di ffer en tly, but it's n ot like w e're
goin g to ea t ea c h other bec a use of it. T he biggest fa milies of
Ra tki n , though, they've got some pretty fi erc e disa greemen ts
a bout how to do thin gs. T he on es tha t get their a c t together,
they sta rt formi n g tribes, settin g up ri tua ls, sta rtin g a w hole
bun c h of mumb o-jumb o. In va ri a bly, on e ra t's goin g to try to
rule them a n dserve a s the Ra t K in g. A n y rea l T w itc her lea rn s
to a voidthem like the pla gue. Y ou, you're on e of us. A street ra t.
A s lon g a s you c a n ma ke it ba c k here, you're sa fe.
(Delusions, Again
"I kn ow this is a ll c on fusin g; It's bec a use people ha ve been
lyin g to you for so lon g. Huma n history is b ui lt upon lies. T here
36 Ratkin
a re tw o groups of c rea tures w ho ha ve perpetua tedthem through-
out history. T he fi rst on e, the huma n s, a re utterly oblivious to
the truth. T hey believe the Lie bec a use they've been kept
ign ora n t. Ga ia , the Ea rth Goddess, ha s sheltered thei r min ds
from the truth bec a use they've suffered so muc h a lrea dy. T he
sec on dgroup, in c ludes the Wolves you might kn ow them a s
Ga rou, or Lupin es, or w erew olves, or w ha tever, but I kn ow
them for w ha t they a re. Ba sta rds. Dec eivers. K illers. T he fools
w ho sta rted the Con c ord a n d a re respon sible for a ll this mess.
"T his w orldthe huma n s built sin c e the Con c ord? It's a ll pa rt
of the Grea t Lie. T hey like to keep it a ll shin y a n dn ew , just to fool
themselves. T heir w hole soc iety is b ui lt a roun d the n ic ely
pa c ka ged, the n ea tly c on ta in ed, a n dthe freshly sc rubbed. Den t
a huma n 's c a r a n d you'll see w ha t I mea n . A little sc ra tc h a bout
a s big a s a ra t's pa w drives him ba llistic . T hose big squa re
buildin gs a bove groun dthey like so muc h, they keep them shin y
a n d bright, just to keep from thin kin g a bout a ll the rot a n d
imperfec tion in side everythin g. T ea rin g them dow n exposes the
Lie. For some rea son , the w olves thin k tha t a ll destruc tion ha s
somethin g to do w ith the Wyrm. T hey're fools. Chaos w orks
muc h fa ster tha n c orruption . T ha t seethin g ra ge tha t lies sleep-
in g w i thi n you, tha t's c ha os. T ha t's the Wyld your stren gth.
"Ma ybe there's hope, huh? Ma ybe w e c a n tea c h them a
li ttle a bout the Lie, just by givin g en tropy a li ttle push. Sta rt
sma ll. Sc ra tc h a door. T ea r the c orn er of a piec e of pa per. Rip
a li ttle piec e of c loth. T ha t book you're holdin g. It looks so n ic e
a n d shin y! Ca n you sc ra tc h it? Ca n you tea r off a li ttle piec e?
Ma ybe you'll feel a little gui lty. T hen , oddly en ough, you'll
feel... free, bec a use the Lie w i ll sta rt to give w a y.
"It's a ddi c ti v e, though. O n c e you let a li ttle c ha os out,
you'll w a n t more. Ma ybe you'll w a n t to ta ke off your shoes a n d
w a lk a roun d b a refoot... or dra w on a w a ll... or just brea k a
huma n la w for the hell of it. If a huma n c a tc hes you, she'll go
ba llistic , 'c a use huma n s fea r c ha os. A ll la w s c on ta in the Wyld.
T hey kn ow i n sti n c ti v ely tha t the Wyld c a n destroy their
w orld... a n d repla c e it w i th Mother's w orld.
"A n d w ha t if it di d? Wha t if, in on e of the biggest huma n
c ities, w e set off en ough explosives on street c omers a n d
relea sed en ough pla gue a n d shut dow n a pow er pla n t or tw o?
O n e ra t c ouldn 't do it a ll, but I kn ow a thousa n dra ts c ould. I'll
tell you w ha t w ould ha ppen : the W yld would start to come back.
A n d you kn ow w ha t w ould ha ppen a fter tha t? T he Wyrm
w ould sta rt to w ea ken . O f c ourse, n ot a ll of my brothers a n d
sisters a gree w i th me, b ut, w ell, you kn ow ....
"O ne of my Bone Gn a w er frien ds he sa ys he gn a w s on
bon es so his teeth w on 't grow sa ys he thin ks the A poc a lypse
w ill be the en dof huma n c iviliza tion , a n dtha t w ill mea n the en d
of the w orld. I toldhim a little sec ret. If a ll the huma n c ities go
to hell, tha t doesn 't mea n the en dof the w orld. T ha t mea n s the
ba ttle for the w orldha s j ust begun . When the pow er goes out, a n d
the polic emen c a n 't do a n ythin g, a n d a ll the television sc reens
get sma shed a n d there's breedin g in the streets a n d killin g a n d
lootin g a n driots, then the rea l Wa r of the A poc a lypse w i ll begin .
"A n dguess w ha t, ki d? It's a w a r w e're goin g to w i n . We a re
the Wyld, a n d w e w i ll w i n . Y ou b etter sta rt tra in in g n ow .
"I don 't un dersta n d," Gregor responds. " Severing the W eaver's
webs? You're talking about gratuitously ripping and tearing down
anything you feel U ke."
" U h, yeah. .." his T witcher friend replies.
"But... it's not some abstract concept to me. You're talking
about messing with people's shit. Breaking windows. Keying cars.
Stealing people's stuff."
" U h... yeah. Bytheway, that's a nasty cut you've got on your
knuckles."
Gregor slowly lifts his hand, looks at like i t's a n a lien life/a rm
grafted onto his arm. T hen the memory came back: a few hours ago,
he had sla mmedhis fist through a window for no particular reason.
" W elcome to the family, brother."
the Virst Change
T he visions come back. Sitting on the roof of a farm out in
Mon ta n a , w a itin g for the FBI to come in and kill him. Hiding in
alleyways, striking from the darkness at anything that just happens
to piss him off. T he voices often thousand brothers and sisters waiting
to breakthrough from another dimension and become real again.
Feeling so much anger surgin g through his blood tha t he's set to kill.
T he scratching starts again. I s it on the outside of the bus? Or
is it coming from that other dimen sion everyone keeps ta lkin g a bout?
T ha t spirit w orld... Gregor's trapped underground in a school bus...
trapped like a rat... he feels his anger surging through him....
Gregor's way over the edge now, laughing and shaking and
giggling as a few more of the walkthat confine his reality come
c rumblin g dow n . He starts physically shaking. His skin is pulsing.
Reflexively, he decides he's not going to hide it anymore... his skin
starts growing fur, the front of his skull grows larger, ripping through
his skin... his spine curves, hunching him over... his teeth start
c uttin g through his li p....
Gregor slowly grows to a full seven feet, eventually towering
over everyone around him. He lowers his head, hunches over and
bears his yellow teeth. Rage flows through him like blood; anger
surges; fur bristles. T hen the screaming starts, the squealing, the
shrieking, like the soun d of metal being ripped apart slowly. And
when itall comes to an end, a hulkin g ra t-sha pedmon ster is c ow erin g
in the ba c k of the school bus. T he mon strous bea st sta rts c hokin g out
a stra n ge c oughin g soun d: bla c k bile. T he fever is pa ssin g. T he
madness is gone. Another Ratkin sta n ds on Ga ia 's world.
" Hmmmph," McMuffin stoically declares. " T hey're so cute
when they're small."
Epilogue
Nine mon ths la ter, Gregor's finally made it backto his un c le's
farm. He's sittin g on the rooftop with a high-pow ered rifle, w a itin g
for the AT F agents outside the front gate to ma ke up their minds .I t's
just Uke the vision s toldhim, mon ths a go. T here's a storm gathering
on the horiz on, and Gregor's w a itin g/or it. Like an} goodT w itc her,
he /eels the surge of the W yld pulsin g through his veins.
T here's a feeling on the wind, something U ke oz one, and it's pissing
Gregor off. T he agents are getting ready to c all in for back-up... unless
hedoes something first. He feels his angerpulse throughhi m... the bones
pushin gup throughhis face... the skin givingway... He leaps off the roof
top, rifle in hand, charging into the gathering of Federal agents.
Gregor's got a taste for meat now, and he likes it.
I
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 37
fringes of (Reality
I thinkwe are in Rat Alley, where dead men have lost their banes.
"T he Wa stela n d," T .S. Elliot
Huma n s c on trol the c ities; w erew olves sta lk the w ilder-
n ess. Ra tki n hide w herever the huma n s a n dWolves c a n 't fi n d
them. Sin c e the ea rliest da ys of the w orld, the w erera ts ha ve
hidden in sec retive breedin g groun ds, spa w n in g hordes of
offsprin g for on e epic goal: un dermin in g huma n c iviliza tion .
O n c e the Ga rou tried to ki ll off the Ra tki n ra c e, but n ow the
servitors of c haos a re ba c k w ith a ven gean c e.
Most Cha n gin g Breeds keep thei r n umb ers sma ll, but
Ra tkin a re the most prolific sha pec ha n gers in the w orld.
PrivilegedRa tki n breedhun dreds of c hildren for ra pidly grow -
in g, spra w lin g a n a rc histic c olon ies. When their tun n els be-
c ome overc row ded, the youn gest w erera ts lea ve the c row ded
tun n els of their n est to roa m the w orld in ra t pa c ks. N ot
everyon e follow s the sa me pa th. Some ra c es of exiledw erera ts
prefer to c on sort w i th the ephemera l c rea tures of the spi ri t
w orld, b ui ldi n g kin gdoms fa r from the ma dn ess of ma n kin d.
O thers ha ve join edw i th Ra tki n pla gues, va st fa mi li es of w erera ts
tha t keep in touc h a c ross en ti re c on tin en ts. From the ba c k-
a lleys of ur b a n n eighborhoods to the mythi c a l rea lms of lost
dimen sion s, Ra tki n ha ve been in festin g rea li ty for mi llen n i a ,
surv i v i n g the w orst da n gers existen c e ha s to offer.
(% at (Pack*
Ra ts ha ve a reputa ti on a s bein g un trustw orthy. T hey're
n ot, rea lly... they just defin e loya lty by a differen t set of
sta n da rds. While w erew olves might dedi c a te themselves to the
sa me totem a n d pa c k for a lifetime, trustin g a n y on e group for
too lon g c a n seriously i mpa i r a Ra tki n 's c ha n c es for surviva l.
A llia n c es w ithin a dec eit of Ra tkin a re a lw a ys tempora ry a t
best. When ever a Ra tki n a llies w i th other livin g thin gs, he's got
every right to a sk on e question : "Wha t's in it for me?"
Before the pa c k is formed, the roden ts always n eed a few
tempora ry, short-term goals before they c a n w ork together. T his
is dec la red duri n g the rite tha t forms the pa c k. If the a moun t of
risk or da n ger grow s too grea t, or if the w erera t ha s goa ls tha t
a ren 't fulfi lled, he a lw a ys ha s the right to bolt a n d strike out on
his ow n . T his ma y in volve a slight loss of Ren ow n , but a w erera t's
stron gest lon g-term goa l survivin g lon g en ough to a ffec t the
outc ome of the A poc a lypse overrides a ll other c on c ern s.
U n ti l tha t time, the Ra tkin sta ys tight w ith the dysfun c -
tion a l f a mi ly of mi sfi ts w ho tra v el w i th hi m. Ra ts tra vel w i th
their ow n kin d, if possible. A ra t pa c k might c on sist of up to ten
full-blooded w erera ts, but fi v e is more the n orm: a Run n er,
Seer, Skulker, Wa rrior a n d Frea k c omprise a typic a l pa c k. In
c on tra st, pa c ks of n orma l ra ts a re huge a n a vera ge pa c k of
Ra ttus n oT fegic w s ma y c on sist of over sixty ra ts.
Pa ra n oidor suspic ious Ra tki n ma y in voke a Con tra c t Ri te
before a llyin g w i th a pa c k, dema n din g tha t the spirits w itn ess the
a llia n c e. Brea kin g the ri te doesn 't ha ve severe c on sequen c e for
most w erera ts (other tha n a reduc tion in Ren ow n ), a lthough
K n ife-Skulkers a re fa n a tic a bout upholdin g them. If a Ra tkin
c a n 't fin dothers of his kin d, his pa c k men ta lity ma y very w ell lea d
him to other supern a tura l c rea tures these ra t tra velers a re
kn ow n a s c on sorts. Even if a lone Ra tkin ha sn 't learn ed the
Con tra c t Rite, he ha s every right to dema n d w ha t he w a n ts
before offerin g his support to a n yon e. If a Ra tkin doesn 't feel like
he's gettin g a fa i r sha ke, he'll rip off w ha tever he w a n ts a n dlea ve.
Ra t pa c ks ha ve primitive methods of esta blishin g domi-
n a n c e, like most ga therin gs of c ommun a l a n ima ls. Whi le
w erew olf pa c ks a re c on c ern edw ith esta blishin g a n a lpha lea der,
ra t pa c ks must a lso esta blish a straggler or runt: the w ea kest
member of the pa c k. Werew olves struggle to see w ho w ill
"fin ish first" in a n y c on flic t; w erera ts a re more obsessed w i th
n ot fin ishin g la st. If the r un t bolts from the pa c k, the c ommu-
n i ty of ra ts must still fi n d someon e else to a c t a s the stra ggler.
For the rec ord, the r un t in a pa c k usua lly sta rts out a s a
Storyteller-c on trolled c ha ra c ter, a "w hippin g boy" w ho looks
for reven ge by seekin g out the other pa c k member's w ea kn esses
a n d fa ilures. When he a c tua lly suc c eeds in gettin g his c ome-
uppa n c e, it serves a s a sourc e of Ra ge for the run t's ta rget. If the
pa c k is suffic ien tly a mused, they ma y dec ide to ma ke the vic tim
the n ew run t. T ha t w erera t must then keep tha t role un ti l he
overc omes a n other in a test for domin a n c e.
High arid Cow
Ra tki n soc iety ha s its ow n stra ti fi c a ti on , from the elite
w ho live in the la rgest in festa tion s to the sc um w ho sprea d
c ha os a n dterror in the streets. T here's a big di fferen c e betw een
w erera ts w ho pledge to protec t Ra tki n n ests a n dthe a n a rc histic
ra t pa c ks w ho w ould n ever go n ea r them.
Pac ks of a n a rc histic Ra tki n a re typi c a lly kn ow n a s low
packs or "gangs "the violen t w erera ts w ho assemble them a re
often c a lled ramblers. Forma l, tra di ti on a l ra t pa c ks w ho prefer
the gra titude of Ra tkin elders a re kn ow n a s high packs or
" retinues" the esteemed w erera ts w ho serve in them a re
kn ow n a s courtiers. T here a re a few obvious differen c es be-
tw een these tw o types of pa c ks.
Ra mblers defin e the phra se "preserve the V eil" very
libera lly; if a bun c hof huma n s sn a p in to Deli ri um, it helps brin g
c ha os in to the w orld. In fa c t, a n ythin g tha t brin gs a bout c ha os
is good, rega rdless of the c on sequen c es.
Courtiers a re fa n a ti c a bout protec tin g the V eil; if a
bun c h of huma n s n ea r thei r n est a re forc ed in to Delirium,
someon e might in vestiga te a n d un c over thei r n est. If c ourtiers
don 't sta y hidden , their breedin g groun ds might be threa ten ed.
Ra mblers don 't c a re w ho performs a given rite. If the
Shadow Seer gets killed, for in sta n c e, someone else ma y ha ve
to perform the n ext Ri te of Dedic a tion .
Courtiers ha ve forma lities of w ho should perform
w hic h rite. If a Ra tki n of the "w ron g a spec t" performs a rite, he
should lose Ren ow n for his impuden c e.
Ra mblers don 't n eed a n "a lpha ," sin c e n o on e is better
tha n a n yon e else. It's more importa n t to a ssign bla me w hen
somethin g fa ils.
Courtiers shouldfollow the highest-ra n kin gRa tkin presen t,
or a t least resolve the issue of w ho is most fit to lead through
ga mec ra ft, fa c edow n s, tests of w its or n on -letha l c omba ts.
Ra mblers c a n get en ough Ren ow n to a dva n c e in Ra n k just
by a tten din g T w itc her revels. In fa my is gooden oughfor them.
Ratkin
Courtiers dema n d proper rec ogn ition for their deeds,
a n dw a n t to distin guish the Ra tki n w ho demon stra te Cun n in g
from the w erera ts w ho f ulf i ll their O bliga tion to the Ra tkin
ra c e. In fa mous w erera ts a re good for somethin g too, though:
a ttemptin g to fulfi ll c on tra c ts tha t a re fa r too da n gerous for
proper c ourti ers.
Ra mblers might breed w i th just a bout a n y huma n or
w ha rf ra t. T hey a ba n don mothers w i th illegitima te c hildren
a n d sc ra w n y K i n folk w herever they tra vel.
Courtiers a re c on c ern edw ith ea rn in g the ri ght to breed
w i th (or bec omin g) the most esteemedRa t Mothers. T hey ta ke
pri de in the a c c omplishmen ts of their c a refully bredoffsprin g.
Ra mblers see themselves a s gua rdia n s of pure c ha os.
T hey ha te c ourtiers w ho set up rules for the orderly w orkin g of
soc iety, even in side Ra tki n n ests.
Courti ers see themselves a s the protec tors of the youn g
a n d defen ders of sa c redbreedin g groun ds. T hey ha te ra mblers
w ho en da n ger the sa fety of their n ests.
Ga n gs of ra mblers a n d retin ues of c ourtiers represen t the
tw o extremes of Ra tki n soc iety. T hin k of them a s the tw o
la rgest "c a mps" of Ra tki n soc iety, if you like. N o doubt your ra t
pa c k w ill proba bly fa ll somew here in betw een the a n a rc hy of
ra mblers a n d the eli ti sm of c ourtiers.
Other Alliances
N ot a ll w erera t stories in volve pa c ks a n d n ests. Ma n y
Ra tki n a re lon ers, or follow sec retive c omma n ds w hisperedby
thei r c hosen god. A ta len tedfew fi n d rea son s to a ssoc ia te w ith
other supern a tura l c rea tures. Sha dow Court c liques, Sha dow
Lordc ults, Sa bba t pa c ks, hen geyoka i sen ta i , grudgin g a llia n c es
of Cha n gin g Breeds a n d even c irc les of Ren ega de w ra i ths c a n
a ll ben efi t from a few sha pec ha n gin g roden t a llies. Ra tki n still
reta in the n eed to fi n d a stra ggler (or "fa ll guy") w hen his
c hosen a llies fa i l, but c uriously, other c rea tures a re offen ded by
this type of beha vior. Before lon g, even the best pa c ks self-
destruc t, lea vin g a few more w erera ts to w a n der the w orld,
seekin g c ha os in a ll its forms.
Con sorts: A s a llies of the Wyld, Ra tki n c on sorts pa ir
w i th un usua l c oteries of supern a tura l c rea tures, follow in g their
w hims in the proc ess. Suc h a llia n c es n ever la st for lon g the
thought of doin g so for more tha n a few c yc les of the moon is
fa r too predic ta ble for on e of Ra t's c hildren .
Some opportun ities to w ork a s c on sorts a re obvious, to sa y
the lea st. T un n el Run n ers kn ow the w a ys of the U mbra exc eed-
in gly w ell, a n d w ill offer their servic es if they despera tely n eed
somethin g in return . Mun c hma usen ma y offer c ha n gelin gs a
c ha n c e to lea rn more a bout (a lleged) Ra t K in gdoms. Pla gue
Lords n eed to fi n d protec tion for their spirits' journ eys in to the
un derw orld; they a lso ha ve a ha bit of diggin g up a w ra ith's most
c a refully hidden Fetters. A n d fin a lly, a n y Ra tkin shouldha ve a t
lea st a mi n i ma l a moun t of respec t for Bon e Gn a w er w erew olves.
T he Ra t God w orks in mysterious w a ys, a fter a ll.
Sen ta i a n d N ezumi: T rust betw een the Cha n gin g
Breeds is muc h stron ger in the Ea stern Con c ordia t. T he Wa r of
Ra ge n ever a ffec ted the hengeyokai, the sha pec ha n gers of the
Ea st. T o this da y, sha peshifters of va stly di fferen t ra c es form
sentai, tempora ry pa c ks for a c hievin g tempora ry goals. T he
N ezumi , or "Ja pa n ese Ra tkin ," serve a s ma sters of Low Wa r in
these pa c ks, offeri n g their ma sterful skills of espion a ge a n d
a ssa ssin a tion .
In this sa me spirit, Ea stern Ra tkin visitin g the West ha ve
few er grudges a ga in st Western c ha n gers. In despera te times, they
ma y a ttempt to forge a tempora ry a llia n c e w i th a n other Cha n g-
in g Breed... a s lon g a s everyon e c on c ern edkn ow s tha t on c e the
quest is fin ished, everyon e goes their sepa ra te w a ys. Western
Ga rou a re a n other ma tter en tirely. N ezumi a re w a ry of Western
Shadow Lords a n d Sta rga zers, but w i ll usua lly c on sider a brief
a llia n c e. Workin g w i th RedT a lon s c a n be di ffi c ult, but orc hes-
tra tin g a c ombin edeffort a ga in st the loc a l huma n popula tion is
a lw a ys possibility. A n y other w erew olf shouldbe eva lua tedon a
c a se-by-c a se ba sis. N ever ma ke a dea l w i th a Lupin e un less you
c a n ben efit immedia tely... a n d a ba n don them even tua lly.
Bonding: It is possible, though extremely diffic ult, for a
Ra tkin to develop a lon g-term pa rtn ership w ith a n other Cha n gin g
Breed's K in folk or a n other supern a tura l c rea ture. How ever, keep-
in g a frien dship w ith a Ra tkin a lly ta kes a sign ific a n t a moun t of
w ork. T hey're high-ma in ten a n c e rela tion ships, to sa y die least.
In ga me terms, if a Ra tki n ha s a stron g c a use to w ork w i th
a n other c rea ture of the n ight, her a lly shouldin vest a t lea st on e
experien c e poi n t a t the en dof ea c h session they w ork together.
When the n umber of poin ts in vested exc eeds the Ra tkin 's
perma n en t Willpow er, a tempora ry bon d is esta blished. T his
doesn 't mea n the Ra t w ill do a n ythin g stupi d or suic ida l on
beha lf of her a lly, on ly tha t she'll a c c ede to the a llia n c e. If the
c rea ture ever betra ys her a lly or foregoes the in vestmen t, a ll
bets a re off, a n d the Ra tki n w i ll bolt for sa fety a t the fi rst
opportun ity. T his la rgely a pplies to those w ho ta ke Ra tki n a s
a llies through Ba c kgroun ds or the like; a pla yer n eedn 't sa c ri-
fic e experien c e to ma in ta in a fri en dshi p w i th a n other pla yer's
Ra tki n , but the Storyteller should ma ke sure she gives the
Ra tki n en ough a tten tion or tha t ra t's out of there.
(ftatkin Societies
First you see us; then you don't.
Now you'll hear us; now you won't.
I t's a secret for survival in a very nasty world.
T he Wea sels, T erry Gillia m's W ind in the Willow s
For most w erera ts, i n fi ltra ti n g huma n a n d supern a tura l
soc ieties, upholdin g the obliga tion s of a n a spec t, servin g a s a
min ion of the Wyld, a n d run n i n g w i th a n a n a rc histic ra t pa c k
ma kes li fe suffi c i en tly c omplex. T ruly disturbed Ra tki n a re
troubled by other c ultura l n ightma res. Some belon g to ela bo-
ra te fa mi li es tha t stretc h ac ross en tire c on tin en ts, w hile others
hide n ea r sa c red sites w i th the protec tion of obsc ure Ra tki n
tribes. If youfeel a lon e in the w orld, keep rea din g. If you're w ise
en ough n ot to trust your ow n kin d, sc urry a w a y from these
pla c es a s quic kly a s you c a n .
Hests
Whether they're referred to a s burrow s, in festa tion s or just
pla in c ra sh spa c e, sa c red pla c es offer sites of hea lin g a n d
medita tion to Ra tki n on the run . Collec tively, w erera ts c om-
mon ly desc ribe these pla c es a s "n ests," sin c e they're used a s
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 39
breedin g groun ds fi rst a n d foremost. While ra t pa c ks roa m the
w orldseekin g a dven ture a n d c on flic t, ma n y roden ts prefer the
sa fety of a n est to the da n gers of a w orldrun by huma n s.
T he sma llest n ests ma y on ly ha rbor on e or tw o ra t pa c ks,
w here the f a te of the pla c e is dec idedby the loc a l pa c k lea ders.
T ra velers refer to these hidea w a ys a s "c ra sh spa c e." Homid
Ra tki n a re most c ommon in suc h pla c es, sin c e they a re often
tuc ked a w a y in tempora ri ly sa fe pla c es in the urba n la n dsc a pe.
A slightly la rger hidey hole might be ruledby on e Ra t Mother
a n d her brood of loya l c hildren . By c on tra st, a va st breedin g
groun d on the frin ges of the spi ri t w orld ma y ha ve a n en tire
c ourt of w erera ts a s a tten da n ts.
N ests of a ll kin ds a re often sepa ra tedby miles of spra w lin g
urb a n terra i n a n d v a st la byri n ths of tun n els. T un n el Run n ers
rela y messa ges betw een the hun dreds or even thousa n ds of
n ests in a c i ty. T o fa c i li ta te their duties, T un n el Run n ers ha ve
evolveda tra di ti on a l la n gua ge of sc ra pin g a n dra ttli n g on pipes
a n d w a lls. By ra ppi n g on pipes deep un dergroun d, they c a n
sprea d thei r messa ges fa rther.
T he more ra ts ga ther a t a site, the more likely it is tha t
politic s w i ll set in . Some of the la rgest Ra tki n sites of pow er a re
kn ow n a s burrows, a n d a re typic a lly c on struc tedby hun dreds of
burrow in g brow n ra ts; the biggest c ommun ities of Ra tki n a re
c a lled infestations, a n d a re dedic a tedto c ha os in its purest form.
T hough some ra t pa c ks prefer to sta y a s fa r a w a y a s possible from
soc ia l ba ttlegroun ds, it is i n evi ta ble tha t duri n g thei r tra veb,
they w i ll be dra w n in to ela bora te roden t in trigues.
Roden s Ra tkin usua lly hold most of the key position s in
the la rgest c olon ies, sin c e Ra tki n w ho ha ve grow n up a roun d
huma n s a ren 't trusted f ully. Meti s Ra tki n serve a s thei r gua rd-
ia n s a n d prop up thei r pow er. Roden s politic s is so exten sive
tha t sta lki n g in to a n est in Homidform is c on sidereda n in sult.
T he la rgest w a rren s w i ll ha ve shelters n ea rby for desti tute
K in folk, but a spra w lin g n etw ork of tun n els keeps a n yon e in
huma n form outside.
Ra t pa c ks a re a n ec essa ry pa rt of Ra tkin soc iety, but
w erera ts w ho spen d too muc h ti me in the huma n w orld a re
w a tc hedc a refully by thei r roden s rela tion s. Ra tki n w ho like to
live in the c i ti es of men fa c e a subtle xen ophobia tha t c a n n ever
be fully dispelled. A tra velin g ra t pa c k tha t w a n ts to petition
the lea der of a sa c red n est must a pproa c h her in ra t form a n d,
just to be sa fe, put ev erythi n g i n terms a ra t w ould un dersta n d.
Ma n y feel sa fer n ever v en turi n g n ea r burrow s or i n festa ti on s
un less it's a bsolutely n ec essa ry.
titters
Whether tra pped in this w orld or isola ted in dista n t
di men si on s, ra ts a re c ommun a l c rea tures. Even though ra ts
don 't a lw a ys trust ea c h other, they sti ll form exten dedc ommu-
n i ti es. T here's n o gua ra n tee tha t a ll the Ra tki n in on e n est w i ll
be a ble to sha re the ski lls n ec essa ry for surv i v a l, so sometimes
it's n ec essa ry to tra v el a lon g w a y to fin d a pa rtic ula r spec ia list.
In a ddi ti on to lea rn in g on e of the eight a spec ts of Ra tki n
soc iety, a pri v i legedw erera t ma y a lso ta ke a position of lea der-
ship in the c olon y, bec omin g the loc a l "elder" of his a spec t.
In a la rge ra t c olon y, a n y on e of these elders ma y step
forw a rd to a ssume lea dership in times of trouble. T ypic a lly, n o
I 40
a
on e below Ra n k T hree presumes to lea d the loc a l roden t popu-
lac e a n d bec ome its ruler. A n yon e w ho c on tests for lea dership
ma y do so; suc h methods a re strikin gly simila r to the three
methods Ga rou use to c hoose their a lpha s. If you try to a ssume
lea dership of a c olon y a n d fa il, you lose Ren ow n ; if you suc c eed,
then your n ew ra n k c a rries grea t privilege. In c iden ta lly, the ti tle
of ruler n ever la sts for more tha n on e da y. Y ou get your momen t
in the sun , but sta rtin g a t da w n the n ext da y, a n y of the other
elders c a n dec la re himself, herself, or itself the n ew c hief.
Ra t Mother: Ra isin g c hildren is essen tia l to Ra tki n
surv i v a l, a n d protec tin g the youn g even moreso. Ra t Mothers
a re thus the most respec ted a n d revered members of a n est.
Sin c e they often spen dthe most ti me there, they often ha ve the
most sa y a bout a n est's pri ori ti es. In la rger c olon ies, w hen a
loc a l problem threa ten s the sa fety of the c hildren , a ll the Ra t
Mothers w i ll a ssemble to disc uss a solution . T he momma ra t
w ho ha s bred the most c hildren lea ds them.
Sc out: In more exten sive n ests, ra ts breed in grea t
n umbers. T ha t mea n s tha t someon e ha s to c omma n d a ll of the
ra t pa c ks tha t sc out the immedia te a rea for da n ger. Ra ts prefer
to sc roun ge for food n ea r their breedin g groun ds, but a few n eed
to fi n d other pla c es tha t c a n offer ba sic n ec essities. O c c a sion -
a lly, the Sc out orga n izes a ra idon a huma n pla c e of ha b i ta ti on
tha t c a n ma ke li fe better for the c olon y.
Wa rlord: When hun dreds of ra ts ga ther in on e a rea ,
someon e must c omma n d the la rgest sw a rms. T he Wa rlord does
more tha n prepa re for milita ry defen se; he also n eeds to soothe the
egos of a ll the Wa rriors w ho live there. T he en tra n c es to the c olon y
ha ve to be kept hidden , the troops ha ve to sta y stron ger tha n the
ra ts they protec t, a n d threa ts to sec urity ha ve to be c on ta in ed.
Mystic : In the la rgest in festa tion s, the sac red site is so
overrun by min ion s of the Wyldtha t it c on ta in s pow erful ma gic a l
en ergies. A Mystic w ill then a c t a s a c a reta ker a n dgua rdia n to this
highly va lua ble resourc e. In some sa fe ha ven s, the Mystic ma y
even w a tc h over a pa c k of Shadow Seers, w ho a tten dto loc a l rites.
A n y n est tha t does n ot ha ve a Mystic n eeds to periodic a lly sen dout
ra t pa c ks or T un n el Run n ers to fin dsomeon e w ho c a n advise them
on spiritua l ma tters. U sua lly, a n est w ill n eed dec ades to grow
before it requires a dedic a tedMystic .
Challenges and ^ests of (Dominance
If you w a n t to depose a c olon y's ruler, or bec ome a n elder
for a da y, you'll ha ve to c ha llen ge your ri v a l on e-on -on e, ra t to
ra t. How you do this depen ds on the ruler's a spec t. If you w a n t
to prev en t a Ra t Mother from lea din g a c olon y on a n y given
da y, for in sta n c e, you must defea t her in a staredown. A fter a ll,
n o on e c a n give a di rty look like your momma c a n ! Both the Ra t
Mother a n d the pup w ho w a n ts to c ha llen ge her roll Ma n i pu-
la tion + In timida tion ; the di ffi c ulty for ea c h c ha ra c ter is equa l
to 1 0-their ow n Ra n k. A n yon e fa i li n g a sta redow n loses tw o
poin ts of tempora ry O bliga tion Ren ow n .
If you thin k tha t a c olon y's Sc out isn 't fit to rule, you're
w elc ome to c ha llen ge him to a test of wits. Y ou've got to c ome
up w i th a c ha llen ge the rest of the c olon y's sc outs a gree on ,
how ever. Both the Sc out a n dthe pun k kidw ho c ha llen gedhim
roll Wi ts + Subterfuge; the di ffi c ulty for ea c h c ha ra c ter is equa l
to the 1 0-their ow n Ra n k. A n yon e fa i li n g this c on test loses
tw o poin ts of tempora ry Cun n in g Ren ow n .
Ratkin
If you thi n k you'd be a better c omma n der tha n the Wa r-
lord, you ma y on ly c ha llen ge him if the n est is n ot c urren tly
un der a tta c k. A ll of the Wa rriors form a c irc le a roun dyou a n d
the Wa rlord, a n dto un sea t hi m, you'll ha ve to bea t him in sin gle
combat. T his is a lw a ys n on -letha l (r a t pun c hes a n d kic ks on ly),
a n d is fought un ti l the fi rst n on -a ggra va tedw oun d is in flic ted.
Losin g results in the loss of tw o tempora ry poi n ts of In fa my
Ren ow n a n d a solid ea r-c uff from the vi c tor.
Con vin c in g the c olon y tha t you'd ma ke a better elder
tha n the loc a l Mystic requires you to best him in a test of wisdom.
Some w i ll c ha llen ge you to c on tests of esoteric lore; others
c on fuse you w i th ima gin a tive ga mec ra ft. Either w a y, a fter
desc ribin g the c on test, you a n d the Storyteller ea c h roll In tel-
ligen c e + En igma s for your respec tive c ha ra c ters; the di ffi c ulty
for ea c h c ha ra c ter is, of c ourse, equa l to 1 0-the w erera t's Ra n k.
A n yon e fa i li n g this c on test loses tw o poin ts of tempora ry
Cun n in g Ren ow n .
When a ra t pa c k despera tely n eeds to fi n d a lea der, these
sa me four types of c ha llen ges a re used. T un n el Run n ers use tests
of w its; Sha dow Seers use tests of w isdom; K n ife-Skulkers use
sta redow n s; Wa rriors use n on -letha l c omba t. If a Ra tki n de-
c la res himself pa c k lea der, un fortun a tely, the stra ggler ma y
c ha llen ge him up to three times per da y.
(Renown arib (Rank
V i si ti n g a tribe or c olon y is the easiest w a y to ga in
Ren ow n , a mea sure of a Ra tkin 's sta tus a n d reputa tion in
w erera t soc iety. A Ra tki n 's Ren ow n T ra i t illustra tes his in fa -
mous a c c omplishmen ts, his c un n i n g a c hievemen ts, a n d the
obliga tion s he's fulfi lled for w erera t soc iety. T hese a re repre-
sen tedby three tra i ts, a ppropria tely titledIn fa my, Cun n i n g a n d
O bliga tion . In some c irc umsta n c e, the Storyteller ma y a sk for
a Ren ow n roll to see if a c ha ra c ter's reputa ti on in fluen c es the
rea c tion s of other Ra tki n ; roll In fa my, Cun n in g or O bliga tion
(di ffi c ulty 6) to see how muc h w ei ght your reputa ti on c a rries.
A s experien c ed Werew olf pla yers kn ow , ea rn i n g en ough
Ren ow n c a n a lso in c rea se a c ha ra c ter's Ra n k, a llow i n g him to
lea rn more impressive Gi fts. O n c e a w erera t a tta i n s Ra n k
T hree, he c a n a lso bec ome a tri b a l elder. Ra tki n w ho flee the
soc iety tha t bredthem c a re li ttle for suc h rec ogn ition , but even
the spirits respec t a w erera t w ho's upheld the idea ls of his ra c e.
Experien c ed Ra tkin quic kly lea rn the n a mes of the five levels
of Ra n k: Rakka (Ra n k O n e), V oto (Ra n k T w o), Java (Ra n k
T hree), T eppen (Ra n k Four) a n d Rrrrr't (Ra n k Five).
Courts arid (Politics
T here a re n o sta n da rdrules of order for roden t politic s, but
a few pra c tic es a re c ommon . Colon ies c a n live w i th a di fferen t
ruler ea c hda y, so sma ll n ests keep this in forma l, c on struc tin g a
low c ourt. In ega lita ria n style, ga therin gs of the low c ourt a re very
c ommun a l, w i th n o on e dema n din g a uthori ty a bove a n yon e else.
In a la rger, more forma l c olon y, /ugft court reign s, a n don ly on e ra t
c a n rule on a n y given da y. T hrough tra dition , the highest-
ra n kin g elders w ill regula rly c on ven e to a ddress the most impor-
ta n t issues of the c olon y. N o on e w erera t c a n rule over a high
c ourt for lon g. Ea c h da y, a n ew elder dema n ds to lord his
a uthority over the n est, forc in g the w ea k to bow before him.
Jgnoring (Renown
T here a re n umerous referen c es to Ren ow n in this
c ha pter, but if you're pla n n i n g on pla yin g a on e-shot
Ra tki n a dven ture, keepin g tra c k of this T ra it isn 't essen -
ti a l. Revel in c ha os, a n d sc ore some quic k f un . T he
Storyteller c a n feel free to ign ore a ll referen c es to it. In a
lon g-term c hron ic le, how ev er, Ren ow n is c ruc ia l. A pla yer
should feel free to ta ke n otes on the ba c k of his c ha ra c ter
sheet a bout a ll tha t his roden ts ha ve a c c omplished, espe-
c ia lly if she's the on ly Ra tki n pla yer in the troupe. La ter,
w hen the Ra tki n visits a ra t c olon y for the first time, the
Storyteller c a n use the system in Cha pter Five to tra n sla te
those a c hievemen ts in to a c c ola des, a n dpossibly a dva n c e
the c ha ra c ter's Ra n k.
O n c e a n est gets la rge en ough, even Ra tkin get tired of this
turmoil. If the loc a l popula tion gets orga n ized, dec ides to settle
dow n a n ddedic ate their lives to the ma in ten a n c e of the n est, they
ma y form a c ollec tive kn ow n a s a tribe, the most forma l kin d of
Ra tkin soc iety. O n e w erera t must bec ome the lea der of the n ew
tribe, proc la imin g himself the Ra t K in g. T he n ew ruler c a n n ot be
in vested un less he ha s the support of a ll the elders; if they c a n 't
a gree, a few of them might be killed or deposed by riva ls. Ra rely,
the Ra t In c a rn a herself ma y in terven e, blessin g the members of the
c ourt w i th vision s of the Ra t Who WouldBe K in g. When the fin a l
c hoic e is ma de, a Sha dow Seer is summon ed to perform the Rite
of In vestiture. O nc e a forma l tribe ha s foun d its Ra t K in g, n o on e
c a n c ha llen ge his a uthority. T he on ly w a y to depose suc h a ruler
is to kill him a n d c on spire to ta ke his pla c e.
T ribes
T he Ra tki n 's use of the w ord"tribe" c a uses some c on fusion
in dea lin gs w i th Ga rou from ti me to ti me, sin c e they trea t thei r
tribes di fferen tly. A n U kten a w erew olf might live a n yw here in
the w orld, but a Ra tki n tribe sta ys to defen d on e n est, c ome hell
or high w a ter. T he i den ti ty of a Ra tki n tri be is sha ped by the
very site it is pledged to protec t. In fa c t, huge n ests a re usua lly
i den ti fi ed by the n a me of the tribe tha t lives there, w hether
tha t's the Blossomin g Flow er T ribe in Mon gkok or the Circ le
K T ribe of T uc son , A rizon a .
Some tribes c hoose a n i den ti fyi n g devic e kn ow n a s T he
Mark to show soli da ri ty. In most c a ses, though, a Ra tkin 's
a b i li ty to remember the n a mes of a ll his kin ma ke this redun -
da n t. Ra tki n w ho w ish to joi n a tri be tempora ri ly ma y do so, but
a re a lw a ys required to w ea r the Ma rk w hen visitin g the loc a l
elders. Whether this is a sigil of sc a r tissue sla shed in to flesh, a
type of ston e w orn a roun d the n ec k, or a n umb er ea r-ta g
selec ted by a hi gh-ra n ki n g En gin eer, the Ma rk c hosen a lw a ys
reflec ts the c ha ra c ter of the loc a l tribe.
T he 0(at King
A fter i n v esti ture, a Ra t K i n g or Queen ma y c hoose his or
her ow n title a n d the required forma l mode of a ddress. If the
hi gh-ra n ki n g Ra tki n of the loc a l c ourt c a n n ot a gree how a
problem should be resolved, the Ra t K in g ma kes a proc la ma -
tion of how the loc al Ra tkin w ill solve it. If his solution is
un popula r, his en emies ma y a ttempt to c on spire a ga in st hi m, or
even ki ll him. If this is too di ffi c ult, they ma y ma ke a c on tra c t
w i th a loc a l K n i fe-Skulker to do it for them.
T hrough tra di ti on , Ra t K in gs hold periodic fea sts to a d-
dress the n eeds of the popula c e, c on ven in g the tri b a l c ourt.
First, T un n el Run n ers ga ther to a ddress thei r sovereign , a fter
ta kin g a few sc a mperin g c irc uits of the kin g's c ha mber. T hey
report on da n gers surroun din g the n est. T hen , the eldest
w erera ts, in order of ra n k, a pproa c h the Ra t K in g w i th thei r
gravest c on c ern s. Low er-ra n kin g Ra tkin a re also presen t, but a t
kept a t a grea ter dista n c e from the ruler. O n c e thei r c on c ern s
a re a ddressed a n d their stories a re told, the c ommon ra ts ma y
a ppea l to the ruler for justic e. A n y he c a n n ot a ddress by the en d
of the fea st a re referred to the loc a l K n ife-Skulkers.
T riba l c ourt is a perversion of feuda l a n d c hiva lrous idea s.
For some, it is a methodof keepin g c i v i li ty in a w orldgon e ma d.
For others, it's a n ego tri p for on e ra t a n d a pa in in the a ss to
everyon e else. Ra t pa c ks ma y spen d the rest of thei r da ys
supporti n g a sa ga c ious sovereign , or they ma y get sic k of a ll the
pomp a n d c irc umsta n c e, c ra shin g a t low c ourts w hen ever
possible. In some n ests, the kin g or queen is li ttle more tha n a
figurehea d; in others, he or she is a tyr a n t of the w orst sort.
Rega rdless of gen der, the loc a l ruler a lw a ys c hooses the K in folk
w ho w i ll bea r his (or her ) legion s of c hildren . T he ruler c a n be
of a n y a spec t, a n d ma y c on tin ue to hold a position a s a Ra t
Mother, Sc out, Gen era l or even Frea k a fter in vestiture.
Ra t K in gs hold their titles for li fe. T he on ly w a y to depose
a Ra t K in g is to ki ll him. A n y w ho fa i l to depose him w i ll be
exiled, c rippled, killedor even ea ten , depen din g on how muc h
the ruler ha tes hi m. If the a ttempt suc c eeds, the c on spira tor w ho
ma stermin ded his a ssa ssin a tion is the obvious c hoic e for his
repla c emen t; sometimes a Pa c t of V en gea n c e w ill c on firm w ho
this is. A n y w ho disa grees stron gly w ith this tra dition ma y lea ve
the n est... a n d sta rt up a n other on e n ea rby, esta blishin g c ra sh
spa c e a n d buildin g it up to a n other in festa tion . In some pa rts of
the w orld, it is tra dition a l for the c olon y to then dec la re w a r on
their riva ls, a skirmish tha t c a n on ly rea lly en dw hen on e of the
Ra t K in gs dies, a n d a n other rises to ta ke his pla c e a ll over a ga in .
W ererat Htoots arto (Revelry
A lthough most a re distrustful loners, rea dy to bolt w hen ever
peril grow s too grea t, ra ts oc c a sion a lly ha ve reason s for a ssemblin g
in sec ret. Ra tkin moots a re festiva ls of pa ra n oia . Werera ts kn ow
tha t ga therin g together ma n y of their kin din on e pla c e is da n ger-
ous; a fter a ll, tha t w a s pa rt of how they w ere a lmost extermin a ted
durin g the Impergium. Esteemedmembers of on e aspec t or c olon y
ma y furtively a ssembly to briefly exc ha n ge in forma tion , but n ever
w ithout a bolthole n ea rby. Ga therin gs in volvin g more tha n on e
aspec t or c olon y degen era te in to frea kshow s.
A Gra n d Moot of Ra tkin typic a lly in volves severa l c ells of
Ra tkin , limitin g the n umber of w erera ts ga theredin a n y on e pla c e.
T un n el Run n ers serve a s messengers betw een c ells, dissemin a ted
in forma tion in a va st ga me of telephon e ta g. Were it n ot for the
Run n ers' exc ellent BloodMemory, misin forma tion w ouldrun riot
through these moots like Zyklon B in a c ommuter tra in .
Ra tki n in espec ia lly la rge c ities a lso hold a spec ts moots,
providin g the opportun ity for w erera ts w ith simila r oc c upa-
K
Ratkin
ti on s to sha re in forma tion a n d test their a bilities. Ma n y prefer
n ot to a tten d, sin c e the idea of ga theri n g a ll the Wa rriors or
En gin eers in on e pla c e c ould be dea dly! T hose w ho do a tten d
often c ome a w a y w i th a better un dersta n din g of their pla c e in
the Ra t In c a rn a 's ma ster pla n s for the w orld. Every a spec t
ha n dles these oc c a sion s di fferen tly.
(Revels
V iolen t a n d a n a rc histic ra t pa c ks sometimes hold their
ow n di sti n c ti v e moots, kn ow n a s Wa r Revels. O ften the goa l of
these ga therin gs is to get a n a rmy of roden ts rea dy for a ma jor
un derta ki n g for the good of the c olon y. T his usua lly in volves
drivin g the ra ge of everyon e presen t to a fever pitc h. T he
pa rti c i pa n ts begin by la un c hin g in to ri tua l c omba t, la shin g a t
ea c h other w i th n on -letha l w ea pon s. Everyon e presen t turn s
on ea c h other for a brief w hile, fightin g bitterly over trivia l
ma tters un ti l the sw a rm is full of fur y.
T w itc hers a re dra w n to suc h oc c asions like mic e to c heese. In
a ddition to gettin g off on the ra w en ergy of suc h even ts, they also
petition loc al ra t pa c ks to let them join right before a ma jor skirmish.
If more tha n on e T w itc her is presen t, they'll bra g a bout everythin g
they've don e sinc e the last Revel; rec ognition for these ac c omplish-
men ts is the prima ry w a y for these Frea ks to ga in Ren ow n .
T w itc hers like to host their ow n pri va te Revels a s w ell; these
a re more like a n a rc histic pa rties tha n w a r c ounc ils. First, the
little roden t terrorist w ill dispa tc hRa t-spirits to in vite the most
da n gerous ra ts in the rea lm. By tra di ti on , a T w itc her Revel n eeds
a t lea st 1 3 a tten dees. O n the eve of the festivities, the host
ga thers a ll the c ha otic en ergy he c a n in to his c hosen isola ted
a rea , w hether tha t's a w a rehouse, a n a ba n don ed lot, or even a
pa tc h of w ildern ess. By settin g off a n explosion , sta rtin g a
c on fla gra tion , c ra n kin g up ra uc ous music , or lea din g ra ts in a
ma dden in g, c a perin g da n c e, everyon e presen t tries to in fuse the
a rea w i th ra w en ergy. O n c e c ha os reign s, a n y full-blooded Ra tki n
presen t feels the need to bra g a bout their vic tories over order.
Ren ow n is then a w a rded to the best stories of the even in g.
and
For the Ra tkin , breedin g isn 't a mere diversion it's a
sa c red duty. Ra tkin don 't just a ma ss O bliga tion a n d In fa my for
the sa ke of impressin g just a n yon e; the most esteemed w erera ts
a ttra c t the most-fa vored breedin g pa rtn ers. A n yon e c a n go sha g
some un suspec tin g ra t dow n by the w ha rf (or a despera te huma n ,
for tha t ma tter), but Ra tkin fema les ha ve the right to refuse or
rejec t a w ould-be suitor ba sed on his c on tribution s to his ra c e.
Sinc e w erera ts a re perfec tly c a pa ble of rememberin g the n a mes
of a ll their K in folk, a n y proudpa ren t ta kes pride in the ac c om-
plishmen ts of his c hildren , n o ma tter how ma n y there ma y be.
U n fortun a tely, this "n eedto breed" is proselytizedto a n y ra t
w ho approac hes a n est, w hether male or fema le. Female Ra tkin
w ho ta ke off in to the w orlda re the sorts w ho w a n t more from life
tha n la rge litters of c hildren . T hey usua lly ri tua lly sc a r or ta ttoo
themselves to show tha t they a re n ot a va ila ble a s breedin g
pa rtn ers. T his mea n s tha t they'll get trea tedw i th disda in by the
loc a l Ra t Mothers, but it's better tha n a ba n don in g your life a n d
surroun din g yourself w i th squea lin g ra tlin gs un ti l you die.
Werera ts c a n repopula te their ra c e fa ster tha n a n y other
Cha n gin g Breed on the pla n et. Wi th other sha pec ha n gers, a
K i n folk w ho bea rs a 'Cha n ger's offspri n g on ly ha s a bout a 1 0%
c ha n c e of c rea tin g a full-blooded w erebea st. Con sider this,
how ever: O rdin a ry ra ts c a n a lso breed over a hun dred little
ra tlin gs a yea r. U n less some forc e a c ts to c oun tera c t this
popula ti on explosion , ga therin g a sw a rm of w erera ts ma y on ly
ta ke a few yea rs.
/- O n the other ha n d, a Ra tki n K i n folk must survi ve the
Birthin g Pla gue to rec la im his lega c y. N i n e out of ten w ill die
horribly. In a ddi ti on , privileged elders ha v e n o qua lms a bout
lettin g lesser c a stes ki ll ea c h other off, die seekin g f or tun e in the
supern a tura l w orld, or perishin g in a poin tless a ssa ult a ga in st
impla c a ble en emies. Ra tki n popula tion s surge a n d suffer, de-
pen din g upon a ll of these fa c tors.
U rban Kingdoms
Ra tki n a re the most urba n e of a ll sha peshifters, a n d by fa r
the most a da pta ble. Sa ve for Bon e Gn a w ers a n dGla ss Wa lkers,
most Ga rou shun c ities. T hus, the Ra tki n popula ti on in a ma jor
c ity often ea sily outn umbers the Ga rou popula tion . T he w erera ts
a re a lmost fa n a ti c a lly c on c ern ed w i th the threa t huma n s pose
to the w orld, a n dprefer to w a tc h them in thei r n a ti v e ha bita t.
A s soon a s a Ra t K i n g a ssumes c on trol of a c olon y, he w i ll sta rt
to defin e the boun da ries of his doma in , sen din g out T un n el
Run n ers to ma rk the li mi ts of it w i th c ryptic sigils. T hey w i ll
then w a tc h over this terri tory, reporti n g on a n yon e w ho pa sses
though. Wherever on e Ra tkin ma kes his home, a hun dred
ordi n a ry ra ts ma y breedn ea rby; thus, a few w ords a re n ec essa ry
rega rdin g thei r urba n doma in s.
Huma n s a n dra ts often c ompete for the same territory. In
the la rgest c ities, the popula tion of ra ts often exc eeds the
popula tion of huma n s, a n d fa r exc eeds the popula ti on of
Ra tki n . Ra ts a n dRa tki n a li ke a re n otoriously c ommon in a rea s
tha t ha ve poor sa n ita tion or ea sy a c c ess to food. Sometimes tha t
food is just ga rba ge, but w hen the ra ts c a n ac c ess a n ythin g
b etter, the results c a n be c a ta strophic . A ra t does n ot ea t a s
muc h a s a ma n does, but c a n ea sily spoil a n equa l portion of food
by lea vin g deposits of its urin e a n d fec es.
Just a s huma n s build up va st tra n sporta tion systems for
tra velin g a roun dma jor c ities, so do ra ts. Sew er tun n els serve a s
urb a n superhighw a ys to roden ts, a llow in g them to tra v el from
on e sec tion of a c i ty to a n other un di sturbed. T hough urb a n
legends (a n d rolepla yin g ga mes) suggest otherw ise, ma n y sew er
tun n els a re li ttle more tha n va st n etw orks of n a rrow pi pes, n ot
ma ssive "dun geon c orridors." T ha t ma kes them just the right
size for a roden t w ho w a n ts to tra vel un n otic ed. When tun n els
a re flooded, ra ts c a n still sw im. A s n oted elsew here, a n y
open in g a t lea st the size of a qua rter a ffords a mea n s of egress.
Just for the rec ord, ra ts ha ve been kn ow n to c ra w l up in to homes
through dra in s, ba thtubs a n d even toilets.
When the n umber of ra ts exc eeds the n umber of huma n s in
the same territory, this c a n lea d to epic struggles for c on trol over
the sa me buildin gs a n dresourc es. Sometimes Ra tkin feel the same
c on trol urges over a piec e of property in a la rge c ity. When this
ha ppen s, the w erera ts ha ve a va riety of stra tegies for drivin g
huma n s out. Sabotage, va n da lism a n dtheft a re c ommon methods;
t
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 43
c a llin g a sw a rm is usua lly a la st resort, a s it ten ds to kill off va st
n umbers of in n oc en t ra ts. N on etheless, Ra tkin a re sometimes
c alledupon by their "god" to sec ure a hea vily popula teda rea by a n y
mea n s n ec essary; suc h religious zea l often results in bloodshed.
(Rural Kingdoms
Most of the houses are deserted and falling into ruin and... the
broken-steepkd church now harbors the one slovenly mercantile
establishment in the hamlet.... It is hard to prevent the impression of
a faint, malign odour about the village street, as of the massed mould
and decay of centuries.
"T he Dun w ic h Horror," H.P. Lovec ra ft
N ot a ll ra ts live in c ities, of c ourse; they a re a mon g the
most a da pta ble a n ima ls in the w orld. T hey c a n live in a lmost
a n y c lima te, sa ve for the A rc ti c w a stes. Like them, Ra tki n ha ve
foun d hidin g pla c es throughout the globe, a n d kept ma n y of
suc h sec ret for c en turi es. Even c ity Ra tki n ha ve been surprised
to fi n d lon g-forgotten brethren in the most Goddess-forsa ken
pla c es on the pla n et. T here a re rea son s for suc h prolon ged
isola tion . U rb a n w erera ts, for in sta n c e, look dow n their sn outs
a t their rura l rela ti on s, rega rdin g the "c oun try mic e" a s c ow -
a rds. N on etheless, w hile a c ity ra t ma y ha ve a b etter v i ew of
huma n c i vi li za ti on , a c oun try ra t ha s a better c ha n c e of surviv-
in g w hen a ll hell brea ks loose in the c ities of ma n kin d.
T he rules of supern a tura l soc iety a re often disc a rded in
rura l kin gdoms, lea din g to stra n ge muta ti on s of "a c c epta ble"
c on duc t. Cut off from the rest of their ra c e, rura l elders feel free
to devise thei r ow n soc ia l mores. For the sa ke of survi va l, bon ds
betw een ra c es a re ea sier to form in suc h pla c es, though they're
just a s tempora ry a s pa c ts ma de a n yw here else. Wha t holds for
on e group of ra ts might be c ompletely un rea listic for a n other,
espec ia lly sin c e every c lima te zon e in the w orld ha s a few
un i que spec ies of ra ts seen n ow here else.
T he w erew olves a re on ly just begin n in g to suspec t how
thoroughly the Ra tkin ra c e ha s in fested the pla n et. O n c e you
kn ow how to look for them, it seems like the Ra tkin a re
everywhere. Bon e Gn a w er Ga llia rds tell mythic a l stories of w erera ts
w ho shun the ma dn ess a n dc orruption of the c ities, formin g rura l
c la n s of shoc kin g bruta lity, yet rura l Ra t K in gdoms a re typic a lly
muc h sma ller tha n the empires of c ity-folk. Wa n der a w a y from
your sa fe little home, a n d w e'll show you w ha t w e mea n .
Sw a mp Ra ts: In the sw a mps, Ra tki n pa c ks a re ex-
tremely mob i le, a lw a ys tryin g to sta y on e step a hea d of the
huma n s w ho in va de thei r doma in . A Sha dow Seer w ill typi -
c a lly try to form a bon dof some sort w i th a n y loc a l Mokole tha t
just might be presen t (w hic h is un li kely), offeri n g tri b ute to the
n ea rest Liza rd K i n g in exc ha n ge for help. If this doesn 't w ork,
loc a l w erera ts live up to thei r reputa ti on a s "egg-stea lin g
ma mma ls," ri ppi n g off this pow erful ri va l. Some sw a mp tribes
mea sure their sta tus by the a bility to fi n d the la rgest a n d most
exotic eggs in the a rea . (O f c ourse, this is a good w a y to doom
a n en tire tri be there's n othin g Mokole ha te w orse tha n a
threa t to thei r c hildren , a n deven on e c a n often outfi ght even
a la rge pa c k.) Sw a mp ra ts, i n c i den ta lly, c a n sw im ra ther w ell.
T hey c a n even holdthei r brea th, if a bsolutely n ec essa ry. A few
pra c tic e a roden t version of the Ga rou Gift: Spirit of the Fish.
Desert Ra ts: Huma n s a re reluc ta n t to i n ha b i t the
desola te deserts of the w orld, un less they ha ve the resourc es to
buildgrea t c ities there. Desert ra ts don 't n eedto ga ther in suc h
n umbers, in stea d formi n g sma ll n oma dic fa mi li es tha t tra v el
the w a stela n ds of the w orld. Ma n y ta ke other types of roden ts
for K i n folk, i n tegra ti n g some of the tra i ts of ka n ga roo ra ts in to
their gen etic stoc k. A few ra re Bedouin K i n folk ha ve helped
the desert ra ts settle throughout the Mi ddle Ea st. Desert tribes
ha ve a da ptedma n y of their tra di ti on s from other loc a l n oma ds.
In N orth A meric a , desert ra ts a re outra ged a t the n umb er
of huma n settlemen ts destroyin g the la n d. T he desert isn 't
rea lly desola te, a fter a ll; it just teems w i th life most huma n s
don 't rec ogn ize. In respon se, desert pa c ks often tur n to
mon keyw ren c hin g to defen d thei r doma in . T hese types of
roden ts a re a lso c ommon in N orthern A fri c a , w here they
c ommon ly a c t a s tra ders, spies a n d, if n ec essa ry, a ssa ssin s to
those w ho c a n meet their pric e.
Moun ta in Ra ts: Bon e Gn a w ers a n dRa tki n ha ve been
kn ow n to w ork together c losely in the most moun ta in ous region s
of the w orld. U n fortun a tely, Gn a w ers w ho c on sort w i thw erera ts
ten dto develop a n a lmost fa n a tic ha tredof huma n s, sometimes
furtherin g the goa ls of the Ma n -Ea ters, a reviledc a mp of w erew olf
c a n n iba ls. In terspec ies in breedin g is n ot un c ommon in moun -
ta in retrea ts, c ombin in g w erew olf a n d w erera t blood w i th a n
oc c asion al da sh of Bla c k Spira l ta in t. Suc h isola tedsettlemen ts
don 't bec ome truly violen t, how ever, un til a Sha dow Seer c a n a c t
a s a messia h to set them a ga in st the n ea rest huma n tow n or
villa ge. A t tha t poin t, Wea ver bew a re...
Ghost Rats: T hough ghost tow n s a re n ot a s c ommon a s
they on c e w ere, some rura l Ra tkin a re dra w n to pla c es w here
huma n settlemen ts ha ve fa iled. Pla gue Lords ten d to rule these
c olon ies, oc c a sion a lly bon din g w ith a few loc al w ra iths. Ra t-spirits
thrive in this en viron men t, a ddin g to the c ha os tha t breeds there.
Restless Deadw ho ha ve lost touc h w ith everythin g tha t ma ttered
to them in life ma y sympa thize w i th exiledw erera ts.
Jnfesting the (Physical
O verpopula tion is on e of the biggest problems of the
World of Da rkn ess. Even the Ra tki n themselves ha ve on ly a
va gue c on c eption of how exten sive the physic a l kin gdoms of
the w erera ts rea lly a re. T he ma tria rc hs a n d pa tri a rc hs of the
la rgest Ra tki n pla gues ha ve on ly just begun to suspec t how
thoroughly their brothers a n d sisters ha ve in fested the w orld.
Curious ra t pa c ks c on tin ue to sen d emissa ries to the lea ders of
these va st ra t fa mi li es, dema n din g to kn ow more. Some a ddress
these rulers a s Ra t Lords; others spea k of Emperors, Gra n dmeres,
a n d other stra n ge gua rdi a n s of a uthori ty.
A li feti me of exposure to Ra t's Ma dn ess ha s dri ven ma n y
of these elders to the very brin k of sa n i ty, but it ha s a lso given
them revela tion s to help them guide legion s of w erera ts to the
possibilities of a da rk n ew a ge. Suffic e it to sa y tha t if the Ra tki n
a re goin g to survive the Fi n a l Da ys, they must keep their true
n umbers hi dden ... un ti l the time c omes for Ra t's Wa rriors to
overw helm their en emies duri n g the A poc a lypse. In the mea n -
time, most Ra tki n a re on ly a w a re of the simplest fa c ts a bout the
n in e la rgest pla gues of w erera ts on the pla n et.
I
Ratkin
Asia and Jndonesia
Ra tkin : A s deta iled in Ra ge A c ross Russia , for the pa st
few yea rs, most of A sia ha s been surroun ded by a Sha dow
Curta i n stron g en ough to keep out most sha pec ha n gers. U n f or -
tun a tely, it w a sn 't w holly effec ti v e a ga in st the Ra tki n . T un n el
Run n ers thoroughly riddled the Ga un tlet w i th Boltholes, a n d
in la te 1 998 the Curta i n c a me c ra shin g dow n . N eedless to sa y,
the loc a l Ra tki n w ere v ery a la rmed, but immedia tely sta rted
ta kin g c redit for the c ollapse.
T housa n ds of w erera ts ha ve been rec ruited in to the tw o
la rgest fa mi li es in this pa rt of the w orld. T he most in sidious
pla gue in Southeast A sia is a c en tury-oldc rimin a l empire ledby
the ven era ble Gia n t Ra t of Suma tra . From a temple in In don e-
sia , he ma i n ta i n s a dyn a sty tha t ha s been kept for c en turies. His
fa mily title ha s been passed dow n from pa ren t to ra tlin g for
gen era tion s, ever sin c e the pla gue's foun der bega n his lega c y of
c rime duri n g the V ic toria n a ge. T he Suma tra n Emperor's most
a rden t servitors a re desc en ded from a sma ll c ult of w erera ts
origin a lly from N orthern In dia . For over a c en tury, they ha ve
been kn ow n a s the T huggee. A n y Ra tki n In fec ted in A sia w i ll
be w elc omeda s a member of this c ri mi n a l empi re... a n dreviled
if he does n ot dedic a te his life to fulfi lli n g the Emperor's w hims.
Fa r to the n orth, roa min g the forb i ddi n g steppes a n dta iga
from Mon golia to Siberia , n oma dic Ra tki n in ha bit the w i lder-
n ess. T he n umerous supporters of the Horde a ssemble ea c h
mon th to sha re i n forma ti on on the supern a tura l a c ti v i ty tha t
surroun ds them, pa rti c ula rly sin c e the fa ll of the Ha g a n d her
Curta in . N ot a ll Russia n Ra tkin like to assoc iate w ith this vile
ba n d, but the Horde c a n c a ll on a n y on e of them to ga ther
i n forma ti on on degen era te Silver Fa n gs, a n c ien t bloodsuc kers
or pow er-hun gry ma ges. A ll devout members of this pla gue a re
tra i n ed in the w a ys of w a r , a n d a ll supporters of the Horde a re
required to c r a ft Pa in Da ggers, rega rdless of their a spec t.
Mun da n e Ra ts: A sia w a s the origin a l home of the tw o
most c ommon ra t breeds in the w orld, the bla c k ra t a n dbrow n
ra t. Sin c e Europea n explorers fi rst ma de c on ta c t w i th the Ea st,
b oth va ri eti es ha ve been smugglin g themselves on to ships a n d
sprea din g throughout the w orld. T he va st ma jor i ty of Ra tki n
a re desc en ded from the brow n ra t, or Ra ttus n orvegic us. O n ly
the Pla gue Lords w ould da re a dmi t to their bla c k ra t a n c estry.
iurope
Ra tkin : Werera ts from the O ld Coun try ha ve developed
a n a ddic tion to i n tri gue a n d mystery. T he Europe pla gue is
ruled by the "Grea t-Gra n dmere" of Europe, Ma da me DeFa rge.
She rec eives c on sta n t upda tes on sign s of the A poc a lypse w hile
hidin g the sew ers of Pa ris. Her c ourt ma in ta in s ma n y of the
tra ppi n gs of the Fren c h Revolution , c omplete w ith a t lea st on e
homema de guillotin e. Ma da me's spies a re everyw here. Her
most devotedfollow ers a re street c hildren , a n dthus, she refers
to her v i rtua lly mob -ruled pla gue a s the Ga min e.
Mun da n e Ra ts: Huma n s estima te tha t the bla c k ra t first
a ppea redin Europe in the sixth c en tury, a lthough w ritten rec ords
don 't men tion them un ti l the 1 2 th. By the ea rly 1 3 00's, their
desc en da n ts sprea dthe Bla c k Pla gue throughout Europe, a idedby
the mysterious Pla gue Lords. T he brow n ra t first c a me to Europe
a roun d 1 553 a n deven tua lly drove out the bla c k ra ts en tirely.
Q ar Last
Ra tkin : T he N ezumi a re a ra c e of A sia n sha peshifters (or
hengeyokai) w ho ha ve rema in ed isolated from the rest of the
w orld... un ti l n ow . Ea stern Ra tkin pride themselves on the a rts of
Low Wa r, a methodusedby w a rriors w hen the hon ora ble ta c tic s
of High Wa r fa i l. Ishira N ezumi is the c urren t ma tria rc hof the c la n ;
she rules from a feuda l c a stle in Hokka ido. T he w a ik of Ha kken
Ga rou in the despa ir of Ha ra n o ha ve bec ome a c a ll to ba ttle for her
troops. [T here's plen ty of in forma tion on these n a sty fellow s a n d
the c on text of their soc iety in the Hen geyoka i sourc ebook.]
Horth America
Ra tkin : Huma n s estima te tha t the brow n ra t first c a me to
N orth A meri c a in 1 7 7 5 ; tha t revolution a ry spi ri t ha s lived on
ever sin c e. Ra tki n from this pa rt of the w orlda re often the most
vi olen t, dera n ged a n dda n gerous. T he A meri c a n pla gue ha s n o
ma tri a rc h. In stea d, ma n y w erera ts from this pa rt of the w orld
holdto hereti c a l beli efs of a grea t "Ra t God" w ho w ill lea dthem
to vic tory in the A poc a lypse. T hough most N orth A meric a n
Ra tki n a voi d the members of this exten sive "fa mily," a n y
w erera t w ho refers to the Ra t T otem a s "He" proba bly sub-
sc ribes to this da n gerous philosophy. T he most fa n a ti c pa tri ots
ha lf-joki n gly refer to themselves a s the Ra t Ra c e; outsiders a re
n ot a mused by thei r gen oc ida l a tti tudes tow a rds huma n i ty.
Mun da n e Ra ts: T he bla c k ra t w a s origin a lly the most
c ommon ra t in N orth A meric a . T his v a r i ety of roden t is still
w ell-kn ow n for sprea din g bubon ic pla gue, typhus, va ri eti es of
food poison in g a n d other disea ses. Wi thi n a sc a n t c en tury,
how ever, the A meric a n bla c k ra t w a s a lmost dri ven from the
c on tin en t by the more a ggressive brow n ra t.
O n a di fferen t n ote, N orth A meric a is a lso home to
a n other legen da ry v a ri ety of roden t: the bushy-ta iledw oodra t.
T he w oodra t is a lso kn ow n a s the "pa c k ra t" bec a use of its ha bi t
of c a rryin g off shin y objec ts or other items tha t strike its mood.
Sometimes, the w oodra t is c a lled the "tra der ra t" bec a use of a
ra ther folksy bit of lore: the roden t w i ll a llegedly lea ve some-
thin g behin d w hen he sees somethin g else he rea lly w a n ts.
South America
Supern a tura l Ra tkin : Ra tki n "south of the border" a re
dra w n to the most horri fi c slums the T hirdWorldha s to offer.
Werera ts often i n fi ltra te the most overpopula ted sec tion s of
c ities in this pa rt of the w orld. A s lon g a s sta rva ti on a n dpoverty
a re preva len t a mon g the disen fra n c hised, the Ra tki n a re doin g
their job s right. Ma n y Ra tki n K in folk c a rry a c urse in their
vein s, on e tha t often resign s them to lives of poverty on the
frin ges of soc iety. T he la rgest pla gue of Ra tki n there, the
Borra c hon w erera ts revel a midst the sufferi n g. A few sympa -
thize w i th the outc a sts of huma n soc iety; most exploit them
w i th effi c i en c y tha t shoc ks c ultured ra ts from other loc a les.
O ther Ra tki n refer to the Borra c hon w erera ts a s "drun ken ra ts,"
la rgely bec a use of a loc a l ri te tha t in volves poison ed liquor a n d
the tw itc hin g delirium tremens tha t it in flic ts.
Mun da n e Ra ts: Cen tra l a n dSouth A meric a a re home to
the spin y ra t, a c ritter tha t uses its short, spin y bristles of ha ir to
disc ourage predators. Spin y ra ts typic a lly ma ke their nests n ea r
46 Ratkin
boulders, stumps or roots. O n e c urious breedof Ra tkin here is the
South A meric a n metis, w hose bristles a re often sha rp en ough to
c a use da ma ge to a n y w ho a tta c k it. Ma n y metis w erera ts born in
South A meric a quic kly lea rn the Gi ft: Spirit of the Spin y Ra t.
Africa
Ra tkin : Revolution , fa min e a n dpestilen c e bri n g prosper-
ity to the Ra tki n of A fri c a . T he c urren t pa tria rc h is a Pla gue
Lordw ho rules from a system of U mb r a l tun n els un dern ea th the
sa va n n a of Za ire. A s is c ommon a mon g the most pow erful of his
kin d, he ha s in c orpora ted the n a me of a debilita tin g disea se
in to his epithet, egotistic a lly c la i mi n g himself Lord Ebola .
U n fortun a tely, the ghosts of those sla in by his disea se ha ve
begun to sta lk the c orridors of his pa la c e.
Bec a use of this Pla gue Lord's a c c omplishmen ts, members
of his Frea k a spec t do n ot the suffer soc ia l stigma s they w ould
en dure in other pa rts of the w orld. In fa c t, en ough pla gue ra ts
ha ve begun to return from the U mbra to c rea te a fa mi ly
dyn a sty. Most believe tha t thei r va ria n ts of the Birthin g Pla gue
w ill c orrupt en ough K in folk to c rea te a n ew rac e of roden tia .
T heir pla gue n a me c omes from the proposedsc ien tific n a me of
this mythi c a l n ew c rea ture: Rattus typhus.
Mun da n e Ra ts: T he most un usua l breedof ra t from this
pa r t of the w orld, the i n fa mous A fri c a n gia n t r a t, mea sures
betw een tw o or three feet in len gth. It ma kes its n ests in tropic a l
ra in forests. Sinc e "gia n t A fric a n Ra tkin " ha ve bredw ith ma n y
other va ri eti es of w erera ts throughout the w orld, they ha ve
in c rea sed the overa ll size of Ra t K i n folk a mon g their spa w n .
Kite High Seas
Ra tkin : O ver six-ten ths of the Ea rth's surfa c e is c overedw i th
w a ter, a n da t a n y given time, thousa n ds of oc ea n goin g vessels ride
the w a ves. T he oldest ones a re in fested w ith va st c olon ies of ra ts
w ho live off goods c a rried a c ross the seas. A s on e w ould expec t,
ma n y of the w erera ts w ho live a mon g them sha re a stra n ge kin ship,
preferrin g the freedom of tra vel on the w orld's oc eans to a n y other
w a y of life. A n y ship c a n be in festedw i th Ra tkin , a n dmost of them
pa y tribute to a ra t pla gue kn ow n a s the Ron in .
A ll members of this pla gue a re outc a sts from the rest of Ra tkin
soc iety. T hey ha ve n o system of Ren ow n in ga me terms, a ll of
them a re Ra n k O n e Ra tkin . T he an c estors of this pla gue w ere
origin a lly a pa c k of 48 N ezumi. Cen turies ago, they c ommitted a n
un spea ka ble c rime tha t resultedin their exile. Ra tkin Ron in despise
the rest of their ra c e, a n d a n y w erera t w ho tra vels by ship ma y very
w ell fin d himself c on fron ted by a pa c k of a n gry "w ave rats."
Ixi'fc d (ftatkin of Antarctica
Ra tkin : A n ta rc tic a , of c ourse, is on e of the few pla c es on
Ea rth tha t ra ts do n ot frequen t. N on etheless, the so-c alled
"A rc a dia n Ra tki n " ha ve c la imed on e of the most in hospita ble
rea lms on the pla n et a s thei r ow n . How a rd Phillip Ga llomo, a
delusion a l w ould-be ba rd, rules over a n U mbra l c ity in the ic e.
Mun c hma usen un derta ke a t lea st on e quest in their li feti me to
deliver a n "ulti ma te legen d" in his hon or. Ma n y of his desc en -
da n ts tra c e their a n c estry ba c k to the De La Poers, a c ursedN ew
En gla n d f a mi ly pron e to outbrea ks of in sa n ity.
the W ays o{ Spirit
Sha pec ha n gers a re c rea tures of tw o w orlds: spirit a n dflesh.
K eepin g a ba la n c e betw een sympa thy for the spi ri tua l w orld
a n d a n un dersta n din g for the physic a l w orld is a n a rduous ta sk,
a n d spen din g too muc h time in either dimen sion c a n be
perilous. T w o of Ga ia 's c hildren the w erew olves a n d the
w erera ts serve a s exc ellen t exa mples of this c on c ept. T he
Ga rou ha ve bec ome overly c on c ern ed w i th the w a ys of flesh,
w hile the Ra tki n ha ve been forc ed to extremes by prolon ged
isola tion in the spirit w orld.
If a sha pec ha n ger fa ils to ma in ta in regula r c on ta c t w i th
the U mb ra , his hea rt ha rden s, a n dthe ra ge of the physi c a l w orld
c on sumes him. Werew olves, for in sta n c e, a re fin din g it in c rea s-
in gly di ffi c ult to ma i n ta i n regula r c on ta c t w i th the spi ri t w orld.
Crossin g the Ga un tlet betw een this w orlda n d the U mb ra is fa r
more perilous tha n it onc e w a s. A s suc h, the Ga rou a re
in c rea sin gly bec omin g c rea tures of flesh, c on sumedby ra ge a n d
the pa in of a dyi n g w orld.
If a shapec hanger spends too muc h time in the U mbra , he
loses a ll un dersta n din g of the w a ys of flesh, a n d bec omes a n
ephemera l spirit. Werera ts ha ve hidden legion s of their brethren
in the spirit w orld. T he Middle U mbra is in fested w ith spirit
tun n els tha t on ly the Ra tkin c a n ac c ess. Lost breedin g groun ds a re
oc c ultedin the fa rthest depths of the Deep U mbra , w here gen era -
tion s of spirits pass on a n c ien t sec rets. T oo muc h time in the spirit
w orldw ill typic a lly drive a Ra tkin in sa n e. A s a result, the U mbra 's
nooks a n d c ra n n ies a re n ow flooded w i th w erera t vision a ries.
Sinc e the da ys of the Wa r of Ra ge, ma n y desc endants of the
origin a l Ra tkin ha ve fled in to the furthest depths of the U mbra .
Bec omin g ephemera l c rea tures of pure spirit, they ha ve lost touc h
w ith the w orld they left behin d. If the Ga rou w a n ted to ta ke
respon sibility for the fa te of ma n kin d, they reason ed, they w ere
w elc ome to i tn on e of the other sha pec ha n gers c ouldc hallen ge
their tyra n n ic a l supremac y. Nonetheless, even Deep U mbra l Ra tkin
believe tha t one da y, the w erew olves w ill lea rn the error of the w a ys.
U nearthly
U n ea rthly Ra tki n ha ve typic a lly spen t too muc h
time in the spi ri t w orld, a n d a s suc h, a n d ha ve sometime
lost touc hw i th the so-c a lled"logic " of the physic a l w orld.
T he on es w ho c la im to ha il from Pa ra dise Rea lms a re often
exiles; usua lly, the Ra t In c a rn a w on 't show on e of these
lost souls the w a y home un ti l she performs a n epic ta sk for
the goodof her people. U n ea rthly w erera t c ha ra c ters from
the Deep U mbra a re rare; this is pa rt of the rea son they
sta rt out the ga me a t Frea k Fa c tor Five.
"A rc a dia n Ra tkin ," or Mun c hma usen , a re etern a lly
delusion a l, a n dha ve a n a ddic tion for questin g a n da dven -
ture, n o doubt to prove their w orth to the pla gue tha t
a ba n don ed them. U n ea rthly T un n el Run n ers a re some-
times sc outs for lost rea lms deep in the U mb ra , or w a n der-
ers w ho c a n n ot return un ti l they ga ther eviden c e of
A poc a lyptic prophec ies c omin g true. A s a lien s lost in a
dyi n g w orld, the U n ea rthly a re a mon g the most c ryptic
a n d un usua l w erera ts on the pla n et.
t
Chapter T wo: I nfesting the W orld 47
T ha t da y ha s c ome. T he w erew olves n ow w a tc h over a
dyin g w orld. From the fri n ges of rea li ty, these di sta n t kin a re
return i n g to the dimen sion they left behin d. T he rea lms of the
Ra tki n a re va st a n dtrea c herous. A n d in the physic a l w orld, the
n i n e ma jor Ra tki n pla gues a re rea dy to offer the lost Children
of Ra t a pla c e in the destin y of thei r ra c e. T heir spa w n ha ve on ly
just begun to quest in the spi ri t w orld for other lost brethren .
Legends c on tin ue of Pa ra dise Rea lms, mythic a l pla c es w here
exiled Ra tki n yea rn to return to the w orld of flesh. Stra n ger
dimen sion s exist beyon d the velvet sha dow , lea din g even the
most experien c ed U mbra l tra velers a stra y. Wa tc h your step;
from here on out, thin gs get a li ttle stra n ge....
(Paradise (Realms
A fair is a veritable
Smorgasbord, borgasbord, orgasbord,
After the day is done...
T empleton , the movie version of Cha rlotte's W eb
T he Ra tki n ha ve a lw a ys ha d legen ds of Pa ra dise, pla c es in
the spirit w orld w here the Drea ms of a T housa n dRa ts c a n be
rea lized. Pa ra dise w a s on c e just a legen d, but the myth ha s
bec ome truth. Deep U mb r a l Ra tki n a re ra rely seen in the
physi c a l w orld, but w hen ra t pa c ks en c oun ter them, they're
ea ger to hea r fa n c i ful ta les of Paradise Rea lms, lost pseudo-
homela n ds tha t exist in drea ms more tha n rea lity.
In isolateddimen sion s of the spirit w orld, Pa ra dise Rea lms a re
breedin g groun ds for a n c ien t pla gues of Ra tkin . Ea c h typic a lly
holds betw een a hun dred a n d a hun dred thousand ra ts, w erera ts,
K in folk a n d Ra t'spirits. T hus, ea c h expresses a livin g drea m of
w ha t "roden t hea ven " is like. N o tw o c on c epts of Pa ra dise a re
exa c tly the sa me, espec ia lly w here roden ts a re c on c ern ed.
T he tun n els lea din g to these rea lms a re trea c herous en ough
tha t on ly a Ra t ha s the pa tien c e to tra vel there. Rea c hin g on e c a n
ta ke yea rs of questin g. Boltholes through the fa rthest rea lms of the
U mbra a re overw helmedw ith the ra w forc e of the Wyld, drivin g
even the c a lmest Shadow Seer in to epic bouts of fera l ra ge a n d
ma dn ess. T hese fa r-flun g dimen sion s a re usua lly so c on sumedby
the Wyld tha t the pa ths lea din g to them a re a lw a ys c han gin g.
A few of the more un usua l Deep U mb ra l pla gues sta un c hly
believe tha t the A poc a lypse w i ll on ly determin e the fa te of Ea rth
itself... a n d if tha t on e pla n et is lost, Ga ia w ill fi n d a home for
them somew here else. U n ti l tha t time, legen ds of a few exotic
Pa ra dise Rea lms ha ve bec ome in c reasin gly c ommon, espec ially
a mon g T un n el Run n ers w ho ha ve ga thered fa r-flun g rumors.
T he Coliseum is a dimen sion of Ba c c ha n a lia n deba uc h-
ery tha t provides limitless in toxic a n ts for its in ha bita n ts. T he
loc a l Ra tki n ferv en tly believe tha t their ra c e shouldta ke c redit
for the fa ll of the Roma n Empire.
In Ca rn iva le, time is frozen a t the momen t before the loc al
c a rn iva l leaves tow n ; it's hea ven for a n a mbitious pa c k of ra ts.
Buboe is a legen da ry medieva l rea lm w here Pla gue Lords
rule w i th a bsolute a uthori ty; they c on sider the Bubon ic Pla gue
to be the pin n a c le of Ra tki n a c hievemen t.
Mun c hma usen spea k highly of the Copse of a T housa n d
T eeth, a forest in the A rc a dia n Ga tew a y c ompletely overrun by
w erera ts a n d their K in .
Some Ra tkin from the Deep U mbra in c lude the n a me of a
lost rea lm in their n a mes. Fa mous exa mples in c lude T yphus of
Buboe; Chitter-T ooth, Cha rioteer of the Coliseum; or John n y
T hree-Pa w s, the Ca rn ey-of-Ca miva le. N ow tha t sign s of the
En d T imes ha ve bec ome more frequen t, w a ves of Ra tkin a re
begin n in g to fin d their w a y ba c k to the T elluria n , like i mmi -
gra n ts from a n exotic la n d. In a n y ma jor c i ty, a ha n dful of Ra tki n
ma y seek their fortun e, prepa rin g for the a rriva l of thousa n ds a n d
thousa n ds of c ousin s, un c les, a un ts, brothers a n d sisters.
(Rat Kingdoms
Mun c hma usen often ha ve ela bora te stories of spi ri t rea lms
tha t defy a ll logic a l expla n a tion . T heir lost rea lms a re often
ima gin a ry, or a t lea st mythi c a l. Roden t storytellers repea t
fa n ta sti c a l stories of these rea lms a ga in a n d a ga in . T he most
c ommon ta le of this type is toldby a n U n ea rthly Ra tkin w ho
ha s lost his kin gdom in the depths of the U mb ra . Sa dly, a few
of these legen ds ha ve a t lea st some ba sis in fa c t.
Ra t K in gdoms a re simila r to Pa ra dise Rea lms, but typic a lly
c rea ted a roun d the demen tia of a sin gle w erera t. T hrough
en ough storytellin g, a n U n ea rthly w erera t c a n a ttempt to ma ke
even the most i ma gi n a ti v e r ea lms b ec ome r ea l. Ma n y
Mun c hma usen quest to rec over these lost rea lms; some w i ll
typic a lly brin g a ra t pa c k a lon g to c on firm its existen c e a n dspea k
it ba c k in to the spirit w orld. A few ha ve ra pturous vision s of their
lost rea lms, or c a n return to their person a l pa ra dises on ly in
drea ms. T he deta ils of these rea lms a lw a ys c orrespon d to the
psyc hologic a l "embellishmen t" of the w erera ts w ho spea k of
them. Whether they a c tua lly exist is a n other ma tter en tirely.
(Rat Alleys
Ra t A lleys a re a rec urren t, a n d da n gerous, spi ri tua l phe-
n omen on U mb ra l tra velers c a n use to thei r ow n a dva n ta ge. A
Ra tki n c a n ga in ac c ess to these spi ri t rea lms through a n y of the
seediest, most da n gerous a lleyw a ys on Ea rth. Pools of ra i n w a ter
a n d less iden tifia ble fluids reflec t the i llumi n a ti on street
la mps a n d n eon lights, providin g the foc us required for a n y
sha pec ha n ger to step sidew a ys. Pa rtic ula rly mystic a l Ra tkin
c a n lea dother supern a tura l c rea tures, or even huma n s, in to the
spirit w orldfor a short w hile. T his provides on e of the dea dliest
tra ps the w erera ts c a n devise.
Ra t A lleys a re a lw a ys foun d a c c iden ta lly; a Storyteller ma y
a sk a c ha ra c ter to roll Gn osis (di ffi c ulty 9!) if there's a c ha n c e of
a n a lley formin g n ea rby. Some mystic s believe tha t a ll ma n ifes-
ta tion s of Ra t A lleys a re c on n ec tedsomehow , a n d tha t if a w ell-
tra veledmystic c a n fin d out how to lea p betw een them, tha t ra t
c a n tra vel a roun d the w orld in a hea rtbea t. U n fortun a tely, the
few Shadow Seers w ho ha ve ma n a ged to ma ke a n y progress in
this researc h ha ve a ll mysteriously disa ppea redw hile tryin g.
Stairway (Realms
Ever hea r odd n oises in a n old house la te a t n ight? Y ou
don 't beli eve it's the "house settlin g," do you? Do you rea lly
thi n k it's just "hot a ir expa n din g in the w a lls?" O f c ourse n ot.
A ll too often , the stra n ge soun ds ma de in a huge, empty house
in the n ight a re the result of the ra ts in the w a lls, people un der
the sta irs, or Ra t-spirits in the U mbra messing w ith the limits
Ratkin
of rea li ty a ga in . When T un n el Run n ers use their Bolthole Rites
a little too often , sometime the w a lls ta ke a little time to a djust.
If a Ra tki n seriously botc hes a n a ttempt to step sidew a ys, the
result is a n a ltern a te dimen sion kn ow n a s a Sta irw a y Rea lm.
If too ma n y U mbra l tra velers pa ss through the sa me huma n
ha bita tion , it's n ot un usua l for the dimen sion s of hidden pa rts of
the house to get a little distorted. U n seen ven tila tion sha fts shift,
stretc hin g la rger a n d la rger un til huma n s c a n c ra w l through
them. Cra w lspa c es bec ome la byrin ths. T he boun da ries betw een
Ra tkin spirit tun n els a n dmun da n e a rc hitec ture bec ome blurred,
a llow in g the house's dimen sion s to get a s tw isted a s A lic e's trip
dow n the ra bbit hole. A lthough Ra tkin c a n even tua lly fin d their
w a y out of them, other supern a tura l c rea tures ha ve been kn ow n
to get lost in their Wyldpera mbula tion s. A few exiles a dopt them
a s perma n en t homes.
If en ough Ra t-spirits sw a rm in to a Sta irw a y Rea lm, they
ma y even ta ke up residen c e there. Lost Ra tkin ma y joi n them,
settin g up a n otherw orldly n est n ot fa r from w here ordin a ry
huma n s reside. A s lon g a s n o on e goes pokin g a roun dun der the
sta irs, or gets tra pped in the c ra w lspa c e un der the house, every-
on e sta ys ha ppy. O n the ra re oc c a sion s w here huma n s like to
muc k a bout w i th suc h thin gs, the Delirium kic ks in , ma kin g the
experien c e even more tra uma ti c for everyon e in volved. Chil-
dren ha ve been kn ow n to get lost in Sta irw a y Rea lms; a fortun a te
few a re c a ptured a n d ra isedby ra ts a fterw a rd. T he n ext time you
hea r a stra n ge groa n from the w oodun der your sta irs, sa y a li ttle
pra yer, a n dhope the nearest Bolthole is w orkin g properly.
(the television Z,one
T hey fight, and fight,
and fight and fight and fight...
"Itc hy a n d Sc ra tc hy Show " theme song, T he Simpsons
O ne of the more un usua l rea lms beyon dthe velvet sha dow
is a dimen sion devoted en tirely to huma n memories of televi -
sion progra ms: the T elevision Zon e. Sin c e memories of T V
progra ms ha ve thoroughly i n fi ltra ted the c ollec tive un c on -
sc ious of the huma n ra c e, the va ri ous rooms of this zon e c on ta in
elemen ts of ma n y popula r progra ms, pa st a n d presen t. Ra t-
spirits tra vel freely in the w a lls betw een dimen sion s, a n d this
zon e is n o di fferen t. Full deta ils of this un ea rthly spa c e a re
deta i led in U mbra : T he V elvet Sha dow . O n e pa rti c ula r
sec tion ha s bec ome a site of pilgrima ge for ma n y Ra t-spirits.
Werera ts kn ow it a s the Itc hy Zone. In this violen t a ren a ,
c a rtoon c ha ra c ters a re loc ked in etern a l c on flic t. Cats a n d ra ts
fight epic ba ttles for a n ima ted houses, usin g everythin g from
kitc hen kn ives to c a ta pults to fight their skirmishes. Ra t-spirits a n d
Ra tkin a like ha ve begun to ma ke regula r trips to this rea lm,
lea rn in g in gen ious n ew tric ks to use in the w a r a ga in st order.
Roden tia ephemera w ho ma ke their home here ha ve even lea rn ed
w a ys to a lter their spirit forms to help them w a ge w a rfa re in this
dimen sion . (See A ppen dix O n e for more deta ils on I tchy Form.)
Some demen ted roden tia ephemera ha ve even sta rted to
in fest a rea s a ssoc ia ted w i th other television show s. A few
Shadow Seers believe tha t if en ough Ra t-spirits in va de a n a rea
a ssoc ia ted w i th a progra m c urren tly on the a ir, the show w i ll
either muta te terribly or suffer from horrible ra tin gs un ti l it dies.
O n e legion of Ra t-spirits, led by a prec oc ious youn g roden s
rugra t, ha s begun to c orrupt severa l c urren t c hildren 's show s:
tormen tin g T eletubbies a n dpurple din osa urs ra n k a mon g their
fa v ori te pa stimes. A n other sw a rm ha s developeda n a ffi n i ty for
'50s fa mi ly show s, in festin g the spi ri tua l reflec ti on s of pla c es
like the Cleaver householdor Mr. Ed's ba rn . T hough this ma y
soun dstra n ge, it ma y be ha rdto fi n d a better expla n a tion of the
fi n a l episodes of ma n y television progra ms....
Spirits
If you ha ven 't a lrea dy been dissua dedfrom riskin g your life
in on e of these otherw orldly dimen sion s, you'dbest study up on
the spirits w ho live there. A few of them a re ma ssively useful for
w erera ts w ho n eed to a sk for fur ther direc tion s....
(Rat-spirits
Ra ge 6, Gn osis 7 , Willpow er 8 , Pow er 3 0
Cha rms: A irt Sen se, Ma teri a li ze, T ra c kin g
Ra t-spirits a re the best fri en ds you c a n fi n d in the spi ri t
w orld. Whether c rea ted a s offspri n g of the Ra t In c a rn a , resur-
rec ted from the spirits of fa llen Ra tkin heroes, or dista n tly
rela ted to the survivors of the Wa r of Ra ge, they a ll ha ve
sympa thy for the Children of Ra t. T hey c a n be summon ed in
ba ttle to a tta c k in sw a rms, en listedin busin ess a rra n gemen ts to
stea l sma ll items, or just en tic edto sleep in a poc ket or ha t a s a
tra velin g c ompa n ion . Ra tki n kn ow of ma n y un usua l c ousin s to
the c ity-bredRa t-spirit; a ll of them sha re the sa me ba sic tra its.
K a n ga roo Ra t-spirits: Fa r from the ma dn ess of the c ities,
K a n ga roo Ra t-spi ri ts a re a w elc ome sight to w erera ts tra v eli n g
in the c a lm tra n quillity of the desert. T hey a re ea ger to tea c h
tra velers useful spirit kn ow ledge, in c ludin g the Gifts: Surviva l
a n d Lea p of the K a n ga roo Ra t.
Pa c kra t-spirits: T hough some Ra tki n esc hew the c ollec t-
in g of ma teria l possession s, the N orth A meric a n Pa c kra t-spirit
helps out those w ho n eed to a c c umula te a s muc h stuff a s
n ec essa ry. T hey ma y c hoose to help w erera ts fin d extremely
esoteric items, but n ever w i thout a pric e.
Mole ra t-spirits: Brow n ra ts ha ve been kn ow n to dig
w a rren s out of soft soil, but n o on e c a n outma tc h the mole ra t
for its a ma zin g a b i li ty to fight its w a y through just a bout
a n ythin g. If you w ere to hold on e in your ha n d, it w ould
proba bly shiver a n d c ow er b li n dly... or c hew right through
your skin in mere momen ts. Mole ra t-spirits a re n o di fferen t. T o
those w ho a pproa c h them c orrec tly, a n d c a refully, they w ill
offer to tea c h the Gifts: Burrow a n d Gn a w .
(Pain-spirits ant) (Disease-spirits
Willpow er 2 , Ra ge 8 , Gn osis 5 , Pow er 2 0
Cha rms: A irt Sen se, Possession , Corruption , A gon y* ,
In fec tion *
A gon y: T he spirit c a n a mplify a ta rget's pa in , doublin g
a n y dic e pool pen a lties from w oun dlevels. T he dura ti on is on e
turn ; the Pow er c ost is three.
In fec tion : A Pa in -spirit w ho lea rn s the Cha rm: In fec tion
muta tes in to a Disea se-spirit. T hese ephemera grow stron ger by
possessing a n yon e in flic tedby a debilita tin g illn ess, a n dthus a re
n a tura lly dra w n to Pla gue Lords. By spen din g 3 poin ts of Pow er,
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 49
Vreakachu
they c a n use the In fec tion Cha rm to in flic t the symptoms of their
fa vorite disea se on a vic tim they possess. If the vic tim fa ils a
Sta min a roll (di ffi c ulty 8 ), the result is a full-blow n in fec tion of
the c hosen disea se (for w ha tever tha t's w orth a ga in st c erta in
supern a tura l c rea tures like Ga rou or va mpires).
O n ly a follow er of Gra n dfa ther T hun der or a Pla gue Lord
w ouldda re in voke these foul ephemera . T he Ra t In c a ma some-
times ma kes use of suc h spirits, but n ever for lon g they ha ve
a ha bit of follow in g urges n o sen tien t c a n un dersta n d, n ot even
those of their ma sters. Spirits of Pa in a n d Disea se c ommun ic a te
in shufflin gs, groa n s, moa n s, w hispers a n dc hitterin gs, a n din sa n e
la n gua ges of sufferin g on ly a Ra tki n or a ma dma n c ouldin terpret.
Pa in -spirits seek out pla c es of sufferin g, w hether it's in -
fli c ted by torture, tormen t or in fec tion . T hey c a n 't ma teri a li ze
in the physic a l w orld, but they c a n ma n ifest themselves in the
Shadow lan ds, w here sites of sufferin g a re ea sily foun d. T hey
hover n ea r huma n s w ho a re pla guedby thei r physic a l a ffi n i ti es.
Spirits of Pa in love to be boun d to implemen ts of torture.
Ra ge 2 , Gn osis 9, Willpow er 3 , Pow er V a ries
T his is a n elec tron ic Ra t-spi ri t, a ti n y c ri tter w i th a n
a ffi n i ty for the Wea ver tha t w ould put a n En gin eer to sha me.
It breeds in c omplex elec tron ic systems, a n dta kes on ma n y of
the c ha ra c teristic s of a v i rtua l pet gon e ba d. A n yon e w ho ow n s
a n elec tron ic devic e in ha bitedby this spirit bec omes its ow n er...
or its vic tim, depen din g on your poin t of v i ew . Frea ka c hus (or
"Frea ka s," a s they're c olloquia lly kn ow n ) a re n otoriously ha rd
to ki ll, even in the spi ri t w orld, sin c e they c a n hide in the
sma llest c omputer n etw orks.
U n like its more seda te, mun da n e c oun terpa rts, the Frea ka c hu
ha s a repertoire of ta c tic s for c on dition in g its ow n ers. T o the
mun da n e, this ma n ifests a s a musin g tec hn ic a l glitc hes tha t c a n
on ly be solvedby un usua l methods. (" Re al l y , the computer likes it
when I sin g.") For the spiritua l a w a re, the c ritter w ill a ppea r on a
television or c omputer sc reen , ta un ti n g its ow n er. A s the n a me
suggests, it w ill "Frea k-a t-Y ou" un ti l it gets w ha t it w a n ts.
Frea ka c hus ha ve a love-ha te rela tion ship w ith Ra tkin En gi-
n eers; their moodc a n ma ke them boon s or ba n es. A c lever Ra tkin ,
how ever, c a n n urture on e of these little ba sta rds in to a n elec tron ic
a lly. When relea sed in a c omputer n etw ork, the Frea ka c a n c a rry
out vira l terrorism on c omma n d. T ruly profic ien t ow n ers w ill tra in
their Frea ka s to ba ttle ea c h other a s they develop, relea sin g them
in to c on ta in ed c omputer n etw orks surroun ded by ela bora te
firew a lls. Ra tkin En gin eers sometimes in c orpora te Frea ka c hu
even ts in to their most popula r aspec t moots.
Others
"O ka y, pup, the Ra t K i n g sa ys I gotta tea c h you a bout the
di fferen t Cha n gin g Breeds. A ppa ren tly, you w a n t to lea rn a ll
a bout the di fferen t 'Cha n gers of the w orld. N o problem! My
n a me's Fra n kie, a n d I've been studyi n g this mystic a l c ra p for a
lon g time, so I'm up for it. Let me tell you w ha t w e gen era lly
kn ow a bout the other guys.
"I've n ever un derstoodw hy w e ha ve this tra dition , though. I
mea n , it's n ot like w e rea lly kn ow a ll these guys. A n d it's n ot like
I
a ll Ra tkin ha ve the sa me opin ion s a bout them. I've been from on e
side of this pla n et to the other but, I ha ven 't a c tua lly seen every on e
of them. I hea r stories, though. I guess this is a w a y to ha n ddow n
the sa me stereotypes from on e gen era tion to the n ext. Wha t, do I
soun d a little c yn ic a l? Go a hea d. Give me a diffic ult one."
"Wha t the hell? Why'dyou sta rt off w ith tha t on e? Y ou're
a skin g me a bout weresharks? A ll right, I'll tell you w ha t I kn ow ,
but do yourea lly thin k you're ever goin g to meet on e? I guess if
you joi n a pa c k w i th a bun c h of Ra tkin Ron in , in fest a big tra mp
stea mer w i th some w a ve ra ts, ma ybe you'll run in to on e. C'mon ,
a sk me a bout someon e you'll rea lly ha ve problems w ith."
VLwoisha
"O ka y, oka y, this on e's a little ea sier. U m... sha pec ha n gin g
c oyotes w ith a fun ky sense of humor. T hey like to pla y pra n ks
on people. U h... they don 't ta ke a n ythin g seriously. Does tha t
help? N ext."
W okole
"Crap, you studied for this, didn 't you? T he Mokole
proba bly kn ow the truth a bout the Impergi um a lmost a s muc h
a s w e do, if n ot moreso. T he few tha t a re left in the w orldha ve
to sta y hidden rea l w ell. I kn ow you mi ght thi n k they're just
gia n t sha pec ha n gin g din osa urs, but tha t a in 't right. T hey're
gi a n t pissed off sha pec ha n gin g din osa urs."
Kitsune
"Werefoxes? T hey're... um... also like tric ksters, see?
T hey li ve in Ja pa n ! A n d they've got seven ta ils. T ell you w ha t,
go fi n d a N ezumi fi r st, I'm sure a Ja pa n ese Ra tkin w ouldkn ow
w ha t the hell these thin gs a re."
Gurahl
"A n easy on e. Y ou w a n t my opin ion ? It's a da mn sha me
w ha t happen edto the Gura hl. T hey ha dthe poten tia l to help fix
the Ea rth, hea l up a ll the sa c redpla c es, but they just c ouldn 't get
their shit together. If they don 't w a ke up soon , they're proba bly
goin g to sleep through the A poc alypse a n dmiss a ll the fun ."
Ciarou
"Y ou a lrea dy kn ow a bout these ba sta rds. T he w erew olves
a re the biggest hypoc rites on the pla n et. A ll the sufferi n g a n d
misery you see in the w orld is the result of their ill-c on c eived
"Con c ord," but they keep a c tin g like they're the sa viors of the
pla n et. K i lli n g Ga rou is a n a c t of ven gea n c e, a n d a n ea sy w a y
to get in fa mous. Don 't tell the boss I told you tha t, though."
Corax
"T hese guys a re grea t. Born thieves a n ddec eivers. Like the
ra ven s they live w i th, they like shin y thin gs, a n d love sec rets
even more. Y ou gotta w a tc h 'em, 'c a use they'll set themselves up
in a perc h somew here a n dspy on everythin g they c a n . U n fortu-
n a tely, they've also got a ha bit of betra yin g other sha peshifters to
get w ha t they w a n t, so I w ouldn 't trust 'em if I w ere you. Ma ke
sure you betra y them before they betra y you. N ext?"
tfastet
"Here, ki tty, ki tty, kitty! Heh, heh. T he Ba stet a re even
more stuc k-up tha n the Ga rou a re. Preten tious, egotistic a l
assholes. Someon e n eeds to put a few kin ks in their ta ils, ta ke 'em
dow n a few pegs. T hey've a lso got this ha bit of c la imin g portion s
of the spirit w orld for themselves. T ha t's the ma i n rea son w e
sta rted ha tin g them. T ha t a n d their da mn a loof a tti tude. A n d
their tight sphin c ters. A n d their uppity a ttitude a bout "ma gic k"
a n da ll tha t c ra p. I thin k messin g up a Ba stet is a c hea p w a y to get
in fa mous a t the n ext revel. Give me a n other one."
Ananasi
"U h, I thin k they're some kin da w erespiders. T hey're
Wea ver c rea tures... or a re they Wyrm c rea tures? I c a n n ever
remember. I thi n k they ea t c hildren a n d dri n k blood. T here's
somethin g a bout them sha rin g thei r min ds w i th big sw a rms of
little spiders. Creepy, huh? Ra ts c a n hide in some pretty sma ll
pla c es, but I don 't w a n t to thi n k of the pla c es a spider c a n hide."
Ajaba
"Jeez! Y ou're a skin g me a bout the A ja b a ? Where'd you
hea r tha t w ord? I thin k they're some kin da hyen a c rea ture tha t
lives off c a rrion a n dfilth. Soun ds like dec en t folk to me. I n ever
met on e; don 't thin k I ever w ill.
"O kay, a re w e don e w ith this? Homin a , horrnna, spiritus sancti,
ba m! Y ou kn ow a bout the Cha n gin g Breeds. N ow go on , kid, you're
botherin ' me. Wha t? O h, c heese a n d c rac kers, you need to hea r
a bout the tribes, too? Hey! Johnny! Help me out w ith this, w illya ?"
9rankie arid Johnny Versus
the thirteen bribes
Johnnie sez : "Jeez, Fra n kie, for a T un n el Run n er, you don 't get
out muc h, do ya ? T ha t w a s pitiful. Let me do this. K id, there used
to be sixteen tribes; n ow there's thirteen . T hen there's this big
soc iety they've got c alled the Ga rou N a ti on , the Western
Conc ordiat. Just to c on fuse you even more, there a re w erew olves
in the Ea stern Con c ordia t, too, a n da ppa ren tly, they don 't thin k
the Wyrm is da n gerous, a n d they tea m up w ith N ezumi. I don 't
un dersta n dthem; they're still Ga rou, a n dI'djust as soon ea t them.
T hen Fra n kie sez : "I'dw a tc h this guy if I w ere you, ki d. It's
n ot like every ra t feels the sa me w a y a bout the tribes. Forget the
Ea stern Con c ordia t, John n ie; you don 't kn ow shit a bout them."
fllackfuries
Johnnie sez : "O kay, first there's the Furies. Lilith Fa ir w i th a
mosh pit. A ll of them a re w omen . T hey're a ll, like, ra dic a l femin ists
a n dlesbia n s a n dstuff. Y ea h, tha t's right, they're fema les w ho ha ve
w eirdideas a bout breedin g. T hey ten dto ha ve trouble c on trollin g
their a n ger, so I'd thin k tw ic e a bout sta rtin g a fight w ith one."
Fra n kie sez : "Da mn , John n y, you've got issues, don 't you?
K id, the Bla c k Furies a re a ll fema le, but tha t's a bout the on ly
Chapter Two: Infesting the World 51
thin g you c a n sa y is true for a ll of 'em. A ll I'm sure of is tha t they
a ll a c t like they've got somethin g to prove. T ha t mea n s tha t it's
rea lly ea sy to push 'em in to a fren zy. O n c e you get them a n gry
en ough, it's ea sy to outw i t them. Ma ke some sma rt-a ss rema rk
a bout their riot grrl c omba t boots, a n d you'll ha ve them
sw in gin g a t a n ythin g."
$ one Gnawers
Frankie sez : "Here, let me do this on e. T he Bon e Gn a w ers
a re n ic e guys, on c e you lea rn to ta lk to them c orrec tly. T hey
don 't a ll serve Ra t, but the on es tha t do ten d to a t lea st give a
Ra tki n a c ha n c e to ta lk. T he sma rt on es w i ll ma ke dea ls w i th
you, ma ybe even set up a c on tra c t to give grief to on e of their
elders. T he n ic est on es show sympa thy for other people sta rvin g
on the street, so if you a pproa c h them just ri ght, they w on 't gut
you a n dc a rry your hide ba c k to the sept."
Johnnie sez : "A re you kiddin g, Fra n ki e? Y ou c a n 't trust
them! T hey're Ga rou! T hey're just like the rest of them. Sure,
they're usua lly vic tims of Ga rou soc iety, but tha t doesn 't mea n
they w on 't sta b you in the ba c k just for some quic k hon or a n d
glory! Street people a re despera te, n o ma tter w ha t they rea lly
a re. T hey're Ga rou fi rst, a n d serva n ts of Ra t sec on d, if a t a ll."
T ianna
Frankie sez : "First off, don 't try to poison them. It's futi le.
T hey dri n k stuff tha t w ould ma ke ra t's piss ta ste like c ha m-
pa gn e ... uh, n ot tha t I've triedtha t ta ste test, min dyou. T hey live
up to a ll the w orst stereotypes of their pa rt of the w orld: drun ken
fools, row dy Ren -fa ir sin gers, a n d hot-tempered fighters."
Get of 7enris
Frankie sez : "Don 't fight them un less you a bsolutely ha ve
to. I don 't c a re if you're dea lin g w i th a w a rrior or w ha t, but
they're a ll Germa n ic hea dba shers, a n d they'd a ll love to ki c k
your a ss. I hea rd tha t ba c k in WorldWa r T w o, they fought on
both sides, just c a use the Get got off on a ll tha t violen c e."
Glass W alkers
John n ie sez : "A little too tight w ith the Wea ver, if youask me.
T here's isn 't muc h of the Wyld left in them a t all. T hey've ma de
more c ompromises w ith huma n c iviliza tion tha n a n y other tribe of
Ga rou, so muc h so tha t even the Wolves don 't a lw a ys trust them."
0(e t talons
John n ie sez : "Now , you gotta a dmit, Fra n kie, these guys a in 't
ha lf ba d. T alons a ll ha ve this burn in g ha tred of huma n ity, a n d
usua lly a re just w a itin g for some exc use to sn eak off a n dkill huma n s.
I w ouldn 't w a n t meet on e in the w oods, though. I hea r they've got
a ll sorts of da rk rites they perform w hen n o one's a roun d. Even if it
in volves sa c rific in g huma n s, I still don 't w a n t to see it."
Frankie sez : "I w ouldn 't w a n t to meet on e of those c ritters
a n yw here! T a lon s a re even more vi c i ous tha n the rest of the
Ga rou a re, a n d they'djust a s soon kill you a s look a t you. I've
seen a RedT a lon c ha se dow n a w hole ra t pa c k, just 'c a use they
stole on e of his fetishes. I mea n , w ha t the hell?"
Shadow Cords
Johnnie sez : "K n ife-Skulkers love to ma ke c on tra c ts w i th
these folks, but they a lso c hec k over the deta ils repea tedly. Seems
they've got a ha bit of goin g ba c k on their w ord, or tryin g to
Clin ton their w a y out of trouble. I've seen some pa c ks dedic a te
themselves to Gra n dfa ther T hun der to fulfi ll on e of these pa c ts,
but I've n ever ma de tha t dea l myself. Ca rryin g out di rty deeds for
some w erew olf c ult doesn't seem like a goodw a y to survive."
Silent Strikers
Frankie sez : "So da mn mysterious, even I c a n 't fi gure them
out, a n dI'm a T un n el Run n er. I've tra veledw i th a few , but on ly
bec a use I ha d somethin g I w a n tedto get out of them. But then ,
the Wolf kn ew it the w hole da mn ti me, a n d w a s tryi n g to get
somethin g outta me, too! T hen this U n seelie f a i r y show ed up,
a n d everythin g w en t to hell, a n d I n ever foun d out w ha t the
Wolf expec ted out of me."
Silver Q angs
Frankie sez : "Bac k me up on this, John n y. I ha te these guys.
T w o w ords: Sa n c timon ious n obles. Wa y I hea r it, w a y ba c k in the
Impergium, some of the Wolves thought they shouldc omma n d
a ll the Cha n gin g Breeds, sta rted tellin g them w ha t they should
do for Ga ia . T he Silver Fa n gs w ere the w orst of them, sin c e they
c on sidered themselves the n obility of the Ga rou. I hea r it w a s a
Fa n g tha t dema n ded tha t the Gura hl should get killed off."
John n ie sez : "T hat w a s a lon g time a go, Fra n kie. T heir just
a sha dow of w ho they used to be. N ow they're a ll da n gerously
in bred, ha lf-in sa n e a n d overc ome w i th depression . O f c ourse,
tha t still isn 't en ough pun ishmen t for w ha t thei r a n c estors did.
If you mess up a Silver Fa n g, espec ia lly on e of their c ubs, ha lf
the Ga rou tribes w i ll get pissed off like you w ouldn 't believe.
T he other ha lf w i ll sec retly be gra teful."
Stargaz ers
John n ie sez: "Mystic Fa r-Ea stern kun g-f u fi ghti n g, en igma -
a ddic tedfrea ks. I c a n n ever tell if on e of 'em's goin g to kic k my
a ss or c ha llen ge me to a ga me of go. T oo da mn sma rt for thei r
ow n good. La st time I met on e, I c ha llen gedhim to a Zen poetry
c on test. First he tried to impress me w i th some ha i ku a bout
c herry blossoms. T hen I rea d ha lf a limeric k, hit him on the
n ose w i th a stic k a n d ra n a w a y. Seemed like a good idea a t the
time, Hey, you ha ven 't seen a n y a roun dhere, ha ve you?"
U ktena
Frankie sez : "They breed w i th in digen ous tribes a roun d the
w orld, from w ha t I hea r. T ha t doesn 't soun d too ba d a t first,
espec ia lly if they w a n t to preserve the w a y huma n s w ere thousa n ds
of yea rs ago. U n fortun a tely, this also mea n s tha t they lea rn a ll the
da rk, oc c ult sec rets c iviliza tion 's tried to gloss over, a n d they
pra c tic e frea ky ritua ls they don 't da re revea l to the other Ga rou."
W eribigo
John n ie sez : "N a tive A meric a n w erew olves. Hea p ba d
medic in e. A b out a c en tury or tw o a go, they lost their la n ds to
the Europea n s, a n d they've been ra gin g a bout it ever sinc e. I
mea n , c 'mon ! T he Cha n gin g Breeds lost the w hole da mn
pla n et to the Ga rou, a n d they ha n ded it over to the huma n s,
a n dthey're still killin g us! T he a vera ge Ra tkin 's got more a n gst
tha n a w hole sept of these In jun s."
the Lost Ones
John n ie sez : "T here w ere these A ustra lia n w erew olves, a n d
they got in to a disagreemen t a bout somediing. A n dit w a s a ll a bout
somethin g tha t some Blac k Spira l lieda bout to the w ron g person .
A n dthen , um, they a ll van ishedin the Drea mtime, or killedeac h
other, or settled in the Bermuda T ria n gle... uh, how didit go?"
;
Fra n kie sez : "Don 't look a t me. N ot like w e're gon n a rea lly
ever meet on e. K eep goin g..."
Croatan
John n ie sez : "So, a n yw a y, a lon g time a go I w a s w a tc hin g
this T V show c a lledIn Sea rc h Of. Y ou kn ow , w i th Spoc k? A n d
they ha d this story a bout a pla c e c a lled the Roa n oke c olon y,
w here there w a s a bun c hof settlers. Pilgrims a n dshit. A n d then
on e da y, they a ll mysteriously disa ppea red, a n d the on ly c lue
w a s on e w ord sc ra tc hed on a tree: Croa ta n . See, I thin k a
w erew olf c a rved it there, c a use a ll the members of their tri b e
died tryi n g to protec t the pilgrims from the Wyrm."
Fra n kie sez : "U h, John n y? N o more c ra c k for you, oka y?
T he Croa ta n a ll sa c rific ed themselves w hile fightin g the Wyrm.
Ga rou get off on tha t, bec a use they thin k dyi n g v a li a n tly
fi ghti n g evil is supposed to be glorious or somethin g. I guess if
they a ll died like tha t, I w ouldn 't min d muc h."
W hite Hotolers
Johnnie sez : "Y eah, this c ra zy old In jun Moon Mouse w a s
tellin g me a bout the How lers. See, a ll of the people in Sc otla n d
a re White How ler K in folk. T hen the White How lers diedoff,
but 1 hea r tha t on c e in a w hile, on e of 'em gets reborn in to the
w orld, a n d they're reformin g their tribe."
Fra n kie sez : "No, you idiot! T ha t's it, you're n ot doin g this
a n ymore! Listen tome.,. T HEY 'REDEA D! T HEY 'RE A LL DEAD!
T hey're n ever c omin g ba c k! Some of their K in folk sta rted out a s
Sc ottish, but tha t w a s a long time ago. T he va st ma jority of people
in Sc otlanda in 't got n othin g to do w ith a n y of this, oka y ?T he White
How lers all got c orruptedby the Wyrm, their triba l totemgot flushed
dow n the John , a n d then the few w ho survived bec a me..."
fllackSpirals
John n ie sez : "... the Bla c k Spira ls. Y ea h, I kn ow ! T hey're
a ll c orruptedby the Wyrm. Fra n kie thin ks w e shouldbe killin g
'em a ll, sc orin g some Ren ow n for doin g it. I thin k they kill off
w erew olves, a n dtha t mea n s w e shouldbe lea vin g them a lon e."
Frankie sez : "U h, John n y? Wha t ha ppen s w hen a ra t gets
in fested w i th the Wyr m? O r a w hole da mn c olon y? Y ou'll get
a w hole bun c h of ra bi dra t thin gs, a n d the Bla c k Spira ls w ill ea t
the rest of us a live. T here's a rea son w e get pra ise for killin g the
Wyrm: 'c a use on c e it's through w ith the huma n s a n d the
w erew olves, it's c omin g a fter us."
< Che Others
Frankie sez : "A ll right, let's w ra p this up. Y ea h, yea h,
you've hea rd the 'w e a re n ot a lon e' spiel. Y ou're dyin ' to hea r
a bout the other frea ks. Like the so-c a lled ma sters of the c ity,
huh? T ha t's right."
Vampires
Fra n kie sez : "These guys a re n o frien ds of ours. For on e, they're
a ll a bout the perpetua tion of the Lie they ha te c haos a n dthin gs
they c a n 't c on trol, so they ha te rebels like us. For tw o, they ha te the
thought of Apoc alypse to them, a w orld w ithout huma n s is a
w orldw ithout food. So w e got n othin ' in c ommon . If you see on e of
those butt-ugly fella s in the sew ers a n d he gives you his 'Come
heether, my leetle freen d' speec h, you turn a roun d, get the hell outta
there a n dget some brothers a n dsisters together to kic k his ass."
John n ie sez : "A n dthey c a n turn ya in to on e of them, too!
'Course, it on ly seems to w ork on the un luc kiest ba sta rds, those
w ho've offen ded Ma ma Ra t. It's bad. Don 't kn ow how most
va mpires keep themselves preserved, but it don 't w ork for a
bloodsuc kin g ra t. T hey rot just like they w a s ordin a ry c orpses,
a n d even tua lly just fa ll over a n d quit movin '. Hope w ha t's left of
them isn 't still c on sc ious w hen there's n othin g but bon es left . ..."
John n ie sez : "Hey, didja kn ow tha t there a re some hon est-
In jun Merlin s out there? T hey don 't ha ve poin ty ha ts a n dlong
beards w ell, oka y, the really pow erful ones do but they're
doin " their sc htic k even a s w e speak. Problem is tha t n obody rea lly
c ares a bout ma gic a n ymore, so they're pretty sen sitive a n dsulky.
N othin g w orse tha n a sulky guy w ho throw s lightn in g bolts."
Fra n kie sez : "Y ea h. Merlin . Wha tever." ***
Dairies ''''" " ' . '
Fra n kie sez: "A ndthere's fa iries, too. T hey're a s big a s
a n ybody, a n d don 't ha ve pretty little w in gs. Hey, I told you I
seen on e, right? His n a me soun dedkin da like a sn eeze. A n dhe
w a s bla c k, too. I don 't thin k a n y of those n a n c ies w ho a irbrush
un ic orn s on n otebooks a n d a ll tha t c ra p ever thought tha t a
fa i ry c oulda been bla c k, hea ven forfen d. Just goes to show ."
John n ie sez : "For c ryin ' out loud, Fra n kie, don 't c a ll 'em
fa iries! Call 'em 'c ha n gelin gs,' 'c a use it seems to go dow n better.
K in dof a ba by-stea lin g kin dof w ord, but if they like it, then hey."
Ghosts
Frankie sez : "What does tha t lea ve? Ghosts. Y ea h. If
there's a goodrea son n ot to revisit the sc en e of your c rime, it's
ghosts, kid. T hey ten d to ha n g a roun d the pla c es w here they
died, a n d they c a n ma ke your li fe rea l un plea sa n t. So if you're
gon n a sta rt n ukin ' buildin gs left a n d right, don 't go backto the
site. 'Cause the ha in ts w ill getc ha .
"T hat's en ough of this for on e da y, kid. Y ou rea lly w a n t to
lea rn a bout this stuff, you should go out a n d meet these guys
yourself. N ow beat it! John n ie didw ha t the Ra t K in g said, so n ow
I gotta get him out of here. Hey, John n ie! Y ou bea t the ra p! N ow
let's get out of here before tha t Skulker kic ks your a ss a ga in !"
Chapter Two: Infesting the World
T empleton was down there now, rumma gin g around. W hen he
returned to the bam, he carried in his mouth an advertisement he had
torn from a ma ga zin e. "How 's this?" he a sked, show in g the ad to
Charlotte. " I t says 'CRU N CHY .
Cha rlotte's W eb, E.B. White
(Prophecies
Life a s a w erera t doesn 't begin w ith the Cha n ge; it begin s
w ith In fec tion . T here's n othin g gla morous a bout c on tra c tin g a
disea se tha t kills most of the c rea tures it touc hes. T hough the
experien c e is c a tha rtic , it isn't a s dra ma tic a s sha peshiftin g in to
a n otherw orldly c rea ture for the first time. K in folk w ho survive
the Birthin g Pla gue ma y c a rry it a roun dfor da ys, mon ths or even
yea rs before c ha n gin g for the first time. U n ti l then , the result isn 't
a w elc ome embra c e show in g Ga la 's love. It's a slow desc en t in to
ma dn ess, a gra dua l a c c epta n c e of the extremes of the w erera ts.
T he fi rst In fec ti on is a n experien c e a Ra tkin n ever forgets.
Huma n s w ho survive it experien c e un believa ble vision s of
possible f utur es, a lon g w i th revela tion s from the dista n t pa st.
Ra ts fi n d their min ds overw helmed by thoughts a n d idea s
beyon d a n ythi n g they've experien c ed before. From the fi rst
momen t their c la w s c url in to ti n y ha n ds, their min ds a re
flooded w i th bursts of in telligen c e, a n d li fe is n ever the sa me
a ga in . Metis Ra tkin a re sa c rific ed to the Pla gue shortly a fter
thei r bi rth, but those w ho survive kn ow tha t they ha ve been
c hosen for mon umen ta l plan s.
T hroughout most of huma n history, Ra tkin sightin gs ha ve
been dec lin in g. In c en turies pa st, w erera ts stra n dedon Ea rth ha ve
seen few er signs of their brethren w i th ea c h pa ssin g yea r. Isola ted
pa c ks ha ve w hisperedtha t someda y, hosts of ra ts w ouldreturn from
Pa ra dise, ea gerly rejoin in g their dista n t c ousin s. N ow , a s the Fin a l
Days a pproa c h, times a re c han gin g. A n a n c ien t c urse is bein g
fulfilled. N ow there a re signs of a ra pidly grow in g popula tion of
Ra tkin , along w ith a ra pidly evolvin g soc iety to ac c ommodate it.
Mystic s a n dlorema sters w ho a re a w a re of the in c rea sedn umber
of w erera ts often c onsider it to be a sign of the en dof the w orld, a
porten t of the Fin a l Days. Stories of the ba rdic c urse ha ve been passed
dow n through gen era tion s, hidden in the BloodMemories of legions
of Ra tkin . If the ta les a re true, tha n the A ge of Ma n is dra w in g to a
c lose. Furtively, w erera ts w hisper tha t the Apoc alypse needn ot be
the en d... but in stea d, a n ew begin n in g....
Organiz ation
I n the city of New York, rats outnumber humans two to one.
fa c toid from National Geographic Explorer, "N ightma re
Crea tures"
A n y c itizen of a ma jor metropolis suspec ts this simple truth:
If you're un fortun a te to see on e ra t sc urryin g ac ross your floor,
there's proba bly a hun dred more n estin g n ea rby. T his is ha rdly
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 55
surprisin g. In a single yea r, tw o ra ts c a n breedc lose to a hun dred
offsprin g. For theirsha pec ha n gin g c ousin s, repopula tin g the Ra tkin
ra c e ha s ta ken little effort in rec en t yea rs. Bec ause sightin gs of the
w erera ts ha ve been ra re, the other Cha n gin g Breeds still do n ot
rea lize how exten sive the c olonies of the w erera ts rea lly a re.
Hidden in the remotest c orn ers of rea lity, the w erera ts
ha ve been breedi n g, w a i ti n g, a n d pla n n in g for un told a ges.
Some sc heme a ga in st the Wyrm, a n dw hisper tha t overc omin g
its min ion s depen ds on outn umb eri n g them. T hey fur ti v ely
breed a rmies a n d sw a rms, prepa rin g the w orld's Wyld defen d-
ers. O thers prefer to rema i n ign ora n t of suc h demen tedproph-
ec ies. Delusion s a bout the "true mea n in g of the A poc a lypse"
a re a s plen ti ful a s Ra tkin themselves. Revela tion s of the Wea ver,
Wyld a n d Wyrm a re mea n in gless w hen da y-to-da y surviva l is
fa r more importa n t. In stea d, they just sense tha t the w orld is
rea dy for a dra stic c ha n ge. Whether they prefer to stoc kpile
food, rea dy their w ea pon s, or si mply drudge through tedious
lives, they feel in their blood a di sta n t ec ho of a c a ll to b a ttle.
Werera ts thri ve best w here huma n s, w erew olves a n dother
preda tors c a n 't fi n d them T he ma jori ty of Ra tki n a re thor-
oughly urb a n c rea tures, esta blishin g hidden n etw orks of a llies
in the biggest c ities of the w orld. A few ha ve shun n ed the
ma dn ess of the c ities to esta blish rura l kin gdoms. Emissa ries in
the Deep U mb r a c on tin ua lly sc out for exotic breedin g groun ds,
questin g a fter legen ds of pa ra dise. In a n y story ba seda roun dthe
Children of Ra t, w erera t c ha ra c ters c ome from the frin ges of
rea li ty; their beli efs a n d pra c tic es reflec t this in spa des.
traits
A ll Ra tki n sha re a few elemen ta l simila rities. Whether
thei r home is the violen t West or the mystic a l Fa r Ea st, a lost
rea lm of the spi ri t w orld or a fa mi li a r urb a n en viron men t,
w erera ts reta i n a few simple blessin gs.
Ma ze Memory: A ll w erera ts ha ve a highly developed
"tun n el sen se," a feel for a bsolute direc tion tha t preven ts a
Ra tki n from gettin g lost un dergroun d. Even boun d, ga ggeda n d
stun n ed, a w erera t a ba n don ed in the deepest of la byrin ths c a n
still c ra w l ba c k home by the most direc t route... or die tryin g.
A c ute Sen ses: When a Ra tki n w ea rs the form of a ra t,
he sen ses the w orld in a n en tirely di ffer en t w a y. Hea rin g a n d
smell bec ome his tw o most a c ute sen ses. T he sen se of touc h is
most sen sitive n ea r thei r vibrissae, or w hiskers, w hic h a re
promi n en tly displa yed a lon g their sn out in both roden s a n d
Crin os forms. When usin g thei r ea rs, n oses or w hiskers to sen se
the w orld a roun d them, w erera ts get a '1 diffic ulty to their
Perc epti on rolls.
N ight V ision : A lthough sight is the w ea kest sense ra ts
possess, w erera ts ha ve exempla ry n ight vision . A Ra tkin c a n see
in a n ythin g short of a bsolute da rkn ess by foc usin g her c on c en tra -
tion . In ga me terms, a Ra tki n w ho burn s a poin t of Gn osis c a n
dra w upon the dim illumin a tion of the Pen umbra to ma ke out
rough outlin es in the n ight. N orma lly, this c rude n ight vision
la sts for the dura tion of on e sc en e; w i th the Gift: Da rksight, it c a n
la st for up to eight hours a fter the sc ene en ds if n eed be.
Immun ity to Disease: Werera ts ha ve a reputa tion for
surv i v i n g a ga in st impossible odds. A ll of them sha re a highly-
developed i mmun i ty to disea se; they c a n even c a rry a n d tra n s-
Jnfecting your
flasic Character Creation
Step One: Character Concept
Choose your character concept. f
When w ere youfirst In fec ted?
How muc h time ela psedbefore your First Cha n ge?
Wha t pa rt of the w orld a re you f r o m?
Optional: Desc ribe the colony tha t ra ised you.
Optional : Choose your Nature and Demeanor from the
Werew olf Pla yers Guide.
Select your breed.
Homid: Y ou bega n life a s a huma n , n ot kn ow in g
you w ere the c ursed offspri n g of a huma n a n d a w erera t.
Before you w ere i n fec ted, you w ere huma n K i n folk.
Initial Gnosis: 1 :
5
Metis: Y ou a re the in c estuous offspri n g of tw o
Ra tki n , ra isedin sha me in a Ra tkin c olon y. A ll metis ha ve
a deformity visible in a ll three forms. * ' f
Initial Gnosis: 3 s
Roden s: Y ouw ere born a s a roden t a n d ra ised by
ra ts. O n e of your pa ren ts w a s a n ordin a ry roden t; the other
w a s a slummi n g Ra tki n . Before you w ere in fec ted, you
w ere ra t K i n folk. Roden s Ra tki n ha ve the sa me A b i li ty
restric tion s a s lupus Ga rou.
Initial Gnosis: 5
Sekct your a spec t.
T un n el Run n ers: the ma veric ks, messen gers, sc outs
a n d spies of Ra tki n soc iety
Initial Rage: 1 v ; ,
Bonus Rite: Rite of the Bolthole .
; i
Shadow Seers: mystic s devotedto studyin g the myster-
ies of the spirit w orlda n dthe madness of huma n soc iety
In itia l Ra ge: 2 -1 (4 I
Bon us Rite: Dedic a tion Rite
K n ife-Skulkers: en forc ers a n da ssa ssin s w hojjiete
out justi c e in a ll its forms ||
In itia l Ra ge: 3 *
Bon us Rite: Con tra c t Rite f
Wa rriors: soldiers bredfor the a rmies of the A poc a -
lypse; the Blade Slaves if
i|* t> ' . IT
In itia l Rage: 4 ,
Bon us Rite: Rite of the Pa in Da gger
r
If your Storyteller a llow s it, youma y pla y a Freakaspect.
En gin eers: la b ra ts sc roun gin g a midst the offa l a n d
w rec ka ge of huma n c ities
In itia l Ra ge: 2
Bon us Rite: Ri te of the Shoppin g Ca rt ,|j
Pla gue Lords: hideous metis skulkers w ho ma ster
the da rk a rts of disea se, the mysteries of the un derw orld,
a n d the ri tua ls of pla gue
Initial Rage: 3
Bon us Rite: Ri te of the Bi rthi n g Pla gue
Ratkin
T
k
Mun c hma usen : storytellers, U mb ra l a dven turers a n d
i n vetera te lia rs
In itia l Ra ge: 4
Bon us Rite: Ri te of A rti fi c e Dedic a tion
T w itc hers: c on spira tors, a n a rc hists a n drevolution '
a ries w ho reflec t the w orld's ra ge
Initial Rage: 5
Bon us Rite: Ri te of the Ca rdboa rd Pa la c e
Step T w o: Choose A ttributes
Divide 15 points betw een Physic a l, Soc ial a n d Men ta l
A ttri b utes. Seven poin ts a re a lloc a ted w i thi n the pri ma ry
c a tegory, 5 in the sec on da ry, a n d3 in the tertia ry.
Step Three: Choose Gifts and Abilities
Choose three Level One Gifts: on e breedGi ft, on e a spec t
Gi ft, a n d on e Ra tki n Gi ft. T his ma y in fluen c e w hic h A bili-
ties you'll w a n t to lea rn .
Choose yow A bilities. Divide 2 7 poin ts betw een T alents,
Skills a n dK n ow ledges. T hirteen poin ts a re a lloc a tedw ithin the
prima ry c a tegory, 9in the sec on da ry a n d5 in the tertia ry. Y ou
c a n 't begin w ith a n A bility over 3 w ithout spen din g freebie
poin ts durin g the fin a l step of c ha ra c ter c rea tion . A lso n ote tha t
a ll Ra tkin must spendthe a ppropria te poin ts in Ritua ls in order
to begin pla y w ith the bon us rite of their aspec t.
'> yv .
Step Four: Choose Other Traits :,
:
Choose 5 poin ts of Backgrounds. '
Colon y: Y ou're on good terms w ith the gua rdia ris of
a Ra tki n sa c redsite. T he n umb er of dots reflec ts the popula -
tion of ra ts, Ra t-spi ri ts, K i n folk a n d Ra tki n livin g there.
Note: Metis must begin pla y w i th a t lea st on e poin t in
the Colon y Ba c kgroun d. M' ' *
Con ta c ts: Con spira tors a n dc on ta c ts c a n provide you
w i th in forma tion . i
Fetish: Y ou possess a jf item
1
c on ta in in g a tra pped
spirit, on e tha t c a n gra n t you ma gic a l or mystic a l a bilities.
Y ou might ha ve stolen this from a n other sha pec ha n ger.
Frea k Fa c ton jfou'rf a gen etic a bn orma lity, a ra re
a spec t of Ra tki n w ho doesn 't quite fit in to w erera t soc iety. If
you're pla yin g a "Frea k a spec t," you must purc ha se this T ra it.
T w itc hers must pa y for Frea k Fa c tor 3 .
En gin eers a n dPla gue Lords requi re Frea k Fa c tor 4.
Mun c hma usen must purc ha se f ull Frea k Fa c tor 5
Men tor: A n older Ra tki n ha s a greed to tea c h you a s
his a ppren tic e. Y ou ow e him a ma ssive debt for this.
Pla gue: Y ou've got a llies in a loc a l "ra t fa mi ly" w ho
a re w illin g to help you out; un fortun a tely, they keep de-
ma n din g help in return .
Resourc es: Y ou've ma n a gedto sc am some mon ey a n d
c a n c ollec t it on a regula r ba sis.
N ote: Werera ts c a n n ot ha ve more tha n tw o dots in this
Ba c kgroun d. T un n el Run n ers Ca n 't ha ve a n y poin ts in it
un ti l they rea c h Ra n k/T hree.
Rites: Y ou ha ve been ta ught the ritua ls of a Ra tki n
a spec t. A Ra tki n begin s pla y w i th on e rite; ea c h dot in this
Ba c kgroun d represen ts on e level of a ddition a l rites.
Ea c h Ra tki n sta rts off the ga me w i th on e free rite,
depen din g on his a spec t.
T he A llies, Pa st Li fe, T otem a n d Pure Breed Ba c k-
groun ds a re n ot a va ila ble. T he K i n folk Ba c kgroun dha s been
repla c ed by the Colon y a n d Pla gue Ba c kgroun ds.
*' Step Five: Fin ishin g T ouc hes
V
4 Rec ord Ra ge (determin ed by your a spec t) a n d Gn osis
f (determin ed by your breed).
Sta rt w i th 3 poin ts of W illpower. Fin ish up w ith 1 5
Freebie poin ts.
Spending freebie (Points
Trait Cost
A ttri b ute 5 per dot
A bility 2 per dot
Ba c kgroun ds 1 per dot
Ra ge 1 per dot
Gn osis 2 per dot
Willpow er 1 per dot
Extra Gifts 7 per Gi ft (Level O n e on ly)
mi t dea dly in fec tion s w i thout sufferi n g their effec ts. T his
ben efit is the result of the Birthin g Pla gue, the in fec tion tha t
c on ti n ua lly c ourses through a w erera t's blood. If a n yon e ma n -
a ged to c ure a Ra tki n of its disea ses, the bea stie w ould lose its
spi ri tua l essen c e, rev erti n g to a huma n or a n orma l ra t. Metis
w erera ts a ffli c ted w i th suc h a pun ishmen t die.
Reduc ed Delirium: T he w erera ts w ere fa r more subtle
tha n the Ga rou duri n g the Impergi um, relyin g on sec rec y a n d
stea lth. Bec a use of this, the effec ts of Delirium a re lessen edfor
them. When a huma n sees a w erera t in Crin os form, c hec k the
sa me ta ble (Werew olf, pg. 2 03 ) tha t Ga rou use. T he huma n 's
rea c tion is still ba sedon his Wi llpow er, but a ddtw o dots for the
ta ble's purposes.
Regen era tion : Like virtua lly a ll sha pec ha n gers, w erera ts
regen era te. A s on e w ould suspec t a ggra va ted da ma ge suc h a s
silver, fi re a n d the teeth a n d c la w s of supern a tura l c rea tures
c oun tera c ts this. Hea lin g a poin t of a ggra va ted da ma ge still
requires a f ull da y of rest a n d a Willpow er roll. Ra tki n ma y hea l
ba c k from dea th's door just a s Ga rou do, a lthough Ra t's blessin g
gra n ts them a bon us of -5 to a n y rolls on the Ba ttle Sc a rs ta ble.
Silver V uln era bility: Silver a dversely a ffec ts Ra tki n
just a s it does Ga rou, reduc in g Gn osis a n d even c a usin g
un soa ka ble a ggra va ted da ma ge.
T eeth a n dCla w s: Ra tkin in Crin os c a n bite a n dc la w
for a ggra va tedda ma ge. T heir bite is dec idedly n a sty, i n fli c ti n g
Stren gth + 1 da ma ge, but their c la w a tta c ks a re a li ttle less
poten t, in flic tin g on ly Stren gth da ma ge.
Steppin g Sidew a ys: A ra t pa c k doesn 't ha ve to use the
Rite of the Bolthole to en ter the U mb ra they c a n "step
sidew a ys" in to the spirit w orld, just a s w erew olves do. T his still
requires a shin y, reflec tive objec t, but a n y w erera t c a n do it. Just
roll Gn osis a ga in st the di ffi c ulty of the loc a l Ga un tlet. A s usua l,
t
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 57
the n umber of suc c esses still determin es the len gth of ti me it
ta kes to en ter the spirit w orld: sc oring on e suc c ess mea n s the
lea p ta kes fi v e min utes; rollin g tw o suc c esses tra n sla tes in to
thirty sec on ds (or three turn s); w i th three suc c esses, steppin g
sidew a ys in to the U mbra is in sta n ta n eous.
Steppin g sidew a ys also requires priva c y; if a n yon e other
tha n a Ra tki n or other sha pec ha n ger is presen t, the a ttempt
w on 't w ork.
K een in g: Ra tki n ha ve the a bility to silen tly w a rn ea c h
other of da n ger, a s long a s their pa c kma tes a re w ithin hea rin g
ra n ge. Ra ts, w hen threa ten ed, c a n emi t a high-pitc hed soun d
tha t huma n s c a n n ot hea r. Werera ts, w hen fa c ed w i th a n
en emy, c a n emit a n un n a tura l soun dtha t on ly other Ra tki n (or
c erta in sha pec ha n gers w i th sen se-sha rpen in g Gi fts a c ti ve) c a n
sen se. If on e Ra tki n in a pa c k keen s, it sets everyon e's hea rt
ra c in g, pumps a dren a li n e, ten ses n erves, a n d gets everyon e
rea dy for a fi ght. Ra tki n c a n on ly keen w hen a c tua lly threa t-
en ed; it's impossible to "c ry w olf effec ti v ely un less you a re
experien c in g the stress of grea t da n ger. O ther sha pec ha n gers
c a n n ot emula te or i mi ta te this soun d.
Spea ks in Squea ks: A ll Ra tki n sha re a roden t la n gua ge
tha t on ly they c a n un dersta n d. T his c a n be used in a n y form.
Ra tki n in Roden s form c a n be qui te verbose; w erera ts in Crin os
form li mi t themselves to simple sen ten c es of a few c rude w ords.
Ra tki n in Homid form a re very c a reful w here they use this
roden t la n gua ge it's most un n ervin g w hen a ra t disguised a s
a huma n sta rts c hitterin g, n a tterin g, c lic kin g a n d w huffli n g.
Blessin gs of the Ra t In c a rn a : Ra tki n don 't n eedto ta ke
the T otem Ba c kgroun dduri n g c ha ra c ter c rea tion . In stea d, every
w erera t begin s his or her li fe in servic e to the Ra t In c a ma . Ra t
w atc hes over her c hildren from the first momen t of In fec tion to
the c a tha rsis of the First Cha n ge. T he w erera t ga in s a ll of the
ben efits (a n d a dheres to the ba n ) of the Ra t T otem. Ra tkin c a n
c ha n ge their totem ea c h time they form a n ew "ra t pa c k." T hey
c ollec tively dec ide w hic h totem best fits their c urren t goals in
li fe; you'll fi n d more deta ils in the T otem sec tion .
O nc e w erera ts form a pa c k, they don 't "pool" their T otem
Ba c kgroun dpoin ts, like w erew olves do. In stea d, a Sha dow Seer
must perform a Dedic a tion Rite to bin d the ra t pa c k together
a n d dec la re the quest they a re tryi n g to a c hieve. T he fi n a l roll
for this r i tua l determin es the n umb er of tempora ry ba c kgroun d
poin ts the pa c k gets a n d in fluen c es w hic h totem they c a n
c hoose. O n c e the pa c k disba n ds, a ll of the w erera ts presen t
resume thei r spi ri tua l a ffi li a ti on to the Ra t In c a rn a ... un ti l the
n ext pa c k is formed. Y ou'll fi n d more deta ils on these pra c tic es
in the Rites and Rituals sec tion .
BloodMemory: Most supern a tura l c rea tures kn ow n oth-
in g of the Blood Memory possessed by Ra tkin , a n a bility tha t
a llow s them to sha re ra c ia l memories. T hrough this ta len t, a
w erera t ma y "remember" the n a me of a n other Ra tkin he's n ever
met, a pla c e he's n ever been , or a deed performed by a member
of his a spec t gen era tion s a go. For more deta ils, keep rea din g.
For the rec ord, Ra tki n bloodis a lso poison ous to those w ho
fea st on it. Ea c h turn a va mpire or other supern a tura l c rea ture
drin ks the bloodof a w erera t, he rec eives on e un soa ka ble hea lth
level of a ggra va ted da ma ge. In a ddition , the c rea ture is also
overw helmed by disturbin g a n d terrifyin g psyc hedelic ima ges.
Suc h experien c es "revea l" n othin g; they're just rea lly ba dtrips.
flloot Memory
Quiet, in trospec tive roden ts c a n ha ve rema rka b le fla shes
of in sight. For in sta n c e, a w erera t w ho c a lmly listen s to the
soun d of his ow n blood c a n remember the n a me of a n other
Ra tki n he's n ever met before. Wi th en ough effor t, a Ra tki n
might even rec a ll a n other w erera t's a spec t, w ha t pa r t of the
w orld he ha ils from, or w here he's been .
K n ow ledge of a n c ien t la byrin ths is a lso pa sseddow n from
gen era tion to gen era tion . A Ra tki n c a n 't "remember" pa ssa ges
tha t ha ve c ha n ged duri n g the la st ten yea rs, but in a n y ma jor
c i ty, there's a c ha n c e tha t she c a n fi n d a sec ret pa th tha t's been
lon g forgotten . If it doesn 't exist in the physic a l w orld, it might
exist in the spi ri t w orld. T un n el Run n ers exc el a t this.
A lon e Ra tki n , through in trospec tion , c a n even a ttempt
to c ha n n el memories of a n c estors w ho served his a spec t.
T hough this ma y soun d simila r to the Ga rou's Pa st Li fe Ba c k-
groun d, it ha s on e i mporta n t di fferen c e: It's li mi ted to memo-
ries. A w erera t c a n n ot c ha n n el the heroes of Ra tki n history to
w ork through hi m. T his f ea t is somew ha t more di ffi c ult tha n
the other a pplic a tion s of Blood Memory.
System: Ca llin g upon Blood Memory is usua lly a simple
Gn osis roll. "Rememberin g" the n a me of a Ra tkin you've n ever
met is di ffi c ulty 6. Fin din g your w a y in a pla c e you've n ever
been is di ffi c ulty 8 (or di ffi c ulty 6 if you're a T un n el Run n er ).
Rec a llin g vision s of the pa st is fa r more di ffi c ult: it requi res the
expen diture of a poin t of Gn osis a n d a roll of the rema in in g
tempora ry Gn osis; the di ffi c ulty is 9. T his la st a bility c a n on ly
be used on c e per ga me session .
A n c ien t revela tion s a re a lw a ys sen sory experien c es, a n d
often rela te to the situa tion the w erera t is c urren tly strugglin g
w ith they're usua lly pa n ic -filled fla shes of ma d fli ght a n d
despera te sea rc hin g. T rue c la rity is impossible, pa rti c ula rly w hen
tryin g to rega in fa c ts ha vin g n othin g to do w i th hidin g pla c es or
fellow Ra tkin 's person a l history. T he a moun t of ti me you c a n
rea c h ba c k depen ds on the n umber of suc c esses you obta in on the
Gn osis roll. Memories more rec en t tha n ten yea rs a go c a n n ot be
rec a lled. In fec tion pla ys hell w i th this ta len t, rec a llin g memories
of the Impergium tha t a re a s fresh a s yesterda y, a n d gen era lly
drivin g the Ra tkin to the poin t of n ea r-ma dn ess.
V ision a ry Revela tion s
O n e suc c ess 1 0to 5 0yea rs
T w o suc c esses 5 0to 1 5 0yea rs
T hree suc c esses 1 5 0to 5 00yea rs
Four suc c esses 5 00to 1 000yea rs
Five suc c esses 1 000 to 2 000yea rs
With more tha n six suc c esses, a Ra tkin w ill fla sh on
memories from the Wa r of Ra ge or the Impergi um. Seein g ba c k
tha t fa r, of c ourse, is extremely ra re. A n y c ha ra c ters w a n ti n g to
remember ba c k fur ther or w i th a c tua l c la ri ty a re a dvised to
c on sult a Mokole; w erera t Blood Memory c a n 't c ompete w ith
the Dra gon Breed's Mn esis.
When a Ra tki n goes in to a medita tive tra n c e to seek a
revela tion from the pa st, the Storyteller ha s every ri ght to ta i lor
the n a ture of the i n forma ti on ga in ed, ma ki n g it suc c in c t a n d
c lea r or keepin g it va gue a n d mystic a l. T he Storyteller should
defi n i tely try to dredge up somethin g tha t w ould ma ke a good
I
plot threa d. Just keep in min d tha t most Storytellers a ren 't
ea ger to c irc umven t a n en tire story w i th a sin gle die roll.
Veil arib (Delirium
Preservin g the V eil is the fi rst, a n d most c on troversia l,
di c tum of the Li ta n y of Surviva l. Di fferen t a spec ts hold w i th
di f f er en t in terpreta tion s. T w itc hers don 't give a da mn a bout
the V ei l, a n d a re often ba n ished from n ests for prec isely tha t
rea son . By c on tra st, En gin eers a re fa n a ti c a bout upholdin g it; if
someon e sees them hookin g up a housec a t to a n elec tric a l
gen era tor, the huma n s w i ll n o doubt get suspic ious a n d c a ll
someon e. K n i fe Skulkers en dlessly deba te w here to dra w the
lin e betw een c ha os a n d in justic e. Some pun ish w erera ts w ho
ta ke Crin os form in public , w hile others ha ra ss a n y Ra tki n w ho
use their Gi fts open ly. Justic e is person a l a n d a rbi tra ry, espe-
c ia lly a mon g Skulkers.
Whether "preservin g the V eil" is importa n t to your w erera t
depen ds on w ho she w a n ts to ha n g out w i th. Pa c ks tha t sta y fa r
a w a y from la rge c olon ies in terpret this phra se very libera lly. A
few da n gerous dec eits deli ght in un lea shin g Deli ri um, c la imin g
tha t it helps sprea d c ha os. O n e of thei r most popula r ta c tic s is
the Frea k Show , a ri tua l performed by a pa c k of roden s-form
w erera ts exploitin g the Ri te of A rti fi c e Dedic a tion . A fter
dressin g outra geously, they sc urry a c ross the floor of a huma n 's
home a n d tormen t the in ha bita n ts. If a n y of the huma n s lea p
on to c ha irs a n dsc rea m, the Frea k Show is a suc c ess. A n a rc his-
tic pa c ks a re i n fa mous a t T w itc her Revels, but they often fi n d
themselves on the run from older w erera ts, w ho usua lly don 't
ha ve a sense of humor a bout suc h thin gs.
N ot everyon e believes tha t a c tin g like a ma n ia c in public
serves the Wyld. In some c olon ies, doin g a n ythin g tha t threa t-
en s the sa fety, sec rec y or sec urity of the n est "shreds the V eil,"
a n d is a pun isha ble offen se. Colon y elders a n d the K n i fe-
Skulkers they c omma n d a re the most dedic a ted to en forc in g
these c on c epts. In fa c t, Skulkers c a n ea rn quic k Ren ow n for
reporti n g Frea k Show s a n d T w itc hers to n ea rby c olon ies. Ra t
pa c ks w ho offer to hun t a n d pun ish these Ra tki n w ill fi n d n o
en dof Con tra c ts. If you're tryi n g to sc ore poin ts w i th the elders
a n dyou'dlike to frequen t sites tha t a re more tha n just c ra sh
spac e you ma y c hoose to obey the fi r st di c tum of the Li ta n y
v ery stric tly. T he c hoic e is simple: obey the elders, or run from
thei r min ion s. Frea k out huma n s a t your ow n risk.
(% age arib (Reason
Ra tki n a re c rea tures of extremes, even moreso tha n other
sha pec ha n gers. Ra ge a n d rea son a re the tw o extremes of their
existen c e. T w o of the most importa n t sta ts on your Ra tkin 's
c ha ra c ter sheet Ra ge a n d Gn osis represen t this. T he
gen era l guidelin es for thin kin g like a ra t a re pretty simple.
Ba sic a lly, if your w erera t is throw n in to a n extreme situa tion , a sk
yourself on e question : Whic h tra it is higher, Ra ge or Gn osis?
T he system w orks like this: When a Ra tkin 's tempora ry
Ra ge is higher tha n his tempora ry Gn osis, he's visibly disturbed,
a lmost sha kin g. He's rea dy for a c tion , a ll the time, a n djust a bout
rea dy to c li mb the w a lls. If tha t Ra ge overw helms him, he'll
physic a lly rea c t, either by la shin g out a t thin gs a roun d him, or
tryin g to bolt a w a y from a n y da n ger, rea l or imagined. Ra tkin roll
btil
a C>
A tftrief (Ratkin lexicon
Ra tkin soc iety is sw a rmi n g w i th legion s of furti v e
little c ultists. T o a n outsider, on e group of w erera ts is the
sa me a s a n y other. A n yon e w ho dea ls w i th them exten -
sively, how ever, ma y quic kly get overw helmed w i th the
deta i ls of their soc iety. Here's a quic k summa ry to help you
keep your roden tia l etymology stra ight.
A n y ga therin g of Ra tkin a n dtheir K in folk is kn ow n
as a dec eit. * *;
A dec eit ofRa tki n tha t's a llied themselves to ea c h
other a n d a totem is kn ow n a s a ra t pa c k.
T he most a n a rc histic ra t pa c ks a re c omposed of ra m-
blers; the members typic ally refer to themselves a s a gang.
More tra di ti on a l ra t pa c ks a re fa r more c on c ern ed
w i th defen din g the breedin g groun ds of their ra c e; they
defen d en tire c olonies of w erera ts. Colonies a re built
a roun d sa c red sites kn ow n a s N ests.
Forma l, tra dition a l ra t pa c ks w ho defen d N ests
refer to themselves a s c ourtiers a n da ssemble in retin ues.
If a c olon y is la rge en ough, they ma y be ruledby a group
of privilegedelders. Elders a re usua lly a t least Ra n k T hree.
La rger c olon ies get orga n izeda n dform tribes; they
a re ruled by c un n in g a n d sa ga c ious Ra t K in gs.
Reti n ues of c ourti ers refer to the sma llest n ests a s
midden s; ga n gs of ra mb lers c on sider them c ra sh spa c e.
T he largest c olon ies a re kn ow n a s in festa tion s a n d
a re typic a lly ruledby stodgy old c oun c ils reflec ti n g a ll the
a spec ts presen t.
for fren zy, just like Ga rou do, a n dw hen it hits, in stin c t ta kes over
ra tion a l thought. T he result is Ra t Ma dn ess.
If your Ra tki n c a n overc ome this f ur y, ra isin g his Gn osis
higher tha n his Ra ge, then he c a n keep those in stin c ts un der
c on trol. T he w erera t w i ll bec ome c a lm, ra tion a l . . . even helpful
a n d trusti n g, if he's a pproa c hedc orrec tly. If his Gn osis gets too
high, how ever, he'll sta rt to get disc on n ec tedfrom the physic a l
w orld. His a ffi n i ty to the spi ri t w orld grow s grea ter, un ti l he
bec omes a lmost delusion a l. Ra tki n c a n a lso suc c umb to Ra p-
ture , a sort of "Gn osis fren zy." When it hits, vision s, voic es a n d
delusion s result. Storytellers c a n fi n d more c on c rete guidelin es
for this a t the en d of Cha pter Five.
Kinfolk and
Most Ra tki n ha ve a di ffi c ult ti me pa ssin g on their lega c y
to thei r offspri n g. First, they must fi n d suita ble breedin g stoc k.
Some huma n s a re shameless en ough to breedw ith just a bout
a n yon e, in c ludin g dri fters a n d c rimin a ls w ho a re a c tua lly
w a n deri n g w erera ts in disguise. In these c a ses, the c hild tha t
results is huma n K i n folk, a c ursed c rea ture w i th a la ten t ta i n t
of ra t blood in its vein s. Werera ts w ho a re less pa rti c ula r a bout
their proc rea tion like to go slummin g in roden t popula tion s.
T heir offspri n g a re ra t K i n folk, bea sties w ho a re slightly more
in sightful tha n their roden t brethren . Huma n s ma y limit the
n umb er of c hildren they ha ve, but ra ts a re reproduc tively
prec oc ious. T hus, ra t K i n folk fa r outn umb er huma n K in .
If tw o Ra tkin breed, the result is a metis, a hybridoffspri n g
tha t is usua lly In fec ted w i th the Bi rthi n g Pla gue a t b i rth. If it
survives, there is a brief oc c a sion for rejoi c i n g, sin c e the A rmy
of the A poc a lypse w ill ha ve on e more soldier. U n fortun a tely,
metis Ra tki n a re a lw a ys sterile, w hic h is a sign ific a n t stigma in
w erera t soc iety.
x
In the pa st, huma n a n dra t K in folk c ouldgo their w hole lives
w ithout lea rn in g a bout their doomed legac y. N ow Ra tkin a re
roa min g the w orlda ga in in in c reasedn umbers, despera tely sea rc h-
in g for their lost desc en da n ts. If a K in folk is w oun ded, poison edor
plagued by a Ra tkin , the la ten t disease of the Birthin g Pla gue is
passed on . If a ritua list then performs the Rite of die Birthin g
Pla gue, the sleepin g ta in t of ra t blood a w a ken s, a n d In fec tion
begin s. Ma n y die; the c hosen survive. Desc en da n ts of K in folk also
reta in a thin ta in t of Ra tkin blood, but for them, the c han c es of
survivin g the Pla gue dec rea se w ith ea c h suc c essive gen era tion .
A s w ith other shapec han gers, a Ra tion 's breed depen ds on
w hether she w a s a huma n or ra t before she disc overed her true
n a ture. Ra t K in folk w ho survive the Birthin g Pla gue bec ome roden s
Ra tkin , w hile huma n K in w ho survive bec ome homidRa tkin . Metis
Ra tkin a re just gra teful to survive. T hey spendtheir forma tive yea rs
slin kin g a bout their breedin g groun ds a s they ten d to their ma n y
brothers a n dsisters. Eac hof these poor c rea tureshomid, metis a n d
roden s Ra tkin lea rn s a bout the w orlddifferen tly.
Human Kinfolk arib Homft (ftatkin
I thinkthat the sw ellin g is goin g down.
1said I thinkthat the swelling is going down.
T wo hundred dollars to leave this town....
L7 , "T he Fryin g Pa n is Red"
Huma n K in folk live lives of quiet despera tion , kn ow in g
tha t somethin g is horribly w ron g w i th the w orld, but c om-
pletely un a ble to do a n ythin g a bout it. Most live on the fri n ges
of huma n soc iety, n ever qui te fi tti n g in a n dn ever fully suc c eed-
in g. Whether they're dri fters, c rimin a ls, tra pped in ba d rela -
tion ships or just pla i n impoverished, the ta i n t of ra t blood
c urses their lives. N orma l life seems c on fin in g, mun da n e a n d
tedious. Life before In fec tion usua lly in volves w a itin g for a
"momen t of glory" tha t w i ll justi fy everythin g the poor ba sta rd
ha s suffered through. In this mythi c a l momen t, the pi ti ful
c rea ture w ill "bea t the system" a n d fi n d freedom.
In fec tion offers tha t freedom. T he restric tion s of huma n
soc iety a re c a st a side. Perspec tive c ha n ges en ti rely. A ll of
huma n history bec omes a n irreleva n t sa ga betw een the lies of
the Conc ord a n d the redemption of the A poc a lypse. T ruly
gifted vic tims c a n un dersta n d most of w erera t history a n d
c osmology a fter a few brief vision s. O thers don 't give a da mn
a bout the Wyrm, Wea ver a n d Wyld; they just bolt out of their
despera te situa tion s to seek somethin g better. T he overw helm-
in g ra ge a n In fec tedhuma n feels tea rs him a w a y from the simple
life she on c e kn ew , a n dplun ges her in to a bsolute terror a t w ha t
she ha s bec ome. When this ha ppen s, the on ly surc ea se from her
sufferi n g in volves strikin g out a t the w ebs tha t bi n d her. Some
In fec ted K in folk flee; others fi ght their w a y out.
Fea r of disc overy bec omes a stron g motiva tion a fterw a rds.
Ma n y Ra tki n refuse to trust a n yon e a fter the First Cha n ge, even
their ow n kin d, un til they a re forc ed to do so by n ec essity. T he
L
60 Ratkin
luc ky on es fin d their kin ea rly, or a re resc uedby them a n doffered
a pla c e of tempora ry sa fety. Even tua lly, offers of help bec ome
very temptin g. If a homid Ra tkin c a n 't be foun d by others of his
ow n kin dw ho c a n expla in w ha t's goin g on , he might misin ter-
pret the experien c e, resortin g to ma n ia or violen c e. Ra tkin ha ve
ma n y terms to desc ribe this phen omen on : "goin g posta l," "c limb-
in g the bell tow er," "goin g through the w hole gym ba g," a n d
"c lea n in g O T olley's" a re a few c ommon exa mples.
U n ti l homids suc c umb to the First Cha n ge, their min ds a re
a ssa ulted by messages from the Ra t In c a ma , w hisperin gs from
Ra t-spirits, a n d vision s of the history of their ra c e. T he fin a l
tra n sforma tion ma y n ot oc c ur un ti l da ys, w eeks or even mon ths
a fter survivin g the Pla gue. V ision s of the Birthin g Pla gue prepa re
a huma n for the ra dic a l c ha n ge he's goin g to un dergo, spira lin g
him dow n a desc en t in to madn ess. T he Ra tkin tea rs himself a w a y
from every burden in his life, un til the c a tha rtic momen t w hen
he rea lizes the mon ster he ha s bec ome.
If a pa c k of Ra tki n c a n in terven e, the poor bea stie c a n fin d
some purpose in life. U n fortun a tely, a s the n umb er of Ra ts in
the w orld stea dily in c rea ses, more lost c hildren a re disa ppea r-
in g. A s lon ers a n dsurviva lists, they rema in in hidin g or w a n der
the streets, dea lin g w i th other supern a tura l c rea tures on ly a s
n ec essa ry. A few w erera ts c on tin ue to hea r voic es a n d see
vision s lon g a fter they lea rn to shift. T hese ma dmen often
resort to shoc kin g a troc ities w hen they misin terpret w ha t they
see a n d hea r. A lost K in folk might kill huma n s in a glorious
fren zy of reven ge, in dulge in religious ma n ia or just ba rric a de
himself in his home w i th hea vy w ea pon ry un ti l the forc es of
order c ome to ta ke him a w a y.
Even tua lly, most homid Ra tki n give up on their fellow
huma n s en ti rely. T he A ge of Ma n is over, a fter a ll. T he huma n
ra c e is doomed. O n c e a Ra tki n 's a llia n c e shifts to tha t of his
brothers a n d sisters, there is little rea son to resist lyin g to,
stea lin g from, or betra yin g other huma n bein gs. T hey a re less
importa n t tha n w erera ts, a fter a ll, a n d shouldbe exploited to
further the Ra tki n ra c e. A few , how ever, c on tin ue to ha ve
pa n gs of c on sc ien c e a bout suc h pra c tic es, pla c in g them in a
si tua ti on w here they must lie to both Ra tkin and huma n s to
surv i v e. N o w on der trust is so ha rd to c ome by. Perha ps w hen
the w orld is hea led, a n d the w erera ts survive the A poc a lypse,
the soc iety tha t results w ill be a muc h kin der on e... but n ot yet.
(Robem (ftatkin
" Hey, I know where you live! 1live where you live!"
Ra lphie Roa c h, Joe's A pa rtmen t
flaky Kinfolk
Some w erera ts rec eive vision s of w here their lost
K i n folk ma y be. O n e of the most c ommon vision s of this
sort is of a huma n ba by born to K i n folk pa ren ts. When this
ha ppen s, a dec eit of Ra tki n sc urries to the Sc ene a s quic Hf
a s they c a n , prepa rin g to a bduc t the Ra tki n rela tive before
it grow s up a mon g ordi n a ry huma n s. T hough ma n y a re
c a reful to un derta ke these mission s un der the c over of the
V ei l, en ough of them ha ve been sighted to sta rt a few
urba n legen ds a bout ba by-sn a tc hin g ra ts.
T hough Ra tki n c a n live in a lmost a n y en viron men t in the
w orld, the la rgest c on c en tra tion s of roden s Ra tkin a re in urb a n
en viron men ts. Huma n s a n d ra ts c o-ha bit a n d c ompete for
c on trol of ma n y of the sa me c ities. T he sc ien tific term for
a n ima ls w ho live in huma n settlemen ts is c ommen sa l. T he
vulga r terms a re less ki n d. Ra ts don 't rec ogn ize the boun da ries
of huma n c iviliza tion , a n d ten d to get territoria l w hen they
c la im a breedin g groun da s their ow n . Roden s Ra tki n sha re the
sa me a ttitudes. Huma n la w s mea n n othin g to a w erera t tryi n g
to in c rea se the popula tion of his c olon y.
When a roden t-born survives his first In fec tion , his perspec -
tive on the w orld dra stic a lly c han ges. Ra ts a re a lrea dy quite
in telligen t, but the Birthin g Pla gue overw helms the roden t's
in tellec t, va stly expa n din g it to the poin t w here it's on pa r w ith
the a vera ge huma n ... or better. In ra re c a ses, the in fec ted ra t's
min dma y c a ta pult him to the rea lm of a supergen ius, ea rn in g him
a n a me like "A lgern on " or "Bra in ." Suffic e it to sa y tha t the
experien c e c a n give the a vera ge Ra ttus n orvegic us a host of idea s.
Despite this b en efi t, old ha bits die ha rd. Roden t-breed
Ra ts c a n n ever quite un dersta n dthe ethic s a n dmores of huma n
soc iety. T hey do n ot un dersta n d the idea of property, pa rti c u-
la rly the idea tha t a n yon e c a n defi n e the ir home j ust by sec urin g
four w a lls. Ra ts, they a rgue (a s soon a s they a re c a pa ble of
a rtic ula te speec h), should ha ve the freedom to tra vel a n y-
w here. Loc ks, doors a n d sec urity systems a re on ly suggestion s.
Brea kin g a n d en terin g is a sa c red obliga tion . O w n ership is
situa tion a l. A n d, most i mporta n tly, in a n y c on flic t betw een
huma n s a n d ra ts, the roden ts a re a lw a ys ri ght. Huma n c i v i li za -
tion w a s a mista ke, a fter a ll, a result of the Ga rou's ill-c on c eived
Con c ord, a n dw i th the A poc a lypse c lose a t ha n d, it's doomed
a n yw a y. Like lupus Ga rou, they a re restric ted in the A bilities
they c a n purc ha se a t c ha ra c ter c rea tion .
A fter livin g w ith va st n umbers of rela tives, all but the most
c a ge-boun d housepets (or experimen ta l test subjec ts) a lso fi n d
the idea of priva c y to be c on fusin g. A n ythi n g you c a n do in
fron t of a n other ra t, on e w ould suppose, on e should be a ble to
do in fron t of a n other Ra tki n ... or a huma n , presuma bly.
Ba throom humor a side (ra ts c a n 't c on trol a ll of thei r bodily
fun c tion s, but Ra tki n c a n ), roden s in Homid form a re puzzled
by idea s like n udity ta boos, improper ma tin g ha bits, a n d the
c on c ept of c ha n gin g c lothes in priva te. In the in terest of sa fety
a n d surviva l, Ra tki n of other breeds must w a tc h them c losely.
Roden s a re also fa r more c ommon tha n homids, espec ia lly
in w erera t c olon ies. Sinc e ra ts a re more reproduc tively prec o-
c ious tha n huma n s, roden s outn umber homids five to on e. (Y our
ra t pa c k doesn 't ha ve to a bide by the sa me ra tios, of c ourse, but
they w ill be rega rded w ith suspic ion if they don 't.) O vera ll,
roden s Ra tkin c on sider themselves fa r more hon est tha n their
homidc ousins. Life a mon g huma n s ma kes huma n K in folk trea c h-
erous little ba sta rds to begin w ith, a n d a fter the First Cha n ge,
homid Ra tkin a re kn ow n for their highly-developed a bilities of
dec eption . Roden s, on the other ha n d, don 't lie a bout w ho they
a re; a ra t, by a n y other n a me, w ould smell the sa me.
T here is on e exc eption to this hon esty: N ev er a rgue w i th
a n elderly roden s a bout c olon y politic s. T he on es w ho spen d
too muc h time livin g n ea r Ra tkin n ests ten dto get nasty a bout
their soc ia l sta tus, a n d dema n d respec t. T hey a re privileged,
espec ially if they a re elders, a n dw on 't let you forget it. T ha t's
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 61
Kite Cage* Volk
Most ra t K in folk ha ve the in telligen c e of the a vera ge
ra t. T hey c a n be tra in ed to do simple tric ks, respon d to
their n a mes, or even spy on people, but they c a n on ly
c ommun ic a te in simple sen ten c es. A s rumor w ould ha ve
it, though, there's a llegedly on e n ota ble exc eption . Leg'
en ds tell of fa mi ly of K i n folk tha t esc a pedfrom a n ela bo-
ra te experimen t in the la bora tories of Developmen ta l
N eogen etic s A ma lga ma ted. T hrough gen etic ma n i pula -
tion , they ha ve ga in eda n a bn orma lly high in telligen c e
slightly higher tha n the huma n a vera ge a n dpa ssedthis
blessin g on to hun dreds of Ra t K i n folk desc en da n ts.
N ow the N ests pa ss on ta les of a c on spira c y of roden tia
i n telli gen tsi a i n fi ltra ti n g the roden t popula tion of N orth
A meric a . Sec retly, it's sa id, they refer to themselves a s the
Ca gedFolk. Ma n y a re thought to ha ve ta ken up position s
a s a gen ts of espion a ge in resea rc h la bora tories. T heir
mission is to breedfrequen tly en ough to ra ise the a vera ge
in telligen c e of the roden t popula tion , repla c in g the spe-
c ies Rattus narvegicus w ith the more evolved Ra ttus supe-
rior. O pera tin g from sec retn ests, they educ a te their rugra ts
in rea di n g, elemen ta ry sc ien c e a n d roden t espion a ge. If
these n umbers a re true, then this ti n y group ha s proba bly
a lrea dy offered up a few of their ow n in to the ra n ks of the
Ra tki n En gin eers. T hey're a lw a ys desc ribed a s in ordi-
n a tely pa ti en t in sistin g tha t thei r ti me w i ll c ome.
on e reason w hy some youn g ra t pa c ks prefer n ot to spen d too
muc h ti me ha n gin g a roun da sa c redsite soon er or la ter, on e
of the older ra ts w i ll try ha rd to en sn a re them in some c on vo-
luted i n tri gue. A s a n y youn gster c a n tell you, "When the tra p
sn a ps, someon e else w i ll get the ba it."
W etis ftatkin
" Aarrrggh! Stupid, stupid Rat Creatures!"
Bon e, every other issue of Bone
Meti s a re a lw a ys in fertile. T hey a lso begin li fe physic a lly
w ea ker tha n other ra ts, la c kin g the gen etic di versi ty tha t ma kes
other w erera ts so robust. For these tw o rea son s, they a re
subjec ted to the Ri te of the Bi rthi n g Pla gue shortly a fter b i rth.
U n for tun a tely, they a re a lso the lea st likely of the three breeds
to en dure it. If a metis Ra tki n survives In fec tion , the c olon y
rejoic es. Despite this, a ll metis a re still pron e to psyc hologic a l
a n d physic a l c ha llen ges. Somew here in the midst of a ll this
ha ppin ess, suc h min or deta ils a re ign ored. Bec a use la rger sw a rms
a n d a rmies a re despera tely n eeded for the fi n a l ba ttle of the
A poc a lypse, metis Ra tki n don 't suf f er from the soc ia l stigma s
in flic ted on metis of other Cha n gin g Breeds.
Ra t breeders a re w ell a w a re of the da n ger of li mi ti n g a gen e
pool of offspri n g. Wi thout "hybrid va riety," c hildren born of
c lose rela tives a re often less robust, ha ve less resista n c e to
disea se, a n d ha ve w ea ker c on stitution s. Physic a lly, how ever,
metis w erera ts a re la rger a n d bulki er tha n thei r rela tion s; their
Crin os-form A ttri b utes reflec t grea ter musc le pow er but less
overa ll resilien c e.
Ra ised from birth in a N est, metis Ra tkin a re the most
i n ti ma tely a w a re (sometimes li tera lly so) w i th the w orkin gs of
w erera t soc iety. When a ra t pa c k ha s to dea l w i th a Ra tki n
c olon y, their metis (if a n y) is often c hosen to represen t the
group. Metis c ha ra c ters should get a -1 di ffi c ulty on a ll Eti -
quette a n dPolitic s rolls of this ki n d. Ea c h metis must begin pla y
w ith a t lea st on e poin t in the Colon y Ba c kgroun d; this T ra it
reflec ts the popula tion of the sa c red site from w hic h he c a me.
Meti s a re usua lly on exc ellen t terms w i th the loc a l fema le
popula ti on , pa rti c ula rly the roden ts respon sible for breedin g
a n d ra isin g c hildren . Ma n y a metis lea rn s to desc ribe the
w orkin gs of Ra tki n soc iety by tellin g stories to youn g roden t
pups. U n fortun a tely, un ti l the metis dec ides to lea ve the n est,
he is expec ted to show deferen c e tow a rd a n d respec t for his
roden s elders. Ra tki n elders ha ve li ttle, if a n y, respec t for metis
a n d expec t to be trea ted like roya lty. If a metis is a c tua lly
a c c epted by a ra t pa c k, he is free to tra vel w here he plea ses.
U n ti l then , a metis lea rn s how to dea l w i th the loc a l oldfolks.
Huma n s a ren 't muc h better tha n elders. T hey ha ve a low
tolera n c e for a n yon e w ho is di f f er en t, disea sed, in sa n e or
deformed. For a ll their preten se a t huma n i ty, they've overpopu-
la ted most of their c ities so ba dly tha t people "fa ll through the
c ra c ks" every da y, en din g up sta rvin g a n d homeless on the
street. When meti s en ter huma n soc iety, they a lw a ys do so
un der the guise of bein g "dow n a n dout." T hey ten dto ha ve the
most sympa thy for the disen fra n c hised members of huma n
soc iety, w hic h usua lly elic its sc orn a n d c en sure from other
w erera ts. T hen a ga in , on ly a metis c a n truly un dersta n d rejec -
tion a n d ostra c ism.
Deformities: Every metis w erera t ha s a deformity, on e
tha t is visible in a ll three of his forms. T his a ffli c ti on might be
ea sily c on c ea ledw hen the metis in tera c ts w i th huma n soc iety,
but every meti s is required to open ly displa y his or her gen etic
fla w w hen v i si ti n g a Ra tki n c olon y. Fa ilure to do so in vites
pun i shmen t from the highest-ra n kin g K n ife-Skulker presen t;
pra y tha t it's on ly ri tua l sc a rrin g. For Storytellers usin g Ren ow n
rules, hi di n g a metis deformi ty results in the loss of three poin ts
of O bliga tion Ren ow n .
Exa mples of metis deformities a boun d; they suffer from the
sa me gen etic a fflic tion s a s other metis sha pec ha n gers. Here's a
few idea s to get you sta rted: ha irless, club foot, third eye, a lbin ism,
reticulated " rhino" skin, abnormatty small, gigantic and bloated, tiny
hands in Roden s form/paws in Homid form, huma n face in Roden s
form/ratfeatures in Homidform, hoofed feet, tiny horns. A metis c a n
usua lly c on c ea l his deformi ty w hen tra velin g a mon g huma n s, but
a mon g other ra t ba sta rds, they ta ke pride in their a fflic tion s,
c ompetin g to see w ho ha s the most impressive disfiguremen t.
forms
T here were rumors, too, w ith a baffling and disconcerting
a moun t of agreement. W itnesses said that it had long hair and the
shape of a rat, but that its sharp-toothed bearded face was evilly
human, whikits paws were like tiny human hands.
"Drea ms in the Wi tc h House," H.P. Lovec ra ft
Ra tki n love sha peshiftin g, a s it a llow s them to in filtra te
huma n , roden t a n d supern a tura l soc ieties w i th equa l fa c i li ty.
A n y Ra tkin c a n assume a t least three forms. T he first of these
guises, Homidform, a llow s a w erera t to in tera c t w i th the w orld
a s a huma n bein g. When w ea rin g this sha pe, Ra tki n a lw a ys
ha ve some tell-ta le fea ture tha t gives a w a y thei r roden t heri-
ta ge: sha rp teeth, b ri ght w ide eyes, a lon g n ose or sha rp li ttle
fin gern a ils a re a ll c ommon tra i ts. T hese physic a l imperfec tion s
a re n ever a s exa ggera ted a s metis deformi ti es; they a re sub tle
en ough tha t on ly a n other w erera t w ould ea sily n oti c e them.
Like Ga rou, a Ra tkin c a n sha peshift pa rt of her body to
ta ke a dva n ta ge of roden t fea tures in Homid form. T his mi ght
in volve sproutin g a ta i l to gra b somethin g off a shelf or relea sin g
w hiskers to feel a lon g a w a ll in the da rk. T o do this, b urn off a
poi n t of Ra ge a n d roll Dexterity + Pri ma l-U rge, di ffi c ulty 7 . For
Ga ia 's sa ke, don 't botc h the roll; it's emba rra ssin g.
T he Crin os form is a shoc kin g a ma lga m of ra t a n d ma n . A
Ra tkin 's Crin os form is usua lly a full foot ta ller tha n its Homid
for m, a lthough ma n y w erera ts typic a lly slouc h to c on c ea l this
extra height. Cla w ed pa w s c url, c on tortin g in to tin y ha n ds.
Whiskers tw i tc h, sen sin g the slightest breeze. T he sight of a
Ra tki n in Crin os form in vokes a w ea ken ed version of the
Deli ri um in huma n s w ho see it, a n d w i th a c urious tw i st. Ma n y
of the memories formed by Ra tki n sightin gs a re in fluen c ed by
urba n legen ds, ta i n tedby fea rs of spra w lin g c ities in fested w i th
c ha os a n d ma dn ess. Some of these stories a re repea ted a s
in c iden ts w itn essed by a fri en d of a fri en d of a f r i en d....
Ra tkin in Crin os c a n a c tua lly use their ta i ls to fli ps
sw itc hes, push button s or gra sp sma ll objec ts. U n fortun a tely,
a n y Dexteri ty rolls in volvin g ta i l ma n i pula ti on a re a t a +3
di ffi c ulty, a n d the ta il's effec ti v e Stren gth equa ls Homid form
Stren gth -1 .
T he Roden s form often resembles a n orma l-lookin g w ha rf
ra t. Experts in the w a ys of w erera ts c a n often guess a Ra tkin 's aspec t
from this form. Pustulen t Pla gue Lords lic k a t their sores a n d
buboes; n efa rious En gin eers c a refully groom a lbin o fur a n d blin k
w ea k eyes; sha dow y K n ife-Skulkers shift their fur in to shades
embra c ed by da rkn ess. In a bsolute da rkn ess, on ly subtle sc en ts
distin guish on e ra t from a n other. A Ra tkin 's Roden s form might
be a bloa ted bea stie the size of a housec a t, a furti v e w ha rf ra t
c lutc hin g a t shin y gew ga w s w ith un n a tura lly gn a rledpa w s, or a n
oily sw a mp ra t lea pin g out of a public toilet to esc a pe the sew ers
below . Ra tkin in Roden s a re n otoriously diffic ult to kill; un fortu-
n a tely, their n a tura l resilien c e doesn 't help them muc h a ga in st
supern a tura l c rea tures or serious a tta c ks. A lthoughRoden s-form
w erera ts a ddtw o to Homid-form Sta min a , they c a n n ot use these
extra dic e w hen soa kin g da ma ge from bla dedw ea pon s, firea rms, or
the teeth a n dc la w s of supern a tura l c rea tures.
N orma l roden ts ha ve prehen sile digits, w hic h c a n be used
for c limbin g a n d gra spin g food, but their "thumbs" a re un der-
developed, a n d c a n n ot gra sp. Roden s-form Ra tki n , on the
other ha n d, c a n gra sp a n duse tools w i th pri mi ti v e thumbs. T he
sma rtest on es c a n devise ti n y tools to a idthem in their sec retive
ta sks. A lthough this is ra rely a ttempted, Ra tki n in Roden s a re
a lso extremely good a t hidin g a n d skulkin g; a t the Storyteller's
option , a n y Ra tki n in this form might reduc e the di ffi c ulty of
Stea lth rolls by 2 or 3 .
Experien c ed Ra tkin a re a ble to assume a fourth form. T his
protea n a bility doesn 't fully develop un til the w erera t is a "T ava
Ra tkin ," or Ra n k T hree w erera t. Whic h shape the w erera t assumes
depen ds on his breed. Homids lea rn die Ra t Ma n form to exploit
huma n s w ith in c reasedguile a n ddec eption . Metis sha mble in the
t
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 63
7orm Statistics
Crin os Rodens
Str: +1 * Str: -1
Dex: +4 Dex: +2
Sta : +2 * Sta : +2
Cha : -2
A pp: -1
Per: +1 Per: +3
* Metis Ra tkin a dd tw o to their effec tive Stren gth in
Crin os, b ut a ddon ly a sin gle dot to Sta min a in tha t form; they're
bulky a n d pow erful, but w ithout rea l lon g-term en dura n c e.
lumberin g Ra t T hin g form. Roden s Ra tkin in dulge in extreme
violen c e a fter a ssumin g Itc hy form. T hese three "skins" a re lea rn ed
a s BreedGifts, a n d a re deta iledfurther in A ppen dix O n e.
T he di ffi c ulty to shift forms is a lw a ys 6. Sin c e Ra tki n on ly
ha ve three forms, the shiftin g from Homid to Roden s (or ba c k)
on ly requires tw o suc c esses on a Sta min a + Prima l-U rge roll.
Spen din g a poin t of Ra ge w ill a utoma tic a lly gua ra n tee a n in sta n -
ta n eous c ha n ge. A w erera t c a n 't shift in a n a rea w here there isn 't
en ough room for Crin os (a s she c a n 't a c hieve the midpoin t
betw een huma n a n d r a t), but fortun a tely, ma n y Ra t Wa rriors
ha ve ma stered the a rt of lea pin g out of a c on fin ed c ra w lspa c e in
Roden s form a n d shiftin g in to Crin os form in mi d-a i r....
Heto background: Colony
A ll metis begin the ga me w i th the Colon y Ba c kgroun d; it is
option a l for other Ra tkin . T his T ra it desc ribes the size of the nest
w here you a re born . Presuma bly, if you're a pup a n d you get in
trouble, you c a n sen d a messenger or Ra t-spirit "bac k home" for
help. O nc e you joi n a ra t pa c k or c omplete your Ri te of Pa ssa ge,
how ever, your c olon y w on 't a utoma tic a lly a n sw er a ll of your c ries
for a id. In a ddition , your Storyteller is un der n o obliga tion to set his
a dven tures a n yw here n ea r the n est w here youw ere bom. If you a re
fortun a te, he ma y a c tua lly assign you a ra tin g for your Colon y
Ba c kgroun dif your home is goin g to be the c en ter of his c hron ic le.
N ests ha ve a size ra ti n g, just like Ga rou c a ern s do. With
w erew olves, a c a ern ra tin g reflec ts the a moun t of spi ri tua l
en ergy tha t's stored w i thi n it. Wi th w erera ts, a n est ra ti n g
reflec ts the a moun t of c ha os tha t's c on c en tra ted a t the c en ter
of the a rea , a n dthis depen ds on the n umber of Ra tki n w ho live
there. N ests low er tha n Level T hree ten d to be very i n forma l
a n d disorga n ized, a n d a re typic a lly ruled by the loc a l elders.
O n c e a n est gets too popula ted, how ever, w erera ts usua lly
c la mor for on e ra t to rule them a ll. T he result is a forma l tribe
dedic a ted to tha t on e n est. For more deta ils, see Cha pter T w o.
N est ra tin g # of Ratkin Desc ription
O n e 1 -4 little more tha n c ra sh spa c e
(a lso kn ow n a s a "midden ")
a tempora ry sc rape defen ded
by T un n el Run n ers
a thrivin g c olon y, possibly a
youn g tribe
a hea lthy w a rren of roden ts
a surgin g in festa tion a dvised
by a n elderly c oun c il
For every Ra tki n w ho lives in a c olon y, there ma y a lso be
a sc ore or tw o of n orma l ra ts a n d ra t K i n folk n ea rby. A lthough
Ga rou w i th the K i n folk Ba c kgroun d c a n c a ll upon thei r rela -
tion s to help them, sw a rms of ra ts don 't a utoma tic a lly rush in to
T w o
T hree
Four
Five
5-1 0
1 1 -2 5
2 5 -5 0
5 0+
Ratkin
b a ttle w hen ever someon e keen s. If a Ra tki n c orrec tly petition s
the c olon y w here she w a s born , the Storyteller ma y roll the
roden t's Colon y Ba c kgroun dto determin e the degree to w hic h
the loc a l K i n folk a n dspirits a re w illin g to help out. Summon in g
violen t a rmies of ra ts to a tta c k is fa r more di ffi c ult; it requires
a da mn good rea son a n d the Rite of the Sw a rm, w hic h is
desc ribed in the Rites and Ritua ls sec tion .
A s on e w ould expec t, Ra tki n c olon ies a re very di fferen t
fr om Ga rou septs. Ga rou prefer to gua rd va st spra w lin g ba w n s
in the depths of the w ildern ess; most Ra tki n va stly prefer to live
in huma n c ities, w here the a c tion is. Ga rou refer to urb a n
w erew olv es a s urrah, or "ta in tedon es"; Ra tki n c on sider "c oun -
try mic e" to be c ow a rds. Ga rou c a ern s a re la rge en oughfor n in e-
foot w erew olves to revel in epic moots; the c ha mbers of a
Ra tki n n est a re usua lly c on n ec ted by c omplic a ted systems of
un dergroun d tun n els, i n ten ti on a lly preven tin g a n yon e from
en teri n g most a rea s homidform. Huma n c ra w lspa c es ha ve on ly
limited a c c ess to a few a rea s of the a vera ge Ra tki n n est.
Fin a lly, Ga rou c a ern s a re blessed w i th Moon Bridges tha t
spa n en ti re c on tin en ts, a llow in g ra pid tra v el betw een them.
Ra tki n n ests don 't ha ve suc hprivileges. T un n el Run n ers ma y
spra y-pa i n t sigils to hin t a t w here a loc a l n est ma y be, but
tra v eli n g betw een dista n t n ests c a n ta ke w eeks. A T un n el
Run n er ha s to depen don c irc uitous U mb ra l bolt holes, hitc h-
hi ki n g, i n termi n a ble bus rides a n d fur ti v e tra i n hoppin g w hen
lea din g his pa c k to a n est of w erera ts. A s on e w ouldexpec t, on ly
a Bon e Gn a w er or a Ra tki n ha s the pa ti en c e to ride a Grey-
houn d bus to get to the n ext sa c red site.
Hew flackgrounfr 'freak factor
O n a Ra tkin 's c ha ra c ter sheet, devia n c e is mea suredby a T ra it
a ffec tion a tely kn ow n a s the Frea k Fa c tor. A n y truly demen ted
Ra tkin , from a w erera t a n a rc hist hea rin g the w hispers of the Ra t
Godto a n exile from the depths of the U mbra to those embra c in g
the Frea k a spec ts of w erera t soc iety, c a n be eva lua tedon this sc ale.
Storytellers don 't ha ve to a llow Frea ks in their c hron ic les; in stea d
they ma y c hoose pla c e a limit on the Frea kishn ess of c ha ra c ters.
O n e the other ha n d, Storytellers w ho en joy stra n ger ta les ma y
in stea d require a ll c ha ra c ters to ta ke this Ba c kgroun d.
U n hin ged: Ra tkin w i th Frea k Fa c tor 1 ha ve a highly
developed rela tion ship w i th their T otems. If you're U n hin ged,
your godis still c a llin g you. A fter your First Cha n ge, the voic es just
w ouldn 't stop. When ever you a re un c erta in of a c ourse of a c tion ,
you ma y hea r voic es in struc tin g you w ith a dvic e. For pla yers w ho
a re n ew to the Worldof Da rkn ess, this blessin g c a n be ma ssively
usef ula godsen d, if you w ill. N on etheless, a s on e w ould expec t,
c ha ra c ters w ho a re tormen tedby voic es a re often trea teda s in san e.
A ll T w itc hers ha ve this psyc hologic a l "en ha n c emen t."
U n sta ble: Ra ge c omes a li ttle too ea sily for these
Ra tki n ; this is both a blessin g a n d a c urse. A seethin g a n ger
isola tes youfrom ordin a ry huma n s, but it a lso ma kes you primed
for b a ttle a t a momen t's n otic e. When ever a c ha ra c ter w i th this
Ba c kgroun d ga in s a Ra ge poi n t, roll a die; on a 1 0, he ga in s a n
extr a poi n t of Ra ge. U n fortun a tely, he a lso ma kes Fren zy rolls
a t di f f i c ulty 4. Ra tki n a t Frea k Fa c tor 2 don 't pla y w ell w i th
others, but they're a bsolute ba sta rds in a fi ght. A ll T w itc hers
a re U n hin ged and U n sta ble; thus, they must pa y three Ba c k-
groun d Poin ts for thei r Frea k Fa c tor duri n g c ha ra c ter c rea tion .
U n ea rthly: If you're a Ra tki n a t Frea k Fa c tor 3 , you're
blessed w i th messa ges from Ra t-spirits in the U mbra . Spirits
follow you everyw here you go, a n dyou rec eive repea tedmessa ges
from pla c es w here urba n spirits c on grega te. Ja gglin gs a n dGa fflin gs
w ho serve Ra t fi n d it ea sier to c ommun ic a te w i th U n ea rthly
Ra tkin , spen din g on e less poin t of Pow er on a n y Cha rm in volv-
in g c ommun ic a tion . If they don 't a lrea dy ha ve it, U n ea rthly
c ha ra c ters ga in the Sha dow Seer Gi ft: Spirit Speec h. In a ddition ,
U n ea rthly c ha ra c ters ga in Gn osis quic ker; w hen ever the w erera t
ga in s Gn osis, roll a die; on a 1 0, she ga in s a n extra poin t of Gn osis
a n d ma kes a Ra pture roll (see Cha pter Five).
U n ba la n c ed: Werera ts a re pure c rea tures of the
Wyld. Ra tki n a t Frea k Fa c tor 4 a lso ha ve a n i n tui ti v e un der-
sta n din g of either the Wea ver or the Wyrm. Pla gue Lords
un dersta n ddisea se a n dc orrupti on ; thus, they ha ve a n un n erv -
in g un dersta n di n g of the Wyrm. Ra tki n En gin eers sc a ven ge
a n d sc roun ge tec hn ology in a ma zin g w a ys; thus, they develop
a n un n a tura l love for the Wea ver. Pla gue Lords a n d En gin eers
must ha ve a t lea st four poin ts in this Ba c kgroun d dur i n g
c ha ra c ter c rea tion . U n ba la n c ed c ha ra c ters of other a spec ts
rec eive a four th Gi f t duri n g c ha ra c ter c rea tion : Sense Wea ver
or Sense Wyrm, depen din g on their preferen c e.
U n n a tura l: Y ou a re n ot from this w orld. T he
physic a l w orldjust doesn 't ma ke sen se to you; you c on sider the
stra n gen ess of the Deep U mbra to be the n orm. Ma ybe on e of
your pa ren ts w a s a Ma teria lizedRa t-spirit. Ma ybe you've spen t a
little too muc h time in the spirit w orld a n d ha ve forgotten w ho
you a re. Perha ps you a re a n exile from a Deep U mbra l Pa ra dise
Rea lm, or quest for a person a l Lost K in gdom tha t on ly you c a n
remember. T hus, you're U n n a tura l. A s a side effec t, youa lw a ys
get a -2 di ffi c ulty w hen steppin g sidew a ys. A ll Mun c hma usen a re
required to buy this Ba c kgroun d a n d pla y it to the hilt. A t the
Storyteller's option , U n n a tura l c ha ra c ters ma y a lso ha ve a bon us
a t in tera c tin g w i th c himera e a n d drea m rea lms.
T his ba c kgroun ddoes more tha n gra n t simple a dva n ta ges;
it reflec ts the ra ri ty of Frea ks in the w orld. Pla yin g Mun c hma usen ,
for in sta n c e, requires five Ba c kgroun d Poin ts bec a use there a re
very few of them in existen c e. Ra tki n of the four tra dition a l
a spec ts c a n a lso purc ha se a Frea k Fa c tor, but they obviously don 't
ben efit from them a s muc h a s Frea ks do. In a ddition , the effec ts
of this Ba c kgroun d a re n ot c umula tive. T he ben efits of Frea k
Fa c tor 4 don 't in c lude Frea k Fa c tor 1 ; thus, a Pla gue Lorddoesn 't
n ec essa rily hea r voic es... un less the pla yer w a n ts to buy tha t
Ba c kgroun dsepa ra tely for his c ha ra c ter. Y es, you c a n drop fifteen
freebie poin ts a n d purc ha se a ll levels of Frea k Fa c tor c on c ur-
ren tly but do you rea lly w a n t to run a Ra tkin tha t messed-up ?
Hew flackgrounft (Plague
N o ma tter how they justi f y their shoc kin g a troc ities,
w erera ts still fi n den ough c ommon groun dto w ork together. T o
further this, full-blooded Ra tki n w ho a re a w a re of their heri ta ge
ha ve esta blished ti ghtly-kn i t c la n s tha t ra n ge throughout the
w orld... a n dbeyon d. T hese exten sive n etw orks of w erera ts a re
kn ow n a s "fa milies" to the Ra tki n w ho trust them; to everyon e
else, in c ludin g the c ha ra c ters they're Ratkin plagues, c on spira -
c ies of roden ts tha t stretc h a c ross en tire c on tin en ts. A s pa rt of
the fulfi llmen t of the Ra tki n ba rd's a n c ien t c urse, n in e dea dly
pla gues ha ve sprea d throughout the w orld.
I
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things
Ea c h Ra tkin pla gue ha s its ow n distin c t methods of prepa rin g
for the Fin al Days. T he N ezumi c lan of the Fa r East, the fa n a tic
surviva lists of N orth A meric a , Grea t-Gra n dmere's min ion s in
Europe ea c h brood lea rn s of their destin y differen tly. Ra tkin
pla gues offer support in times of da n ger, but they ma y also dema n d
burden some obliga tion s from the ra t pa c ks they en c oun ter... a n d
pun ish those w ho do n ot uphold them. Just a s other supern a tura l
c rea tures sometimes regret ma kin g a dea l w ith a pa c k of Ra tkin ,
ma n y dec eits of w erera ts c ome to regret goin g to a Ra tkin pla gue
for a dvic e or assistan c e. Begin n in g c ha ra c ters ra rely belon g to on e
of these groups; usua lly, they a re the provin c e of the Storyteller.
Despite geogra phic a l dista n c es, a ll Ra tkin fa mi li es belon g
to the same ra c e. A T okyo N ezumi still rega rds a South
A meri c a n Ra tki n w i thfa mi li a l a ffec ti on . A n in bredmoun ta i n
ra t ma y rec a ll through blood memory the n a me of a sw a mp ra t
he's just met for the first time. T hough their n etw ork of
c ommun ic a tion a c ross the globe is fa r from perfec t, it's good
en ough to keep them on e step a hea dof most other supern a tura l
a llia n c es. Most w erera ts do n ot c on sort w i th the loc a l Ra tki n
pla gue, a n d in fa c t prefer to sta y c lea r of them un less they're
despera te for help. Werera ts n ever forget a debt.
T he Pla gue Ba c kgroun dshow s the rela tion ship betw een a
Ra tkin c ha ra c ter a n d the n ea rest ra t fa mi ly. If a c ha ra c ter gets
rea lly stuc k, he c a n roll his Pla gue Ba c kgroun d (a ga in st a
di f f i c ulty of 6) to see if a loc a l rela ti v e c a n help him out; this roll
c a n n ot be ma de more tha n on c e duri n g a story (i.e., ea c h
c ha pter of a c hron ic le). If he's very fa r from w here he w a s
spa w n ed, the Storyteller ma y in c rea se the di ffi c ulty of this roll
by on e or tw o. U n fortun a tely, suc h help always ha s a hea vy
pric e. Ra t fa milies often dema n dtha t a n y dec eits of Ra tkin "just
pa ssin g through" should help them out w i th their la test di-
lemma . In a typi c a l story in volvin g on e of these groups, the
Ra tki n ha ve a few option s: Do they help the pla gue, ign ore
them, or a c ti vely try to frustra te them in their effor ts?
T o help you dec ide w hether to c all upon these rela tion s,
the la rgest Ra tki n pla gues a re listed below . N ot a ll Ra tki n a re
a c tively in volved in fa mi ly a c tivities, but if a w erera t sta ys too
long in on e pa rt of the w orld, his pa c k might hea r from a fra n tic
messen ger dema n di n g they get in volved in a fa mi ly a ffa i r .
The Rat Race (North American Ratkin) Serva n ts to
their heretic a l vision s of the Ra t In c a rn a , these violen t Ra tkin
are fa sc i n a ted by ta les of the En d T imes.
Gamine (European Ratkin) Ledby their ma tria rc h in
the sew ers of Pa ris, Ma da me LeFa rge's c un n in g roden tia c a rry
out ela bora te ga mes of in trigue a n d espion a ge.
Borrachon Wererats (South American Ratkin) T he
wererats w ho serve this kin gdom live in the most impoverished
a rea s of South A meric a n c ities. T hey a c t a s sa viors to the
poor... a n d their hidden ma sters.
Rattus Typhus (African Ratkin) In a kin gdom ledby
the Pla gue Lords, w erera ts profi t from the sufferi n g of huma n s.
Con sta n tly muta ti n g the Birthin g Pla gue, they c ollec tively
attempt to evolve a n ew ra c e of w erera ts.
Nezumi (Japanese Ratkin) Ma sters of Low Wa r,
N ezumi step i n to c or r ec t the mi sta kes ma de b y the
sha pec ha n gers of the Ea st. Most ha ve n o qua lms a bout w orkin g
w i th other A sia n sha peshifters. (T his pla gue is further deta iled
in the Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East sourc ebook.)
Thuggees (East Asian Ratkin) Desc en ded from the
c rimin a l c ults of historic a l In dia , these in sidious servitors obey
the w hims of a c ri mi n a l ma stermin d.
The Horde (Eurasian Ratkin) While w erew olves ra ge
ac ross Russia , Ra tkin in fest the c ourts of the pow erful, exploitin g
their politic a l c on n ec tion s. T hey roa m freely throughout the
w ildern ess of Russia , ultima tely servin g n o on e but themselves.
DeLaPoer'sDisciples (Antarctic Ratkin)Mun c hma usen
c omma n d a n U mbra l K in gdom in the A n ta rc tic w here ta les of
tra vel a n dterror a re the most prec ious c ommodities.
Ratkin Ronin (The High Sea s) A s outc a sts of the
N ezumi , these "w a ve ra ts" ta ke to the high sea s to live a s
sc oun drels a n dpira tes.
totems
When a Ra tki n join s a pa c k of his brethren , he must
c hoose his god. T otems a re pow erful a n i mi st spirits tha t w a tc h
over the sha pec ha n gers w ho serve them. Duri n g the Ri te of
Dedic a tion , a dec eit of Ra tki n pledges to fulfi ll a ta sk on beha lf
of on e of these In c a rn a . If a Shadow Seer is presen t, she ma y
stron gly i n fluen c e the fi n a l c hoic e. In return , the totem offers
a tempora ry boon to a id the ra t pa c k in their ta sk, but a lso
en forc es a ban tha t the pa c k must upholda s lon g a s it serves tha t
In c a rn a . T he three most c ommon ly in voked totems a re Ra t,
City T otems a n d Gra n dfa ther T hun der.
O f c ourse, a n In c a rn a ma y in stea d summon a ra t pa c k to
use a s its servitors, c hoosin g w erera ts w ho c a n serve its c ryptic
desires. T his ha ppen s frequen tly w i th Ra tki n K i n folk. A poten -
tia l min ion ma y be called to serve, fi rst by mysterious voic es,
then by revela tion s a n d drea ms, a n d fin a lly by feverish ma d-
n ess. Some w erera ts refer to this phen omen on a s "hea rin g the
V oic e." T hroughout suc h even ts, they rec eive hin ts of their
herita ge lon g before thei r Bi rthi n g Pla gue. Some a re driven
in sa n e by the overw helmin g c all of c osmic pow ers. Once a
Ra tkin un dergoes the First Cha n ge, the voic es usua lly stop.
Some, how ever, n ever esc a pe the c hitterin g ma dn ess in their
hea ds... a n d feel blessed by tha t a fflic tion .
If a huma n ha s religious b eli efs before In fec ti on , they'll be
put to the test. T he beliefs of the devout a re either slow ly
c orruptedto fit w i th the w erera t's n ew mythos, or torn a pa rt in
a c risis of fa i th. A few Chosen O n es ma n a ge to in tegra te
biblic a l or sc riptura l prophec ies in to their revela tion s, en surin g
religious fa n a ti c i sm. Some truly fa i thful in dividua ls resist the
c a ll w i th a ll the w ill they c a n muster; these a re driven the
furthest in to Ra t Madn ess. Cyn ic s ben d; the devout brea k.
It shouldbe n otedtha t the c a ll of a totem is fa r more tha n
a simple voic e in someon e's hea d it is a spi ri tua l c on n ec tion
un like a n y other. In tuitively, a Ra tkin w ill n ever c on fuse a n y
other voic e in his hea d (w hether tha t's v a mpi ri c telepa thy, a
ma ge's Mi n d Sphere, or w ha tev er) w i th the c a ll of his totem.
When the In c a rn a spea ks, the urge to follow is pri ma l, a
pri mi ti v e in stin c t tha t is di ffi c ulty to den y.
/Dedication
A Shadow Seer performs the Rite of Dedic a tion w hen her
ra t pa c k is fi rst formed. T his tempora rily a llies a ll of the w erera ts
I
66 Ratkin
presen t to the sa me In c a rn a . T he pa c k must dec la re on e goa l
they i n ten d to f ulf i ll in servic e to their totem. T his c ould
a n ythin g from a simple ta sk (suc h a s stea lin g a feti sh from a pa c k
of w erew olves) to a n epic on e (li ke fi n di n g a lost Ra t K in gdom
in the Deep U mb r a ). T he quest must be fulfi lled or a ba n don ed
en ti rely before the ra t pa c k c a n be dissolved. Every ra t in the
pa c k then serves tha t totem un ti l the ta sk is fulfi lled. Seers
c ommon ly lea rn the Dedic a tion Ri te a s their first ri tua l.
T hose w ho serve Ra t follow the w a ys of w a r; those w ho serve
City T otems explore their doma in s religiously; those w ho serve
Gra n dfa ther T hun der form in sidious c ults a n d lea rn da rk truths.
Follow in g a pow erful In c a ma usua lly results in a llia n c es w i th a
host of min or spirits, a s w ell. T he Seer c a n petition them to a id
his pa c k in times of grea t da n ger. T his a llia n c e, like a ll others
a mon g the w erera ts, is on ly tempora ry. When a Ra tkin dec ides
to lea ve his pa c k, or w hen his pa c k is dissolved, he immedia tely
resumes his person a l rela tion ship w ith the Ra t In c a rn a .
A s on e w ould expec t, Ra t is the most c ommon ly in voked
totem a mon g w erera ts. Ra tkin w ho serve this In c a ma rec eive
vision s from her, or revela tion s expla in edby ma dw hispers in their
min ds. Ra t is kn ow n to some a s "the Ra t Goddess," or She Who
U n lea shedthe Birthin g Pla gue on the World. T hrough her mystic a l
vision , ma n y in dividua ls c a n c oordin a te to a c hieve on e epic task.
Ea c h pa rtic ipa n t ma y n ot kn ow w hy he ha s been c a lled, but
defin itely kn ow s tha t if a godis w orkin g through them, the deedmust
be importa n t. Ra t thrives w herever c haos is stron g; her spiritua l
servitors a re thoroughly fa milia r w ith the w a ys of the Wyld.
Boon: Pac ks w ho serve Ra t c a n c a ll upon fi v e extra
Wi llpow er poin ts per story. Werew olves tha t serve her lea rn
the best w a y to b i te their foes; this low ers the di f f i c ulty of a ll bi te
a tta c ks by 1 . Dec eits of Ra tki n , on the other ha n d, rec eive
kn ow ledge tha t en sures their sa fety, a ddin g tw o dots to the
Sur v i v a l A b i li ty. Every member of the dedic a tedra t pa c k ga in s
a deeper un dersta n di n g of the f a te of the w orld; thus, ea c h
Ra tki n ga in s on e poin t of perma n en t Cun n in g un til the pa c k
c hooses a di f f er en t totem.
Ba n : A s on e w ould expec t, a n y w erew olf servin g Ra t
c a n n ot ha rm ordin a ry ra ts. T heir totem ma y c a ll upon them to
pun i sh gui lty Ra tki n , but mun da n e ra ts a re sa c red. T his ba n
isn 't muc h of a li mi ta ti on for Ra tki n , so in stea d, w erera ts
servin g the Ra t In c a rn a must give a id or c omfort to the
homeless a t lea st on c e ea c hda y. Some do this w illin gly; others
do it grudgin gly. If the Ra tki n fa i l to do this on a n y given da y
(i f they a re on a n U mb ra l quest or the w ildern ess there ma y n ot
be a n y homeless for them to a i d), they must w ork extra ha rd
helpin g the n ext homeless people they meet in order to ma ke
up for thei r f a i lur e. In a ddi ti on , a Ra tki n ma y n ot ha rm a Bon e
Gn a w er servin g Ra t un less they rec eive Her blessin g to do so.
Bec a use of this, some devout Bon e Gn a w ers respec tfully a d-
dress Ra tki n a s A v a ta rs of Ra t. In a w a y, they a re.
City Mothers arid fathers
A ra t pa c k tha t spen ds a grea t dea l of time in a n urba n
metropolis ma y a dopt the loc a l City Mother or Fa ther a s their
totem. It's just a s possible tha t a City T otem ma y c all Ra tkin to
its a i d, espec ia lly w hen a ll other solution s ha ve fa i led. City
the flat
Gen der is a lw a ys a tric ky c on c ept w here T otems a re
c on c ern ed. Most follow ers of Ra t kn ow Her a s the Mother
of A ll Ra tkin , on e of the most fa i thful c hildren of Ga ia .
Bon e Gn a w ers a n dmost Ra tki n a lw a ys refer to Ra t a s "She."
O n ly the in sa n e refer to Ra t a s "He." T he most delusion a l
refer to their totem a|,;the Ra t God. Suc h bla sphemy is
pa rtic ula rly c ommon a mon g T w itc hers a n dhighly-violen t
Wa rriors. Ma n y Ra tkin i n N orthA meri c a ha v e been a dopt-
in g this delusion w i th in c rea sin g frequen c y.
A n y Ra tkin or Ra t K i n folk w ho refers to the Ra t God
a s He should be trea ted w i th c a uti on / Hi s messa ges from
Ra t ha ve obviously been distorted by the ma dn ess of the
Wyld. A c tua lly c on vin c in g on e of the Ra t God's follow ers
of this, how ever, is di ffi c ult in the extreme. More pa ti en t
roden ts in sist tha t if these c omma n ds a re tw isted by the
forc e of the Wyld, they a re still va lid. T hus, grea t a troc ities
a re c ommitted in the n a me of this fi c ti on a l (or perha ps
merely mythi c a l) deity. In N orth A meric a , the Ra t Ra c e
a rms for ba ttle extollin g the Ra t God's n a me. , ,
Mothers often hold sec rets on ly the streets remember. City
Fa thers trea sure memories lon g forgotten by a ll but the oldest
residen ts. T hough ma n y Ra tki n w a i t for the da ys w hen the
c ities of men w i ll fa ll, survi vi n g the urb a n jun gle is a stron g
moti va ti on for in vokin g a City T otem.
In exc ha n ge for helpin g the c i ty hea l itself, Ra tki n a n d
Bon e Gn a w ers typic a lly lea rn the sa fest pla c es to hide or sleep.
When the city itself is on your side, livin g on the streets bec omes
muc h ea sier. T hese In c a rn a a re in tima tely c on n ec ted to the
progress of ma jor c ities, a n d their spirits a re da n gerously fa mi l-
ia r w ith the w orkin gs of the Wea ver. Fortun a tely, they a ll kn ow
tha t a n y c i ty n eeds a t lea st a little bit of c ha os to survive.
When City Mother or Fa ther ma n ifests itself, it usua lly
ta kes on ma n y of the a ttri b utes a ssoc ia tedw i th its doma in . For
in sta n c e, A tla n ta 's gua rdia n totem often a ppea rs a s a sultry
southern belle surroun ded by the fla mes of the Civil Wa r, but
she ma y a lso a ppea r a s a youn g bla c k a c tivist in sistin g on justi c e
a n d equa lity. T he c i ty of Sea ttle c ould ma n i fest itself a pa le
street kidsta lkin g in the ra i n , a b urn t-out progra mmer sha kin g
from too ma n y double-la ttes, or the tired a n d w ea ry sha pe of
Chief Sea ttle himself.
Boon: Ra ts dedic a ted to a City T otem c a n use three
a ddition a l poin ts of Willpow er durin g a story. T hey a lso rec eive
three dots of A rea K n ow ledge spec ific to tha t doma in . A follow er
ma y also use a va ria n t of Chimera 's Boon: on c e per da y, the ra t
c a n a ssume the guise of a n a rc hetypa l den izen of tha t c ity.
Ban: If the pa c k lea ves the c i ty, for a n y rea son , the bon d
w i th the City T otem is dissolved. T he a llia n c e ma y be ren ew ed
if the pa c k volun teers to un derta ke a quest to hea l the c ity.
When the quest is over, they must lea ve a gi ft show in g their
devotion a t a n a ppropria te site. Ra tki n peti ti on i n g the City
Fa ther of Sea ttle, for in sta n c e, mi ght lea ve a fea st for the
Fremon t Bridge T roll, a hun dredpa per a irpla n es in the pa rki n g
lot of the Ben n in g Corpora tion , or a gia n t tub of c offee in fron t
of a loc a l fra n c hise of Queequeg's Coffee.
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 67
Sec retive ga therin gs of w erera ts ha ve been suborn ed by
Gra n dfa ther T hun der, ga thered in to in sidious c ults of ques-
tion a ble mora li ty. In return for this devotion , his servitors lea rn
subtlety, guile a n d c un n in g. Gra n dfa ther w a tc hes over every-
thi n g tha t is obsc ured by sha dow s, a n d his Stormc row s spy on
hidden pla c es w here i n tri gue ta kes pla c e. Sometimes he c a lls up
Ra tki n to a c t a s thieves or a ssa ssin s for sc hemes his follow ers
devise. K n i fe-Skulkers ma ke for exc ellen t Sha dow Lord a llies
Skulkers a n dLords both believe in en forc in g justi c e outside
the lega l restric tion s of Ga rou moots. T hun der ha s n o sympa thy
for those w ho suc c umb to the Wyrm, but ma n y of his min ion s
a re skilleda t guessin g the moti va ti on s of the Wyrm's servitors.
T he ben efits a n dba n of Gra n dfa ther T hun der a re listedin
the Werew olf rulebook (pg. 2 60). Gra n dfa ther T hun der is
espec ia lly popula r w i th the w ea kest Ra tki n , pa rtic ula rly the
r un t of a litter. Exploi ti n g the w ea kn esses of those in pow er is
v i ta lly importa n t to the stra ggler of a pa c k (a s w e w ill la ter see).
(Rites arib (Rituals
Ea c h Ra tki n c ha ra c ter begin s pla y w ith on e rite, deter-
min ed by his or her a spec t. Werera ts a re more ri tua li sti c tha n
most other Cha n gin g Breeds. T hey fi n d it even more i mporta n t
tha t the "a ppropria te" Ra tki n kn ow s spec ific rites. Most prefer
tha t on ly a Ra tkin of the "proper a spec t" perform a n y given rite.
Sin c e the w erera ts don 't ha ve ma n y a llies in the physic a l w orld,
i t's even more i mporta n t n ot to offen d the spirits. U n fortu-
n a tely, c on sta n t exc eption s a re ma de. Lon e w a n derers, for
i n sta n c e, fi n d the Con tra c t Ri te essen tia l, a n dN ests w ithout a
Pla gue Lord ha ve a lw a ys in voked the Bi rthi n g Pla gue w hen -
ever n ec essa ry. T hus, the spirits a re c a pric ious, a n d there's
n ever a gua ra n tee tha t a n y given ri tua l w ork exa c tly a s desired.
Ra t pa c ks love to a c c umula te a ddi ti on a l rites. T hese c a n
be lea rn edfrom Ra tki n mystic s, usua lly a s a rew a rdfor perform-
in g a mystic quest or protec tin g a w erera t c olon y. A c tua lly
performi n g a r i tua l requi res five min utes for ea c h level of the
ri te; some c ruel Storytellers ma y a sk thei r pla yers to mime or
i mi ta te how a rite is bein g performed.
Contract G(\te
Level O n e
T his is the first rite a K n ife-Skulker lea rn s, a lthough n o lone
w a n derer w ould ta ke to the roa dw ithout it. T he Con tra c t Rite is
a method by w hic h a Ra tkin c a n sell his skills to a n other group of
supern a tura l c rea tures. A pa rtic ula rly skeptic a l w erera t ma y even
ta ke out a c on tra c t w i th his ow n ra t pa c k before he join s. Before
w orkin g w i th a n y other group of in dividua ls, a Ra tkin a lw a ys ha s
the right to a sk "Wha t's in it for me?" T he most c ommon types of
c ompen sa tion in c lude sa fe passage through a doma in , ac c ess to a
sac red site, supplies, ta len s a n d exc han ges of fa vors.
When a n a rea is overrun w i th Ra tkin , sw a rms of w erera ts hire
themselves out to a n yon e w ho c a n meet their dema n ds. Retin ues
of c ourtiers a n dother tra dition a l ra t pa c ks in sist tha t their T un n el
Run n er shoulda pproa c h a group in itia lly, but their K n ife Skulker
should n egotia te the fin a l Con tra c t Rite. A n a rc hist ra t
pa c ks a llow w erera ts of a n y a spec t to perform this rite.
68
T here is on ly on e overridin g proviso: a ra t pa c k c a n n ot betra y
other Ra tkin as pa rt of a c on tra c t. T he Lita n y of Surviva l sta tes tha t
a w erera t should betra y others before betra yin g his ow n kin d.
K n ife-Skulkers en forc e this dic tum w ith bruta l effic ien c y.
T he rite serves a s a dec la ra tion , w i th the spirits a s w itn esses,
of w ha t ea c h pa rty in the c on tra c t in ten ds to get out of the
a llia n c e. Withra t pa c ks, this is la rgely a forma li ty; a w erera t w ho
brea ks a Con tra c t Rite loses Cun n in g Ren ow n a n dda ma ges his
reputa tion , but is still free to ma ke other c on tra c ts. A Ra tki n
dea lin g w i th other supern a tura l c rea tures, how ever, ta kes a big
risk w hen performin g this rite. Brea kin g a c on tra c t w ill result in
the w erera t bein g houn ded by Ra t-spirits un ti l the terms a re
fulfilled. Werera ts ma y dismiss suc h obliga tion s a s trivia l, but
other supern a tura l c rea tures often seek reven ge for betra ya l.
When other supern a tura l c rea tures en ter in to a Con tra c t
Rite w i th Ra tki n , the most c ommon goals in volve ga therin g
in forma tion , stea lin g va lua bles, or a ssa ssin a tion . ("If you stea l
tha t fetish from the sept lea der, I'll burn dow n the in sa n e a sylum
a n d kill the va mpire in side it." "Deal!") Ra tkin c a n a lw a ys
sw eeten a n y dea l w i th a few c a refully disc losedfa c ts, givin g their
rac e a reputa tion , a s on e w ould expec t, for "ra ttin g" on former
supern a tura l a llies. T his is c on sidered slea zy by a n yon e other
tha n Ra tkin , w ho fully expec t suc h beha vior.
T w o guidelin es a re essen tia l for a n y outside spec ies w ho w a n t
to ma ke c on tra c ts w ith w erera ts: N ever turn your ba c k on a Ra tkin ,
a n dn ever betra y a c on tra c t. O ther supern a tura l c rea tures w ho try
to c hea t w erera ts suc c umb to a very importa n t c la use: the right of
a K n ife-Skulker to seek redress. A n y good c on tra c t in c ludes a
"pun ishmen t c la use," a n d Skulkers love to en forc e them.
System: A t the en dof n egotia tion s, the ri tema ster spen ds
on e Gn osis a n d rolls Ma n i pula ti on + Ritua ls. T he spi ri ts
w itn ess this tra n sa c tion ; your totem w i ll a c kn ow ledge your pa c t
by givin g a member of your dec eit a brief vision . Some ba sta rds
like to lea ve a few loopholes in a n a greemen t; the totem's vision
often rela tes to a t lea st on e of the fla w s in the c on tra c t, a s the
Storyteller desc ribes a sc en e tha t show s a si tua ti on w here the
c on tra c t c ouldbrea k dow n . T he a moun t of deta i l a n dlen gth of
this vision depen ds on the n umber of suc c esses on the fi n a l roll.
If either pa rty ren eges on the c on tra c t, the totem w i ll bless the
ritema ster w i th a vision of the tra n sgression .
If the c on tra c t brea ks dow n , the method of en forc in g the
pun ishmen t c la use is left en tirely up to the K n ife-Skulker. Some
prefer to ha rry a n d ha ra ss those w ho refuse to hold up their en d
of a c on tra c t. A few fa vor ritua l c ripplin g (gettin g a vic tim a lon e
a n dta kin g hi m dow n to Crippledw ith a ggra va tedda ma ge). T he
most effec tive method is simple a ssa ssin a tion . A n y on e of these
tac tic s spreads the message tha t n o on e double-deals the ra ts. For
Storytellers w ho a re usin g Ren ow n rules, fulfi lli n g pun ishmen t
c la use is a quic k w a y to ga in In fa my, but on ly if your totem
a c kn ow ledges its a pprova l of your a c t w ith a vision .
Werera ts tra de fa vors w i th other supern a tura l c rea tures like
pa c k-ra ts tra de shin y thin gs, but a n y sta un c h Ra tkin rolepla yer
is a dvised to w rite dow n every pact he's ma de on the ba c k of his
or her c ha ra c ter sheet. N o doubt the Storyteller w ill remember
every dea l you've ma de
in just a s muc h deta il,
if n ot more....
(Dedication (Rite
T his is the first rite a Shadow Seer lea rn s, but a n y w erera t c a n
lea rn it from a Shadow Seer. It tempora rily bin ds a ra t pa c k to their
totem a n ddefin es the c ollec tive goals they w a n t to a c hieve. T he
c eremon y is performed by a pa c k of ra ts ga theredin a c irc le. Eac h
member pla c es a n objec t in the c en ter of the c irc le tha t represen ts
his role in the pa c k. T he ritema ster then w a lks a roun d the
ga therin g a n dspea ks to the hea ven s, desc ribin g the grea t quest the
pa c k in ten ds to fulfi ll on the In c a rn a 's beha lf. T he items then
va n ish immedia tely; they do n ot return to the pa c k members un til
the quest is fulfilled or forma lly a ba n don ed. O nc e the pa c k ha s
fulfilled its goa l, they also ha ve the option of "ren ew in g the pa c t"
or dec la rin g a llegia n c e to a n other In c a rn a . Ren ew in g the rite
doesn 't require a n other ritua ls roll; c ha n gin g totems, how ever,
requires the pa c k to perform this rite a ll over a ga in .
System: T he ri tema ster spen ds on e Gn osis a n d rolls
Cha risma + Ri tua ls (di f f i c ulty 6) a t the c lima x of the ri tua l.
Ea c h suc c ess gives on e tempora ry Ba c kgroun dpoin t of T otem,
w hic h is used to purc ha se the pa c k's totem. T here's a c ha n c e
the mysti c ma y n ot get en ough suc c esses, so a fter the roll, ea c h
pa c k member ma y sa c rific e on e poi n t of Willpow er to a ddon e
extra suc c ess for ea c h Willpow er poin t spen t. T hese Willpow er
poin ts a re n ot refreshed un ti l the pa c k a c hieves or forma lly
a ba n don s its quest. A llyi n g w i th a City Fa ther or Mother
requires 3 poin ts; dec la rin g a pa c k's a llegia n c e to Ra t requires
5 poin ts; servin g Gra n dfa ther T hun der requires 7 . A few
stra n ge pa c ks serve other In c a rn a ; the c ost required for these
fa lse gods a re the sa me a s those listed in the c ore rulebook.
Retin ues of c ourtiers (see Cha pter Fi v e) require Sha dow
Seers to perform thi s ri te; in a forma l, tra di ti on a l ra t pa c k, if a
w erera t of a n other a spec t performs this rite, he w ill lose tw o
tempora ry O bliga tion Ren ow n .
(Rite of Artifice (Dedication
Level O n e
T his rite a llow s a ritua list to bin d a n objec t or a rtic le of
c lothin g to a fellow Ra tkin . By la yin g pa w s on a n y mun da n e item,
the ritua list c a n en sure tha t it w ill rema in w ith the dedic a ted
roden t w hile he shifts betw een forms. If the ritua list desires, it ma y
simply va n ish w hen the Ra tkin is in a spec ific form. T here is on e
ma jor differen c e betw een this rite a n d T a lisma n Dedic a tion : if
desired, the size of the a rtifa c t c a n be grea tly reduc ed w hen a
w erera t shifts, dow n to a size tha t even a ra tlin g pup c a n use.
For in sta n c e, a homidRa tkin 's fa vori te ba tteredha t might
reform a s a v ery, very ti n y ha t w hen the bea stie is in Roden s
form, or just disa ppea r out of ha rms w a y un ti l the tra veler is in
Homid form a ga in . O n e w ord of c a ution : A n y ra t in Roden s
for m w ho c a rries ti n y items is a dvisedto sta y hidden a s muc ha s
possible. A t best, bein g seen might possibly in voke the De-
li ri um (ev en if the w erera t is n ot in Crin os); a t w orst, someon e
w i ll c a ll the ba d men in la b c oa ts to c ome a n d ta ke you a w a y.
System: T he ritema ster must be in Roden s form, a n d the
rec ipien t of this rite must be in Homid. Ea c hof them spen ds on e
Gn osis; the ri tema ster rolls Wits + Ri tua ls (di ffi c ulty 7 ).
N orma lly, bi n di n g a n objec t on ly requires on e suc c ess, a l-
ftonowe'd (Rites
N ot a ll of a Ra tki n 's rites a re n ec essa rily those in
c ommon use by her Breed; for in sta n c e, severa l Ra tki n
kn ow the Ri te of Summon in g, a n d a ra re few pra c tic e the
Rite of the Fetish. How ever, these a re rela tively few , a s the
Ra tkin a re truly c omforta ble on ly w ith the rites they kn ow
best. O ddly en ough, there a re n o kn ow n ri tes of pun i sh-
men t a mon g Ra tki n the Ra tki n kn ow a thousa n dw a ys
to pun ish their ow n , but prefer to keep tha t "a mon g ra ts"
ra ther tha n forma lly in vokin g spi ri t w itn esses.
thoughpa rti c ula rly la rge objec ts ma y require more. If the roll is
botc hed, the i tem is still boun d, but bec omes defec tive in some
w a y. O ther tha n these di fferen c es, the rite fun c tion s muc h a s
the Ga rou Ri te of T a lisma n Dedic a tion .
(Rite of the birthing (Plague
Level O n e
O n c e a ra t pa c k ha s lea rn ed to properly serve on e of the
three ma jor In c a rn a , they're rea dy to help bri n g more lost
c hildren in to the fold. A f ter the fulfi llmen t of a ra t pa c k's fi rst
c on tra c t, a Ra t Ga ffli n g w ill seek out the pa c k a n d tea c h them
the Ri te of the Bi rthi n g Pla gue. He ma y a lso immedia tely tell
them w here a prospec tive w erera t mi ght be foun d. Resc uin g
lost K i n folk brin gs grea t Ren ow n , a n d the ra t pa c k w i ll n o
doubt immedia tely sc hool him on w ha t they've lea rn edso fa r .
Pla gue Lords typic a lly lea rn this ri tua l a s their fi rst rite.
Performin g the ritua l summon s a Ra t Ga fflin g to bite a
prospec tive Ra tki n a n ddetermin e w hether a n ew w erera t c a n be
c rea ted. T he vic tim is usua lly either ra t K i n folk, huma n K i n folk
or a n ew ly spa w n edmetis w erera t. If it is performed on a huma n ,
the results a re dea dly. O n c e bi tten , the subjec t is ra va gedby the
disea se, w hic h c on sumes min d, body a n dspirit a like. If the vic tim
dies, there's on e less huma n or w ea klin g ra t in the w orld. If the
vic tim survives, he slow ly tra n sforms in to a full-blood Ra tki n .
Ha lluc in a tion s from the pla gue of f er revela tion s of the n ew
w erera t's life. Ga rou, other sha pec ha n gers a n d their K i n folk a re
not a ffec ted by this rite; they've a lrea dy foun d their c a llin g.
Huma n s c a n be w oun ded w i th this rite, but they w on 't bec ome
Ra tkin un less they a re Ra tki n K i n folk. Ra tki n in fec ted a sec on d
time w ith this rite a re un a ffec ted by it; they ha ve a lrea dy pledged
to serve their aspec t for the rest of their da ys.
System: First, a Ra tki n must suc c essfully bi te or c la w a
c hosen vic tim. If the a tta c k does a n y da ma ge, the ri tema ster
then rolls Wi ts + Ri tua ls (di ffi c ulty 7 ) to sprea dIn fec tion . T he
virulen c e of the disea se depen ds on the n umber of suc c esses.
O n e suc c ess i n fli c ts the v i c ti m w i th on e a ggra va ted
hea lth level of da ma ge.
T hree suc c esses i n fli c ts en ough a ggra va ted da ma ge to
ta ke her dow n to the Woun dedhea lth level, bestow in g a fever
drea m of terrible vision s a n d a f ull da y of un c on sc iousn ess.
Five suc c esses in flic ts en ough a ggra va ted da ma ge to
ta ke the v i c ti m dow n to the In c a pa c ita ted hea lth level. T he
drea ms c on tin ue un ti l the vic tim is resusc ita ted.
If the v i c ti m is Ra tki n K i n folk, she then ha s a on e-in -ten
c ha n c e of bec omin g In fec ted; roll on e die a ga in st a di ffi c ulty of
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 69
f
Jnfection arib
A n y In fec ted K i n folk is c on tin ua lly on the verge of
losin g c on trol. K in folk c ha ra c ters c a ught in the throes of
the Birthin g Pla gue ha ve a n effec tive Ra ge 4 a n dGn osis 4
un til they un dergo the First Cha n ge. T hey c a n 't spen dthese
poin ts, but they c a n ma ke fren zy rolls a n d Ra pture rolls
ba sed on these tw o tra its.
1 0. If the roll fa ils, the K in folk ma y still survive. Roll Sta min a
(di ffi c ulty 6); three suc c esses mea n s the vic tim survives, but
on ly a fter a protra c ted illn ess. If the roll sc ores few er suc c esses,
the vic tim ta kes on e a ddition a l level of a ggra va ted da ma ge
ea c h da y un ti l c ured or killed.
T hose w ho a ren 't a c tua lly K in ha ve a muc h rougher time
surv i v i n g; n orma l morta ls w oun ded by this ri te ma ke the
Sta min a roll to survive a t di ffi c ulty 8 .
(Rite of the tfolthole
Level O n e
T his is the fi rst ri te a T un n el Run n er lea ms. It does more
tha n simply open a bolthole from the physic a l w orld to the
U mbra ; it also provides a short-c ut for Ra tkin w ho needto tra vel
lon g dista n c es. Spirit tun n els a re a rela tively sa fe form of tra vel,
sin c e on ly the sma llest a n dmost perc eptive spirits c a n use them.
A n y Ra tkin w ho holds ha n ds (or join s pa w s) w ith the
ritua list a n dhis fellow -tra velers c a n a lso en ter the spirit tun n el,
w hic h c loses behin d the dec eit of w erera ts. A fter the pa c k
tun n els in to the U mbra , the pa th c ha n ges behin d them; they
c a n n ot turn ba c k, n or c a n they follow the exa c t sa me route la ter
on . A Ra tkin doesn 't have to use this ri te to step sidew a ys, but if
he does, he ma y fi n d tra velin g through the U mbra muc h ea sier.
System: Performin g this ri tua l requires tw o c ompon en ts:
a shin y thin g a n dpriva c y, the tw o most va lua ble goals a ra t c a n
a tta i n . Spen d a poi n t of Gn osis; a Perc eption + Ri tua ls (di f f i -
c ulty 6) roll determin es how w ell the ri te suc c eeds. If you w a n t
to use a n U mbra l tun n el a s a "short-c ut" through the physic al
w orld, the Storyteller fi r st c a lc ula tes how lon g the journ ey
w ouldn orma lly ta ke on la n d. He then reduc es tha t tra vel time
ba sed on the follow in g ta ble.
Short-Cuts T hrough the Physic a l World
Suc c esses T ra vel time reduc ed by...
O ne 1 /5
T w o 1 /4
T hree 1 /3
Four 1 /2
Five* 2 /3
If the Ra tkin is tryin g to tra vel from the physic a l w orld to a
spec ific rea lm in the N ea r U mbra , the n umber of suc c esses show s
the c ha n c e of a rrivin g a t the spec ified destin a tion . A fter you've
ma de the in itia l Perc eption + Ritua ls roll, roll on e die a ga in st the
di ffi c ulty listed on the short-c ut c ha rt (or roll perc en tile dic e
a ga in st the listedperc en ta ge); on a suc c essful roll, youa rrive sa fely.
If you miss this "a c c ura c y roll," the Storyteller gets to c hoose a n
U mbra rea lm a s your n ew destin a tion . Good luc k gettin g ba c k.
Short-Cuts Through the Spirit World
Successes Difficulty for Second Roll (accuracy)
O n e 8 (2 0%a c c ura te)
T w o 6 (40% a c c ura te)
T hree 4 (60%a c c ura te)
Four 2 (8 0%a c c ura te)
If you w a n t to tra vel to the Deep U mbra , you c a n dec la re a n
A n c horhea da s your destin a tion , but a fter tha t, your tra vel time
w ouldbe the sa me a s for a n y other sha peshifter. Pa ssin g through
a n A n c horhea dRea lm requires the a ssista n c e of a Level T hree
T un n el Run n er, a n U n ea rthly Ra tkin , or a n y Mun c hma usen .
If a Ra tkin botc hes on a Bolthole Rite (or botc hes a Gnosis
roll to step si dew a ys), the pla yer rolls on e more die. O n a roll of
a 1 , the rite ha s botc hed so ba dly tha t a tempora ry Sta i rw a y
Rea lm is c rea ted. O n a n y other roll, the pa c k is just c a ught in
the Ga un tlet, just like Ga rou steppin g sidew a ys. Ra tki n , un for -
tun a tely, don 't rea c t a s w ell to bein g c a ught in the w ebs
betw een these tw o dimen sion s....
(Rite of the Cardboard (Palace
Level O n e
T his c la ssic rite is ta ught by Bon e Gn a w ers (a n dc omes
stra ight out of the Bone Gn a w ers T ribebook). T he ritema ster
c a n tra n sform somethin g a s fli msy a s a c a rdboa rd box i n to a
dec en t pla c e to sleep. Roden s Ra tkin don 't n eed suc h pa la tia l
esta tes; a milk c a rtoon or tissue box provides plen ty of room.
System: A roll of In telligen c e + Surviva l (di ffi c ulty 7 ) c a n
turn a n ordin a ry shelter in to a c omforta ble home for the n i ght,
keepin g the people in side it w a rm a n d dry. It c a n be used on
someon e else's shelter, or your ow n . O f c ourse, a home for on e
huma n c a n bec ome a home for dozen s of ra ts.
(Rite of the (Pain (Dagger
Level O n e
T his is the fi rst ri te a Wa rri or lea rn s, a n d on ly Wa rriors
ma y perform this rite, rega rdless of w hom they serve. T he r i tua l
c rea tes a sa c red da gger simila r to a Ga rou kla i ve. A Ra tki n
c a n n ot joi n the Wa rrior a spec t un ti l she ha s suc c essfully
performed this rite. T he ritua l bin ds a Wa r-spirit, Pa in -spirit,
Ra t-spi ri t or Disea se-spirit in side a c eremon ia l bla de. T he
da gger c a n be c rea ted out of a n y ma teri a l, but it must ha ve
spec ial spiritua l sign ific a n c e to the c rea tor. A Wa rrior c a n n ot
ow n more tha n on e Pa in Da gger a t a time; if the w ea pon is
destroyed, he loses Ren ow n , but he c a n c rea te a repla c emen t.
T he Pa in Da gger is a sa c red bla de, a n expression of the
puri ty of a Ra tkin 's devotion . T he bla de is usedc eremon iously
in ba ttle; on c e it is dra w n , the Wa rrior's pride is a t sta ke. If the
Wa rrior uses his Pa in Da gger irreveren tly (duc t ta pi n g it to his
boots, moun ti n g it on the hoodof his c a r or usin g it to pry open
c an s of food, for in sta n c e), he w ill brin g sha me upon himself.
T he spi ri t in side the bla de must be trea ted w i th respec t; if a
Wa rrior doesn 't do this, the spirit w ill protest, a n dthe w erera t
w ill lose a t least a poin t or tw o of O bliga tion Ren ow n .
System: Spen d on e poi n t of Gn osis to c rea te the da gger,
a n d a sec on d poin t to bon d the da gger to the Ra tkin . T he
Wa rrior then sits in medita tion , reflec tin g on his ma rtia l
70 Ratkin
'it
tra in in g. Roll In telligen c e + En igma s; the di ffi c ulty is the loc a l
Ga un tlet. If the Wa rrior's hea rt is pure, a spi ri t w i ll ma teria lize
a n dc ha llen ge the w a rrior to sin gle c omba t. O n c e the en tity is
defea ted, it ta kes up residen c e in side the bla de.
Fin ish by rollin g Wits + Ri tua ls (di f f i c ulty 7 ). If the
w erera t fa ils, the spirit w ill in ha bit the bla de for tw elve hours
before esc a pin g. If the w erera t suc c eeds, the bi n di n g is perma -
n en t, a n d the "spirit bla de" w ill in flic t a ggra va ted da ma ge. A
typic a l Pa in -Da gger in flic ts Stren gth + 3 da ma ge, but the
w ea pon c a n in flic t on ly n on -a ggra va tedda ma ge to the Ra tki n
w ho is boun d to it. Ea c h time the w ea pon is un shea thed, it
dra w s a poin t of Gn osis from its user; if the user ha s n o Gn osis
left, the da ma ge is n on -a ggra va ted.
A t the Storyteller's disc retion , a pa rtic ula rly pow erful spirit
ma y also be a ble to use on e or more of its Cha rms w hile boun d
in side the w ea pon , providin g the Wa rrior a lso spen ds Ba c kgroun d
Poin ts for these extra effec ts. For ma thema tic a lly-in c lin edStory-
tellers, the c ost is equa l to the Pow er c ost of the Cha rm. (For
in sta n c e, a Wa r-spirit w ho c a n also in flic t the Bla st Fla me Cha rm
c osts tw o extra Ba c kgroun d Poin ts for eac h die of da ma ge pos-
sible.) If the Wa rrior ha sn 't set a side these poin ts, she'll ha ve to
sa ve up the experien c e poin ts to pa y for them. T his spiritua l pow er
c a n on ly be used onc e ea c h time the bla de is dra w n .
A Wa rrior c a n bin d on e of the follow in g Cha rms in to a
Pa in Da gger a s lon g a s she's summon ed the right spirit: A i rt
Sen se, A gon y (see Cha pter T w o), A rmor (2 poi n ts ma xi mum),
Bla st Fla me, Crea te Fires, Crea te Win d, Freeze, Ic e Sha rds,
In fec tion (see Cha pter T w o), Sha tter Gla ss, T hrow Gla ss or
T ra c kin g. A s on e w ould expec t, other Cha rms require spec ia l
permission from the Storyteller; disc retion is a dvised.
0(ite of Crash Space
Level T w o
While w erew olves buildela bora te c aems to support en tire
septs of Ga rou, w erera ts c a n 't a fford suc h osten ta tious surroun d-
in gs. If the Ri te of the Ca rdboa rd Pa la c e isn 't en ough for you, a
ritua list c a n tra n sform a n y hidden home w here ra ts c a n rest,
rec over a n d medita te. T hese hidey holes a re often used by ra ts
w ho a re a bout to give birth, esta blishin g a pea c eful site for ra isin g
dozen s of pups. While Ga rou c a n medita te just a bout a n yw here,
w erera ts ha ve to rema in somepla c e rela tively sa fe w hen medita t-
in g to rega in Gn osis. T he shrin e a t a Ra tkin c olon y or c ra sh spa c e
blessed w i th this ritua l a re the tw o most c ommon c hoic es.
System: Crea tin g c ra sh spac e requires a poin t of Gn osis a n d
a n In telligen c e + Surviva l roll (di ffi c ulty 7 ); the home is sa fe for
on e w eek for ea c h suc c ess. A fter ten min utes of sc urryin g a bout
a n d gn a w in g a t the a ppropria te c orn ers, the shelter is c ozy
en ough to serve a s a pla c e of medita tion . T he w erera t must a lso
erec t a shrin e out of n i fty stuff from a roun d the n eighborhood.
O n c e this is don e, a n y Ra tki n restin g in c a lm medita tion
a t this site c a n rega in Gn osis. A n y w erera t c a n a ttempt this by
rollin g In telligen c e + En igma s; for ea c h suc c ess obta in ed, the
Ra tki n ga in s on e poin t of Gn osis a fter a n hour of c on templa -
tion a n d quiet ti me. U n der the option a l Ra tki n Psyc hology
rules, a reflec tive a n d c a lm w erera t w ill then a ppea r sa n er a n d
more sta ble to those w ho en c oun ter her (see Cha pter Five).
71
(Rite of Jnvestiture
Level T hree
T his Sha dow Seer ri te ma rks the a sc en sion of a Ra t K in g,
the un question ed ruler of a Ra tki n N est. Bec a use it is a very
forma l ri te, on ly a Sha dow Seer Mystic a seer w ho is a t lea st
Ra n k T hree ma y in voke it. If a w erera t c olon y doesn 't ha ve
a hi gh-ra n ki n g Sha dow Seer, they c a n either rec ogn ize him
i n forma lly w ith a grea t fea st, or summon a Mystic w ho c a n
forma lly perform the a ppropri a te rites. T his ri te spi ri tua lly
bin ds the Ra t K i n g to his doma in . T hrough the eyes of Ra t-
spirits w ho in ha bit his rea lm, he ma y see w ha t tra n spires there
(muc h li ke the user of the Ga rou Rite: Ba dger's Burrow ).
System: T he n ew Ra t K in g must ha ve the support of a ll of
the c olon y's elders (tha t is, the eldest Ra tkin presen t of ea c h
a spec t) before be c a n a ssume the thron e. Elders typic a lly perform
c on tra c t rites w i th the heir a ppa ren t in return for this support; if
n ot, they a re typic a lly killedby pow er-hun gry roden s riva ls. T he
Sha dow Seer then spen ds a full fi fteen min utes pra isin g the n ew
Ra t K in g a s he proc eeds slow ly from the loc al shrin e to a thron e
in the la rgest c ha mber of the n est. A t the en dof this proc ession ,
she rolls Ma n ipula tion + Ri tua ls (di ffi c ulty 6). If the spirits
c on c ur, a ll of the elders presen t rec eive a ma gn ific en t vision from
the Ra t In c a rn a proc la imin g the glory of the n ew kin g.
(Rite of the (Purified
Level T w o
T his rite c leanses a n other's body of all poisons, w hether
ma gic a l or n a tura l. It c a n c oun ter the Ri te of the Birthin g
Pla gue for those w ho ha v en 't bec ome Ra tki n (a fter the fi n a l
Sta min a roll) or the effec ts of a Pla gue Lord Epidemic .
System: T his is a Ri te of A c c ord performed by a hea lthy
Ra tki n , w ho spen ds on e poi n t of Gn osis. T he roll is Cha risma
+ Ritua ls (di ffi c ulty 7 ).
(Pact of Vengeance
Level T hree
T his K n ife-Skulker rite is performedw hen a member of his ra t
pa c k ha s been killed. If the Skulker belongs to a c olony, he ma y also
perform it w hen the loc al Ra t K in g ha s been slain . T he ritua list c alls
out to the spirits for justic e a n d lea rn s the iden tity of the murderer
in sta n tly. T his rite is on e of the reasons elders hire out assassination
c on tra c ts to ra ts tha t a re "just passin g through" their doma in .
System: T he roll is Perc eption + Ritua ls; the di ffi c ulty is
equa l to 4 + the killer's Ra n k. T he a moun t of in forma tion
revea led depen ds on the n umber of suc c esses ga in ed. Five
suc c esses summon s a n ima ge of the murderer tha t everyon e
presen t c a n see; few er suc c esses w ill provide hi n ts a n dc lues tha t
a ra t pa c k ma y follow up on ; a botc hshow s tha t the spirits w ish
for the murderer's iden tity to rema i n sec ret.
(Rite of the Shopping Cart
Level T hree
T his ri tua l is just a s c ommon a mon g Bone Gn a w ers a s it is
a mon g Ra tkin (a n ddesc ribedin more deta il in the Bon e Gn a w ers
T ribebook). For Ra tkin En gin eers, it is their first rite. It inc reases
the a moun t of stuff a n y c a rgo-c a rryin g devic e c a n hold. Shoppin g
c a rts a re the most c ommon ly-used modes of tra n sport, but some
T un n el Run n ers ta ke to the roa d w ith c a rdboa rd boxes or ba c k-
pa c ks bulgin g w ith un iden tifia ble possessions.
System: Roll Ma n i pula ti on + Ri tua ls (di ffi c ulty 7 ) a n d
spen d a Gn osis poi n t. Ea c h suc c ess a llow s you to c a rry a n other
ten poun ds of tra sh, jun k, loot or stuff. If you like, ea c hsuc c ess
c a n a lso represen t on e hidden ra t. Some huma n s ob jec t to
a n yon e tra velin g c ross-c oun try w i th a roden t c ompa n ion ; this
ri te ma kes "ra t smugglin g" muc h ea sier.
(Ritual of the Shiny thing
Level T hree
Ra t pa c ks disa gree a ll the ti me. T hrough c on fron ta tion ,
the members of a pa c k drive up thei r Ra ge, turn i n g their a n xi ety
in to ra w en ergy. When a n issue despera tely n eeds to get
resolved, a Ra tkin w ith this rite ma y in voke it to settle a n issue
on c e a n d for a ll. T he mystic ma y use the Ri tua l of the Shin y
T hin g to resolve a n y dispute betw een w erera ts in her loc a l n est,
or fi n d a tempora ry lea der of a pa c k, if n ec essa ry. Performi n g the
ri te relieves a n gst a n d preven ts pa c k members from turn i n g on
ea c h other like... w ell, you kn ow .
T he in voc a tion is very i n forma l, somethin g a lon g the
lin es of "I demand... T he Shiny T hin g!" A t tha t momen t, a ll the
pa c k members bolt, lookin g for the shin iest, most impressive
objec t they c a n fi n d. T he ma ster of the ri te w a i ts behin d,
w a tc hin g for the fi rst three Ra tki n w ho return from their quest.
O n ly the first three ra ts w ho return ha ve a c ha n c e of "resolvin g"
the rite. O n c e the rest of the pa c k return s, they then v ote on
w hic h item is the most impressive. T ha t item bec omes the
Shin y T hin g, a relic w hic hmust be c a rried(or displa yed) by the
n ew tempora ry pa c k lea der. T he keeper of the Shin y ma y then
pa ss judgmen t on how to resolve the most immedia te problem.
A pa c k ma y a dda ddition a l restric tion s on this ri te w hen it's
performed. In most pa c ks, the Shin y T hin g must n ot be given
freely or stolen ; it must be foun d. T he item must be disc overed
a fter the rite is dec la redn o fa i r hoa rdin g every shin y thin g you
fin d for the n ext observa n c e! Ra t-spirits w a tc h over the Ra tkin
in volved to ma ke sure the proper rules a re obeyed. A s a side n ote,
w erera ts ma y n ot use the Sc roun ge Gi ft to fulfi ll this ri tua l.
O n ra re oc c a sion s, the ritema ster ma y dema n d a spec ific
objec t. For in sta n c e, some Mun c hma usen c la im on e of the
most fa mous in voc a tion s of this ri te oc c urred duri n g a w i n ter
lon g a go, w hen a tyra n n ic a l Ra t K i n g w a n ted to fi n d a n heir to
repla c e hi m. He promisedhis thron e to the fi rst Ra tki n Wa rrior
w ho c ouldbrin g hi m... a shin y n ew n utc ra c ker! T he rest of the
story ha s been told a s a Christma s legen d ever sin c e, though
w i th a dec idedly di fferen t en din g.
System: T he ritema ster asks the spirits to w a tc h over the
poor fools w ho go da shin g off on this mystic a l sc a ven ger hun t.
Ea c h pla yer a n n oun c es w here his c ha ra c ter is sea rc hin g, w ha t
he is lookin g for, a n dw ha t Dic e Pool he thin ks he c a n use to
fin d the i tem(e.g., " Frankie's going to use Perception + Medic in e
to find surgic a l tools in the doctor's office." or" Johnnie's using
Manipulation + Subterfuge to seduce the c lerk a t the jewelry store." )
T he Storyteller ma y, of c ourse, suggest a n a ltern a ti ve dic e pool.
T he Ra tki n w i th the most suc c esses on this roll a re c on sidered
the "first ones bac k." T he rest of the c ha ra c ters then vote on the
most impressive shin y thin g. A fterw a rds, w hen ever there is a n y
Ratkin
1
I
doub t a bout w ho's lea di n g the pa c k, the vic tor of this ri te ma y
gleefully hold the shi n y thi n g a loft to proc la i m hi s lea dership.
Some demen ted Storytellers (pa rti c ula rly in live-a c tion
ga mes) ma y in sist tha t thi s ri te requires the players to bolt off a fter
a shi n y thin g. Suc h items shoulda lw a ys be mun da n e fi n di n g
somethin g more un usua l tha n a popsic le stic k or gum w ra pper on
the spur of the momen t c a n be ha rder tha n you thin k.
(Rite of the Swarm
Level Four
T his ma dden in g c a ll ma y on ly be in vokedby a Ra tki n of the
Wa rrior a spec t. Breedin g a rmies of ra ts is a sa c redduty; every ra t
K i n folk in a c olon y drea ms of spa w n in g more soldiers for the
A rmy of the A poc a lypse. T he Ri te of the Sw a rm must be justi fi ed
before the spirits w ill a llow it. T he Wa rrior must give a brief
tira de a bout the vic tim w ho is to be overw helmedby the sw a rm.
T his ma y in c lude a c a ll for justi c e, a sta temen t of his c rimes, or
simply a series of in sults a bout the c rimes of his ra c e.
System: T he Ra tki n fi rst spen ds a poi n t of Gn osis a n d rolls
Ma n i pula ti on + A n i ma l K en . T he fi r st c rea tures to be c a lledup
by the sw a rm a re the n orma l ra ts of the a rea . If the c a use is just,
Ra t-spi ri ts w i ll ma teri a li ze in the host of roden ts to direc t it
tow a rd the a ppropria te vi c ti m. Roll Cha risma + Ri tua ls; the size
of the ra ts depen ds on the n umber of suc c esses. T he Storyteller
c on sults the sec tion on Sw a rms in Cha pter Five (see p. 1 01 ):
on e or tw o suc c esses c a ll up "a vera ge ra ts";
three or f our suc c esses c a ll up "huge ra ts";
fi v e suc c esses produc e a sw a rm of "big-a ss ra ts."
(Rite of W arding
Level V a ries
Ra tki n pri de themselves on hidin g their n ests w ell; the
Ri te of Wa rdi n g ma kes i t di f f i c ult for a n y
c r ea tur e to f i n d w her e a
c olon y is hidden . T his ri te
is performed every ti me
the popula tion of
a Ra tki n n est surges. T he stren gth of a Ra tki n sa c red site
depen ds on the n umb er of w erera ts w ho live there, foc usi n g
c ha os on the spi ri tua l c en ter of the n est. O n c e the loc a l
popula ti on ha s grow n en ough, the loc a l mysti c then performs
this ri te in tr i b ute to the Ra t In c a rn a . T he ritern a ster must be
of a Ra n k equa l to the n ew level of the n est.
Ra t-spi ri ts w i ll then i n fest the spi r i tua l c en ter of the n est.
If the Ra t-spi ri ts don 't thi n k tha t the site is a goodon e, they ma y
dema n d tha t a loc a l ra t pa c k un der ta ke a n U mb ra l quest on
beha lf of the loc a l w erera ts. Fulfi lli n g thi s quest ma y dec ide the
proper n a me of the n est, the n a me of a n ew tri b e, or even the
ti tle of the n ext Ra t K in g.
System: Roll Cha risma + Ritua ls; the di ffi c ulty is equa l to (5
+ the size of the loc a l c olon y). Remember the n umber of suc c esses;
it's the c olon y's "Con c ea lmen t Ra tin g." If anyone w ho is n ot a
Ra tkin tries to use a skill or supern a tura l a bility to determin e the
loc a tion of the n est, subtra c t these suc c esses fr om the roll. T he ri te
must be performed onc e eac h mon th to ma in ta in this effec t.
Shiny
anb Other fetishes
Ra tki n ra rely c rea te thei r ow n fetishes, preferri n g to stea l
w ha t they c a n get f r o m the un w a r y. Werera ts c a n use feti shes
c rea ted b y a n y supern a tura l c rea ture, b ut w i th a hi gher degree
of di f f i c ulty. T o a c ti v a te a stolen feti sh, a Ra tki n must ei ther
spen d a n extra Gn osis poi n t or ma ke the sta n da rd a c ti v a ti on
roll, but a t a + 3 di f f i c ulty. For more n i f ty items to sw i pe, c hec k
out the A ppen di x of the Werew olf rulebook, the Werew olf
Pla yers Guide, the other Cha n gin g Breedbooks, or T ribebooks.
T here's plen ty of loot out there for you to rip off.
(Pipes of the Swarm
Level 1 , Gn osis 4
For a youn g ra t fueled by the n eedfor ven gea n c e, lea rn in g the
Rite of the Sw a rm requires too muc h pa tien c e. U n fortun a tely,
severa l ta len ted youn g Seers ha ve lea rn ed a short-c ut. T his
mystic a l pipe ha s a n a n gry youn g Ra t-spirit
tra pped in side. A c tiva tin g the fetish
requires a pow erful set of lun gs,
a n a ton a l melody, a n da
0
suc c essful Gn osis roll. U sua lly a Ra tki n n eeds a da mn goodrea son
to summon a sw a rm, but n ot if he's usin g this fetish. T he spi ri t is
pissedoff en oughto summon on e rega rdless of the c irc umsta n c es.
For ea c hsuc c ess on the a c ti v a ti on roll, the sw a rm ha s on e
hea lth level; these a re "n orma l ra ts," a s desc ribedin the Sw a rm
sec tion of Cha pter Fi v e. A s on e w ould expec t, most ra ts w ho
tra de these items c la i m tha t theirs w a s the origin a l feti sh usedby
the Pied Piper c en turi es a go.
Circular Saw Launcher
Level 2 , Gn osis 5
Ra tki n En gin eers pri de themselves on in gen ious en gin es
of destruc ti on . T his devic e is c omposed of a lon g piec e of
plyw ood, a ma keshi ft gun stoc k, sev era l i n dustri a l stren gth
rub b er ba n ds, a n da c i rc ula r sa w bla de. When properly used, the
w ea pon la un c hes a flyin g c irc le of steel through a method
si mi la r to the Gi ft: Sha dow T hrow . A n y spi ri tua lly a w a re
Ra tki n c a n use it.
O n c e the bla de is a c ti v a ted, a i mi n g it requi res a Dexter i ty
+ O c c ult roll, di ffi c ulty 7 . If the Gn osis roll fa ils, or the a imin g
roll botc hes, it w i ll i n jure the user in stea dof its in ten dedv i c ti m.
T he w hi rli n g bla des i n fli c t three dic e of a ggra va ted da ma ge,
plus on e for ea c h suc c ess on the a tta c k roll.
C(at W ask
Level 3 , Gn osis 6
Shadow Seers w ho ha ve rea c hedthe pin n a c le of their c ra ft
bin dspirits in to these fetishes. Suc hitems a re hi ghly trea suredby
youn g a dven turers a n d ma y on ly be usedby Ra tki n . A Ra t Ma sk
is sha ped to resemble a pa rody of a huma n or other c rea ture.
U pon c ompletion , the c rea tor gives the ma sk a n a rc hetypa l
n a me, a n a pt desc ription of w ha t it represen ts. Exa mples in c lude
the U bi qui tous T ourist, the O verw orked Mother, the Sw a gger-
in g T ough Guy, the Beer-Sw illin g Y okel, a n d so on .
A s lon g a s the Ra tki n c a n do a pa ssa ble imperson a tion of
the mun da n e in question , n o on e w ill thin k of doub ti n g the
disguise. A n yon e w i th the lea st a moun t of supern a tura l i n si ght
(ei ther through A uspex Disc iplin e, the Spirit Sphere, Spirit
Sight, or some si mi la r c on tri v a n c e) ma y see the ma sk for w ha t
it is by a c ti vely lookin g for the ma sk w ea rer's true i den ti ty. T he
n umb er of suc c esses he rolls must exc eed the n umber of
suc c esses on the Ra tkin 's in itia l Gnosis roll (diffic ulty 6).
Keiumi Kite
Level 4, Gn osis 7
T hough devisedin the dista n t pa st of the Ja pa n ese Ra tki n ,
this feti sh is a s useful toda y a s it ever w a s. O n the groun d, it is
a qui te v i si b le, ob v i ously b ulky on e-ma n ki te. O n c e a irborn e,
how ever, it is idea l for sec retive rec on n a issa n c e. T he N ezumi
K i te ma y on ly be used a t n ight a n d c a n on ly c a rry on e person
in Homid form (or possibly severa l in Roden s f or m a t the
Storyteller's opti on ). Spi ri ts of the n ight keep it from bein g
seen , c loa kin g it w ith a va ria n t of the Ra tkin Gift: Cloak of
Sha dow s. Spirits of the a ir keep it a loft; it c a n sa i l w herev er the
user desires a f ter it is deta c hedfrom its strin g. T he ki te c a n on ly
move a s fa st a s a gen tle breeze, but c a n la n d a lmost a n yw here.
L
Mystery Machine
Level Five, Gn osis 8
T his is on e of the most va lua ble items a Ra tkin c a n ha ve:
c ra sh spa c e on w heels. T o mun da n es, the Mystery Ma c hin e looks
like a ba ttered, dila pida ted v a n , but w erera t ritua ls turn it in to a
ha ven for a tra velin g ra t pa c k. T hough there is on ly en ough room
in the ba c k for tw o or three huma n s to sleep c omforta bly, there
is plen ty of room for a dec eit of ra t-form w erera ts.
T he en gin e c a n on ly eke out medioc re ga s milea ge, but in
a pi n c h, it c a n run on pure Gn osis. Pra yin g or medi ta ti n g in side
the in terior of the va n w i ll keep it run n i n g for a f ull da y for ea c h
poin t spen t. T he vehic le is a lso di ffi c ult to tra c k; the dri ver c a n
a c ti va te the feti sh, in vokin g the Gi ft: Silen t Run n i n g to obsc ure
it up to three times a da y. T he in side of the c on veya n c e ha s been
blessed so tha t those w i thi n c a n medita te sa fely. For a n yon e
in side, low er the di ffi c ulty of a ll medita tion or Ra pture rolls by 1 .
T he spi ri t of the va n ha s a lso been a w a ken ed; it is f ully
visible i n the U mb r a w hi le tra v eli n g through the physi c a l
w orld. Fla shin g the hi gh-bea ms w i ll a llow the dri ver to ta ke the
v ehi c le in to the U mb r a ; thi s requi res ea c h pa ssen ger to spen d
a poi n t of Gn osis. T he dr i v er must then ma ke a suc c essful
Gn osis roll a ga in st the di f f i c ulty of the loc a l Ga un tlet. While
i n the spi ri t w orld, the dri v er ma y a c ti v a te the Cha rm: A i rt
Sen se to prev en t the vehic le from getti n g lost. Cur r en tly, there
a re on ly a ti n y few of these fetishes in the w orld; T un n el
Run n ers ha ve been kn ow n to ki ll to obta in on e.
W erits arib Q laws
Cagebound (3 point Merit)
Y ou w ere born in a c a ge a n d ra ised by huma n s. Mon ths of
ha n dlin g a n d a ffec ti on ha ve ma de you w ell-tempered, pa ti en t
a n d sw eet. T hen the Bi rthi n g Pla gue c ha n ged everythin g. T he
Ca ll of the Ra t God w a s irresistible, a n dyou ha d to lea ve behin d
the huma n w i th w hom you ha dbon ded. Fortun a tely, your tra gi c
story ha s a ha ppy en din g. Y our pea c eful upbri n gi n g helps you
en ter Ra pture, use Blood Memory, a n d ga in Gn osis through
medi ta ti on : you get a -1 di ffi c ulty on a ll of these rolls. Y ou a re a lso
highly-kn ow ledgea ble a bout huma n soc iety, though this kn ow l-
edge is limited to w ha t you sa w in the room w here you lived.
Cage* ?olk(3 point Merit)
If the Storyteller is w illin g to a dmit to the existenc e of the
CagedFolk, you ma y purc ha se this Merit w i th her permission . Y ou
ma y selec t highly in telligen t ra ts as your K in folk or Con ta c ts. T hey
gen era te their sta ts just like a n y other K in folk c ha ra c ter, a n d c a n
solve problems a s effic ien tly a s a n y huma n . N ot surprisin gly, they
see a ll of huma n soc iety through roden t eyes, misin terpretin g the
rea son s huma n s do thin gs. T hey a re a lso fa n a ti c a bout c on c ea lin g
their true in telligen c e, forever w a ry tha t men in w hite la b c oa ts w ill
fi n d them a n dta ke them a w a y. For more deta ils, see the sideba r on
the Ca ged Folk in this c ha pter.
Amnesia (\ point Vlaw)
When your In fec ti on fi r st set i n , i t w iped out a ll memory
of w ho you used to be. Brief glimpses a n d c lues of your former
i den ti ty tormen t you, but the rea l truth of w ho you a re is
elusive. Y ou've got the n a ggin g feelin g tha t there's somethin g
da n gerous i n your pa st just w a i ti n g to c a tc h up w i th you. T he
Storyteller ha s the opti on of n ot letti n g you buy off thi s Fla w
un ti l you fi gure out the mystery of your c ha ra c ter's pa st. If you
dec ide to ta ke this di sa dv a n ta ge, she'll n o doub t w a n t to resolve
this plot threa d, usi n g plen ty of fla shba c ks to set up a n d
foresha dow i n g to follow through.
Adrenaline Addict (2 point
Curi osi ty killed the ra t. Y ou a re fa sc i n a ted by in heren tly
da n gerous stuff a n d feel a stron g n eed to in vestiga te it. If you're
a roden s or metis Ra tki n , this mea n s tha t w hen you shift in to
Homid, you've just got to c hec k out thin gs you di dn 't grow up
usi n g. Shin y thin gs like b utc her kn i v es, a utomobi les a n d
c ha in sa w s fa sc in a te you. If you're a homidRa tkin , you like to ta ke
stupidrisks w hile w ea rin g your Roden s form; you love thrillseekin g
a n d ha ve little c on c ept of w ha t's "sa fe" for a sma ll ra t.
A s w i th other disa dva n ta ges, your Storyteller ma y set up
a si gn a l or c ode w ord to tip youoff w hen a da n gerous opportu-
n i ty a rises. Y ou c a n pa ss up these da n gers, but must a c t out this
Fla w a t lea st on c e a session . If you don 't, the Storyteller w i ll a sk
you to ma ke a Wi llpow er roll (di f f i c ulty 9) to a void a c ti n g on
impulse a n d rushi n g in to li fe-threa ten i n g si tua ti on s. Some
Ra tki n En gi n eers sta r t w i th a v a r i a n t of this disa dva n ta ge; if
they do, they don 't get extr a poi n ts for ta ki n g i t a s a Fla w .
0(ai 9ink(2 point Vlaw)
Y ou ha ve a c ompulsion to ga ther sec rets a bout everyone,
in c ludin g the members of your ow n ra t pa c k, a n d you ha ve n o
qua lms a bout betra yin g someon e's c on fiden c e if you c a n ben efi t
by it. Gra n ted, this mea n s tha t you a ren 't trusted by a n yon e,
in c ludin g your so-c a lled fri en ds, but it a lso mea n s tha t you c a n
sc ore a lot of extra Con tra c t Rites. Ma n y stra n ge people w ill ow e
youfa vors a s a result. Y ou've got a c ompulsion to ga ther in forma -
tion on a n yon e you dea l w i th; you've got to kn ow everything. T his
Fla w does ha ve on e li mi ta ti on , though: you w on 't b etra y the
sec rec y of a c olon y. T he fa c t tha t K n i fe-Skulkers w i ll hun t you
dow n for suc h beha vior is in c iden ta l you ma y en joy a good
da rk sec ret n ow a n d then , but tha t doesn 't mea n you'll ri sk the
surviva l of the Ra tkin rac e. Y ou're devious, but n ot stupid.
technological (Delusions
(2 point 9lato)
A ll Ra tki n rebel a ga in st the order tha t bin ds huma n soc iety,
but you ta ke it to extremes. Y ou see eviden c e of tec hn ologic a l
threa ts everyw here a n d a c t on these impulses. Y ou've devia ted
from huma n soc iety en ough tha t you've obta in ed some ra ther
stra n ge view s a bout how it w orks. T his Fla w is espec ia lly vic ious
a mon g roden s Ra tki n , w ho don 't grow up usin g huma n tec h
every da y. Perha ps you believe tha t television s a re used to
mon itor the people w ho w a tc h them, tha t ra dios broa dc a st mi n d-
c on trol messa ges, or tha t a utomobiles a re progra mmed to ma ke
the drivers thin k they a c tua lly c on trol them.
If you don 't pla y your c ha ra c ter a s suffi c i en tly delusion a l,
the Storyteller ma y a llow you a Willpow er roll (di f f i c ulty 9)
before he sta rts hittin g you w i th eviden c e of this demen tia tha t
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things 75
n o on e else c a n see. If the roll fa ils, youw i ll begin to see a n d
experien c e thin gs tha t a re n ot there. Some T w itc hers a n d
Mun c hma usen sta rt w i th va ri a ti on s of this di sa dva n ta ge; if
they do, they don 't get extra poin ts for ta kin g it a s a Fla w .
Kleptomaniac/(Pack 0{at
(2-3 point Vlaio)
Ra ts get a tta c hed to a ll sorts of li ttle kn ic kkn a c ks huma n s
lea ve lyin g a roun d. O n e sign of a thri vi n g in festa tion n ea r
someon e's home is the sudden disa ppea ra n c e of sma ll
person a l objec ts. Y our c ha ra c ter ha s a n extreme
version of this tra i t. If she's got the 2 -poin t Fla w :
K leptoma n i a , she c a n 't resist c on ti n ua lly
sn a tc hin g up tempti n g objec ts w herever
she tra vels. If she ha s the 3 -poi n t Fla w :
Pa c k Ra t, she ha s a n a ddition a l c ompul-
sion : she must lea ve behin da n objec t for
ea c h objec t she ta kes.
T he Storyteller should set up a
sign a l or c ode w ordto design a te a "tempt-
in g objec t" in the story. Ea c h ti me the
Storyteller uses thi s c ode w ord, your c ha r
a c ter ha s the c ha n c e to stea l somethin g
n ea rb y. If you disrega rd this si gn a l, the Story-
teller w i ll ha v e you roll Wi llpow er (di f f i c ulty 9) to
a void sn a tc hin g up the n ea rest shin y thin g. O ften these
items w i ll be ha rmless, but some of them ma y be ha za rdous; I
i llega l, or just pla i n demen ted. Ma n y Ra tki n En gin eers a uto-J
ma ti c a lly ha ve this di sa dv a n ta ge; if they do, they don 't geSJextra "'
poin ts for ta ki n g it a s a Fla w .
s
jS :
(Pack Jnstinct (3 point Vlato) / /
% ^
Y ou do n ot like to a c t sepa ra tely from the pa c k. Doin g so
requires a Wi llpow er roll (di f f i c ulty 8 ). Y ou c a n pra ise or
c on demn idea s suggest by other pa c k members, but c a n 't
v olun teer idea s on your ow n . If sepa ra ted from the pa c k, you
pa n i c , a c tin g like a c rea ture w i th either Ca lm or Fera l In stin c t
(a s listed in Cha pter Fi v e) un ti l you fi n d a t lea st on e other
member of your pa c k. ?
Jncoherent (4 point flaw) |
When roden s Ra tkin suc c umb to thei r In fec ti on , they
experien c e a di zzyi n g in c rea se in thei r in telligen c e. Most of j;
them a bsorb the loc a l la n gua ge v ery qui c kly a s a result. How -
ev er, a few rema i n li n gui sti c a lly c ha llen ged. T he best they c a n
muster is a repertoi re of grun ti n g n oise, in c hoa te ba bblin g a n d
w heezi n g n oises. T hei r c rudely formed Homid mouths just
c a n 't w ra p themselves a roun d huma n w ords. If your c ha ra c ter
ta kes thi s Fla w , be prepa red to c ommun ic a te solely like a fr ea k
w ho's been ra ised by ra ts.
(ftatkin (Philosophy
Ra tki n phi losophy is sha pedby on e of the most i mporta n t
ev en ts in huma n hi story: the A poc a lypse. N o tw o groups of
Ra tki n i n terpret the si gn i fi c a n c e of this prophec y the sa me
w a y. Every Ra tki n a ra t pa c k en c oun ters ma y ha ve a di fferen t
in terpreta tion of w ha t this even t mea n s. Whi le the Ga rou a re
a doomedra c e, c on ti n ua lly lookin g to the f a i lur es of thei r pa st,
the w erera ts ha v e n o c hoic e but to look to the f utur e. O n ly a
ha n df ul subsc ribe to the most c ommon ly held b eli ef, tha t the
A poc a lypse hera lds the en d of a ll c rea ti on . T he rest freely
in dulge in ma dden in g delusion s... or forbidden truths, depen d-
in g on w ho you a sk.
If you're n ot a w erera t, it's best n ot to disc uss religion w i th
on e of Ra t's c hi ldren ma n y ten d to be r a ther fa n a ti c
a bout the sub jec t. Some of the most c ommon ly
held i n terpreta ti on s a re listed below . When
c rea ti n g a Ra tki n c ha ra c ter, feel free to
muta te these delusion s a s severely a s you
like. T w i tc hers ha ve pa r ti c ula r ly odd
reli gi ous b eli efs, usi n g them to justi f y
shoc kin g a troc i ti es on a regula r ba sis.
Wha t do you b eli ev e?
(Dreams of a
thousand (% ats
T he Apocalypse is the end of Garou
society. Ra tki n w ho believe this feel it's on ly
n a tura l tha t the Wolves shouldfea r the en d of
the w orld. Ra tkin legen d sta tes tha t the w orld is
destin edto en dbec a use of a c urse Ra tki n ba rds pla c ed
upon the Ga rou before their fin a l en d a t the Field of
N ettles. O f c ourse the w erew olves fea r the A poc a lypse.
T hey're the on es w ho set it in motion w hen they ma de the
mista ke of hidin g behin dthe Con c ord, a n dthey're the on es
w ho w ill rea p w ha t they ha ve sow n.
T he Apocalypse is the end of human society. T he Wyrm ha s
been tryin g to brea k free from the Wea ver's w ebs for a long time.
T he on ly rea son its servitors a re so hell-ben t on destruc tion is
bec a use the w ebs of huma n soc iety ha ve c on fin ed it. If the
min ion s of the Wyrm c a n destroy tha t soc iety, en din g the A ge of
Ma n , its ma dn ess w i ll en d, a n dthe w orld w ill be in ba la n c e a ga in .
T he End T imes will bring the destruction of the physical world.
T he A poc a lypse is pun i shmen t for ma n ki n d's sin s of the flesh.
T he deepest rea lms of the U mb ra , how ev er, a ren 't depen den t
on w ha t ha ppen s to the ra c e of ma n . Ma n y Deep U mb ra l rea lms
w ill peri sh, perha ps, b ut n o doubt a few w i ll surv i v e, a lon g w i th
the lost i n festa ti on s of Ra tki n w ho live there. T hen the w orld
w i ll belon g to the ra ts, a s it a lw a ys should ha ve.
T he End T imes will bring the annihilation of the spirit world.
Fa i th ha s been dyin g in the w orld for mi llen n i a . T he Ga un tlet
betw een the tw o w orlds grow s thic ker a s the w orld dies.
Even tua lly, it w ill be impossible to c ross betw een the tw o
rea lms. A ll Ra tki n left on Ea rth w i ll thus rev ert to their true
herita ge, lea vin g them to be judged a s men or ra ts.
T he Final Battle will allow another race to take over the Earth.
Ra tki n spies ha ve lea rn edof other c rea ture's legen ds tha t seem
to c orrespon d to the Ga rou's delusion s. Wi ll mi llen n i a -old
v a mpi res rise from slumb er to dev our a ll of thei r c hi lder? A re
there a n c i en t ra c es in the void of spa c e tha t w i ll oversha dow a ll
tha t huma n i ty ha s a c hi ev ed? Stri ki n g a t huma n soc iety w i ll
help these other c rea tures ta ke pow er; li fe w i ll prob a b ly c ha n ge
very little for the w erera ts, w ho c a n surv i v e a lmost a n yw here.
Ratkin
II
pies
I fthisworldisdestroyed, there are others to infest. Whosa ysthis
w orld is the on ly on e? If the A poc a lypse destroys everythin g the
Ga rou kn ow , w ho's to sa y the Ra tki n c ouldn 't just emi gra te...
a ga in ? A va ri a n t of this belief depen ds on the idea of spirit quests:
those w ho c omplete them ha ve ea rn ed their pla c e in "rat
hea ven ," a n d w ill rejoin their dista n t rela tion s in Pa ra dise.
W e are aU doomed; revel in destruction and madness. For some
oddrea son , the Ga rouseem to thin k tha t dyin g w hile fi ghti n g the
Wyrm c a rries a sense of hon or. U n fortun a tely, if n o on e lives to
remember your hon ora ble deed, there's rea lly n o poin t in it. If the
A ge of Ma n is over, there's n o rea l rea son to respec t huma n la w ,
short of a voidin g gettin g c a ught for brea kin g it. U n lea sh a s muc h
c ha os a s youc a n . If the w orld is doomed, you ma y n ot even n eed
to suffer the c on sequen c es for w ha t you do.
U r n ... it isn 't time yet. Millen n ia lism is a rec urrin g fa d.
Some w erew olf sec ts believed the en d ha d c ome w hen the
Rattus rattus Pla gue Lords helpedki ll off a thirdof Europe dur i n g
the Bla c k Pla gue. Some sa ga c ious ma ges thought T ezghul's
"sorc erer's c rusa de" in the 1 5 thc en tury w ouldtea r a pa rt huma n
soc iety. V a ri ous c ults, f r om the v i c ti ms of Hea ven 's Ga te to
progra mmers prepa ri n g for the Y 2 K virus, ha ve their ow n
delusion s of impen din g di sa ster. Wha tev er. Prophec ies a re
often misin terpreted, a n d c a n be ma de to fit a n y devious
purpose. K eep settin g ba c k your dea dlin es if you like; the
A poc a lypse mi ght still be a lon g w a ys off.
Chapter Three: Crunchy Bits and Shiny Things
77
So tricky were some of the traps the rats set and by circumstantial
evidence so deft their wielding of their weapons, that many folkbegan
to insist that some of them, especially the rare and elusive albinos, had
on their forelegs tiny clawed hands rather than paws, while there were
many reports of rats run n in g on their hind legs.
Fri tz Leiber, T he Sw ords of Lankhmar
V
L\\e Among (% ats
Most of the Cha n gin g Breeds ha ve fa llen a pa rt, lettin g
dissen t betw een tribes tea r them a pa rt. T he Ra tki n c a re little for
suc h disa greemen ts; in fa c t, they revel a midst the c ha os. Werera ts
don 't c a re w here you c ome from. Wha t you c a n a c tua lly do is fa r
more i mporta n t. Gra n ted, they're preoc c upiedby w ha t you c a n
do for them; n on etheless, fulfi lli n g your c hosen oc c upa tion in
w erera t soc iety is fa r more i mporta n t tha n w hether you c ome
fr om a tri b e tha t's stron ger or w ea ker tha n a n y other.
A fter survivin g the Birthin g Pla gue, eac h w erera t must
dec ide w hic h a spec t of Ra tki n tra di ti on she w ill c a rry on . U n like
w erew olf a uspic es, Ra tki n a spec ts a re n ot dec idedby a n ythin g a s
in c iden ta l a s moon pha ses. A w erera t must a c ti vely c hoose her
a spec t ba sed on the vision s, ha lluc in a tion s a n d revela tion s she
rec eives a fter In fec ti on . A Ra tki n c a n n ot un dergo her First
Cha n ge un ti l this issue is resolv ed... un ti l then , voic es a n d
vision s tormen t her, a ttempti n g to in fluen c e her dec ision .
T he bea stie ma y tra c k dow n a n a ppren tic e or men tor to
help her dec ide. She ma y even f ulf i ll a n a ppren tic eship for a
yea r a n da da y before un dergoin g her Ri te of Pa ssa ge. U n ti l tha t
time, she is just a pup, a c on fused ra tli n g w ho must be subser-
vien t to privilegedRa tki n . A pup ha s the option of li v i n g in a
c olon y of her ki n d, stri ki n g out on her ow n to lea rn w isdom in
the w i ld, or stra ggli n g a lon g w i th a ra t pa c k to serve a s its r un t.
Some Ra tki n ma ke fa bulous men tors, but suc h rela ti on s n ever
la st pa st the Ri te of Pa ssa ge... they a re doomedto self-destruc t.
A Ra tki n 's Ri te of Pa ssa ge is usua lly a solita ry exerc ise,
a lthough a ra t pa c k ma y a pproa c h a c olon y together to offer
thei r servic es. T he experien c e is li ttle more tha n a c ha llen g-
i n g c on tra c t to pr ov e on e's mettle. A n y Ra tki n w ho sur v i v es
thi s tr i a l ma y lea rn the f i r st r i tua l of her c hosen a spec t. Sin c e
the Imper gi um, there ha v e been f our tr a di ti on a l a spec ts
respec ted in the c ourts a n d c olon i es of w erera ts: T un n el
Run n er s, Sha dow Seers, K n i f e-Skulker s a n d Wa rri ors. T hese
a spec ts c olor thei r li ves i n ma n y w a ys, a n d a Ra tki n 's ma n i a -
c a l dev oti on to her c a use c a n even sta rt a f f ec ti n g her K i n a n d
how they live thei r ow n lives.
Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown 79
tunnel (Runners
"Ma n , there's a lot of people who are run n in g o ut. I c ouU r un .
I c ouldrun right out tonight.... I t's right to run."
Da w n of the Dead
Ba c kgroun d: Run n ers a re the messengers a n dma veric ks of
Ra tki n soc iety, the sc outs a n d spies. T hroughout their history,
w erera ts ha ve sta yed hidden w i thi n sec ret c olon ies, breedin g
thousa n ds of c hildren for the glory of Ra t. N ot everyon e c a n
sta n dso muc h isola tion a n dsec lusion . In stea d, T un n el Run n ers
roa m the Ea rth, blen din g in to the ma n y soc ieties they en c oun ter
a s they sea rc hfor sign s of the c omin g A poc a lypse. A lon g the w a y,
they w ork w ha tev er sc a ms a n d sc hemes they c a n to survive.
Forever on the fri n ges of huma n soc iety, they w a tc h a n d w a i t...
un ti l sw a rms of their hidden a llies a re rea dy to exploit the
i n forma ti on the sc outs ha ve ga thered.
A fter the li b era ti on of In fec ti on , Run n ers ta ke to the roa d,
often w i th a tempora ry group of c ompa n ion s in tow . Whether
they c hoose to hi tc hhi ke, hop tr a i n s, stea l c a rs or suffer i n ter-
mi n a b le c ross-c oun try bus rides, c un n i n g tra velers use Blood
Memory to n a viga te va st stretc hes of geogra phy. Within the
la rgest c ities, pipes a n d sew er tun n els a c t a s w erera t superhigh-
w a ys. La ter i n li fe, experi en c ed ma v eri c ks a re essen tia l i n
helpin g thei r ra t pa c ks tra v el a c ross c oun try, blen di n to huma n
soc ieties, a n d o utw i t the loc a ls w ho live there. Dra w i n g upon
the revela ti on s of Ra ptur e, they ma y even rec a ll deta i ls of
pla c es they've n ev er been . Sometimes thei r propheti c vi si on s
ma n i fest a s a n i n sa ti a ble w a n derlust, or rec urren t w a ki n g
drea ms tha t c a n distra c t them from a ll other c on c ern s.
Run n ers a re a lso the most qua li fi ed for dea li n g w i th the
trea c hery of other super n a tur a l soc ieties. A fter a ll, ma veric ks
a re kn ow n just a s muc h for their quic k w its a s their stea lth a n d
sub terfuge. If a Ra tki n sta ys in a c i ty lon g en ough, she ma y fi n d
other outc a sts to help her. A Run n er mi ght even a lly w i th a
Bon e Gn a w er w erew olf or a N osf er a tu v a mpi re though n ot
both. A s ma sters of c ultur a l a da pta b i li ty a n d soc ia l sub ter fuge,
T un n el Run n er s c on ti n ua lly sc out out da n gerous rea lms w here
the sec rets of the n i ght a re oc c ulted.
A fter yea rs of ra mbli n g, T un n ellers a c t a s emissa ries be-
tw een di sta n t c olon ies of Ra tki n , preservin g the diploma tic roles
Ra tki n ba rds fulfi lled eon s a go. Werera t soc iety w ouldfa ll a pa rt
w ithout messengers to keep c on ta c t betw een dista n t tribes. T o
preserve the hi dden loc a tion s of ra t in festa tion s, they use ma n y
sec ret methods of tra v eli n g fr om c ity to c i ty, in c ludin g exten sive
U mb ra l tun n els on ly the w erera ts c a n ac c ess. O n c e a Run n er ha s
ea rn eden ough Ren ow n , he ma y dec ide settle dow n a n dorga n ize
the loc a l sc outs, li v i n g vi c a ri ously through the youn g pups' ta les
of peril. From the n est to the gra ve, a T un n el Run n er's li fe is a
n ever-en di n g roa d tri p, a c ha otic journ ey through a w orld
tha t on ly a servitor of the Wyld c ould survive.
T erri tori es: A f ter the rev ela ti on s of the Bi rthi n g
Pla gue, a ll youn g Run n er s lea rn b y
w a n de r i n g t hr o ugh the
w orld. Some do thi s to es-
c a pe lives they c a n n ot sta n d;
others quest for idea ls they ma y n ever a c hieve.
Ev ery youn g Ra tki n ha s a vision of a t lea st on e
site on Ea rth tha t represen ts w ha t he or she is
lookin g for in life. T his is the c losest equiva len t to a "territory"
a T un n el Run n er pup ha s.
La ter in life, a c ity, c on tin en t or va st spirit rea lm ma y serve a s
a Run n er's stompin g groun d. Ma n y T un n ellers ha ve been livin g
on the streets sin c e their youth, preferrin g the freedom of the roa d
to the trea c herous w a ys of huma n soc iety. Even older T un n el
Run n ers fi n d it di ffi c ult to sta y in on e n est forever. Highly-
esteemedsc outs c on tin ue to pa trol the sa me doma in s for yea rs. If
there's a grea t pla c e n ea rby to fin d food, a dv en ture, or perils tha t
threa ten the youn g, a w ise sc out or spy w i ll fin d them quic kly.
Culture a n d K i n folk: For a ll Ra tki n , rela ti on shi ps on the
roa d a re tempora ry a n d superfic ia l. Run n ers c on ti n ua lly rei n -
ven t thei r i den ti ty, lea vin g thei r emoti on a l ba gga ge b ehi n d.
Despite this, lon g-term fri en dshi ps tha t surv i v e c ommon a d-
v ersi ty a re a s ha rdto ki ll a s ra ts themselves. A sc out or w a n derer
w ho ha sn 't seen a n old fri en d or lover in yea rs i mmedi a tely
pic ks up the rela ti on shi p exa c tly w here it left off.
A ll T un n el Run n ers sha re a sort of i n forma l shortha n dtha t
a llow s them to quic kly sha re in forma tion on pla c es they've been ,
dra w i n g off the Blood Memories of their profession . T he w isest
lea ve sigils a n d gr a f f i ti for other w erera ts to follow . A Run n er
Ra tki n w ho's n ever been to a pa rti c ula r c ity ma y ha ve a c c ess to
a ll sorts of sc a ttered in forma tion he n ever rea lizedhe possessed.
T he K i n folk Run n ers breed lea m to keep thei r dista n c e
from a n y lon g-term soc ia l c ommitmen t. Ea c h yea r, they move
from c ity to c ity, use a n d disc a rdtemp jobs like old c lothes, a n d
evolve a series of person a s for di fferen t situa tion s. N ot a ll of them
a re impoverished a n d homeless; a s lon g a s you kn ow w here to
fi n d c ra sh spa c e, you're n ever rea lly helpless. Ra t rela tives pri de
themselves on bein g w ell-tra veled, possessin g exten sive kn ow l-
edge a bout the seediest pla c es in the w orld. T hey a re fa sc in a ted
by plac es in ha bitedby other c rea tures, espec ia lly huma n s. Some
a re sma rt en ough to emula te the people they live n ea r; others
c ome up w ith biza rre expla n a tion s to expla in huma n a c tivity.
O rga n iza tion : O n c e a Ra tki n c olon y is la rge en ough, it
w i ll forma lly dec la re itself a s a Ra tki n "tribe." T his in volves
in vestin g its hi ghest-ra n ki n g T un n el Run n er a s a Sc out, a n
elder w ho c oordi n a tes the a c ti v i ti es of Run n ers w ho tra v el in
the region . T hrough the Sec on d Sight Gi f t, thi s c ourti er ma y
even en li st other w erera ts to a c t a s his eyes a n d ea rs.
If a Ra tki n n est is too sma ll to ha ve elders, then a n y
T un n el Run n er s "just pa ssin g through" a re requi red to tra de
stories of thei r tra vels in exc ha n ge for the support a n d sa fety of
the loc a l c olon y. In stea dof a stra i ghtforw a rd mi li ta r y report on
the stren gth of preda tors in the a rea , the da ta must be c on -
den sed in to a forma t even a sma ll c hild c ould un dersta n d.
Y oun g pups ga ther regula rly to hea r the stories tra v elers ha v e to
tell. T he on es w ho a re most impressed by these f a n c i f ul ta les
often bec ome Run n ers themselves.
A n y ma jor Ra tki n rea lm a lso ha s a loc a l "U mbra l
un dergroun d" i n ti ma tely
f a mi li a r w i th the
spi ri t w orld. When
pr o b lems w i th
the physi c a l
w orldgrow too
gr ea t, i t's
T
temptin g to just va n ish in to the ephemera l rea lms for a w hile.
T un n el Run n ers w ho run w i th pa c ks ha v e a ha bi t of di sa p-
pea rin g a t odd momen ts w hile they're off pursuin g stra n ge
side-quests; those of a spi ri tua l ben t return w i th ta les of the
loc a l Pen umb ra .
Strengths and 'W eaknesses
Cultura lly Gifted: A Run n er w ho rema in s in on e pla c e
for more tha n a da y c a n develop a deta iledperson a tha t a llow s
him to blen d in . T hese a ltern a te iden tities a ren 't very fla shy,
just the sort of qui et iden tity tha t n o on e question s. T he
w erera t's physic a l a ppea ra n c e doesn 't c ha n ge; his soc ia l c ues
just muta te to help him blen d in . N a tura lly, ea c h a ltern a tive
person a ha s its ow n n a me. T he Run n er is a t a -2 di ffi c ulty for
a ll Subterfuge or Ma n ipula tion rolls in volvin g this fa c a de. T his
bon us en ds on c e he lea ves tow n a n d c ha n ges his iden tity,
a lthough he c a n a lw a ys resume it upon his return .
Wa n derlust V ision s: T he Ra t T otem often bestow s
vision s a n d revela tion s upon those w ho serve her. If a T un n el
Run n er gets lost (either physic a lly or spiritua lly), his totem ma y
gra n t a vision of a w a y out or a destin a tion tha t ma y help. T his
is purely a t the disc retion of the Storyteller, a n drequires a Gn osis
roll. T he type of vision gra n tedma y be in fluen c ed by the totem
the Run n er's pa c k c urren tly serves. A City T otem ma y revea l a
useful pla c e to sleep a few bloc ks a w a y; Gra n dfa ther T hun der, on
the other ha n d, ma y sen d a tra veler through hell... litera lly.
T ra velin g Light: T un n el Run n ers below Ra n k T hree
c a n n ever ha ve a perma n en t home, a n d n ever ha ve the Re-
sourc es Ba c kgroun d. Ra tki n of Level T hree or higher c a n n ot
ha ve more tha n tw o dots in Resourc es; how ever, they usua lly
develop c on ta c ts in severa l di fferen t c olon ies to help them out.
A ppea ra n c e: Y ou c a n often tell a n in experien c edT un n el
Run n er from his a ppea ra n c e. In Homid form, he a lw a ys looks
w orse for w ea r, like he's been on the street for a lon g, lon g time.
A ma ssive ba c kpa c k, several la yers of c lothes, or a pic k-up truc k
or sc hool bus loa dedw i th bla n kets a n dtra sh ba gs tell other ra ts
of a homeless brother's tra vels. It c a n a lso dra w a tten tion from
polic e offic ers, ira te merc ha n ts, a n d hostile huma n s.
Experien c ed T un n el Run n ers lea rn to tra v el light a n d
blen din . T hey c a n c a rry everythin g they n eedin their poc kets,
w a sh themselves six times a da y (like a n y good ra t), a n d keep
themselves imma c ula tely n ea t. Elder Ra ts pride themselves on
bein g n on desc ript in ra t form. Some like to ride in the kn a p-
sac ks, ha ts or poc kets of other tra velers.
Rites a n dRa ge: T un n el Run n ers begin pla y w ith the Rite
of the Bolthole; this gra n ts more in forma tion a bout a c c essin g
the spirit w orld. Run n er c ha ra c ters a lso sta rt w ith Ra ge 1 .
Begin n in g Gifts: Da n ger Sense, Sc ent of the T rue Form,
Silen t Run n i n g
Con c epts: a c c iden ta l tourist, journ a list, ba c kpa c ker, w orld
tra veler, slummin g teen a ger, urba n spelun ker, thrill-seekin g
thi ef, supern a tura l spy, homeless w a n derer, c ommun e seeker,
troubled esc a pist
Quote: " T his isn't my world. I justhideinit. I f you're looking
for a place to run, talktome,"
"fflh
Shadow Seers
T he crone now motioned him to hold the bowl in a certain
position whikshe raised the huge, grotesque knife above the small
white victim as high as her right hand could reach. T he fanged, furry
thing began tittering a continuation of the un kn oum ri tua l, while the
witch croaked loathsome responses.
H.P. Lovec ra ft, "T he Drea ms in the Witc h-House"
Ba c kgroun d: Seers a re the keepers of a n c ien t sec rets. Ea c h
is a sha ma n of Ra tkin soc iety, spec ia lizin g in the lore of the loc al
doma in . From the urba n en viron men ts of ma jor metropolises to
the rura l mysteries of the w ildern ess, w herever Ra t sha ma n s
tra vel, they ma in ta in c lose c ommun ic a tion w i th spirits, ga in in g
a dvic e from other spiritua l survivors. A n y Sha dow Seer a lso a c ts
a s a c a reta ker for her fellow tra velers, ten din g to their spiritua l
grow th a s muc h a s their physic a l w ell-bein g.
Sha dow Seers ha ve a n in tuitive gra sp of the w a ys of spirits,
but a re just a s fa sc in a tedby the mysteries of huma n c iviliza tion .
N ot a ll of them a gree on how to dea l w i th the huma n ra c e,
espec ia lly the homeless popula tion of a c ity. Some ferven tly
believe tha t the Children of Ra t should c a re for a n y w ho ha ve
been c a st out from huma n soc iety. A fter a ll, the w erera ts n eeda ll
the allies they c a n get, a n dusin g w ha t they leam to a idthe dow n -
a n d-out ma y very w ell w ork to their ow n a dva n ta ge. O thers in sist
tha t a huma n is still a huma n , a n d c a n n ever be trusted. Just
bec a use they're vic tims doesn't mea n they're virtuous; they'll still
rip you off w hen you lea st expec t it. Every Sha dow Seer ha s a
stron g opin ion a bout this issue, on e w a y or the other.
T he a spec t gets its n a me n ot on ly for its pra c tition ers' love
of kn ow ledge hidden in the sha dow s, but a lso for the gla zedlook
a Shadow Seer gets w hen she gazes in to the n ight, tryin g to see
spirits tha t a ren 't rea lly there. Ma n y a re ma sters of Ra pture;
they seek w isdom the huma n ra c e ha s disc a rdedor left behin d.
Studyin g huma n bein gs helps Ra tkin fin d their ow n spiritua l
fa i li n gs... a n dpla n the n ext ra idfor n eededsupplies. Rumma g-
in g through the refuse of huma n c iviliza tion , Shadow Seers
trust Ra t to help them fin d everythin g they n eed. When the
A ge of Ma n c omes to a n en d, they'll help rebuildthe w orldfr om
the rubble left behin d.
T erritories: A s on e w ouldexpec t, Seers prefer to tra vel to
sites w here spirits a re ea sily c on ta c ted. Rura l roden s seek out
quiet pla c es w here they c a n c ommun e w ith shadow s un dis-
turbed by huma n en c roa c hmen t. U rba n Sha dow Seers, by
c on tra st, a re a ddic ted to the c ha os of the c ities. T hey ma ke
their la irs in a rea s w here the polic e fea r to go, w here the on ly
la w in both physic a l a n d spirit w orlds is surviva l. Sha dow Seers
thrive w herever c haos is stron g, a n d gla dly help ra t pa c ks
fur ther the sprea din g of the Wyld w herever its pur i fyi n g forc e
is despera tely requi red.
Culture a n dK in folk: It's quite c ommon for a Shadow Seer
to bec ome more c on c ern ed w i th U mbra l c ulture tha n the c on -
c ern s of the physic a l w orld. T ruly gifted Seers sta rt to ign ore a ll
physic a l c on sidera tion s, en terin g religious ma n ia a s their devotion
in ten sifies. When suc h zea l passes, Seers sn a p ba c k to highly
pra gma tic c onc erns, suc h a s ta kin g c are of those a roun dthem w ho
a re sufferin g. T he residen ts of a homeless shelter or pa c k of street
kids c a n bec ome a n exten ded fa mily for a very huma n e Shadow
Seer... or a pa c k of vic tims for him to exploit a n ddisc ard.
L
A Seer's K in a re often gifted w ith either spi ri tua l in sight or
in sa n ity, depen din g on your poin t of view . Huma n K i n fb lk fin d
revela tion s through men ta l illn ess, religious devotion , a rtistic
a bility or a n otherw orldly perspec tive. T hey often feel like they
don 't fit in to huma n soc iety before In fec tion . Ra t K in folk ten d
to a ma ss la rge c ollec tion s of trin kets a n d n on sen se, stea lin g
a n ythin g tha t a ttra c ts their a tten tion a s they a ttempt to in terpret
huma n c ulture. Bothprefer solitude a n dquiet to help them foc us
on their medita tion s.... or their madness.
O rga n iza tion : T he la rgest n ests a re aided by elders c a lled
Mystic s, triba l c ourtiers w ho a tten d to the spiritua l w ell-bein g of
their doma in s. A n y la rge c olon y w ill a lw a ys ha ve a "spiritua l
c en ter" w here tra velers c a n rest, medita te, a n drec eive vision s from
their gods. Most Mystic s a re a t least Ra n k T hree Shadow Seers;
they c a n n ot truly lea m to c on trol the spirits before they a tta in this
level of w isdom. A n y Sha dow Seer tra velin g n ea r a triba l n est must
stop by to report a n y un usua l supern a tura l a c tivities she ha s seen
to the elder of her a spec t. She ma y also be a sked to c on tribute
somethin g she's foun d on the roa d to the loc al shrin e.
Strengths and W eaknesses
Spirit Sight: Sha dow Seers ha ve in sights in to a c tivity in
the spirit w orld. By spen din g a poi n t of Gn osis, a Seer c a n see
w ha t is c urren tly ha ppen i n g in the loc a l Pen umb ra . Here eyes
turn w hi te w hen she does this, a n don c e this sight is a c tiva ted,
she c a n n o lon ger see w ha t ha ppen s a roun dher in the physic a l
w orld. Her body rema in s in the physic a l w orld; her spi ri t
w a tc hes w ha t tra n spires a roun d it in the spirit w orld. Sha dow
Seers a lso c a ll this phen omen on "disc on n ec tion ." When it's
don e v olun ta ri ly, it's very useful for ta ki n g a quic k peek in to the
U mb r a . U n fortun a tely, it a lso lea ves a mystic vuln era ble to
physic a l a ssa ult. Seers in Ra pture sometimes sn a p in to disc on -
n ec tion a t un c omforta ble momen ts.
Spirits Spea k to Me: A ll Sha dow Seers begin pla y w ith
the T heurge Gi ft: Spirit Speec h.
Disc on n ec tion : Sha dow Seers feel the c a ll of the spirit
w orld more stron gly tha n other Ra tkin do. A Shadow Seer's
Ra ptures a re usua lly tiedto a c tivity in the Pen umbra . When this
ha ppen s, a Seer in Ra pture often gets c a ught up in some petty
in trigue in volvin g the Ga fflin gs a n d Ja gglin gs n ea rby. Some
w a n der a roun don ly seeing w ha t tra n spires in the U mbra ; others
typic a lly c on fuse the w a ys of the rea lm of flesh w ith the tra dition s
of the spirit w orld. Either w a y, these in c iden ts a re often disguised
a s men ta l illn ess. In rea lity, a Seer's Ra ptures a re momen ts of
c rysta l c lea r sa n ity, a glimpse through the w ebs tha t obfusc a te the
rea l w orkin gs of the w orld but they're still in c on ven ien t.
A ppea ra n c e: Everythin g is holy, so Seers ha ve a ha bit of
c ollec tin g c ommon items tha t holdhidden spi ri tua l
sign ific a n c e bottle c a ps, c on dom w ra ppers,
milk c a rton s, c a rdboa rd or a n ythin g tha t
c omes to ha n d. Items tha t a ren 't used in
shrin es a re often w orn by mystic s. Wea ri n g
n ew c lothes is w a steful, so
Sha dow Seers shop for
c lothes like they seek for
w isdom: sea rc hin g through
the detritus of soc iety to fi n d va lua bles others ha ve disc a rded.
Rites a n dRage: Seers begin pla y w i th the Dedic a tion Rite;
this helps them a lly their ra t pa c ks w i th the In c a rn a e a n dother
spirits. Sha dow Seer c ha ra c ters begin the ga me w i th Ra ge 2 .
Begin n in g Gifts: Ra t Mother's T ouc h, Sense Wea ver,
Sense Wyrm
Con c epts: c a regiver, street performer, a rtist, homeless
c rusa der, hermit, n a tura list, in sightful messia h, in sidious ma d-
ma n , sec retive c ultist, streetw ise c a n n iba l, lovin g mother
Quote: " You worry about fightingwhatyou can see. I 'ttworry
about fighting what you c a n 't see."
Knife-Skulkers
" He putts a knife? You pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the
hospita l, you send one ofhis to the morgue. T hat's the Chicago way...."
Ma lon e, T he U ntouchables
Ba c kgroun d: O ther sha peshifters w ouldc on sider Skulkers
little more tha n a ssa ssin s. T ha t's a big mista ke, on e tha t a rises
from a fun da men ta l misun dersta n din g of Ra tkin c ulture. K n i fe-
Skulkers a re more tha n exec ution ers; they often serve a s judges
a n d juri es a s w ell. U n li ke c rea tures w ho a re tra pped by the
dec eption s of la w s, Skulkers believe in justi c e. K n i fe-Skulkers
do fa r more tha n rec ite the Li ta n y of Surviva l. Witn essin g
i n justi c e c a n stoke a Skulker's ra ge, forc in g him to a c tively
en forc e the beliefs he professes.
When la w s fa i l, K n i fe-Skulkers a ggressively offer to "a dju-
dic a te" disputes. T hey ga ther i n forma ti on from a w ide a rra y of
sourc es, in c ludin g loc a l T un n el Run n ers. If they feel stron gly
en ough, they w ill en forc e their beliefs a s they best see fi t.
O utside Ra tki n soc iety, if tha t's a ssa ssin a tion , then so be it.
U n fortun a tely, w hen pa ssin g judgmen t on thei r ow n kin d, they
ha ve restra in ts pla c edon their a c tivities. A c tin g on their ow n ,
a K n ife-Skulker c a n on ly en forc e low justice on other w erera ts.
T ha t is, they c a n on ly pun ishguilty Ra tki n w i th min or pun ish-
men ts: ha ra ssmen t by Ra t-spi ri ts, bra n din g, loss of property,
ri tua l c ripplin g a re a few c ommon exa mples.
If a K n i fe Skulker reports the c rime to a Ra tki n elder,
how ever, or the ruler of a w erera t c olon y, he c a n ga in a uthori-
za tion for high justic e. If the elder a grees, the Skulker c a n sla y a
w erera t w ho threa ten s the sa fety or sec urity ofhi s ow n ra c e. If
they feel merc i ful, K n i fe Skulkers w ill often bra n d their qua rry
w ith a "dea th ma rk" before killin g them. A c ri mi n a l bea rin g
this sigil ma y be given the c ha n c e to a ton e for his c rime before
other Skulkers c a tc h up w i th him.
T hese ha rsh pra c tic es ha ve millen n ia of prec eden t. Dur-
in g the Impergium, w hen other sha pec ha n gers c ouldn 't fully
resolve lega l ma tters on thei r ow n espec ia lly w hen a n other
supern a tura l fa c tion w a s c onc erned c a llin g on Ra tkin jus-
tic e serveda s a la st resort. N ow , a s the w orldgrow s more in sa n e,
the Skulkers ha ve bec ome more bruta l in their methods. Some
en ter forma l c on tra c ts w i th those w ho n eed thei r servic es;
others bec ome vigila n tes, rec eivin g orders for highjusti c e from
a higher a uthori ty: the Ra t In c a rn a herself. Sometimes both
sides of a dispute w ill sec retly hi re freela n c ers to pun ish the
other; this often forc es supern a tura l soc ieties in to in terspec ies
w a rs. Sin c e the Skulkers a re servitors of c ha os, this serves thei r
Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown
gods w ell. Preservin g their reputa ti on for ven gea n c e a n d retri-
buti on , K n ife-Skulkers strike like a forc e of n a ture, proudly
emula ti n g the vic ious n a ture of the Wyld.
Territories: K n i fe Skulkers a ren 't overly c on c ern edw i th
keepin g "territory" of their ow n ; they're pretty low -ma in te-
n a n c e, a s Ra tki n go. T hey rea son tha t it's better to ha ve a few
sma ll, sec ure ra tholes to hide your equi pmen t a n dyourself tha n
to go to the trouble of defen di n g a la rger turf. A Skulker is
usua lly c on ten t to ha ve on e or tw o pri va te sa n c tums, a n d little
else a n d they're very protec tive of those sa n c tums.
Culture and Kinfolk: If a Skulker is c on tra c ted to mete
out pun i shmen t, he a lw a ys ha s the option of termi n a ti n g a
c on tra c t a n d spa rin g his qua rry. Most loa the this preroga tive.
Skulkers lose more Ren ow n for brea kin g Con tra c t Rites tha n
other Ra tki n . Even w i thout this pressure, ma n y sec retly en joy
"pron oun c in g sen ten c e" on a n yon e w ho offen ds them thor-
oughly en ough. Like a ll Ra tki n , they ha ve li ttle rega rd for
huma n la w . Justi c e is fa r more i mporta n t... a n d un fortun a tely,
fa r more subjec tive.
T hough T un n el Run n ers a re more skilled a t diploma c y,
K n ife-Skulkers a re the w erera t's experts a t performin g Con tra c t
Rites. Dec eits of Ra tkin a re in fa mous for ma kin g pa c ts w ith other
supern a tura l c rea tures, performin g un sa vory ta sks in return for
c erta in fa vors a n dprivileges. Ra tkin of other a spec ts ha ve a c erta in
a moun t of freedom to ba c k out of Con tra c t Rites, on ly sufferin g a
min or loss of Ren ow n for doin g so. When a n other supern a tura l
c rea ture brea ks a Con tra c t Rite w ith a w erera t, how ever, K n ife-
Skulkers prefer to a pply the "pun ishmen t c lause" of their c on tra c ts.
Retribution must be fierc e en ough to c on vin c e the tran sgressor to
n ever betra y the w erera ts a ga in . Both in side a n d outside w erera t
soc iety, their reputa tion for ven gea n c e is legen da ry.
K n i fe Skulkers a re a lso held respon sible for ma kin g sure
their pa c ks "Preserve the V eil," in deferen c e to the fi r st dic tum
of the Li ta n y of Surviva l. U n fortun a tely, Skulkers disa gree on
exa c tly how to i n terpret these three w ords. Colon y elders a re
fa n a ti c a bout the V eil. If a dec eit of Ra tki n ha s forc ed huma n s
i n to Deli ri um, elders ma y sen d out K n i fe-Skulkers a n d Ra t-
spirits to ha ra ss a n d pun ish the offen ders. By c on tra st, highly
in depen den t a n da n a rc histic w erera ts don 't give a da mn a bout
subtlety; they'll do just a bout a n ythin g to brin g c ha os to the
w orld. Skulkers must dec ide w hic h side of this c on flic t to
suppor t... a n d w hic h w i ll sc ore them the best Con tra c ts.
O ddly en ough, w hen they a ren 't fulfi lli n g their duties,
Skulkers seem like suc h quiet c rea tures. T he K i n folk they spa w n
a re often the sa me w a y. Most kn ow they c a n 't c ha n ge the w orld
by open ly pra c tic in g violen c e; if a n ythi n g, they've got to be
rea lly sec retive a bout their reven ge. Epic c a rn a ge is best left to
less sophistic a ted c rea tures, like T w itc hers a n d Pla gue Lords.
Even so, some sec retly stoc kpile w ea pon s a n d kn ow ledge,
w a i ti n g for the da y they c a n mete justi c e on the w orld.
Organization: In la rge n ests, politic a l in fightin g is horren -
dous. When it gets so ba dtha t it in terferes w i th the produc tivity
or reproduc tion of the loc a l w erera ts, the highest ra n kin g K n i fe-
Skulker is c a lledin to "resolve" the dispute. T he threa t of on e of
the loc a l politic ia n s gettin g killed is usua lly en ough to dissua de
them from disa greein g a n y further. T o a tta in this position of
a uthori ty, a Skulker va lues his reputa tion very highly.
Strengths arid 'W eaknesses
Con tra c ts a n dCon ta c ts: O ther supern a tura l c rea tures
kn ow how effic a c ious it c a n be to ha ve a K n i fe-Skulker solve a
di spute... his w a y. Skulker c ha ra c ters sta rt out w ith three
poin ts of Con ta c ts in a ddition to their other sta rti n g Ba c k-
groun ds. T hese c rea tures a re usua lly extra lega l i n formers tha t
tra de i n forma ti on for fa vors. Ra t pa c ks ha ve plen ty of lea ds on
c orrupt a c tivities, a n d a re often a skedto in terven e in the a ffa i rs
of other soc ieties. O n c e a pa c t is ma de, K n ife-Skulkers a lso ta ke
a Con tra c t Ri te very seriously. If, Goddess forbi d, a Skulker
brea ks a c on tra c t, he is fa i r ga me for a ssa ssin a tion by other
K n ife-Skulkers.
Sen se of Justic e: A Skulker c a n rega in a poin t of Ra ge
w hen he w itn esses a n even t tha n is obviously un just. T his
spa rks ra c ia l memories of the w erera ts' betra ya l duri n g the
Impergi um a n d the Wa r of Ra ge.
A ssa ssin 's Code: When c on tra c ted to a ssa ssin a te, a
Skulker c a n n ever a llow himself to be seen killin g his en emy.
He c a n n ot c on fron t his ta rget fa c e to fa c e, n or c a n he strike
w hile obsc uredby a Cloa k of Sha dow s. Fa ilure mea n s tha t the
Skulker loses Cun n in g Ren ow n , even if his c on tra c t is fulfilled.
N ev er tur n your ba c k on a K n i fe Skulker you do n ot kn ow .
A ppea ra n c e: K n i fe Skulkers n ever c a rry their w ea pon s
open ly un less they a re in ba ttle. T hey do n ot disguise them-
selves w hen pursui n g a n a ssa ssin a tion , a s they w ill n ot a polo-
gize for w ha t they do best. In a ddition , in Roden s form, their
eyes a re a lw a ys red.
Rites a n d Ra ge: K n i fe Skulkers begin pla y w i th the
Con tra c t Ri te. T hey c a n a lso lea rn the Ri te of the Questin g
Ston e or a n y Ga rou Pun ishmen t Ri te; muc h of this kn ow ledge
ha s been sec retly passed to the Skulkers by trea c herous
w erew olves. How ever, Skulkers c a n on ly pra c tic e Pun ishmen t
Rites on fellow Ra tki n . Follow ers of this a spec t begin the ga me
w i th Ra ge 3 .
Begin n in g Gifts: Dea th Ma rk, Stic ky Pa w s, T ruthof Ga ia
Con c epts: merc en a ry, vigila n te, freela n c e assassin , super-
n a tura l in vestiga tor, spirit hun ter, diploma t, "free-thin kin g" c op
Quote: " W e had a contract. You broke it. Now I 'm goin g to
make your life a living hell...."
W arriors
" Good? Bad? I 'm the guy with the gun."
A she, Army of Darkness
Ba c kgroun d: Ra tki n Wa rriors c ome from a va st a rra y of
tra i n i n g groun ds. Whether they study their ma ri ta l a rts in a
dojo, mi li ti a , urb a n ga n g or rusti c retrea t, they a ll ha ve on e
thi n g in c ommon : the urge to fi ght. From the fi rst momen t of
In fec ti on , Wa rri ors feel a surge of ra ge, a n overw helmin g a n ger
resulti n g from the lega c ies of thei r ra c e. T he betra ya l of the
Ga rou Con c ord, the festeri n g c orruption of the Wyrm's mi n -
ion s, a n d the overpopula ti on of the huma n ra c e drive In fec ted
ra ts to heights of fur y. When ra ge flow s freely, violen c e reign s.
Werera t Wa rriors c on sider preempti v e strikes a ga in st the
Wyrm un n ec essa ry; a fter a ll, the w erew olves should c lea n up
their ow n mista kes. Ma n y pr efer to un lea sh their un bri dledf ur y
in pla c es w here huma n s ha ve bec ome fa r too da n gerous. Sev-
erin g the Wea ver's w ebs by stri ki n g the huma n c i v i li za ti on
tha t ha s driven the Wyrm i n sa n ei s a sa c redtrust. Some ha ve
the w isdom to c hoose their b a ttles c a refully; others don 't c a re
w ho dies w hen b a ttle lust seizes them. Gra n ted, a ll Wa rri ors
kn ow to preserve the sec rec y of their ow n existen c e, sin c e
killin g huma n s open ly on the streets in vites retri b uti on . Pre-
servin g the V eil is the first stri c ture of the Li ta n y of Surviva l.
N on etheless, w i n n i n g a w a r c a n depen d on ma n y sma ll skir-
mishes, a n d if a huma n ha s to di e, the ra ts don 't hesi ta te to ki ll.
O ther Ra tkin sometimes refer to Wa rriors a s "Bla de Sla ves," in
referen c e to the sa c red Pa in Da ggers they w ield. T he most
devout w erera ts trea sure these w ea pon s w ith religious feti sh-
ism, sometimes w hisperin g to the spirits tra pped in side them.
A s the popula tion of the Ra tkin ra c e stea dily in c rea ses,
more of them seek w ork a s merc en a ries, c on tra c tin g their skills
to help refin e their prow ess. If the en d of the w orld is a pproa c h-
in g, Wa rriors kn ow tha t they w ill serve a s shoc k troops for the
Wyldin the Fin a l Ba ttle. A dmittedly, there a re pea c eful times in
a Wa rrior's li femomen ts w hen medita tion a n dreflec tion c a n
silen c e the torren t of ra ge tha t surges through themb ut pea c e
is n othin g more tha n a tempora ry c essa tion of the w a ys of w a r.
Wise Wa rriors don 't feel the n eedto fi ght to the dea th a t
the slightest provoc a tion . Developin g ma rti a l skill in volves fa r
more tha n just ki lli n g thi n gssometi mes it in volves c ri ppli n g
them, w ea ken in g them, or demora lizin g them. T hese soldiers
don 't just sla y; they a lso use their kn ow ledge of c ha os to c on fuse
their en emies, stri ki n g in the n ight w hen ma dn ess reign s. A s
the Ra tki n ra c e c on tin ues to hon e its ma rti a l skills, a rmies of
da rkn ess a re rea dy for ba ttle, c omma n ded by the lea dership of
the w erera t Wa rriors.
T erritories: Wa rriors n est in a rea s they fin ddefen sible a n d
"ta c tic a lly soun d"; a ba n don edbomb shelters a re n ea r the top of
their list. Rura l Wa rriors sometimes esta blishsma ll c ompoun ds,
c a bin s or ra n c hes w i th exten sive ba semen ts, prefera bly w i th
en ough food a n d a mmo sta shed a w a y to help a sma ll ba n d of
preferred K in survive the A poc a lypse. U rba n Wa rriors love to
ha n g out in the w orst sec tion s of tow n , the pla c es w here the c ops
don 't go a ll the better to hon e their skills. A rmy surplus stores
a n d dojos a re a lso fa vored n estin g spac es for the urba n Wa rrior.
Culture a n dK in folk: A n y tw o Wa rriors in the sa me pa c k
n eed to fi n d out w ho's the more skilled soldier. Most Ra tkin
killers a re in sec ure a bout this c ruc ia l issue. A t the en d of ea c h
w eek (of ga me time, n ot rea l ti me), if a pa c k ha s tw o or more
Wa rriors, they must resolve this issue through a n on -letha l duel.
T he Bla de Sla ves first fin d a n other member of the pa c k to judge
the c on test. T hen , on c e the fight begin s, the soldiers a ssa ult ea c h
other w i th n on -a ggra va ted da ma ge; this c on tin ues un ti l on e of
the Ra tki n rea c hes the Woun dedHea lth Level. T he w in n er a c ts
a s the "a lpha " for a ll fights durin g tha t w eek; the loser ha s to
follow a ll of the w in n er's orders un ti l the n ext c on test. If a K n i fe
Skulker judges this duel, he ma y a llow further modific a tion s to
duelin g etiquette. Wha t's your preferen c e? Ba ttle-a xes in a da rk
ba semen t? T a il kn ives on a tightrope? A s
lon g a s both Ra tkin a gree to these
n ew rules, it's a fa i r duel.
Wa rri ors' K i n folk
a re a little bit tw itc hy,
Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown
I
85
a n d usua lly ha ve a mi li ta n t a tti tude, even if they're n ever
In fec ted. T heir ra t K in love to get in to sc ra ps w i th just a bout
a n ythi n g; they've just got a mea n strea k. T heir huma n rela tives
ha ve a fa sc i n a ti on for ma rti a l li fe, w hether tha t in volves
ma rti a l a rts, gun c ollec tin g, surviva list tra i n i n g, or a ssoc ia tin g
w i thqua si -mi li ta r y orga n i za ti on s. A ll of them pri de themselves
on disc iplin e a n d c omposure... un ti l ra ge overw helms rea son .
O rga n iza tion : A n y la rge breedin g groun d must ha ve a
Wa rlordto c oordin a te its defen ses. T his elder must be in formed
of poten ti a l c on sc ripts a t a ll times, a n dexpec ts reports from a n y
Wa rri or Ra tki n pa ssin g through his terri tory. If a c olon y is la rge
en ough to ha ve a Wa rlord, then tha t c rea ture a lso ha s the
hon or of c a llin g up the Ri te of the Sw a rm w hen n ec essa ry.
Strengths arib " W eaknesses
Bla de Sla ves: O n ly Wa rriors ma y perform the Rite of
the Pa i n Da gger, sin c e on ly they c a n c rea te thei r sa c redbla des.
T he "bla de sla ve" r i tua lly summon s a n dbin ds a spi ri t w i thi n his
c eremon ia l w ea pon so tha t it w i ll i n fli c t a ggra va tedda ma ge. A t
the Storyteller's opti on , he mi ght a lso be a ble to a c c ess on e of
the Cha rms used by tha t spi ri t; this c osts a n umb er of ba c k-
groun dpoi n ts equa l to the pow er level of the Cha rm. Ea c h time
the Cha rm is used, the Ra tki n must spen d a poin t of Gn osis.
O ther Ra tki n tha t is, w erera ts w ho a ren 't Wa rriors
c a n a lso w i eld Pa in Da ggers. T hey c a n dec la re on e a s a tw o-
poi n t feti sh duri n g c ha ra c ter c rea tion ; a fter a ll, a w erera t c a n
fi n d, stea l or in herit on e of these sa c redbla des. A lthough these
w ea pon s still i n fli c t a ggra va tedda ma ge, on ly a Wa rri or c a n use
the Cha rm boun d in side a c eremon ia l bla de.
Buff a n d T ough: A ll Ra tki n Wa rriors get a n extra
Hea lth Level for musc le ma ss. (Dra w in a squa re a bove the
Bruised Level, a n d w ri te the w orld "T ough" n ext to i t.) Some
Ra t Mothers prefer to breeda n dra ise thei r c hildren spec ific a lly
for w a r, ta ki n g pride in the prow ess of thei r offspri n g.
Blood Lust: Wa rriors f r en zy more ea si ly tha n most
Ra tki n (or even ma n y other sha pec ha n gers). T he di ffi c ulty for
thei r Ra ge rolls is a lw a ys 5 , rega rdless of the pha se of the moon ,
direc tion of the w in d, da y of the w eek, or a n y other fa c tor. In
a ddi ti on , resistin g fren zy requires the expen diture of tw o Will-
pow er poin ts, n ot on e.
A ppea ra n c e: Wa rriors of both sexes a re mildly in sec ure,
a n d feel the n eed to show off their ma rti a l prow ess. Whether
tra in in g a s a ma rti a l a rti st, mi li ti a ma n , or mi li ta ri st, a n y Ra tki n
Wa rrior ha s a preferred style of fi ghti n g; he a lw a ys c a rries
somethin g tha t serves a s a n in dic a tor of tha t style. In N or th
A meric a , for in sta n c e, this c ouldin c lude a n eedfor b odyb ui ld-
in g, a fi xa ti on for la rge w ea pon s, or a feti sh for mi li ta ry
c lothin g. A mon g the Ja pa n ese N ezumi , tabi shoes, wakaz ashi
bla des a n d shuriken a re more c ommon . Wa rriors don 't n eed to
dress in c a mo gea r 2 4-7 , but a n y good Wa rri or feels n a ked
w ithout a t lea st on e ma rk of his style.
A s pa rt of their ma n ia for ma rtia l prow ess, a n y Ra tki n
n a tura lly thin ks his "style" is the best, a n dw ill prove it in n on -
letha l c omba t w i th a n y other w erera t w ho c ha llen ges hi m.
Ma rti a l a rtists ta lk of their styles as fists, a n d w i ll gla dly deba te
issues like w hether the Flyin g Cra n e fi st is ha rd en ough to
overw helm the Imperious T iger Fist. Less philosophic a l Wa r-
riors often ma ke their pa c ks dive for c over w hen ever they begin
to deba te the a dva n ta ges of the 9 mm over the .3 5 7 ....
Rites a n dRa ge: A ll Wa rriors sta rt out w i th the Ri te of the
Pa in -Da gger. A w erera t w ill n ot be c on sc riptedfor ba ttle un til
she ha s dedic a ted her sa c red bla de. Wa rrior c ha ra c ters begin
the ga me w i th Ra ge 4.
Begin n in g Gifts: Resist Pa in , Slic in g T eeth, Stic ky Pa w s
Conc epts: ex-milita ry, milita ry bra t, bully, c ow boy, kn ight-in -
tra in in g, tyra n t, ma rtia l a rtist, n in jitsu frea k, w a rga me en thusia st
Quote:" W hat? just because you've gotan army surplus jacket
and a pipe bomb, that makes you a man? Any fool can pull a trigger.
Leading a packand fighting the W eaver takes a lot more. Sa vin g the
world requires true warriors."
Vreakt
Just a s the w orld c on tin ues to evolve, so does the Ra tki n
ra c e. Every w erera t lives on the edge of soc iety, but a few bra ve
souls go over it. N ot every w erera t c hooses on e of the four
tra di ti on a l a spec ts a fter the Birthin g Pla gue. A "blessed" few
rec eive more esoteric vision s duri n g thei r In fec ti on . A s the
Fin a l Da ys a pproa c h, this devia n c e ha s sta rted to a ppea r more
frequen tly. In w erera t soc iety, Ra tki n w ho delight in their
gen etic fla w s a ba n don the four tra dition a l a spec ts; these ma d-
men a re typic a lly rega rded a s Frea ks.
Lost Children and freakAspects
A s more of Ra t's c hildren return from hidin g plac es in the
spirit w orld, w erera ts ha ve been join ed by pra c tition ers of the
more esoteric a spec ts of Ra tki n soc iety. In some c a ses, w erera ts
w ho un dergo the Pla gue remember kn ow ledge tha t w a s thought
forgotten , dra w i n g upon thin stra in s of memory in their blood.
In ra rer c a ses, ma teria lized Ra t-spi ri ts breed w i th Ra tki n ,
c rea ti n g obsc ure c rossbreeds the w orld ha s n ever seen before.
Werera t repopula tion is a t a n a ll-time high, resultin g in n ew
evoluti on a ry pa thw a ys. T hus, the a vera ge ra t pa c k n ow c on sists
of a t lea st fi v e members: a T un n el Run n er, a Sha dow Seer, a
Skulker, a Wa rrior a n d a t lea st on e Frea k. T he four n ew "frea k
a spec ts" a re deta iled briefly below .
(ftatkin Engineers
" T hey used to carry food, like the rest of us. But now we see
them with other thingspieces of metal, and bits of machinery, and
things 1can t even recogniz e. T hey take them into that rosebush, and
what happens next, I don't know."
Jeremy the Crow , Mrs. Frisby and the Rats o/ N IMH
Background: En gin eers ma ster kn ow ledge of the Wea ver's
w a ys, sc roun gin g a midst the w rec ka ge of huma n soc iety for the
tools a n d w ea pon s they n eed. Duri n g the Impergi um, their
a n c estors sa bota ged ma n y ea rly huma n a ttempts a t tool-ma k-
in g, a c tin g a s gremlin s for the forc e of the Wyld. N ow they
in fest pla c es overrun w i th high-tec hn ology, from gen etic en gi-
n eerin g la bora tories to c uttin g-edge c omputer c ompa n ies. A s
hi ghly in telligen t "ra ts in the w a lls," they've lea rn ed from
huma n s tra pped in c orpora te c a ges.
Ra tki n En gin eers a re a rela ti vely rec en t phen omen on , the
result of ma n kin d's lea ps of tec hn ologic a l a c umen over the la st
Cost Aspect
T he ba rds a re a lost a spec t of w erera t soc iety, a legen d
from the da ys of the Impergium. Colloquia lly kn ow n a s
"Spea kers" (or a n un pron oun c ea ble roden t w huf f li n g
soun d), they a c ted a s in termedia ries betw een the Ra tki n
a n d other ra c es, ga therin g legen ds to a dd to thei r c ollec -
tive Blood Memory. O bsequious to a f a ult, they w ere the
pea c ema kers of the ra c e. A s emissa ries to Ga rou septs
duri n g the ea rly da ys of the w orld, they w ere the fi rst to die
w hen their ra c e w a s betra yed. T he la st rema in in g ba rds
ga thered together a t the legen da ry Field of N ettles to
in ton e a n epic c urse a ga in st the Ga rou, a n d fin ished it
before the la st pra c tition er of their c ra ft w a s sla in .
O n c e the la st drop of ba rdic blood w a s spilled, their
a n c ien t w isdom w a s lost forever. A lthough there is a
legen dof the spirits of three Ra tki n ba rds sta lki n g a remote
a rea of the Legen da ry Rea lm, the Spea kers w i ll n ever be
seen in this w orld a ga in . T un n el Run n ers try to ma i n ta i n
the oldest Ra tki n c ultura l tra dition s, but ea c hyea r, more
kn ow ledge is lost... repla c ed by some n ew devia n t c re-
a tion . Some Ra tki n ma n a ge to rec a ll a few fra gmen ts from
BioodMemory, but this in forma tion is a lw a ys distortedby
the ma dn ess of the Wyld.
hun dred yea rs. Sta rtin g in the la te 1 9th c en tury, ordin a ry ra ts
w ere c ommon ly used in la bora tory experimen ts. A s on e c ould
expec t, a sma ll perc en ta ge of these roden ts w ere K in folk,
Ra tki n offspri n g w ho ma n a ged to pa ss on thei r blessed blood
from on e gen era tion to the n ext. Y ea rs of livin g in the midst of
the Wea ver, c oun tless gen etic a n dc hemic a l experimen ts, a n d
yea rs of tra i n i n g in ma zes a n d shoc k c ha mbers ha d a subtle
effec t on their in telligen c e over dec a des.
N ow their desc en da n ts ha ve fi n a lly lea rn ed en ough to
sta rt mon keyw ren c hin g 2 1 st-c en tury tec h. Ma n y En gin eers a re
highly c on versa n t in the la n gua ges usedby Wea ver-spirits, a n d
ma y even en list them to their c a uses. T hough more v en geful
ra ts ma y insist on tea rin g dow n a ll of huma n soc iety, Ra tkin
En gin eers a re more in terested in a purposeful revolution , so
tha t they c a n a c quire a ll tec hn ology for their ow n mysterious
goa ls. T ec hn ology isn 't evil, a fter a ll. It's just in the w ron g pa w s.
U n fortun a tely, despite their in gen ious in sights, yea rs of in -
breedin gha s ha rdw iredotherpsyc hologic al tra its in to the En gin eer's
massive in tellec ts. A ll follow ers of this aspec t a re pa ra n oida bout
huma n s fin din g out a bout them. Ra tkin En gin eers in tera c t more
w ith huma n tec hn ology tha n other Ra tkin do, but they a re fa n a tic
a bout preservin g the V eil. Ma n y a re c on vin c edtha t if they don 't
w a tc h their a c tion s c a refully, someone from a loc al la bora tory w ill
c a pture them a n dexperimen t on them to fin d out w hy they're so
sma rt. Roden s Ra tkin everyw here sha re a c ommon myth a bout the
pla c e En gin eers go w hen they get c a ught: a horrifyin g la bora tory
kn ow n as the "Big Shiny Plac e."
T erritories: Wherever tec hn ology thrives, these ra ts w ill
move in to sc a ven ge it. A few En gin eers in filtra te c orpora tion s a n d
la bora tories to fin d their la test fix; most ha ve to sort through sc ra p
hea ps a n dga rba ge dumps to fin dthe ma teria ls they n eed. Huma n s
ha ve a fetish a bout c on tin ua lly a c quirin g more stuff, n ew er stuff
I
Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown 8 7
a n d c uttin g-edge sta te-of-the-a rt tec h. En gin eers thus ha ve a
c on tin ua l supply of disc a rdedw idgets to a da pt a n dimprove. While
Ga rou prepa re for ba ttle by holdin g rega l moots in the isola tion of
the w ildern ess, Ra tkin En gin eers prefer to holdsec retive revels in
ha rdw a re stores, toy stores a n d c omputer shops.
Culture a n dK in folk: T hough Ra tki n En gin eers a re ra re,
they a re ma n i c a bout keepin g up lon g-dista n c e a ssoc ia tion s.
T here's a rea son for this: the a vera ge En gin eer is so egotistic a l
tha t she i mmedi a tely bec omes highly c ompeti ti ve w i th a n y
fellow tec hie w ho moves in to her n eighborhood. T he struggle
begin s w i thfierc e disc ussion s a bout tec hn ologic a l in n ova tion s,
a n d ra pi dly brea ks dow n in to n a me c a lli n g a n d sla n der. T he
result is a T ec h Duel, a show dow n betw een tw o En gin eers a t a
loc a l revel. T he tec hies fa c e off in a c rude a ren a . T w o ma c hin es
en ter; on e ma c hin e lea ves.
En gin eer K i n folk a re just a s un c ivilized. Ra t K in folk a re
pa c k ra ts of the w orst v a ri ety, a n d pri de themselves on ruli n g
over va st jun kya rds, thri ft stores, a n d the like. U n proven
rumors w hisper tha t a n en ti re ra c e of their rela tives, the Ca ged
Folk, a re i n v olv ed in a ma ssive c on spira c y a ga in st the huma n
ra c e. Huma n K i n folk surroun d themselves w i th ga dgets a n d
w idgets tha t look like jun k to a n yon e else. Whether they ti n ker
w i th a n c ien t c omputers or rusti n g c a rs, they ha ve a n in sa tia ble
n eed to fix a n ythi n g tha t's c on sidered un sa lva gea ble.
O rga n iza tion : T he grea test a n d most esteemed En gin eers
seek out huge in festa tion s of Ra tkin they c a n help protec t. Bec ause
of this, the Ra tkin 's most exten sive breedin g groun ds like to show
off their la test tec hnologic al ac quisition s, from simple lightin g
n etw orks of Christma s tree bulbs to ela bora te eleva tor systems,
slidew a lks a n d tra ps. Lesser En gin eers don 't like to sta y a roun d
these pla c es for lon g; if you lose a T ec h Duel w i th a n elder
En gin eer, you'll proba bly get rec ruitedfor ma in ten a n c e w ork.
Strengths and W eaknesses
Jury-Rig: O n c e per da y, the En gin eer c a n b ui ld a n
"In gen ious Devi c e " out of the ma teri a ls she ha s a t ha n d.
Sometimes, she'll spen dthe w hole da y c ollec tin g kn ic kkn a c ks
just to see w ha t she c a n build out of them tha t even in g. T he
fin a l c rea tion requires a t lea st of poi n t of Gn osis (or more,
depen din g on the size of the c rea tion ) a n d a n In telligen c e +
Repa i r roll. T he devic e c a n n ot exc eed the pa ra meters of
existin g tec hn ology (n o dea th-ra ys or teleport c ha mbers, plea se)
a n d w i ll fun c ti on for a t lea st a f ull sc en e. A fter tha t, the devic e
brea ks dow n a n d c a n n ot be fixed.
T here's also a limit to the siz e of a Jury-Rigged devic e:
a n ythin g la rger tha n a big dog (or a ma ssively bloa ted housec a t)
w on 't w ork. La rger items, up to the size of a huma n , a re ma de
possible through the Gift: Mousetra p. If a n En gin eer w a n ts to
c on struc t a n ythin g bigger, like a vehic le, he'll ha ve to go through
the same In telligen c e + Repa ir rolls a n yon e else w ould he's
better off stea lin g a c a r w i th the Hotw ire Gi ft. A s on e w ould
expec t, eighteen -w heeledvehic les a n dgia n t w a r ma c hin es a re fa r
beyon d the c a pa bilities of a typic a l sc roun gin g Ra tkin En gin eer.
Idle Ha n ds: A n y Ra tki n in Roden s form c a n shift her
pa w s to c rea te opposa ble thumbs a n d ma n ipula te sma ll objec ts.
L
Ratkin
Ra tki n En gin eers a re even more a dept a t this; subtra c t 2 from the
diffic ulty for a n y Dexterity roll tha t involves fin e ma n ipula tion .
T hey Ca ll Y ou Ma d: Gen ius ha s its pric e. Every
En gin eer ha s a psyc hologic a l tr a i t tha t distra c ts him from rea l'
w orldc on c ern s. O ther Ra tki n c a n buy these a s Fla w s; you must
a utoma ti c a lly ta ke on e of these for free. Y our c hoic es in c lude:
Curiosity (roll Willpow er w hen presen tedw ith a tec h-
n ologic a l phen omen on , or you simply must in vestiga te)
A bsen t-Min dedn ess (roll In telligen c e a t di ffi c ulty 9to
remember c ruc ia l fa c ts w hen you're in the middle of a tec hn o-
logic a l in vestiga tion )
Delusion s of Gra n deur (shoutin g thin gs like "Rats w ill
on e da y rule this c i ty, thanks to the power of steam!" )
or K leptoma n ia (roll versus Willpow er to a void ta kin g
tha t little w idget tha t w ouldbe just perfec t for your n ext c rea tion )
Roden s a n d metis En gin eers c a n n ever lea rn the huma n
n a mes for c omplic a ted tec hn ologic a l devic es (li ke toa sters,
television s, or digita l w a tc hes). T hey must a lw a ys desc ribe
them "in ra t terms" in stea d ("shin y brea d-c huc ker," "people-
ima ge projec tor box"). T hey c a n n ot give tec hn ologic al devic es
n ew proper n a mes a s desc riptors, a lthough they do un dersta n d
a bstra c t c on c epts like doohic keys a n d thin ga ma bobs. Homid
En gin eers grok perfec tly w ha t the huma n w ords mea n , but
prefer n ot to use them un less they a bsolutely must.
A ppea ra n c e: Y ea rs of gen etic ma n i pula ti on ha ve a ltered
the a ppea ra n c e of Ra tki n En gin eers. Ea c h on e ha s a physiologi-
c a l tr a i t tha t iden tifies him a s the gen e frea k he is. A lbin ism,
w ri n kledskin (or "rhin o hide"), un usua lly c oloredor pa ttern ed
fur (a n djha i r ) a n d poor vision (requi ri n g glasses in a ll forms,
in c ludin g Roden s) a re a ll c ommon exa mples.
Rites a n d Ra ge: Ra tki n En gin eers sta rt the ga me w i th
Ra ge 2 . T o c ollec t the ma teri a ls they n eed, tec hies a lso lea rn
the Ri te of the Shoppin g Ca rt a t a n ea rly a ge. T hey go in to the
w orld a t Frea k Fa c tor 4; this gra n ts them a n extra Gi ft durin g
c ha ra c ter c rea tion : Sen se Wea ver.
Begin n in g Gifts: Con trol Simple Ma c hin e, O pen Sea l,
Sc roun ge
Conc epts: elec tric ian , plumber, low -tec h a rtist, ha c ker,
mon keyw ren c her, ga dgeteer, defen se spec ia list
Quote: "Men will be destroyed by their own machines... a n d
the Ra tki n ra c e w i ll push the button s!"
(Plague Lords
Ma n and the rat wiU always be pitted a ga in st each other as
implacable enemies... the rat's most potent weapons a ga in st ma n -
kin d have been its perpetual maintenance of the infectious agents of
plague and typhus fever.
Ha n s Zin n ser, Ra ts, Lice and History
Ba c kgroun d: Pla gue Lords c ulti v a te the Ra tkin 's most
formi da b le w ea pon : disea se. A ll Pla gue Lords a re metis. O n ly
a n a c t tha t others c onsider "in c estuous"the breedin g of on e
sha pec ha n ger w i th a n otherc a n c rea te on e of these troubled,
tormen ted c rea tures. T hey oversee proc rea tive rites tha t a re
n othin g less tha n High Ri tua ls extollin g depra vi ty a n d foul-
n ess. A ll of them a re rec ogn iza ble by the ra va ges of the disea ses
they c on sort w i th: the pustulen t buboes of medieva l pla gue,
milky eyes festeri n g w i th illn ess, un iden tifia ble tumors, horrific
sc ars a n d w a rped limbs a re a ll c ommon deformities. Ga rou
metis ha ve it ea sy; Pla gue Lords revel in their uglin ess.
A ll Pla gue Lords a re desc en ded from the spec ies Ra ttus
ra ttus, the va ri ety of bla c k ra t tha t fi rst a ppea red in Europe
duri n g the 6th c en tury. T heir ra c e w a s la ter respon sible for the
first epidemic of the Bla c k Pla gue in the 1 2 th c en tury. Cen tu-
ries a go, ma n y lorema sters in terpretedtheir r etur n to the w orld
a s a fulfi llmen t of the a n c ien t b a rdi c prophec y from the Fieldof
N ettles. U n fortun a tely, the Pla gue Lords fa i led; huma n i ty
survived. T heir a n c estors w ere dri ven out of the c on tin en t
c en turies la ter by the ha rdier brow n ra t, or Ra ttus n orvegic us.
Sin c e then , the Lords ha ve rema in ed in exile for c en turies.
Even the Ra tki n don 't trust them.
N ow a da rk n ew a ge ha s b rought n ew disea ses in to the
w orld. Pla gue Lords ha ve return edfrom their hidin g pla c es in
the spi ri t w orld. A s the in fec tion of the Bi rthi n g Pla gue
c on tin ues to muta te, a c ts of Ra tki n in c est ha ve produc edmore
of these foul c rea tures. Ra c ia l ha tred betw een bla c k ra ts a n d
brow n ra ts is ma gn ified in the c on flic t betw een Pla gue Lords
a n d other types of Ra tki n . T heir reputa ti on ha s stea dily in -
c rea sed over the yea rs the n umb er of dea ths c a use by ra t-
born e disea se is believedto exc eedthose of a ll w a rs throughout
huma n history.
In rec en t yea rs, they ha ve rejoic ed a t the prolifera tion of
n ew disea ses. Da rk pow ers tutor them in forgotten a rts of
destruc tion . T hough they c a n n ot step sidew a ys in to the Low
U mb ra , Pla guers c on sort w i th ma n y c rea tures w ho do. Spirits
of Pa in a n dDisea se a c t a s their eyes a n dea rs in the Sha dow la n ds.
A s a result, Pla gue Lords un dersta n dthe w a ys of the Wyrm fa r
better tha n their brothers a n dsisters. T hey're tolera tedbec a use
some Ra tki n believe they must un dersta n d the w a ys of the
Wyrm before they c a n destroy it. U n fortun a tely, this a f f i n i ty
a lso mea n s tha t Pla gue Lords a re tempted by c orrupti on more
thoroughly tha n other w erera ts. Most w a lk a n a rrow roa d
betw een the ma dn ess of the Wylda n dthe horrors of the Wyrm.
It is even possible for a Pla gue Lord to bec ome a serva n t of
the Wyrm, but c orruption is seemin gly n ever perma n en t for
these c un n in g beasties. A s fa r a s most lorema sters kn ow , they a re
un ique in this rega rd. A Pla gue Lord's fa ll from gra c e n ever la sts
more tha n on e c omplete c yc le of the moon , a t
w hic h poin t the c ritter's ha rdy
c on stitution purges a ll pol-
lutin g a gen ts from his body.
Pla gue Lords ha ve been
kn ow n to ma ke pa c ts a n d
en ter Con tra c t Rites w ithser-
vitors of the Wyrm.
When a Pla gue
Lord return s f r om
Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown
their w a lk on the da rk side, he then uses the kn ow ledge he's
ga in eda ga in st his former a llies. U n fortun a tely, this also exa gger-
ates his love of sufferin g a n d disease a fterw a rd. Perhaps their
"fa lls" a re on ly tempora ry, but it seems tha t every Pla gue Lordis
destin edfor a n even tua l a n d in exora ble turn to c orruption .
T erritories: Wherever disea ses thrive, Pla gue Lords ga ther
to exploit the vic tims. Person a l ta stes dic ta te fa v ori te ha un ts.
If ra ts i n fest a hospita l, sa n ita rium or n ursin g home, a Pla gue
Lord ma y rule the loc a l breedin g groun ds, or a t lea st ha ve a
position of grea t a uthority. A few prefer the epic urea n delights
of resta ura n ts, c on demn in g them to disea se on c e they lose
in terest. When tra velin g w i th a ra t pa c k, Pla gue Lords in sist on
seein g the most squa lid a rea s of a n y c ity they frequen t. T hey
usua lly pursue these sc outin g tri ps a lon e.
Culture a n d K in folk: Pla gue Lord K in folk a re a lw a ys
sic kly a n ddisea sed, often a fter a prolon gedhistory of illn ess. A
few Huma n K i n folk ha ve c a reers in the medic a l field; the most
prosperous on es ma n a ge to a void In fec ti on for yea rs a n d yea rs.
Ra t K in folk a re stupid en ough to live n ea r medic a l w a ste, a n d
luc ky en ough to survive it. A fter their Ri te of Pa ssa ge, ma n y
Pla gue Lords w i ll ta ke the n a me of thei r fa v ori te disea se a s a
sobriquet in their ow n n a mes. Joha n n von T yphus a n d Lord
Ebola of Za ire a re tw o historic a l exa mples.
O rga n iza tion : T he most pow erful Pla gue Lord in a n y a rea
w ill esta blish his ow n high c ourt, proc la imin g himself a s a Ra t
K in g in the proc ess. T he title a lw a ys in volves the n a me of the
sovereign 's fa vorite disea se. If his reign is a goodon e, a n epidemic
ma y result; if it isn 't, he'll be deposedby forc es he's summon edup,
but c a n 't put dow n . Pla gue K in gs in exile w ho c a n fin d a ra t pa c k
to ta ke them a lw a ys sta rt out a s the stra ggler, but w ith their
in gen ious in stin c ts, they ra rely rema in tha t w a y for long.
Strengths ant 'W eaknesses
Medic a l Gen ius: A ll Pla gue Lords sta rt w ith three dots
in Medic in e; this does n ot c oun t a ga in st their sta rtin g a llot-
men t of A bilities (a lthough goin g higher tha n Medic in e 3 a t
c ha ra c ter c rea tion still requires freebie poin ts).
Person a l Plague: Pla gue Lords a re a lw a ys c hosen by
either a Pa in -spirit or a spec ific Disea se-spirit durin g the first yea r
of servitude. Some in c orpora te the n a me of their c hosen disea se
a t the en dof this appren tic eship. T he spirit c a n tra vel in to the
Sha dow la n ds w i th some effort, a n deven possesses a n expa n din g
kn ow ledge a bout the servitors of the Wyrm a n d their motiva -
tion s. A ll Gifts of this aspec t a re ta ught by the spirits of Pa in ,
Disease a n dN i ght. T his ha s its pric e, how ever....
Servitor of Corruption : T he disea se tha t c hooses the
Pla gue Lord w i ll ma ke dema n ds in return for its a id. T he
w erera t ma y be a sked to help sprea d a n in fec tion fur ther or
exploit those w ho ha ve a lrea dy rec eived it. Suc c ess gra n ts the
Pla gued O n e pow er; fa i lure results in the disea se ta kin g other
v i c ti ms in stea d, often those c lose to the disobedien t Ra tkin .
A ppea ra n c e: A n y Pla gue Lordbea rs the sign s of his c hosen
illn ess, w hether tha t's pustulen t buboes, sic kly w heezin g, or
sc a brous, rugose skin . Bec a use of the ra va ges of illn ess, Pla gue
Lords a re c on sideredto be A ppea ra n c e 1 w hen dea lin g w ith most
other c rea tures. Pla gued c ha ra c ters c a n still put poin ts in A p-
pea ra n c e, but the T ra it w ill on ly be rec ogn izeda n da dmiredby
90
supern a tura l beasties w ho ign ore appearan c es N osfera tu
va mpires, Redc a p fa e, Wyrm-spirits a n dlike. O ther Pla gue Lords
ma y be a ttra c ted to their sc a rred frien d's a bomin a ble visa ge.
Rites a n dRa ge: A ll Pla gue Lords begin the ga me w ith the
Rite of the Birthin g Pla gue. Pla guedRa tkin ha ve en ough a n gst
to begin the ga me w i th Ra ge 3 . T hey begin the ga me a t Frea k
Fa c tor 4; this gra n ts them a n extra Gi f t duri n g c ha ra c ter
c rea tion : Sense Wyrm.
Begin n in g Gifts: Poison Food, Sn iffle, V i rulen t Curse of
Ha tred
Con c epts: hea ler, doc tor, oc c ultist, supern a tura l diplo-
ma t, medium, ghosthun ter, assassin, c hildc a re spec ia list, epi-
c urea n , vivisec tion ist, ec oterrorist, ba c teriologist, epidemi-
ologist, a n ta gon ist
Quote: " T urnyourheadandcough. Oooh! I 've
never seen it that color before..."
Miunchmausen
De Guic he: W hy... where did this
ma n fall from?
Cyra n o: T he moon!
De Guiche: You
Cyra n o: From the moon! T he
moon! I fell out of the moon!
Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmon d
Rosta n d
Ba c kgroun d: Mun c hma usen
believe they a re exiles from the most
exotic rea lms of the spirit w orld. A ll
of them ha ve suc c umbed to the ma d
lure of the Wyld. A few in sist tha t
they a re exiles from A rc a dia itself, de-
ma n din g tha t they a re desc en ded from
the lost brethren of the fa e. T hough
they've n ever a c tua lly seen tha t mythi-
c a l rea lm, they still ha ve exten sive
stories a bout it. For these reasons, they
a re also kn ow n a s "A rc a dia n Ra tkin "
or "Moon Mic e."
A ll of them en terta in fa n c i-
ful stories of spirit rea lms tha t
don 't exi st... a n d ma ybe
n ever did. Mun c hma usen
a re a mon g the grea test sto-
rytellers in the w orld,
even if they're in veter-
a te lia rs. N ot a ll of them
a re sw a shbuc klin g he-
roes, but a ll of them a re
delusion a l a bout their ori-
gin s a n dtheir heroic prow ess.
A Moon Mouse a lw a ys c arries a c -
c outermen ts tha t rela te to his fa n ta stic stories,
like a replic a of Exc a libur, firec ra c kers to a id
lun a r tra vel, a pira te's eye pa tc h, or a tin y
rodent-sizedc a r for quic k getaw ays. N o ma tter w ha t rea lity ma y
prove otherw ise, a Mun c hma usen a lw a ys c on siders himself to be
the grea test a dven turer in the w orld.
Suc h fa sc in a tion w ith the U mb ra ha s its risks, of c ourse;
a n y Ra tkin w ho spen ds too muc h ti me in the spi ri t w orld
bec omes en tirely spi ri t, like a n y other sha pec ha n ger. Li vi n g
perpetua lly on the furthest fri n ges of sa n i ty, they rely on thei r
prolon ged exposure to the Wyld to foresta ll the dissolution of
their flesh. T his lea ds to spi ri t quests even more ela bora te tha n
their a dven tures in the physic a l w orld, bothfor themselves, a n d
for the ra ts foolish en ough to follow them. For these rea son , ra t
pa c ks w i th Mun c hma usen usua lly a llow their A rc a di a n fri en ds
to lea d them on regula r spirit quests.
T erritories: Most Mun c hma usen a re,
theoretic a lly a t lea st, li v i n g in w orlds
fa r removed from our ow n . T he few
en c oun teredby ra t ra c ks a re typic a lly
lost or exiled from rea lms of the
Deep U mb ra . A rc a di a n Ra tki n
seek out a n yon e w ho w ill listen to
their fa n c i ful c la ims. T he few w ho
a re a dopted by pa c ks a re usua lly a
grea t b en ef i t... if the rest of the
dec eit c a n tolera te them.
Cultur e a n d K i n f o lk:
Mun c hma usen K i n folk a re ei ther
ra ts, huma n s or spi ri ts. Ra t K i n folk
a re a lw a ys a li ttle tw i tc hy, ma ki n g
thei r homes in the most un li kely
pla c es. Huma n K i n f o lk ha v e
trouble dea lin g w ith rea lity, a n d
per petua lly suc -
c umb to esc a pism.
T he most c ommon
kin to the Moon Mic e,
spi ri t K i n folk, dw ell i n the f ur -
thest rea c hes of the U mb r a , i n fest-
in g the spa c es betw een eso-
teric rea lms.
O r ga n i za ti on : If tw o
Mun c hma usen should ever
en c oun ter ea c h other in your
presen c e, run . T he c on flic t of
egos c a n bec ome so in ten se tha t
bysta n ders get hurt from the fa llout. Ea c h
a dven turer w ill try to c onvinc e the
other tha t he is the grea ter
hero in the w orld, a n d
.; * w ill begin telli n g ela bo-
1
ra te ta les to prove his
poin t. If a n yon e doubts
the stories a n A rc a di a n
i?P
r
Ra tki n tells, tha t r a t's
hon or ha s been c a lled in to
question . Duelin g etiquette de-
ma n ds sa tisfa c tion .
91
t
Strengths ant W eaknesses
T he Bea uti ful Lie: O n c e ea c hda y, a Mun c hma usen c a n
tell on e bea utiful, ela bora te lie a n d get a w a y w ith it. A n yon e
w ho hea rs this ta le w i ll sw ea r tha t it is true. T he effec ts la st for
a t lea st a n hour, plus a n a ddi ti on a l hour for every suc c ess on a
Ma n i pula ti o n + Expressi on roll. T he rest of the da y,
Mun c hma usen love to lie just a s muc h, but these lesser c on -
fa b ula ti on s a re just w a rm-ups for this da ily ma sterpiec e.
Poetic Lic en se: Mun c hma usen sta rt the ga me w ith three
dots in Expression ; this does n ot c oun t a ga in st their 2 7 poin ts of
sta rtin g A bilities (a lthough sta rtin g w i th more tha n 3 dots in
Expression still requires the expen diture of freebie poin ts).
Self-Dec eption : Every Mun c hma usen ha s a t lea st on e
outra geous delusion , w hic h c a n n ot be dispelled by a n y
mea n s. If the Storyteller feels tha t this self-dec eption is n ot
ela bora te en ough, he w i ll orc hestra te even ts to ma ke it
a ppea r more exten sive tha n the pla yer c hose. T he
Moon Mouse ma y even begin to n otic e people a n d
objec ts tha t a ren 't rea lly there for a n yon e else.
A ppea ra n c e: In Homid form, Mun c hma usen a bhor os-
ten ta tious dress. T hey in sist tha t they ha ve ma n y enemies, a n d
if they a re n ot c a reful, everyon e presen t c ould be pun ished for
a ssoc ia tin g w i th suc h a da n gerous c ha ra c ter. In Roden s a n d
Crin os form, how ever, the Ra tkin 's true a ffilia tion s a re show n .
Sw a shbuc klin g rega li a is often the most c ommon a ffec ta tion , a s
it presuma bly is in the fa e rea lms, but ma n y Mun c hma usen prefer
a va st a rra y of a dven turin g gea r, a c quirin g pi th helmets, c ow boy
ha ts a n dother a c c outermen ts w ith a ma zin g fa c ility. T he Rite of
A rti fi c e Dedic a tion helps support these a ffec ta tion s.
Rites a n d Ra ges Sin c e Mun c hma usen a re qui te pron e to
outbrea ks of ma dn ess, it ma kes sen se for them to begin the ga me
w i th Ra ge 4. It's a lso f i tti n g for them to sta rt out a t Frea k Fa c tor
5 . T heir love of fin e ga rmen ts en titles them to the Rite of
A rti fi c e Dedic a tion .
Beginning Gifts: Persuasion, Spirit Speec h, T ale Spin n in g
Con c epts: sw a shbuc kler, lun a r tra veler, a stron a ut, pira te,
a rc ha eologist, ma ster storyteller, pa thologic a l lia r, sc am a rtist,
c a rtoon ist, Ca sa n ova , U mb ra l tour gui de
Quote: " My good sir, adventure is my middle name! W hy,
stealing those books from the local Chantry of vampires should be
child's play, no harder than that time 1rescued the Q ueen of Russia
from theMetalMunchingMoonMke. W hat? Youdontbelieveme?
I t was a cold November in Vladivostok...."
Switchers
An anarchist is an artist. T he man who throws a bomb is an
artist, because he prefers a great moment to everything. Heseeshow
much more valuable is one burst of blaz ing light, one peal of perfect
thunder, than the mere common bodies of a few shapekss pohcemen.
O .K . Chesterson , T he Man W ho W as T hursday
Ba c kgroun d: A s the most da n gerous members of Ra tki n
soc iety, the T w itc hers suc c umb to a n ger a n d violen c e more
rea dily tha n a n y of thei r brothers or sisters. Even other Ra tki n
trea t them w i th disda in , though they must sti ll rec ogn ize them
a s f a mi ly. Revelin g in demen teddestruc tion , these servitors of
c ha os a c t a s a n a rc hists, in stiga tors a n d a rc hitec ts of destruc -
tion . Ra t is a T otem of Wa r, a n dthe T w itc hers ha v e c hosen to
w a ge a n un en din g w a r a ga in st the Wea ver in a ll her forms.
N ot a ll Ra tki n a re lia rs a n d thieves, but a ll T w itc hers a re
c rimin a ls of on e kin d or a n other. Werera ts ign ore the la w s a n d
mores of huma n soc iety, but T w itc hers open ly fla un t them. T hey
c a n be killedfor ren din g the V eil, but a re very c a reful a bout n ot
gettin g c a ught doin g it. T hey represen t the w orst tra its assoc iated
w ith ra ts, ma gn ified to extremes. Collec tively, T w itc hers don 't
even c on sider themselves a n a spec t, per se. T hus, they do n ot
r ec o gn i ze the soc ia l distin c tion s tha t a spec ts c rea te. T hey w i ll
n ever a tten dhigh c ourt, n or w ill they ever bow
to a Ra t K in g.
Why, then , w ould a dec eit of Ra tki n
en list the help of suc h a fool? T he
a n sw er is simple: A s lon g a s the a n a r-
c hist is on your side, she's a poten ti a l
w ea pon . K eep her poin ted in the ri ght
direc tion , a n dshe'll ma sterfully elimi-
n a te your en emies. She'll even ta ke
the fa ll a fter the rest of the pa c k ha s bolted. Li ke
a n y high-explosive, how ever, a T w itc her must
be ha n dled w i th c a ution . If you're n ot c a reful,
she'll blow up right in your fa c e.
T erritories: T he sorts of pla c es T w itc hers frequen t fa ll
in to tw o c a tegories: fa r too opulen t, or hell on Ea rth. A n y pla c e
surroun dedby people w ho a re too c omforta b le, too w ea lthy, or
too c ompla c en t is just a skin g for a T w itc her to rush in a n dra ise
a little hell. A n y pla c e popula tedby the despera te, frustra ted or
dow n -a n d-out is a n other goodc hoic e n ot on ly does it ma ke
for a good pla c e to hide, but it ha s its sha re of poten ti a l a llies
seekin g ven gea n c e... or poten tia l vic tims a t w hic h to ven t your
a n ger.
Culture a n d K i n folk: "T w itc her c ulture," if tha t's n ot a n
oxymoron , is frequen ted by the despera te a n d the da mn ed. A n y
tw o T w itc hers presen t in the sa me pla c e w ill sta rt out sha rin g
c on spira c y theories w i th ea c h other... a n d then fa ll prey to a
ra pidly grow in g, delusion al mistrust. If more tha n on e T w itc her
is in a pa c k, they'll n eed a rea lly pow erful c ommon en emy to
un ite them; otherw ise, ea c hw ill suspec t the other of c on spira c y.
Ra tki n K i n folk often c ome from the frin ges of soc iety, but
T w itc her K i n folk a re the w orst in this rega rd. Ma n y c ome from
c rimin a l ba c kgroun ds, broken homes, a bjec t pov erty or the sort
of ba n a l borderlin e existen c e tha t breeds c yn ic ism a n d c on -
tempt for just a bout everyon e. Ra t K in folk don 't give a da mn
a bout a n yon e or a n ythin g, a n dlive up to the n a me "vermin " in
every w a y ima gin a ble. Even other Ra tkin w ouldjust a s soon kill
them... or exploit them a s expen da ble a llies.
O rga n iza tion : T he phra se "orga n iza tion of a n a rc hists" is a n
a musin g c on tra dic tion . When severa l T w itc hers a re presen t, the
on e w i th the highest Ren ow n is the most in fa mous, a n dbec omes
a token figurehea d for the hideous pla n s he c on c eives. He ta kes
the ra t's sha re of the c redit for w ha t others ha ve don e... a n d, if
n othin g goes ac c ordin g to pla n , ta kes the fa ll for it a s w ell. Highly
pa ra n oid T w itc hers also keep in touc h through c on spira c y
n ew sletters, c omputer bulletin boa rds, frin ge c on ven tion s a n d
n umerous fron ts w hen fulfillin g their hidden a gen da s.
Ratkin
Strengths and W eaknesses
' Anonymity: Ra tki n c a n usua lly remember the n a mes of
their brothers a n dsisters, even on es they've n ever met. T w itc h-
ers, how ever, ha ve a n a tura l a n on ymi ty. T he V eil c overs up
most huma n memory of their a c tivities, a n dfor w erera ts outside
of their pa c ks, rememberin g a n a n a rc hist's i den ti ty requi res a
suc c essful Gn osis roll (di ffi c ulty 8 ). Huma n s must roll Wi ll-
pow er (di ffi c ulty 8 ) to a rememb er a T w itc her's iden tity. T o
rein forc e this b ew i lderi n g blessin g, ma n y ra t a n a rc hists refer to
ea c h other by very mun da n e n a mes. T he most c ommon is
"John n y." A n y sui ta b ly c ommon n a me w i ll preserve this a n o-
n ymi ty: Joe, Mr. Smith, Ja n e Doe, a n d so on .
Impulse Control Problems: T w itc hers ga in Ra ge more
quic kly tha n follow ers of other a spec ts, even on es w ho ha ve the
U n sta ble Ba c kgroun d. If a T w itc her ga in s Ra ge, roll on e die
a ga in st a di ffi c ulty of (1 0 - the T w itc her's Ra n k). T his roll
c a n n ot be botc hed. If it suc c eeds, a dda n other poi n t of Ra ge and
roll again. Con tin ue un ti l the dic e f a i l you, or the Ra tki n rea c hes
his ma xi mum Ra ge. Wi th the option a l In stin c t Rules (in
Cha pter Five), this mea n s tha t T w itc hers c a n fren zy from
seemin gly min or i rri ta ti on s, a ddin g to the rea son s w hy even
their ow n kin d don 't trust them.
Paranoid Delusions: A ll T w itc hers sha re va ria tion s of
ela bora te pa ra n oidfa n ta sies. Ea c h on e ha s a surprisin g degree of
truth to it. Here's the most c ommon : T he Wea ver, a s w e kn ow ,
is everyw here. It c on trols a ll forc es of order. T he ba la n c e of the
w orldw ill n ot be restoredun ti l w e destroy everythin g tha t smells
of sta sis, sta bility or the sta tus quo. A s a result of this philosophy,
T w itc hers see the min ion s of the Wea ver everywhere, a n d do
their best to w a rn a ll their c omra des of its da n ger. Sin c e few
w erera ts w ill listen to their pa ra n oiddelusion s, T w itc hers often
resort to extremes to a lert them of in c ipien t da n ger... like
destroyin g min ion s of order w herever they fin d them.
Appearance: Ra tkin a n a rc hists usua lly look like they've
gon e through hell. In Homid form, they're un sha ven , dishev-
eled, a n dperpetua lly ma n ic . In Roden s form, they a re un usua lly
ill-tempered, w i th the bites a n d sc ra tc hes to prove it.
Rites and Rage: T w itc hers ga in Ra ge fa ster tha n other
Ra tki n a n dbegin w i th ga me w i th a n a stoun din g Ra ge 5 . T hey
begin pla y w i th three poin ts in Frea k Fa c tor; this pa ys for the
fi rst tw o levels of the ba c kgroun d. Sin c e they're exiled from
Ra tki n c olon ies, most lea rn to surv i v e w i th the Ri te of the
Ca rdboa rd Pa la c e.
Beginning Gifts: Firebug, Sen se A n gst, Sen se Wea ver
Concept: rev oluti on a ry, a n a rc hist, terrorist, thug, ga n g-
ster, politic a l in stiga tor, c on spira c y theorist, c hemist, sn iper,
performa n c e a rtist, ha rd roc k hero, ec oterrorist, religious fa -
n a tic , messia h, c ulti st, poser
Quote: " Hey, nobody saw me do anything. Besides, he had it
c omin g... he pissed me off. Wha t.
7
You talking to me? You talking to
me? Hey, Johnny, this guy wants to start something! You want a
piece of me?"
(Renmon
Every Cha n gin g Breed ha s its ow n set of Creeds, a tra di-
tion tha t goes ba c k to the da ys of the Impergium. Some
sha pec ha n gers c ha n t them w i th religious fervor; others ha ve
forgotten the w ords, but still uphold the un derlyin g prin c iples
through impulse a n d in stin c t. Creeds, w hether forma l or n ot,
serve a s guidelin es for proper beha vior (or, in the c a se of the
Ra tki n , a c c epta ble "improper" beha vior). Werera t ethic s a re
developed fur ther in the Lita n y of Surviva l, the c losest c ode
w erera ts ha ve to la w . Y ou w a n t to kn ow w ha t a Ra tki n is rea lly
supposedto do in the w orld? Cha n t the c reed, kid, a n d lea rn ....
Creeb of Jnfamy
1will defend our breeding grounds against all threats, physical
and spiritual.
1shall seekrevenge against those who prey upon my kind.
I mustshredthetentacksoftheW yrmwhenevertheycanstrictus.
I must sever the W eaver's webs wherever they calcify chaos.
Creed of Cunning
I will survive so that I may breed.
I must respect strength and exploit weakness.
I shall grow stron ger through conflict.
1will kam from the ma steries of the spirit world.
1will revel in the vision s the spirits grant me.
Creed of Obligation
I shall preserve the Veil, which ensures our survival.
I will build, steal and suborn to stren gthen my breeding
grounds.
1shall nurture, in struc t and aid the young.
I will trust my own kind before I trust outsiders.
W hen someone is responsible for injustice, 1will make sure
someone pays.
Litany of Survived
Lega lity is a subjec tive c on c ept a t best. O ther sha pec ha n gers
keep la w s, but Ra tki n believe in justi c e, in c ludin g the freedom
to in terpret tha t c on c ept how ever they see fi t. A few truisms of
the Ra tki n Creed a re repea ted w hen Skulkers en forc e justi c e,
but most w erera ts don 't believe in rigid la w s. Lea ve tha t to the
huma n s a n d the c rea tures w ho c ompromise w i th them. Ra tki n
justic e is ha rsh, left to the w hims of a c olon y's ruler, a tribe's Ra t
K i n g or a pla gue's ma tri a rc h.
U lti ma tely, justi c e is en forc ed by the K n ife-Skulkers, w ho
believe tha t it belon gs to the stron gest a n d the sw iftest. T he
ma jor poin ts of the Ra tki n Creeds ha ve been c on den sedin to a
Li ta n y ta ught to a n y In fec ted Ra tki n w ho w ill listen . T he exa c t
w ordin g ma y va ry from on e w erera t c ommun ity to the n ext, but
the ba sic idea s rema in the sa me. T he Lita n y of Surviva l ha s
evolveddra stic a lly over the yea rs, but n ow tha t the sign s of the
A poc a lypse a re c omin g true, K n i fe-Skulkers ha ve begun en -
forc i n g it w i th grea ter fervor. But don 't let us tell you... some
of the Ra ts w ould ra ther tell you themselves...
(Preserve the Veil
which ensures your survival
Shadow Blade, a K n ife-Slc ulker, interprets:
"T he Ra ts on ly ha ve on e dic tum tha t's en forc ed a s la w :
ma in ta in in g sec rec y a bout the existen c e of our kin d. If you
disobey, it'll do fa r more tha n en da n ger your pa c k; it threa ten s
everyon e's existen c e. O f c ourse, if the huma n s fin d out the truth
a bout w ha t you did, the Delirium might distort a ll of their
memories of w ha t ha ppen ed, but other supern a tura l c rea tures
w ho prey on huma n s a re n ot so ea sily fooled. O ur ra c e ha s little
rega rdfor huma n la w , but if a w erera t brea ks the la w s fla gra n tly
en ough tha t the a uthorities in vestiga te, a c olon y ha s every right
to c on tra c t a K n ife-Skulker to silen c e hi m... perma n en tly."
Shre3 the W yrm's tentacles
whenever they constrict you.
Fights-with'Flame, Wa rlord of the Horde, interprets:
"We fight the Wyrm, but on ly in the in terest of our ow n
self-defen se. U n li ke the Ga rou, w e don 't la un c h in to self-
servin g c rusa des to pur i fy the w orldfrom c orrupti on fi ghti n g
to survive is di ffi c ult en ough. T he Ga rou w hi p themselves in to
religious fervor bec a use they're tryi n g to prevent the A poc a -
lypse, but w e want the En dT imes to c ome. Wha t else c ouldhea l
the w orld? My Wa rriors rejoic e w hen the Wyrm kills off Ga rou
or destroys a few huma n s. Why n ot? A s lon g a s the Wyrm isn 't
direc tly threa ten i n g your tri b e, lea ve it be. Don 't destroy the
en emy of your en emy... un ti l it turn s on you. T he Wyrm is
destin ed to destroy itself, a n d if it tea rs dow n huma n c i vi li za -
tion in the proc ess, my pa c k's got n o problem w i th tha t."
Ric ha rd Buboe, Plague Lord occultist, interprets:
"A ra t's got to be w a tc hful of the Wyrm. Y ou c a n n ot ign ore
its presen c e lea rn in g from its min ion s is essen tia l to surviva l.
T he servitors of the Wyrm c orrupt our kin d a s w ell, more often
tha n most w ouldc a re to a dmit. Werera ts c orruptedby the Wyrm
bec ome mon strous, ta kin g on ma n y of the sa me deformities a n d
a fflic tion s a s fomori I've seen it first ha n d. Believe me, a n y
Ra tkin in fec ted w i th Wyrm-ta in t must be foun d a n d killed
before it in filtra tes on e of our breedin g groun ds. If Bla c k Spira ls
or Wyrm-spirits c ome sn iffin g a roun dour territory, w e're hon or-
boun dto protec t our youn g. A n d, of c ourse, the most va lia n t of
Ra t's a spec ts, the Pla gue Lords, feels duty-boun dto in filtra te the
ra n ks of our en emies a n d in vestiga te first-ha n d...."
Sever the W eaver's threads
wherever they calcify chaos.
Frankie Super-Size, T unnel Runner punk, extrapolates:
"Hey, I don 't thin k w e're ever goin g to tea r dow n a ll the
c ities in the w orld. Why b other? T hey're doomed to self-
destruc t. T he da y tha t the buildin gs c ome c ra shin g dow n , I'll
da n c e in the streets. T hen a ga in , there's n othin g w ron g w i th
gi v i n g them a little push. O n e ra t c a n 't c ha n ge the w orld, but
a thousa n d ra ts c a n , ri ght? If you w a n t to kn ow w ha t the
Wea ver's spirits a re rea lly up to, ta ke a peek in to the spirit
w orld. T ha t'll tell you w here to strike."
94 Ratkin
Survive so that you may breed.
Duke Wa des-in -Blood, Ratkin W arrior, postulates:
"Surviva l c omes fi rst. Ma n ki n d's da ys a re n umbered. T he
en d of the A ge of Ma n is c omin g! Y ou might believe it's goin g
to ha ppen duri n g your li feti me or yea rs from n ow , but if you die
in some poin tless fight for hon or a n d glory, you w on 't be rea dy
for the Fin a l Ba ttle a ga in st the Wyrm. If you w a ste your life,
you'll en d up a s some dumb-a ss spirit in the U mbra . If, how ever,
you c a n develop your skill a s a Wa rrior, you'll be a ble to pass on
w ha t you lea rn to the gen era tion s tha t follow you. Let the
w erew olves fi ght to the dea th. I in ten d to live."
(Respect strength. xploit weakness.
Duke W adeS'in-Blood, Ra tkin Wa rrior, pontificates:
"T he stron g breed. T he w ea k die. Does tha t soun dha rsh?
T ha t's evolution . We must be stron ger tha n our en emies,
espec ia lly w i th the Fin a l Da ys so c lose. If w e let the w ea kest ra ts
surv i v e, they'll breed thousa n ds a n d thousa n ds of even w ea ker
ra ts. In stin c t w ill tell you w hen to kill, so follow it. Y ou'll also
feel a n overridin g n eed to breed do it. We n eed a n a rmy to
overw helm our en emies. T oo ma n y of the other Cha n gin g
Breeds ha ve given up, but w e must outn umber a n d overw helm
a n ythin g tha t gets in our w a y. T hen , w hen the ti me is ri ght, the
forc e of the Wyld w ill overw helm everythin g, return in g us to
the idea ls of the Impergium."
Susa n Whispers-in -Dust, a Sha dow Seer scholar, interprets:
"Some Ra tki n ha ve ta ken their obliga tion to breed a bit
too f a r , spa w n in g w ith ma teria lizedspirits a n d the like. I still do
n ot kn ow if this is w ise. Does it stren gthen the ra c e by brin gin g
more lost a spec ts to the w orld, or is it a w a y for "w ea ker" Ra tki n
to breed more c hi ldren ? O ther w erera ts use simila r exc uses to
destroy our metis. A fter a ll, Ra tkin bred from in c estuous
rela tion ships a re ra rely 'stron g'; in stea d, suc h c hildren a re
usua lly more susc eptible to disea se. I fi rmly believe w e n eeda ll
the w a rriors w e c a n get, but don 't w a ste too muc h time on the
metis. T hey a re li ttle more tha n shoc k troops, a n d tha t is the
w ay it should be."
Conflict breeds strength.
Fights-with-Flame, W arlord of the Horde, lec tures:
"If on ly the stron g breed, then you must prove your
stren gthbefore you c a n reproduc e. Don 't be some a ddle-w itted
w ha rf ra t w ho breeds w i th a n y ha lf-dea d body in the sew ers.
Y ou, soldier, a re the pa ra gon of your ra c e. Y ou ha ve the option
of breedin g w i th c ommon ra ts, despera tely tryin g to diversify
our gen e pool, but it's fa i rly likely tha t a ll you'll do is c rea te a
lot of c ommon ba by ra ts w ho va guely look like you. Suc h
egotism! If you w a n t the glory of breedin g stron g pups, remem-
ber: T he stron gest c hildren c ome from the purest K i n folk. O ur
purest K in a re kept un der the w a tc hful ga ze of the Ra t Mothers,
so you'd best ha ve proof of your prow ess before tryi n g to
reproduc e. It's tha t simple."
Susa n Whispers-in -Dust, a Sha dow Seer sc hola r, dic ta tes:
"Rega rdless of w ha t w e do, the popula tion of a n y n est
even tua lly rea c hes a sort of 'c ritic a l ma ss,' w hen a ll of the
w erera ts w ho c ome of a ge must v i c ti mi ze ea c h other un ti l the
ba la n c e is restored. T ha t is n a ture's w a y. If the popula tion of
c rea tures in a n y on e a rea is too high, a few c a n be ki lled or a
grea t n umber w ill sta rve. N ow tha t the A ge of Ma n is dra w in g
to a c lose, of c ourse, huma n s a n dra ts a re c ompetin g for the sa me
resourc es in the la rgest c ities. Y ou c a n see w here I'm goin g w i th
this, c a n 't you? When the A ge of Ma n en ds, the la w dema n ds
the elimin a tion of the w ea kest c rea tures... just like in the
Impergium, before the Wolves i n terven ed. O n ly then w i ll the
ba la n c e w i ll be restored."
&uild, steal and suborn
to strengthen your breeding grounds.
John n ie Mc Mw f/in , egotistic a l T w itc her, shoots his mouth off:
"Property is rela tive. If I c a n ta ke it, it's min e. If you c a n 't
defen d it, you don 't deserve to ha ve it. Huma n s don 't seem to
un dersta n d. T hey buy fa r more tha n they n eed, go to grea t
len gths to defen d w ha t they ha v e, a n din sist tha t they ha ve the
right to determin e w ho ow n s w ha t. N ot very pra c tic a l, is it? If
you ow n more tha n you c a n c a rry, you're w a stin g w ha t others
c a n use. T he huma n s a re w a stin g w ha t they've got, so w e've got
every right to ta ke it."
T rust your own kino
before you trust outsiders.
Fmnkie Super-Size, T unnel Runner terrorist, extrapolates:
"Here's a w ordof a dvic e before you go out in to the w orld.
T rust your K in b efore you trust stra n gers. Betra y others before
you betra y your ow n kin d. If someon e's goin g to be betra yed,
c hoose a huma n a s the v i c ti m b efore you c hoose a Ra tki n . If
tha t doesn 't w ork, fin d some other sha pec ha n ger to fra me. If
tha t doesn 't w ork, then remember there's a stra ggler in your
pa c k. We're run n i n g in to the w orld together, ki d, so w e've got
to stic k together. Y ourea dy to go? U m... you first...."
" W hen someone is responsible for
injustice, make sure someone pays.
Joe Loc /c -a n d-Lood, K n ife-Skulker militia ma n , explains:
"When a ra t pa c k fa ils, someon e's got to ta ke the c on se-
quen c es. Hopefully, it w i ll be someon e w ea k; prefera bly, it'll be
someon e w ho isn 't Ra tkin . Some of us like to ta ke this a rgu-
men t a bit further. T he T w itc hers, for in sta n c e, a re rea lly quic k
to pla c e a ll bla me on the huma n s, so pun ishin g them a t ra n dom
is seen a s justic e. T he term "ra c e w a r" isn 't rea lly a ppropria te,
sin c e T w itc hers don 't disc rimin a te ba sed on the c olor of
someon e's skin , his religion or his a n c estry. White, bla c k,
yellow or red huma n s a ll bleed the sa me. I just feel this ra ge
in my bloodtha t's been there sin c e the da w n of time. A n d Ijust
feel like a c tin g on it. Show me your true fa c e, a n d it's my c a ll
w hether I w a n t to sla sh it off."
Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown 95
RT
\
. >
Systems:
< Lhe W eaver's W ebs
Ra tki n live violen t, b ruta l a n dc ha otic lives, forev er tryin g
to slip through the w ebs the Wea ver erec ts a roun d the w orld.
T he rules of a rolepla yin g game a re like those w ebs: they c a n
give your story struc ture, or they c a n sta gn a te your session s in to
en dless dic e-rollin g a n dc ha rt-c hec kin g. T his c ha pter c on ta in s
a few of the most c ommon ly usedsystems in Ra tkin c hron ic les,
redefi n i n g them to ma ke the spirit w orld more demen ted, the
physic a l w orld more violen t, a n d stories more dra ma ti c .
O f c ourse, a rolepla yin g troupe doesn't ha ve to throw in all of
the rules listed in this book from da y on e of a c hron ic le. In stea d,
the Storyteller ma y feel free to in troduc e the deta ils gra dua lly,
tryin g out a few systems a t a time. Some experienc edStorytellers,
for in sta n c e, like to a dd in a few extra levels of rules ea c h session,
fin e tun in g the deta ils a s they go. T his a pproa c h n ot on ly ta kes
dow n the "learn in g c urve" of the ga me, but also give players the
feelin g tha t the Wea ver's w ebs a re slow ly surroun din g them,
rein forc in g w ha t's a lrea dy ha ppen in g in the w orldof the Ra tkin .
of order w herever they ga ther. T hroughfren zy, a sha pec ha n ger
is c on sumedby the prima l c a ll to ba ttle. When a w erera t's Ra ge
is higher tha n her Gnosis, she's usua lly spoilin g for a fight.
When a w erera t's Gn osis is higher tha n her Ra ge, on the
other ha n d, she'll fa v or w isdom over violen c e, a t lea st un ti l
delusion s set in . Sittin g in quiet medita tion , a w erera t c a n ha ve
gr ea t i n si ghts i n to the sha dow y c orn ers of the w o r ld,
dec on struc tin g the c hitterin g ma dn ess of her godin to va lua ble
kn ow ledge. She c a n ga in visions through Ra pture, a c omplete
a ba n don men t to the w a ys of the spirit w orld. O n e c a n on ly
hope tha t a s more Ra tki n K i n folk rejoi n their fa mi ly, their
a n ger w ill be temperedby their in sight.
(Rage ant frenz y
(Rage ant Gnosis
Despite a ll my rage,
1am still just a rat in a cage.
Sma shin g Pumpkin s
Fury a n dw isdom a re the tw o extremes of the Ra tkin psyc he.
When a w erera t is overpow eredby the c ha os tha t flow s through
her, she is overpow eredby fera l in stin c ts, rea dy to shredthe w ebs
Like other sha pec ha n gers, w erera ts c a n be overw helmed
by a n ger a n d frustra ti on . T he sa me c on dition s tha t outra ge
Ga rou c a n forc e Ra tki n to ga in Ra ge: emba rra ssmen t, humi li -
a tion , stron g emotion s, extreme hun ger, c on fin emen t, help-
lessn ess, ta un ti n g, the presen c e of silver or the sti n g of betra ya l.
Ra tki n a re a lso sen sitive to tw o other c on dition s: if a w erera t is
livin g in squa lor or tra pped in a c row d, his a n ger ma y surge.
K n i fe Skulkers ma y ga in Ra ge w hen ever they w itn ess in justic e.
If a n y of these c on dition s persist, or if a pla yer is rolepla yin g his
c ha ra c ter's a n ger, the Storyteller c a n ask for a Ra ge roll. For Ga rou,
these rolls a re basedon the phase of the moon; a Ra tkin 's Ra ge roll
Chapter Five: Systems and Storytelling 97
depends on his aspec t. Widi four or more suc c esses, the Radon's
"fight or flight" in stin c t kic ks in . A s on e w ould expec t, if a ra t is
c orn ered, he w ill always c hoose to fight. U n like Ga rou, Ra tkin don 't
en ter the T hra ll of the Wyrm if they sc ore six suc c esses.
A spec t diffic ulty for fren zy rolls
T un n el Run n er 8
Sha dow Seer (or En gin eer) 7
K n ife-Skulker (or Pla gue Lord) 6
Wa rri or (or Mun c hma usen ) 5
T w itc her 4
Werera ts also ha ve more of a "pac k men ta lity" tha n Ga rou do,
a t least w here fren zies a re c onc erned. If on e Ra don fren zies, the
c hanc es of other Ra ts in die pa c k losing c on trol a c tua lly inc reases.
T he first fren zy requires four suc c esses on a Ra ge roll; onc e this
oc c urs, the n ext fren zy for a member of the same pa c k requires three
suc c esses. T he thirdRa t to fren zy on ly n eeds tw o suc c esses, a n dso
on . N orma lly, c ha ra c ters w ith low Ra ge sc ores a ren 't w orrieda bout
goin g over the edge, but if most of the pa c k loses c on trol, c hanc es a re
the rest of them w ill either go berserk or flee in pa n ic before long.
Ra tki n ga in Gn osis in on e of four w a ys. Some of these a re
on ly a va ila ble to Ra tkin w ho a re lea st Ra n k T w o or T hree,
a lthough dec eits of w erera ts w ho frequen t c olon ies ma y be a ble
to fi n d a n elder to a ssist them w i th suc h methods.
Ba rga in in g: Fi rst, a w erera t c a n ba rga in w i th spirits,
offeri n g their a ssista n c e in return for a rew a rd of Gn osis. T his
is usua lly a simple deed, like stea lin g food, spyin g on someon e
or tra di n g i n forma ti on .
T he Sa c red Hun t: T he sec ondmethod is on ly a va ila ble
to Ra tki n of V oto ra n k or higher or a t lea st, to their a llies.
T he ra t pa c k summon s a n En glin g w i th the a ppropria te Gi ft,
c ha ses it dow n , kills it a n d devours its ephemera l en ergy. T he
pa c k splits up ten poin ts of Gnosis a fter the hun t.
Spirit Dra in in g: T he thi rd method is used most c om-
mon ly by Ra tki n Sha dow Seers: summon a spirit, bin d it, a n d
dra i n it of its Gn osis w i th a ppropria te ritua ls.
Medita tion a t a Sa c red Site: T he fi n a l method is the
ea siest w a y to rega in Gn osis, but a lso ta kes the lon gest. Ra tki n
c a n medita te to rega in Gn osis, just like Ga rou do. U n li ke
w erew olves, how ever, a w erera t c a n on ly medi ta te a t a sa c red
site. If the w erera t c a n fi n d a w erew olf c a ern , ma ge N ode,
w ra i th Ha un t or c ha n gelin g freehold, sta yin g lon g en ough to
ga in Gn osis is di ffi c ult. Fortun a tely, every Ra tki n N est ha s a
"spiritua l c en ter" w here c ha otic energies ga ther. Every w erera t
N est ha s a Colon y ra ti n g, reflec ti n g the a moun t of Gn osis
w a i ti n g to be ha rvested.
T he media tion roll is the same for Ra tkin a s it is for Ga rou.
T he w erera t spen ds on e Willpow er before medita tin g. He then
medita tes for ha lf a n hour for eac h poin t of Gn osis she in ten ds to
ga in . A t the en d of tha t time, she rolls In telligen c e + En igma s
(di ffi c ulty 6). For ea c h suc c ess, the w erera t ga in s on e Gn osis (a s
lon g a s she medita tes for ha lf a n hour for ea c h poin t). If he w a n ts
to build up his Gn osis further, he sta rts medita tin g a ga in by
spen din g a n other poin t of Willpow er. T his depen den c e on sac red
sites on e of the reason s w erera ts keep return in g to N ests; for those
w ho c a n n ot, the Rite of Crash Spac e is a n a n other option . If a
Ra tkin ha s so muc h Ra ge tha t he c a n n ot c on trol his a n ger, the rest
of the pa c k ma y sendhim ba c k to the n ea rest c ra sh spac e to build
up his Gnosis. For this rea son , K n ife Skulkers sometimes refer to
c rash spac e a s a "pen a lty box," w hile Ra t Mothers c a ll it a "time
out." T w itc hers, of c ourse, a lw a ys go grudgin gly.
(Rapture
En lighten men t ha s its pric e. For Ra tkin , fin din g Gn osis
in volves c ommun ion w i th the U mb ra , the rea lm w here the
un ta medWyld is stron gest. Spen din g too muc h time n eglec t-
in g spiritua l n eeds c a n fi ll on e's soul w i th a n ger, dri v i n g on e to
the fury of fren zy. O n the other ha n d, c on templa tin g the
mysteries of the un iverse for too lon g c a n short-c i rc ui t a ll sen se
of logic a n d restra in t, brin gin g on the demen tia of Ra pture, a
min d-sha tterin g epipha n y.
Here's how it w orks: When ever a Ra tkin gain s Gn osis, roll
a die. If you sc ore a 1 0, tha t w erera t should roll his tempora ry
Gn osis, rerollin g a n y further 1 0s a s if it w ere a spec ia lty. T his la st
roll is c a lleda Ra pture roll. If the c ha ra c ter sc ores more tha n four
suc c esses, he suc c umbs to Ra pture, a n doverw helmin g demen tia
en dures for the rest of the sc en e. A ltern a tively, if a w erera t ever
ga in s four or more poin ts of Gn osis in on e sc en e, go stra ight to the
Ra pture roll; too muc h c ha os a t on c e c a n ma ke for a rea lly ba d
trip. T he diffic ulty for the fi n a l roll is the "reverse" of a fren zy roll:
A spec t diffic ulty for Ra pture rolls
T un n el Run n er 4
Shadow Seer (or En gin eer) 5
K n ife-Skulker (or Pla gue Lord) 6
Wa rrior (or Mun c hma usen ) 7
T w itc her 8
T he Storyteller ma y a lso dec ide tha t a n ythin g sufficiently
freakish, unrealistic, overtly paranormal, supematurally terrifying
or just ra ti n g rea lly high on the " Weird-Shit-O -Meter" requires
a n a utoma tic Ra pture roll. Pla yers ma y c hoose to volun teer for
these rolls if they're frea ked out by a pa rti c ula rly odd even t. T he
on ly w a y to c ope w i th these oc c urren c es is to esc a pe the
c on fin es of rea li ty for a little w hile. A w erera t c a n , how ever,
a void Ra pture by spen din g a poin t of Willpow er.
A s a side n ote, how often a Storyteller c a lls for these rolls
defin es the type of ga me she's run n in g. If Ra pture is ra re,
ma dn ess is horrific . If the w hole ga me in volves a voidin g Ra p-
ture, you'll either ha ve a very mystic a l story or a n epic frea kfest.
A ll three types of stories ha ve their devotees.
(Rapture tffects
T he Storyteller a lw a ys ha s the freedom to c hoose a Ra pture
effec t tha t fits w iththe moodof her story. Most Ra tkin on ly suffer
these effec ts w hen they get a hit of too muc h Gn osis. A K in folk
w ho's In fec ted a n d w a itin g for their First Cha n ge, on the other
ha n d, is often on the verge of Ra pture, sin c e his limit for stra n ge-
ness is often repea tedly tested. Here a re most c ommon effec ts.
Prophec y: T he w erera t gets a symbolic glimpse of the
f utur e. T his is a c ha n c e for Storytellers to use the idea s for
symbolism a n d foresha dow in g in Werew olf's (a s w ell a s other
rulebooks') Storytellin g c ha pter. T he prophec y ma y or ma y n ot
c ome true, depen din g on the Storyteller's a pplic a tion of fa te in
the ga me (w e ten d to en c oura ge ha lf-truths a t best, in order to
fc
98 Ratkin
keep the pla yers on their toes). T his vision c a n be petty or epic ,
depen din g on the ton e of the story.
Example : Frankie and Johnny are riding in the backof a van in
the middle of the night. Highway 101snakes across the Pacific
c oa stlin e , offering an occasional glimpse of the ocean by moonlight.
W hile meditating, Frankie slips into Rapture. . . and has a vision of
the van floating in the water. Squeaking in terror, he demands that
the driver let his friends out n ow .
Delusions: Y ou ha ve a slightly a ltern a tive in terpreta tion of
rea lity, a n dyou must act upon it right now . Y ou've got to do more tha n
w a rn others a bout it, you've got to do somethin g a s a result of it.
Exa mple: johnny has tried to bargain with a Spider-spirit for
some Gnosis , but gets a little too enlightened. He surges into Rapture
and starts trembling. Certain that the Y2K virus could go off at any
moment , he starts chewing through all the electrical cords he can find!
Ha lluc in a tion s: Y ou don 't see w ha t isn 't there, but w ha t
rea lly should be there. Y ou'll experien c e a messa ge from the Ra t
God, a li ttle piec e of your w orst n i ghtma re, or just a little ta ste
of ra t hea ven tha t n o on e else c a n un dersta n d.
Example: " ]ohnny! I thinkthis is the gateway to the Camivale
Realm! Let's eat some cotton candy!"
" U rn, we're in the supermarket, Frankie! Put down those
cotton balls! Yecchh!"
Destruc tive Impulses: T he Wea ver's w ebs a re c losin g
in ! Quic k, sn a p them! Brea k somethin g... a n ythin g! T he
Storyteller might give you a c hoic e of objec ts n ea rby.
Example : A brand new car parks right in front of Johnny ' s front
door. I t's shiny and new. . . mocking the poverty he's endured for so
long! " 1hate shiny things.
1
" John n y proc la ims. " Let's destroy it! " He
grabs up a ha mmer and bolts outside. . .
Fleein g in T error: T he sight of somethin g c ommon
a roun dyou in spires your fli ght reflexes. O n c e it w a s mun da n e;
n ow it terrifies your a ltered sen ses.
Exa mple: Fra n kie has been meditating for four hours in a
flophouse, and the vision s a re just sta rtin g. Suddenly, the telephone
rings, interrupting his reverie. [I c a n hea r the ri n gi n g of a tele-
phon e!] he thinks. [T elephon e w i res a re everyw here! I c a n 't
esc a pe them, but ma ybe I c a n outrun tha t horrible rin gin g
soun d!] Naked and screaming, he runs through the hallways of the
building with a fire axe.
Disc on n ec tion : T his phen omen on is very c ommon
a mon g Sha dow Seers. T he mystic begin s to w a n der a roun d in
the physic a l w orld w hile w itn essin g even ts in the spi ri t w orld.
His un dersta n di n g of these tw o rea lms bec ome c on fused, turn -
in g him from a in sightful sa ge to a demen ted ma dma n . See
Cha pter Four, pa ge 8 3 for more deta ils.
Pa ra n oia : T his is very c ommon a mon g T w itc hers a n d
Ra tki n En gin eers. T his is more tha n just ima gin in g tha t every-
on e is out to get you; a pa ra n oi dRa tki n goes to grea t len gths to
a c t upon this delusion . Y ou don 't n eeda Ra ge roll to go posta l
in a pub li c pla c e. If you rea lly thi n k the huma n s a re plotti n g
a ga in st you, then loc k a n d loa d.
Optional (Rule: (ftatkin
Ra ts a re c rea tures of extremes. Pet ra ts c a n be sw eet a n d
a ffec ti on a te; fera l roden ts c a n be vic ious, destruc ti ve terrors.
Extreme rolepla yers ma y c hoose to a da pt these option a l rules to
reflec t both a spec ts of roden t psyc hology. T he "In stin c t Rules"
c a n help you ra tion a lize both extremes of a c ha ra c ter's min dset.
U n der this system, w hether a Ra tki n is c a lm or violen t ulti -
ma tely depen ds on his shi fti n g (a s in tempora ry) Ra ge a n d
Gn osis tota ls. T his idea w a s a ddressed b ri efly severa l c ha pters
a go; for those of you w ho w a n t more rules, here they a re.
Fera l In stin c ts: If a Ra tkin 's Ra ge is higher tha n his
Gn osis, he'll proba bly a c t like a vic ious little mon ster. Fera l
In stin c ts ta ke over w hen the Ra tkin 's a n ger is beyon dhis a bility
to c on trol it. Exposure to da n ger, violen c e, stress, disea se a n d
fi lth a ll ha ve the poten tia l to drive up a Ra tkin 's Ra ge; the results
c a n ra n ge from min or a c ts of va n da lism to orgies of destruc tion .
I f Rage is one point higher than Gn osis, the Ra tki n 's a n ger
show s in li ttle w a ys. He mi ght shred a piec e of pa per in
frustra ti on , sc ra tc h a mea n in gless design in the n ea rest piec e of
w ood, or just rip a n d tea r in to a n ythi n g a t ha n d.
I f Rage is two or three points higher than Gn osis, the Ra tki n
is obviously "on the edge," a n d bec omes violen t if provoked.
Sittin g still is n ea rly impossible; the ra t rushes a roun d lookin g
for somethin g upon w hic h to exa c t his frustra ti on . Ra ts in this
sta ge ten dto ma ke lots of un iden tifia ble n oises tha t even other
Ra tki n c a n 't un dersta n d, in c ludin g squea lin g a n d c hi tteri n g
soun ds. T he di ffi c ulty of a ll Soc ia l rolls in c rea ses by 1 .
I f Rage is four or more points higher than Gn osis, roll for
fren zy ea c h hour of ga me time; the ra t is so pissedoff tha t he's
spoilin g for a fi ght. T his is highly da n gerous, sin c e his a n ger
ma y then i n fec t the rest of the pa c k, pushi n g them over the
edge a s w ell. N o on e likes to a ssoc ia te w i th a ma dma n .
Ca lm In stin c ts: If a Ra tkin 's Gn osis is higher tha n her
Ra ge, she w i ll be c a lm a n d in trospec tive. If a ra t lives in a c lea n ,
sa fe a n dprosperous en v i ron men t, it's on ly n a tura l for her mood
to reflec t it. Wi th li ttle to do exc ept sleep a n dea t, a c a lm ra t w i ll
repea tedly c lea n herself, ma ke n ests, a n d use her ti me to
c on templa te her en vi ron men t. U n fortun a tely, a Ra t tra ppedin
in trospec tion ma y stumble upon some very un usua l idea s,
even tua lly suc c umbin g to w ild delusion s.
I f a Ratkin's Gn osis is one point higher than Rage, she'll fa v or
disc ussion over a c tion . Why go rushin g a roun d di sturb i n g
thin gs w hen everythin g's a ll r i ght? O c c a sion a lly w hisper w ha t
you're thi n ki n g to the other ra ts a roun d you.
I f Gnosis is two or three points higher than Rage, the Ra tkin w i ll
be more rec eptive to c ommun ion w i th the spirits. T he Story-
teller should roll Gn osis ea c h hour; a suc c essful roll mea n s tha t
the pa c k totem or on e of its spirits w ill w hisper further kn ow ledge
to her. T his might be in sight or n on sen se, depen din g on the
mood of the sc en e. Ra tki n w ho a lrea dy ha bitua lly hea r voic es
w ill sta rt to hea r messa ges from other In c a rn a a s w ell.
I f Gn osis is a t least four points higher than Rage, the Ra tki n
w i ll bec ome in c rea sin gly delusion a l. She might ha ve vision s of
her Blood Memories, begin to expoun don a demen tedtheory,
or c ome up w i th a truly b i za rre c ourse of a c tion on ly a n other ra t
w ouldun dersta n d. Ma ke a Ra pture roll ea c h hour of ga me time;
the w erera t is ha vi n g troub le rela tin g to the n orma l w orld.
In a n a ll-out Ra tkin pa c k a dven ture, this set of rules w ill drive
the pla yers to extremes a s w ell. O n e c ha ra c ter's a c t of violen c e ma y
drive up the Ra ge of other Ra tkin , settin g a sw a rm of ra ts in motion .
If the ga me gets too c ompla c en t, on e Ra tkin 's ma dden in g in sight
ma y a dd a n ew dimen sion of delusion to the story. Either w a y,
1 00
7*r.
I,* f t
V
Ra tkin don 't sit still for long. A s c rea tures of pure c haos, they're
c erta in to keep your story movin g. A s a lw a ys, this system requires
your Storyteller's a pprova l; otherw ise, her ra ge w ill slow ly in c rease
throughout the ga me. Proc eedw ith c a ution .
Swarms
.. .most vivid of all, there was the dramatic epic of the rats
the scampering army of obscene vermin which had burst forth from
the castle three mon ths after the tragedy that doomed it to desertion
the lean, filthy, ravenous army which had swept all before it...
H.P. Lovec ra ft, T he Ra ts in the Wa lls
Whether c omposed of in sec ts, fera l c a ts, ra bid dogs or
bloa ted ra ts, sw a rms of v ermi n a tta c k their vic tims repea tedly
un ti l they're dispersed. For ea sy of pla y, w e've simplified the
sta ts for sw a rms of c rea tures. T he origin a l version of these rules
a ppea red in Destin y's Pric e.
T ra its Common Ra ts La rge Ra ts "Big-A ss" Ra ts
In i ti a ti ve 3 4 5
Da ma ge 3 4 5
Hea lth Levels 7 9 1 0
Ra t sw a rms a tta c k onc e per turn ; their in itia tive depen ds on
the size of the bea sties summon ed. Ea c h turn a c ha ra c ter is
overw helmedby a sw a rm, roll da ma ge versus a di ffi c ulty of 6; the
v i c ti m c a n try to either dodge or soa k the result. T he da ma ge is
a lw a ys n on -a ggra va ted. Depen din g on the size of the sw a rm, tw o
or more vi c ti ms might be a ffec ted, a n dmight help ea c h other out.
More tha n on e vic tim c a n a tta c k the sw a rm, of c ourse.
If a c ha ra c ter dodges, he c a n move n orma lly; otherw ise, the
sw a rm slow s him to ha lf his n orma l movemen t. If the sw a rm sc ores
more tha n three hea lth levels w orth of da ma ge in a turn (or if the
vic tim botc hes his dodge roll), the vic tim ha s been kn oc keddow n
a n doverrun . He c a n move a ya rdor tw o per turn , a n dthe diffic ulty
of the sw a rm's da ma ge rolls goes dow n by 1 . A n yon e helpin g a n
overrun c ha ra c ter get up c a n be a tta c ked a s w ell.
T he hea lth levels listed reflec t the a moun t of da ma ge it
ta kes to disperse a sw a rm. A n a ddition a l tw o levels w ill destroy
the sw a rm c ompletely. Pistols, ri fles a n d sma ll melee w ea pon s
on ly i n fli c t on e hea lth level per shot. Shotgun s, subma c hin e
gun s a n d la rge melee w ea pon s do tw o hea lth levels per shot, a s
do la rge a rea a tta c ks (molotov c oc kta ils, explosion s, a n dso on ).
Sw a rms don 't soa k da ma ge.
K eep in min dtha t Ma teria lizedRa t-spirits ma y join a sw a rm
of mun da n e ra ts. If this is the c ase, the spirits a re usua lly too
overta ken by the "sw a rm men ta lity" to use their un ea rthly Cha rms.
(Roll Gn osis, diffic ulty 9, to override this in stin c t; if the n umber
of suc c esses exc eeds the level of the Cha rm, it c a n be used.)
Ma teria lized Ra t-spirits run n i n g w ith a sw a rm don 't die w hen
they're "dispersed," but in steadreform in the spirit w orlda s n orma l.
(Renown
O n e shot a t glory in the crossfire overhead,
One shot at glory words have all been said,
One shot at glory drivin g ha rd a n d seeing red,
Destiny c alls me one night of fire, one shot at glory.
Juda s Priest, "Glory"
We've a lrea dy seen the w orkin gs of Ra tkin soc iety, in c ludin g
the idea ls to w hic h Ra tkin a spire. T he three Creeds a n dLita n y of
V en gea n c e a re espec ia lly useful for pla yers w ho w a n t to dec ipher
w ha t w erera ts pra ise a n drevile. Bestow in g Ren ow n is a n ea sy w a y
to rew a rd pla yers w ho rolepla y typic a l w erera t beha vior. If a
c ha ra c ter does somethin g a w fully c rea tive a n d in c redibly a ppro-
pria te for a Ra tkin , feel free give out a poin t of experien c e or
tempora ry Ren ow n to a c kn ow ledge this in fron t of the pa c k.
In the w orld of the Ra tki n , there a re three w a ys in w hic h
w erera ts a re rec ogn izedfor their deeds. T he fi rst in volves a tten d-
in g moots. A t the begin n in g of a Ra tkin moot, the elders of the
tribe offer to listen to ra t pa c ks spea k of their la test a c c omplish-
men ts. Before the w a tc hful eyes of the privileged, on e ra t in ea c h
pa c k steps forw a rd to tell a brief ta le of his dec eit's a dven ture. T he
elders then c hitter their a pprova l, a n dthe eldest sta tes w ha t the
pa c k ha s obviously lea rn ed. T he Storyteller then rec ites the
a moun t of Ren ow n ea c h c ha ra c ter ga in s.
U n fortun a tely, Ra tkin w ho run w i th pa c ks of c ritters from
other Cha n gin g Breeds don 't rea lly ha ve this option . T hey prefer
the sec on doption : direc t c ommun ion w i th their c hosen totem.
Ra t pa c ks w ho c a n 't fin d a sa fe ha ven c a n sc amper off in to the
w ildern ess to medita te. T he w erera t still dedic a tes himself to a
spec ific totem, a n d must periodic a lly be left a lon e to c ommun e
w ith it. For ea c h poin t of Ren ow n the c ha ra c ter hopes to ga in , he
should medita te for a full ten min utes. A fter reflec tin g on her
deeds, the w erera t then rec ites his story to the hea ven s. A t the
en d of the story, the Storyteller a w a rds Ren ow n . T his is a lso the
method used w hen a Ra tkin is rea dy to c on vert ten poin ts of
tempora ry Ren ow n to a poin t of perma n en t Ren ow n ; roll In tel-
ligen c e + Ritua ls to ma ke sure the spirits a pprove.
T he third method of ga in in g Ren ow n , espec ia lly for In -
fa my, is a t a revel: a n a n a rc histic , c ha otic ga therin g hostedby
a loc a l T w itc her or w a rriors on the eve of b a ttle. A s desc ribed
ea rli er, the roden t fi n ds a n isola tedpla c e, sets off a n explosion ,
pla ys ra uc ous music , or does w ha tever else she prefers to foc us
c ha os in the immedia te a rea . A s pa c ks of ra ts in dulge in
freeflow in g ra ge, a few w ill ga ther a roun dthe n ea rest fi re to bra g
a bout the a moun t of c ha os they've sprea d in to the w orld.
O n c e the revel begin s, ea c h member of the pa c k c a n tell
a story a bout furtheri n g en tropy, rebellin g a ga in st a uthori ty,
va n da lizin g order, or just gen era lly ra isin g hell. Some T w itc h-
ers allow hellra isers of other supern a tura l soc ieties to a tten d a
r ev elBr uj a h va mpires, U n seelie c ha n gelin gs a n dSkin ridin g
w ra i ths a re a ll obvious exa mples. When a Ra tki n c on sorts w i th
other types of c ritters, he is the on ly member w ho c a n tell thei r
stories. T here is a limit to the n umber of revels a w erera t c a n
a tten d, how ever: a Ra tki n c a n n ot ga in Ren ow n from more
tha n on e revel in a mon th.
So w ha t sort of guidelin es govern Ren ow n a w a rds? Well,
w i thout the spa c e to give them their ow n c ha rt, the follow in g
suggestion s might help a Storyteller dec ide w ha t w ould be
a ppropria te. T he Storyteller, a s a lw a ys, should use her disc re-
tion on how muc h In fa my, Cun n in g a n d O bliga tion Ren ow n
to a w a rd. A s in a n y Werew olf ga me, the purpose of Ren ow n is
to rew a rd rolepla yin g the idea ls of a Cha n gin g Breed.
Ma n y of the thin gs tha t help Ga rou ga in Ren ow n w ork for
Ra tki n , too; just di fferen tly (c a ern defen se equa ls N est defen se,
for in sta n c e.) A ll Ra tki n shouldga in Ren ow n for provi n g their
Chapter Five: Systems and Storytelling 1 01
stren gth by bestin g pa c kma tes (on ly a bout a poi n t or so,
though). Ra tki n respec t c un n i n g c omba t, suc h a s dra w i n g fi rst
blood, surv i v i n g n a sty w oun ds or even w oun di n g pow erful foes
a n d pruden tly retrea tin g; Wa rriors should rec eive extra Re-
n ow n for this. Fightin g the Wea ver is a lso importa n t, even if
other Breeds don 't rea lize this; T w itc hers exc el a t this beha vior.
K n i fe Skulkers rec eive Ren ow n for fulfi lli n g c on tra c ts (a n d
lose lots for a ba n don in g c on tra c ts) a n den forc in g pun ishmen ts.
Ra ptur e shouldbe trea tedlike vision questin g w hen it c omes to
Ren ow n a w a rds. Ra tki n en joy good stories a n d rew a rd them,
a n da lso en c oura ge ea c h other to outw i t a n dstea l from huma n s.
K i lli n g Ga rou, a la s, is w orth a dec en t a moun t of In fa my,
pa rti c ula rly if the vic tim is a Gla ss Wa lker b ut killin g a Bon e
Gn a w er in Ra t's good sta n din g is very, v ery ba d. Fin a lly, n ote
tha t bec omin g the pa c k's run t merits the loss of a poi n t of
Cun n in g, but servin g a s the pa c k's run t is w orth three tempo-
ra ry O bliga tion per story a n d fin din g a repla c emen t r un t is
w orth a n other poin t of Cun n in g.
(Renown (Rolls arid (Rank
Ren ow n serves tw o purposes: esta blishin g a reputa ti on
a n ddetermi n i n g Ra n k. For the fi rst purpose, w hether a Ra tki n
foc uses on In fa my, Cun n in g or his O bliga tion s is c ritic a l. If a
w erera t's reputa ti on is a t sta ke before the elders of a n est, the
Storyteller ma y a sk the person rolepla yin g him to ma ke a n
In fa my, Cun n i n g or O bli ga ti on roll. N ot everyon e w ill be
impressed by a Ra tki n 's a c hievemen ts. A w erera t Wa rrior
mi ght be fa n a ti c a bout fulfi lli n g his obliga tion s to the loc a l
tribe a n d his f a mi ly, but if he isn 't rea lly in fa mous, he ma y n ot
be c hosen to lea d the n ext a tta c k a ga in st the Wea ver.
T he tota l n umb er of perma n en t Ren ow n poin ts a lso
determin es a Ra tki n 's Ra n k. Whic h c a tegory those poin ts a re
in doesn 't rea lly ma tter , a t lea st for determin in g a w erera t's
soc ia l sta n din g. Most other Cha n gin g Breeds stress di fferen t
types of Ren ow n for di fferen t a uspic es, but a ll Ra tki n a spec ts
rega rd Ren ow n the sa me w a y.
Rank Permanent Renown Title
O ne
T w o
T hree
Four
Five
7
1 5
2 3
3 0
Ra kka
V oto
T a va
T eppen
Rrrrr't
Storytelling
Ra tki n soc iety is va st a n dda n gerous, presen tin g a ll sorts of
opportun ities for gettin g in to misc hief, sprea din g c ha os, a n d
ra isin g hell. Ra tki n ha ve plen ty of c ha llen ges to keep them
busy. T hey c a n a c t a s supern a tura l c on sorts, run w i th ra t pa c ks,
spa w n in c olon ies, defen d tribes, a n d meddle in fa mi ly a ffa i rs.
Ea c h of these soc ieties offers a di fferen t set of stories to tell a n d
requi res a slightly di f f er en t a pproa c h to the ga me.
One-Shot (Pack Stories
Spen din g a few session s pla yin g a pa c k of Ra tki n is a grea t
w a y to ta ke a brea k f r om a n epic Ga rou c hron ic le. Stories tha t
c a n be w ra pped up in a n even in g or tw o a re c ommon ly c a lled
"on e-shots"youfi re on e off a n d then reloa dfor the n ext on e.
O n e-shot Ra tki n stories usua lly c en ter a roun d a ra n dom group
of Ra tki n brought together to f ulf i ll a c on tra c t. Ma ybe a
Sha dow Lord w a n ts to b urn dow n the property of on e of his
riva ls, or a va mpire n eeds somethin g stolen from the loc a l
Ga rou sept. T he pa c k is formed just lon g en ough to c a rry out
on e ta sk, split the rew a rd, a n dlea ve tow n . Possibilities in c lude:
rec overin g a stolen fetish
stea lin g files from a c orpora tion
mon keyw ren c hin g a c orpora te opera tion
settin g up a distra c tion for a n a tta c k on a n other
supern a tura l group
spyin g on loc a l supern a tura l a c tivity
ha ra ssin g huma n s w ho get too c lose to the truth
helpin g out a Bon e Gn a w er (or N osfer a tu) w ho c a n
tra de va lua ble in forma tion
traveling (Pack Stones
In a n on goin g Ra tkin c hron ic le, w erera ts c a n tra vel just
a bout a n yw here in the w orld. A sk the pla yers w ha t pa rt of the
w orldthey'dlike their c ha ra c ters to see, a n dyou c a n ea sily fi n d
a story to tell w hen they get there. Some of the most c ommon
"roa d story" c on c epts in c lude:
Survival: T he pa c k is tra velin g through a ba d pa rt of
tow n , or perha ps a f or b i ddi n g stretc h of w ildern ess. O n c e they
c ross pa ths w i th a group of en emies, they've got to sc a m, sn ea k,
stea lth a n d fi ght their w a y to sa fety. A pa c k of Ga rou might
dec ide to hun t, ha rry a n ddestroy them, or a Pen tex First T ea m
might w a n t to c a pture them for resea rc h. T he objec tive is
simple: live un ti l the en d of the story.
Espionage: T he ra t pa c k is c on tra c tedto spy on a n other
group of supern a tura l c rea tures. T his c ouldbe the loc a l Ga rou
sept, a Hive of Bla c k Spira l Da n c ers, a lon e Mokold, the Gura hl
Coun c il of A utumn , or just a bout a n ythin g. Depen din g on the
in forma tion the ra ts ga ther, their suc c ess might lea d them to
mess w i th other sha pec ha n gers in a ll sorts of n a sty w a ys.
Mystery: Ra tkin rec eive a ll sorts of revela tion s w hen they
suc c umb to Ra pture. A vision a t the sta rt of the story might
prompt the pa c k to quest a fter a n en igma tic a n dmysterious goa l.
T his might be a T un n el Run n er's w a n derlust vision of a sa fe
breedin g groun d, a Sha dow Seer's revela tion of a prophetic even t
tha t must be stopped, a T w itc her's urge to destroy or a ssa ssin a te
a promin en t fi gure, or even a Mun c hma usen 's drea m a bout a lost
Spirit K in gdom tha t must be rec overed. T his c a n ea sily be a n on -
goin g plot lin e, w i th min or stories a lon g the w a y.
tribal Stories
If a Ra tkin c hron ic le is ba sed a roun d a tribe or c olon y, or
even just c ra sh spa c e, even ts in the n eighborhoodc a n develop
a ll sorts of story seeds. A n y ga theri n g of Ra tki n a lso a ttra c ts
politic s a n d riva lries, keepin g a ra t pa c k busy for a good lon g
time. A tri ba l c hron ic le is a lso w ell-sui ted to "troupe pla y": a ll
of the pla yers develop a sta ble of severa l c ha ra c ters, w hic h a re
rec ruitedon e by on e in to di fferen t stories. Possibilities in c lude:
Political Rivalry: O n e elder is sc hemin g a ga in st a n -
other, or a ga in st the Ra t K in g, a n d c on tra c ts the ra t pa c k to
fc
1 02 Ratkin
"ta ke c a re of her ri va l. A ltern a tively, the ra t pa c k ma y over-
hea r suc h a sc heme, a n d w a n t to ra t on the a mbitious elder
w ho's ma ki n g a bidfor pow er. Perha ps someon e w a n ts to ki ll off
the loc a l Mysti c , ki ll off the Wea v er-ta i n ted En gin eer, or
repla c e the Ra t K i n g w i th a pow erful Pla gue Lord.
Elder Duties: Ea c h of the elders of a n est ha s his ow n
obliga tion s to uphold, a n d ma y n eed to rec rui t the c ha ra c ters
for a ssista n c e. Possibilities a boun d.
A Sc out ma y fi n d out a bout some n ew bea sties in the
n eighborhood, a n d a sk the ra t pa c k to in vestiga te further.
A Mystic ma y n eed the dec eit to un derta ke a spirit
quest or rea lize a vision she's ha d.
A K n i fe-Skulker ma y ha ve in forma tion a bout a c ri mi -
n a l w ho's en da n gerin g the loc a l breedin g groun ds, a n d a sk for
their help in destroy hi m.
A Wa rlordma y pla y a n a ssa ult a ga in st some w erew olves
or Wyrm-c rea tures tha t a re sn i ffi n g a li ttle too c lose to the n est.
A Ra tki n En gin eer ma y n eedsome ra re pa rts to builda
system of defen ses for the n est.
Severin g the Wea ver's Webs: A n y a rea w here the
Wea ver is stron g deeply un n erves the Ra tki n . If a T un n el
Run n er or Sha dow Seer pa ssin g through the n eighborhood
tells a story of a pla c e w here its min ion 's a re stron g, the ra t pa c k
ma y feel the n eed to storm in to "c orrec t the ba la n c e." T his
c ould in volve mon keyw ren c hin g a c orpora te offic e n ea rby,
destroyin g a c omputer superstore, or ra isin g ha voc in a televi -
sion studio. T he Book of the Wea ver deta ils ma n y suc h
men a c es, a n d c a n be quite useful for spa w n in g these sorts of
stories. In rea lly extreme c hron ic les, T w itc hers ma y even en list
the pa c k in a c ts of terrori sm or ma ss-destruc tion , though n ot
everyon e en joys suc h stories.
T ra veler's T a les: O f c ourse, stra n ge Ra tki n pa ssin g
through a n est's doma in a lw a ys ha ve stories to tell to the loc a l
ra t pups. Sometimes these a re hi n ts of da n ger, sw a g or a dven -
ture the ra t pa c k ma y w a n t to c hec k out. A s lon g a s the
Storyteller ha s been deta i li n g the a rea a roun d the n est, there's
a n en dless n umb er of lea ds to c hec k out.
(Plagues arib (troupes
Pa rt of a pla gue's un i ty c omes from its spi ri tua li ty. By
w orshippin g the sa me totems, even Ra tki n w ho a re c ompletely
isola ted from thei r brothers a n d sisters ma y still pla y a pa rt in
prepa ri n g for the A poc a lypse. T he Ra t Godw orks in mysterious
w a ys. Sometimes a Ra t Pa c k or a lon e
Ra tki n w i ll be c a lledupon to perform
some c ryptic ta sk, often w ithout
expla n a tion . T he rea son s w hy ma y n ot be immedia tely be
a ppa ren t, but a thousa n d ra ts ma y even tua lly a c hieve w ha t a
lon e ra t n ever c ould.
A s a n exa mple, on e w erera t ma y be a sked to c hew a hole
through a c orpora tion 's defen ses; a sepa ra te ra t pa c k ma y be
requiredto stea l a file folder from a rec ords offic e; a n a llia n c e of
Frea ks ma y be a sked to tra vel c ross c oun try w i th a sealed
briefc a se; a sen ta i of N ezumi ma y n eedto smuggle the c on ta c ts
pa st some va mpires in Hon g K on g. Ea c h dec eit of Ra tki n is
un a w a re of the other lin ks in the c ha in , a n d sepa ra tely, they
c a n n ot piec e together the overa ll pla n . N on etheless, ea c h
roden t pla ys a n i mporta n t role in the overa ll sc heme. T he
possibilities for Storytellin g this phen omen on a re obvious.
Story Seeds
Still n eed a story? T a ke your pic k. A dd a pa c k of Ra tki n ,
on e Storyteller, a ba g of Red-Hot Fritos, a n d severa l cans of
c a ffei n a ted soda . Simmer, stir, a n d serve fresh. Fla vor with
pa ssa ges from this book to ta ste.
Spec ia l Delivery: A mystic a l vision revea ls tha t the Ra t
Pa c k must pic k up a pa c ka ge from the dumpster in ba c k of a
la rge c orpora tion . A voic e in the Sha dow Seer's hea d brin gs
messa ges from a Ra t Ga ffli n g, w hic h offers hin ts a n d c lues of
w here the pa c ka ge must go. U n der n o c irc umsta n c e shouldthe
pa c ka ge be open ed! If the pa c k doesn 't hurry, a n other in ter-
ested supern a tura l fa c ti on ha rri es them a lon g the w a y.
Mon keyw ren c hin g: It's ti me to ra ise a little hell. A
T w itc her offers to ma ke a pa c t w i th the c ha ra c ters, givin g them
somethin g they rea lly n eed if they'll help him ma ke a quic k
strike on a remote bra n c h of Pen tex. U n fortun a tely, the c ra zed
a n a rc hist is rea lly ba d a t c oordin a tin g his pla n s w i th the rest of
the pa c k, lea vin g them outgun n ed a n d tra pped in a ma ssive
busin ess c omplex ha lf-w a y through the dea l.
En forc emen t: A loc a l Ga rou ha s ma de a sec ret pa c t w i th
a dec eit of Ra tki n ... a n d ren eged on his pa rt of the dea l. T he
pa c k's K n ife-Skulker ha s been c a lled by the loc a l Ra t K in g to
mete out some justic e. T he Skulker must deliver a t lea st a
c ripplin g blow to fulfi ll the c on tra c t a n dtea c h the Wolf a lesson;
the rest of the pa c k w ill be busy en ough tryin g to tra c k dow n the
w ily c ritter a n d run in terferen c e w i th the rest of the sept.
O n c e a T hief: A n i n qui si ti ve a c a demic ha s a c quired a
va lua ble Ra tkin fetish, on e tha t shouldn 't fa ll in to the w ron g
ha n ds. Everyon e suspec ts tha t some supern a tura l ma stermin dis
c on trollin ghi m, but n o on e c a n prove it. Stea lin g the item ba c k
w ouldea rn a little Ren ow n ; fin din g out the sha dow y sc hemer
w ho c on trolledhim a n dma kin g him pa y w ouldea rn a
lot. T he situa tion ma y be c omplic a ted w hen the
villa in is revea led, a n d he's a lrea dy movedthe
item to a Ga rou sept, a v a mpi r e ha ven , or
a loc a l c ha pterhouse of the A rc a n um.
V ision T hin g: A n elderly
Mun c hma usen ha s
t
Chapter Five: Systems and Storytelling 1 03
been overw helmedby despa ir. He's been ha vin g horrible drea ms
of a "fa erie queen " tra pped in a remote rea lm of the Deep
U mb ra . He'll gla dly offer the pa c k a n ythin g they w a n t if they'll
help him resc ue the da msel in distress. U n fortun a tely, the
A rc a dia n Ra tki n ha s li ttle un dersta n di n g of the w ord"subtle,"
a n d ha lf the U mb ra l quest in volves c lea n in g up his misun der-
sta n din gs w i th the loc a l spi ri ts.
Movin g Da y: T hree Ra t Mothers despera tely n eed to
move a w a y from their sc ra pe. Huma n extermin a tors a re demol-
ishin g thei r home, a n dthey don 't w a n t to risk the sa fety of their
c hildren . O n e ra t momma is expec tin g, a n d the other tw o a re
c a rryin g a li tter of rugra ts in tow . Ca n you get them sa fely ac ross
the c i ty w hile preven tin g the ra tli n gs from gettin g in to trouble ?
T here Goes the N eighborhood: Bla c k Spira ls a re
movin g in to a loc a l sew er system in forc e, a n d they've c i rc um-
ven ted a ll the tra ps the En gin eers ha ve left there. A loc a l
N osfera tu v a mpi re is outra ged, a n d c on siders a n a llia n c e w i th
the ra t pa c k. A re they w ea k en ough to kill, or is there a more
effec ti v e w a y of getti n g ridof them for good? How defen sible a re
those sew er tun n els?
Merc y a n dCompa ssion : A loc a l Sha dow Seer offers to
tea c h the ra t pa c k a va lua ble rite if they c a n a idher in helpin g
a loc a l homeless shelter. T here's n o supern a tura l threa t in -
volved, just the usua l story of huma n s trea ti n g ea c h other like
ga rba ge. T he sa c redkn ow ledge is v a lua b le en ough to help the
huma n s... a t lea st for a little w hile. T he sufferi n g might be
tra c edba c k to a loc a l slumlord, a group of ga n gba n gers v i c ti m-
izin g the homeless, or a loc a l polic e prec in c t tha t's ti ghten i n g
the w ebs of la w a little too muc h.
Jun kya rd Rumble: A Bon e Gn a w er w erew olf is foun d
hea vily w oun dedn ea r a Ra tki n En gin eer's c ra sh spa c e. A ppa r-
en tly, somethin g ha s c orruptedor c on trolledthe T ra shGa ffli n g
in a n ea rby jun kya r d. T he Ra t is rea dy to sta ge a n a ssa ult a ga in st
the supern a tura l men a c e, but he c a n 't do it on his ow n . First, he
n eeds the pa c k to rec over a few mec ha n ic a l items to help him
build his en gin e of ven gea n c e. T hen he n eeds a Sha dow Seer
w ho c a n eva lua te exa c tly w ha t the spi ri tua l men a c e is. O n c e a ll
tha t's don e, it's time to do a little ghostbustin g, spi ri tua l
w a rfa re, or skirmishin g a ga in st the Wyrm to sa ve the site a n d
it's hidden spi ri tua l pow er.
T he K in g is Dead! A ra ther gen erous Ra t K in g ha s been
repla c ed by a tyra n t of the w orst sort, a Wa rlord w ho w a n ts to
tra n sform a on c e-pea c eful a n d spiritua l n est in to a dic ta toria l
rea lm. A men tor of a member of the pa c k plea ds for a id, a n d the
Ra t Pa c k join s a c oup a ga in st a pow erful a n d in gen ious Wa rlord.
Evic tion : A huma n f a mi ly ha s sta rted fi xi n g up a n
a ba n don ed b ui ldi n g tha t's a little too c lose to a prosperous
Ra tki n c olon y. T he ra t pa c k dec ides to ea rn a li ttle Ren ow n by
drivin g out the huma n in festa tion . Will they dec ide to be
subtle, or w ill they c ompromise the V eil a n dbrin g retri buti on
a ga in st their tri b e?
1 04 Ratkin
foreshadowing and Current Events
Sin c e the A poc a lypse oversha dow s ev erythi n g in a
Ra tki n c hron ic le, foresha dow in g the en d of the w orld be-
c omes v i ta l. Here's on e useful devic e for brin gin g this in to
a ll-w erera t a dven tures: Begin ea c h session w i th a n exc erpt
from the n ew s tha t show s how the w orld is fa llin g a pa rt. A
n ew s story on terrorism, mi li ti a a c ti vi ty, ma ss destruc tion ,
ec oterrorism, millen n ia lism or just gen era l doomsa yin g c a n
rea lly help to set the mood.
A n y of these in sta n c es c a n be a da pted to the Worldof
Da rkn ess, helpin g flesh out the ba c kgroun d to a Ra tki n
c hron ic le. O n e messa ge shouldbe stressedover a ll others: the
clockis tic kin g. T he fa c t tha t the w orld is doomed plun ges
Ga rou in to despa ir, but for Ra tki n , it offers a li b era ti n g sen se
e en ough time of f r eedom... a n da n xi ety tha t there ma y n ot be en oughti t
to prepa re for the en d. ^^,
Rea ders perusin g this tome a fter the yea r 2 000 w ill ^~
proba bly sc off a t the pre-millen n ia l ton e. A fter a ll, the big
"2 K " ha s c ome a n dgon e, a n dthe w orldstill exists. T hen a ga in ,
w ho sa ys the yea r w hen the w orlden ds ha s to ha ve three zeroes
a t the en d? T here is n o timeta ble for the en d of c rea tion ; on e
ma jor shift in the gods a n d goddesses in the hea ven s, a n d a ll
of huma n soc iety c ould c ome c ra shin g dow n . Ra tki n ha ve
n umerous delusion s a bout the en d of the w orld; n o tw o n eed
obey the sa me dea dlin es. Huma n c iviliza tion should be a
fra gile c on struc t. T he idea if thousa n ds of spirit-tra velin g ra ts
in festin g the w a lls of rea lity just rea ffirms tha t.
Chapter Five: Systems and Storytelling 1 05
"See the cheating? Does Rat Flasher have a werewolf? NO! So
whoo thinks it is fair for a bunch ofcheeters to have a warewolf. N ot,
me says I ."
Sc umda n gle Elfbi ter
Salvaged W isdom
Ra tkin c ha ra c ters sta rt out w i th on e BreedGi ft, on e A spec t
Gi ft, a n d on e Ra tki n Gi ft. For ease of pla y, w e've in c ludedma n y
of the Ra tki n Gifts listed in the Werew olf Pla yers Guide.
Severa l va ri a n ts of Bon e Gn a w er Gifts a re a lso in c luded, a lon g
w i th some va ria tion s from the c ore Werew olf system. How ever,
in the in terest of spa c e a n y Gi fts tha t a re essen tia lly the sa me
a s those presen ted in the c ore rulebook a re n ot repri n tedhere.
U n less otherw ise sta ted, the follow i n g Gi fts a re ta ught by
Ra t-spi ri ts. T his doesn 't mea n , how ever, tha t they're freely
a v a i la b le to Bon e Gn a w ers! Ma ma Ra t ha s given her Ga rou
c hildren en ough a dva n ta ges a lrea dy w i thout ha vi n g to ha n d
them her other kids' b i rthri ght. T o lea rn a n y of these Gi fts tha t
c ouldfea si bly w ork for Ga rou, the Gn a w er is proba bly goin g to
ha ve to go in to a N est a n d a sk for in struc tion w hic h might
just a moun t to suic ide.
in Cjifa
Cloa k of Sha dow s (Level O n e) T he Ra tki n c a n
c loa k himself, a n d a n ythi n g he is touc hin g, in sha dow s. T his
Gi f t is ta ught by a N i ght-spi ri t, w hic h ma y dema n d sec rets in
exc ha n ge for its sa c red kn ow ledge.
System: T he pla yer spen ds a Gn osis poi n t a n d rolls
Ma n i pula ti on + Stea lth. If a w itn ess is presen t, the di f f i c ulty of
this roll is the Perc eption + A lertn ess of tha t w itn ess; if severa l
a re presen t, use the on e w ho w ould presen t the highest di f f i -
c ulty. T he a rea c loa keddepen ds on the n umb er of suc c esses, a s
listed below . If the Ra tki n gets less suc c esses tha n he thought
he did, her reputa tion for trea c hery w i ll in c rea se she might
be the on ly on e hidden !
Suc c esses A rea Cloa ked
O n e the Ra tkin
T w o .. .a n don e other huma n -sized person or objec t
T hree ...a n d three other huma n -sized people, or a n
objec t a s big a s a sma ll c a r
Four .. .a n deight or more huma n s, or a n objec t a s big
a s a sma ll va n
Five+ ... a n d 1 2 or more huma n s, or a n objec t a s big a s
a tra c tor-tra iler truc k
Da rksight (Level O n e) A ll w erera ts possess a low -
level "n ight vision " tha t a llow s them to peer in to the sha dow y
c orn ers of the w orld. T his Gi f t ma gn ifies tha t a bility. Highly
perc eptive Ra tkin ma y pic k up hea t sign a tures, see soun d
w a ves, or possibly see through va rious methods of supern a tura l
obfusc a tion . T his Gi ft is ta ught by a N ight-spirit.
Appendix One: Ratkin G ifts 1 07
System: Roll Perc eption + O c c ult (diffic ulty 7 ); eac h suc c ess
a dds on e die to a ll Perc eption rolls for the rest of the sc ene, up to
a ma ximum of three extra dic e. Withfive suc c esses, he c a n perform
a ma zin g fea ts like seein g soun d or sen sin g hea t sign a tures. A s
desc ribedin Cha pter T w o, a n y Ra tkin c a n spen da poin t of Gn osis
to ga in N i ght V ision for on e sc ene; Ra tkin w ith this Gi ft c a n use
N ight V ision a t a n y time w ithout spen din g Gnosis.
It's a lso possible for a highly perc eptive w erera t to see
through supern a tura l illusion s, like the U kten a Gi ft: Shroudor
the v a mpi r e Di sc i pli n es O b ten eb ra ji on , O b f usc a te or
Chimerstry, but the Ra tki n 's Ra n k must be equa l to or grea ter
tha n the Ra n k of the supern a tura l c rea ture. (T rea t va mpires a s
bein g Ra n k T w o in gen era l, modified for a ge a n d puissa n c e;
ma ges ha ve a Ra n k roughly equiva len t to their A rete -2 ,
mi n i mum of Ra n k O n e.) If the Ra tkin 's Ra n k is grea ter, suc c ess
is a utoma tic . If the w erera t is the same equiva len t Ra n k, he
must ma ke a resisted Perc eption + O c c ult roll a ga in st the
subjec t's Stea lth + O c c ult. If the w erera t sc ores more suc c esses,
he sees through the supern a tura l obfusc a tion .
Resist T oxin (Level O n e) A s the Fia n n a Gi ft.
Sha dow T hrow (Level O n e) While voc a lly express-
in g his a n ger, the Ra tki n c a n form a sha dow y field of pow er
a roun d a da gger or other sha rp objec t ba la n c ed for throw in g.
K n i fe Skulkers, for in sta n c e, ma y c hoose to c a ll out a vi c ti m's
c rime ("Murderer!") w hile formi n g this i n strumen t of reven ge.
When the Ra tki n hur ls his da gger a t a f oe, the bla de is propelled
by the da rkn ess a roun d it a n d strikes w i th supern a tura l forc e.
T his Gi ft is ta ught by a N i ght-spi ri t, w hic hw ill usua lly dema n d
a ta le of a n un pun ishedc rimin a l's da rk sec rets.
System: T he Ra tkin spen ds a Ra ge poin t a n d ta rgets a
sin gle vic tim w i thi n lin e-of-sight; the pla yer rolls Perc eption +
A thletic s to a tta c k (di ffi c ulty 6, w i th the usua l Firea rms modi-
fiers). T he bla de strikes w i th more forc e tha n the w erera t c a n
muster, in flic tin g Stren gth + 3 a ggra va tedda ma ge. If the bla de
is a lrea dy ma gic a l, it in flic ts on ly +2 da ma ge.
Smell Poison (Level O n e) A s a surviva l skill, Ra tki n
ha ve lea rn edto sn i ff out poison s. When a Ra tki n disc overs tha t
someon e is tryin g to poison a member of his dec eit, he ma y
dec ide to return the "blessin g" upon the w ould-be poison er.
T his Gi ft is ta ught by a Ra t-spi ri t.
System: By spen din g a poin t of Gn osis, the w erera t c a n
sense a n y poison ous or toxic ma teria l n ea rby. A suc c essful
Perc eption + Medic in e roll ma y give a n in sight in to the n a ture
of the poison in volved; w i th five suc c esses, it even revea ls the
iden tity of the w ould-be murderer. A s a n other a pplic a tion , the
Ra tkin c a n seek out c hemic a ls n ea rby tha t c a n be useda s poison s.
Stash Ca c he (Level O n e) Ra tkin a ren 't usua lly big on
personal possessions. Ma n y prefer to keep everythin g they needa
kn a psa c k, a briefc a se, or their poc kets. When they n eed to hide
these mea ger items, some prefer to step sidew a ys for just a n in sta n t,
fin din g a little hidey-hole w here they c a n sta sh their stuff. T he
hidin g pla c e might be a little U mbra l tun n el, a hidin g pla c e
gua rdedby a Ra t-spirit, or just some spa c e between the spirit w orld
a n dphysic a l w orld. Ra t-spirits tea c h this Gi ft, but on ly if they c a n
sc ore a portion of the Ra tkin 's sta shfrom time to time; they ma y
w ell exa c t a slight "pa ymen t" from your first sta sh c a c he.
System: Roll perma n en t Gn osis; the di ffi c ulty is the loc a l
Ga un tlet. If you suc c eed, you've foun d a c lever little pla c e to
sta sh a n objec t sma ller tha n a ba c kpa c k or kn a psa c k. T he
^
0
O
^
0
n umber of suc c esses suggests the n umb er of da ys you c a n
proba bly keep it there sa fely. Wa i t too lon g, a n dyour va lua bles
w ill likely either be sn a gged by a Wyld-spirit, c a lc ified by a
Wea ver-spirit, or spoiled by a Ba n e.
Cra w lin g Cha os (Level T w o) A s the Ra ga ba sh Gift:
Fly Feet. Ra ts a re rema rka ble c limbers; they c a n dexterously
gra sp ti n y surfa c es usi n g their c urledpa w s a n d c la w s. Wi th this
Gi f t, their a b i li ty ta kes on supern a tura l proportion s. Perform-
in g this in ra t form is un n ervi n g, doin g this in huma n form is
si mi la rly n a sty, a n d the sight of a Crin os Ra tki n c ra w li n g a lon g
a sheer verti c a l surfa c e c a n be terri fyi n g.
System: Roll Dexterity + A thletic s. T he user c a n c lin g to
verti c a l surfa c es or even c a tc h on to them w hile fa lli n g; the
di ffi c ulty of the roll depen ds on the surfa c e (5 for w oodor ston e;
9 for gla ss or ic e). Defyin g gra vi ty in c rea ses the di ffi c ulty by 1 .
Ra tki n ha ve been kn ow n to sc urry up the sides of ston e
buildin gs in moon light just for the sheer joy of it.
Deep Poc kets (Level T w o) Ca n 't c a rry en oughstuf f ?
T his Gi ft a llow s you store lots of little goodies in your poc kets,
fa r more tha n n orma l. T his Gi f t is ta ught by a Pa c kra t-spirit.
System: Roll Wi ts + En igma s a n dspen don e Gn osis. Ea c h
suc c ess lets you hide a n extra sma ll i tem (n o la rger tha n your
ha n d) in side a c on ven ien t poc ket. If you're ever sea rc hed, n on e
of these extra items w ill turn up, but if you lose the poc ket (or
your c lothes), you c a n 't retri ev e the items in side. Ea c h time you
remove a n i tem, you n eed to use the Gi f t to put i t ba c k a ga i n .
If you n eedto rec a ll a n i tem in sta n tly from your Deep Poc kets,
spen d a poin t of Ra ge, a n d it's there.
Sn itc h (Level T w o) Y ou've got a ta len t for ga therin g
sec rets. A s lon g a s you c a n see someon e's fa c e, you c a n rea dhis
lips. A s lon g a s someon e is w i thi n lin e-of-sight, you c a n hea r
her w hispers. T his Gi ft is ta ught by a Stormc row , a Ga f f li n g of
Gra n dfa ther T hun der.
System: Just roll Perc eption + A lertn ess (di ffi c ulty 4),
w hen ever on e of these situa tion s presen ts itself. T he a moun t of
in forma tion ga thereddepen ds on the n umb er of suc c esses; w i th
fi v e suc c esses, you c a n even ga ther empa thi c i n forma ti on or
un spoken subtexts. If the roll fa i ls, you c a n still spen d a poin t
of Gn osis to ha ve a Ra t-spi ri t sn a tc h up a sma ll fr a gmen t of the
c on versa tion for you.
Ba c kbite (Level T hree) T he Ra tkin c a n disa ppea r
in to the U mbra a n din sta n tly rea ppea r behin dhis oppon en t. T he
w erera t then a tta c ks his vic tim from behin d, gleefully exploitin g
the ben efit of surprise. K n ife-Skulkers ha ve n o qua lms a ga in st
usin g this Gift to fulfi ll a n a ssa ssin a tion c on tra c t.
System: N o roll is n ec essa ry, but the c ha ra c ter must spen d
on e Gn osis a n don e Ra ge. T his U mb ra l "lea p" c a n be up to 5 0
feet, a s lon g a s the v i c ti m is w i thi n lin e-of-sight. If the Ra tki n
c hooses to immedia tely a tta c k, the strike is rolled a t a -2
di ffi c ulty; the di ffi c ulty c a n n ot be reduc edbelow 4. T his a tta c k
c a n n ot be dodged un less the v i c ti m is usin g Da n ger Sen se,
Eva sion , Persec ution Complex or a simila r supern a tura l a bi li ty.
Bolt! (Level T hree) A Ra tki n w i th this Gi ft c a n bolt
out of a n y fi ght. Even if the w erera t is tota lly surroun ded, he w ill
fin d a w a y to esc ape from his foes. T his w orks roughly the sa me
w a y a s the Ba c kbite Gift: the w erera t "leaps" a short dista n c e
through the U mbra to a sa fe pla c e. A w erera t w ho return s to
1 09
t
ba ttle a fter boltin g w ill lose tw o poin ts of Cun n in g Ren ow n ; a
w erera t w ho c hooses the better pa rt of va lor w ill n o doubt esc ape.
System: Spen don e Gn osis; the Ra tkin c a n a ppea r up to 5 0
feet a w a y, a s lon g a s his destin a tion is w i thi n lin e of sight. T hen
spen d a poin t of Ra ge; this a llow s the ra t to use a n extra turn of
movemen t to run a w a y from his enemies. Ha lt the Cow a rd's
Flight w ill n ot preven t the Ra tki n from lea pin g through the
U mbra , but w i ll still slow run n i n g speed a fterw a rd by ha lf.
Squeeze (Level T hree) A ra t c a n c olla pse pa rt of his
skeleton to fit through n a rrow open in gs. A typic a l Rattus
n c w egic us c a n fit through a n open in g a s sma ll a s a qua rter. A
Ra tki n w i th this Gi f t is fa r more impressive, espec ia lly w hen he
uses his spi ri tua l ta len ts to pa ss through seemin gly solidobjec ts.
By b ri efly pa ssin g through the U mb ra , the Ra tki n c a n squeeze
through solidw a lls, doors or other obsta c les. T his Gi f t is ta ught
by a Ra t-spi ri t, w ho often lea ds his protege on a c ha se through
a n in fested b ui ldi n g w hile tea c hin g it.
System: T he pla yer spen ds on e Willpow er a n drolls Dex-
terity + En igma s (di ffi c ulty 6); "squeezin g" through a solid
objec t in c rea ses the di ffi c ulty to 8 . T hree or more suc c esses
a llow the w erera t to pull a n other person through w i th hi m.
Attunement (Level Four) As the Bone Gnawer Gift.
Gn a w (Level Four) Simila r to the Lupus Gi ft of the
sa me n a me.
System: Spen d on e Willpow er a n d roll Sta min a + Sur-
v i v a l. If you suc c eed, your Ra tki n c a n c hew throughjust a bout
a n ythin g. T he di ffi c ulty depen ds upon the ma teria l you're
c hew in g (3 for w ood; 6 for steel c a bles; 9 for ti ta n i um).
Chew in g through a live huma n torso is di ffi c ulty 5 a n d in flic ts
da ma ge equa l to the n umb er of suc c esses on the i n i ti a l roll.
Min dof the T un n els (Level Four) Bloodc a lls to blood.
U sin g this Gi ft, a Ra tkin c a n esta blish a men ta l lin k w i th a n y other
w erera t she kn ow s. T he min dsha rin g is c omplete: emotion a l,
in tellec tua l a n d spiritua l un dersta n din g c a n be exc ha n ged. T he
Ra tkin ha s to ha ve a c tua lly met her subjec t in the flesh a t least onc e;
"rememberin g" him through Blood Memory isn 't good en ough.
System: Spen d on e Willpow er a n d roll In telligen c e +
Empa thy (di ffi c ulty 7 ). O n e suc c ess a llow s you to c ommun e
c ompletely w i th the c hosen Ra tkin . For ea c h a ddition a l suc c ess,
you c a n brin g on e more w erera t in to this "psyc hic frien ds
n etw ork." Y ou rema in the n exus of a ll in forma tion flow in g
through the n etw ork, a n d you c a n li mi t w ha t sen sa tion s ea c h
Ra tkin rec eives from the others. Werera ts in the "tun n el min d"
mode c a n n ot obta in in forma tion from the other Ra tki n by forc e.
Perfec t Poison (Level Five) T he w erera t's spittle c a n be
c on verted in to a n odorless, c olorless, fa st-a c tin g a n dn ea rly un de-
tec ta ble poison . She ma y even dec ide to lic k her bla de to c oa t it
w ith the foul c ompoun d. When exposedto a ir, the toxin c a n la st
for up to three hours. T his Gi ft c a n be ta ught by a Sn a ke-spirit,
a lthough it's ea sier to lea rn from a Spider-spirit. Sn a ke-spirits ma y
try to betra y, exploit or ea t the Ra tkin w ho study un der them.
System: T he w erera t must spen don e Gn osis to poison her
sa liva . If she c a n in troduc e the poison to the v i c ti m's blood-
strea m or ma ke him in gest it, the toxin in sta n tly ta kes effec t. A
vic tim ta kes tw o levels of a ggra va ted da ma ge eac h turn onc e
in fec ted; she ma y soa k on ly w i th Sta min a , soa kin g a hea lth
level w i th ea c h suc c ess. A lthough Resist T oxin w orks a ga in st
the sa liva , Mother's T ouc h does n ot. If the v i c ti m c a n c on ti n ue
to resist da ma ge for 1 0turn s a n d live, the poison is exudedfrom
the body (c hoose the orific e or sw ea t gla n dof your c hoic e). A n y
sha pec ha n ger w i th Ra ge c a n spen dRa ge to resist ga i n i n g a n
a utoma ti c suc c ess for ea c h poi n t burn ed but the 'c ha n ger
must immedia tely c hec k for fren zy a s a result.
Pla gue Bite (Level Five) Lon g before the Pla gue
Lords return ed to Ea rth, Ra tki n elders developed on e of the
most v i rulen t disea ses the w orldha s ever seen . With on e joyous
bite, a w erera t blessed w ith this disea se c a n in fec t a vic tim's
c en tra l n ervous system. T he symptoms of the disea se a re
hideous. T he v i c ti m c a n n ot stop sha kin g, his muc ous mem-
bra n es ooze, a n d he drools c on ti n uously.
U n less the v i c ti m is immedia tely ta ken to a hospita l, he w i ll
un doubtedly perish. Even w i th trea tmen t, his c ha n c es of surviva l
a re slim. A s pa rt of Ra t's blessin g, if other w erera ts ea t the flesh
of a pla gue vic tim, they too bec ome c a rriers of the disea se, rea dy
to sprea d it a ga in w i th a suc c essful bi te a tta c k! A s on e w ould
expec t, Ra tkin a n dtheir K in folk a re immun e to the Pla gue Bite,
a n d don 't in voke it un less the pun ishmen t fits the c rime.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis, a n dyour high-ra n kin g Ra tkin
c a n tra n smit c on ta gion through his in c isors. A suc c essful bite
sprea ds the disease. O nc e bitten , the vic tim w ill ta ke a hea lthlevel
of a ggra va tedda ma ge eac h hour. Sinc e he w ill n ot stop sha kin g, a ll
diffic ulties for his rolls a re a t a +3 pen a lty. T he pla gue c a n be c ured
by the Gift: Resist T oxin a n d simila r Gifts; otherw ise, the vic tim
ta kes a ggra va tedda ma ge ea c h hour un til he is In c a pa c ita ted.
When this ha ppen s, he's a llow ed a fin a l Sta min a roll
diffic ulty 8 (the +3 modifier does n ot a pply to this roll). If he fa ils, he
dies. Ifhe suc c eeds, he rema in s ill for a n other da y or so, but the pla gue
w ill n ot be fa ta l. If the vic tim is a shapec han ger, supern a tura l hea lin g
w ill even tua lly brea k dow n the disease, but in the mea n time, the
"shakes" w ill still be a pa in in the a ss... a n deveryw here else.
O f c ourse, some Ga rou ha rbor a grudge over this sort of thin g.
U sin g this sac redkn ow ledge too frequen tly w ill remin d them of
how muc h they ha te your kin d, a n d they'll resume killin g every
Ra tkin on sight. T his leads to the use of other in sidious Gifts.
Riot (Level Five) A s the Bon e Gn a w er Gi ft of the
same n a me.
Survivor (Level Five) Simila r to the Bon e Gn a w er
Gi f t of the sa me n a me.
System: T he Ra tki n spen ds on e poin t of Gn osis; the
effec ts la st for on e da y. T he w erera t a lso ga in s three poin ts of
Sta min a (a lthough this c a n n ot be used to soa k da ma ge fr om
direc t physic a l a tta c ks), ign ores a ll w oun dpen a lties, a n d ga in s
on e Wi llpow er poin t if she is ever a bout to die.
Gifts
Hotnfo Gifts
U n like ma n y other Ra tkin Gifts, homidGifts a re usua lly
ta ught by A n c estor-spirits.
Cookin g (Level O n e) A s the Bon e Gn a w er Gi ft.
Ea u de Ra t (Level O n e) T he in toxic a tin g sc en t of ra t
is n ot fully a pprec ia tedby a ll ma mma ls. In fa c t, most huma n s fin d
it dow n right foul, as do the Ja gglin gs a n dGa fflin gs of the Wea ver.
\,
Ratkin
1
System: Spen d on e Ra ge poin t a n d roll Cha risma +
Pri ma l-U rge, di ffi c ulty 7 . Huma n s a n d Wea ver-spirits w ho a re
dow n w in d from Ea u de Ra t lose on e die from their dic e pools
w hen w i thi n 2 0feet; lesser Wea ver Ga ffli n gs a re likely to flee.
T he effec ts la st for a sc ene.
Persua sion (Level O n e) T he other breeds ha ve a low
opin ion of huma n i ty, but tha t's just bec a use they don 't kn ow how
to dea l w i th people. Y ou've got a ta len t for a n y soc ia l situa tion
in volvin g huma n bein gs. O f c ourse, Ra tkin a lso ha ve a reputa -
tion for dec eption , sin c e they ha ve little rega rd for the huma n
ra c e. Remember: Betra y others before you betra y other w erera ts!
System: T his w orks a little differen tly tha n the Ga rou version
of this Gift. Spend on e Gn osis a n d roll Cha risma + Subterfuge;
ea c h suc c ess low ers the diffic ulty of Soc ial rolls by on e (to a
ma ximum modifier of-3 or a min imum diffic ulty of 4). T he effec ts
of this Gi ft la st for on e sc ene. Brooklyn a c c en ts a re option a l.
In stin c t (Level T w o) Some li ttle roden t bea sties a re
kn ow n for thei r "impulse c on trol problems." Homid Ra tki n
lea rn to c on ta in these in stin c ts a s best they c a n . Wi th a little
spi ri tua l a c umen , they c a n even in ten sify these feelin gs in
c rea tures a roun dthem. A vic tim overw helmedby in stin c t w ill
follow his ba sest impulse for a bri ef momen t. (If this is a
c ha ra c ter, the rolepla yer shouldn a me the fi rst thin g tha t c omes
to mi n d; if it isn 't, the Storyteller should immedia tely impro-
vise somethin g f oul). Rea c tion s c a n be petty or bruta l, depen d-
in g on the vic tim's i n i ti a l fra me of min d.
System: Spen d on e Ra ge a n d roll perma n en t Ra ge; the
di ffi c ulty is the vic tim's Willpow er. A lon gside this, you've got
to do somethin g highly a n n oyin g to spa rk your ta rget's displa y
of a n ger. A t the Storyteller's disc retion , usin g this a b i li ty on
a n other pla yer's c ha ra c ter mi ght in c rea se the di f f i c ulty by 2 .
T he effec ts la st for on e turn .
Stic ky Fin gers (Level T w o) Huma n s ha ve too muc h
da mn stuff for their ow n good; you on ly ta ke w ha t you n eed, but
you don 't c a re w ho it c omes from. T his G ift uses misdirec tion a n d
distra c tion to boost stuff from huma n s w i thjust the most c a sua l
c on ta c t. Bump in to them or ta lk to them, a n dyou c a n ta ke w ha t
you n eed. Just remember to use everythin g you ta ke.
System: A n y Ra tki n w i th this Gift fin ds it ea sier to sn a tc h
li ttle objec ts (items sma ller tha n a huma n 's ha n d) from the
un a w a re. Roll Dexterity + Subterfuge a n d spen d on e Will-
pow er to sn a g w ha t you n eed. T he di ffi c ulty depen ds on how
w ell-gua rded the objec t is. T his doesn 't a pply to w ea pon s
w ielded in c omba t, by the w a y.
Di ffi c ulty O bjec t's A c c essibility
6 sittin g in pla in sight
7 c lutc hed in someon e's ha n d
8 in a poc ket or on a w rist
9 a roun d someon e's n ec k or promin en tly w orn
1 0 enc asedin somethin g else (likea briefc a seorw a llet)
If the sc am in volves ta lkin g to someone fa c e-to-fa c e, the
diffic ulty is in c reased by 1 (to a ma x of 1 0). Just bumpin g in to
someone or "a c c iden ta lly" kn oc kin g someone over is muc h ea sier.
Resha pe O bjec t (Level T hree) A s the homidGa rou
Gi ft, sa ve tha t it's ta ught by a Wyld-spirit (in terestin gly en ough).
Appendix One: Ratkin G ifts
O f Ra t a n dMa n (Level T hree) With a bit of pra c tic e,
homidbreedRa tki n c a n lea m to a ssume a form betw een Homid
a n dCrin os, ra ther like a Ga rou's Gla bro form. T hough the c ritter
still a ppea rs very huma n , his "ra tlike" fea tures bec ome exa gger-
a ted en ough tha t a n yon e c a n n otic e them. Bea dy eyes, a sha rp
n ose, gn a rled ha n ds a n d a stoop a re the most c ommon ly dis-
pla yedtra its. Huma n s fi n d this un n ervin g; ra ts fin d it c ha rmin g.
While in this form, ma n y of the a spec ts of mislea din g a n d
betra yin g huma n s bec ome muc h ea sier.
System: Spen don e Ra ge a n dspen don e turn shiftin g. T he
follow i n g A ttribute modifiers a pply w hile in "n ea r ma n " form:
Dexterity +2 , Cha risma +1 (to ra ts), Cha risma -1 (to huma n s),
a n d Perc eption +2 . Best of a ll, w hile in this c un n in g form, your
Subterfuge a n d Stea lth rolls' diffic ulties a re reduc ed by 2 .
A ttun emen t (Level Four) A s the Bone Gn a w er Gi ft.
Body Wra c k (Level Four) A s the Blac k Fury Gift.
U gly T ruth (Level Five) Like the homidGa rouGi ft:
Pa rt the V eil. T he Ra tkin must bi te or c la w a huma n vic tim to
tra n smit this Gi ft. Moreover, his experien c e is "embellished" by
vision s simila r to those gra n tedby the Birthin g Pla gueusua lly
torturous remin ders of the da n gers of huma n overpopula tion . If
the w erera t w a n ts to fin ish off the experien c e by pun ishin g the
gui lty huma n , he c a n ma ke the disea se extremely toxic . A t the
en d of the sc en e, the vic tim w ill then be ra va ged by the la st
lin gerin g effec ts of the in fec tion .
System: T he roll to bite or c la w is ma de n orma lly; the pla yer
then rolls Cha risma + Empa thy (diffic ulty 6) a n d spen ds on e
Gn osis. T he w erera t ha s the option of in flic tin g da ma ge w i th this
Gi ft; he does n ot n eedto dec la re this un ti l the en dof the sc en e.
If the huma n is w orthy of pun ishmen t, he ta kes a ggra va ted
da ma ge; the n umber of hea lth levels he loses is equa l to the
n umber of suc c esses on the in itia l Cha risma + Empa thy roll.
W etis Gifts
Cloa k of Sha dow s (Level O n e) A s the Level O n e
Ra tkin Gi ft.
Ra t Mother's T ouc h (Level O n e) Metis spen da grea t
dea l of their forma ti v e yea rs in n ests w here Ra t Mothers breed.
A lmost every da y they're grow in g up, metis ha ve to pa tc h the
w oun ds their brothers a n d sisters in flic t on ea c h other.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll In telligen c e + Medi -
c in e (di f f i c ulty 6). If the Gi f t is used to hea l Ga rou, the
di ffi c ulty is 7 . Ea c h suc c ess hea ls on e hea lth level. T here is n o
li mi t to the n umb er of times you c a n use this Gi ft, but ea c h use
requires a poi n t of Gn osis. T his ta len t w orks on both a ggra -
va ted a n d n on -a ggra va ted w oun ds.
Sense Wyrm (Level O n e) T he Ra tkin c a n detec t the
foul sten c h of the Wyrm through a n y of his sen ses; he c a n a lso
w hisper to n ea rby Ra t-spi ri ts to fi n d out w ha t they kn ow . Sense
Wyrm a lw a ys requires a c tive c on c en tra tion .
System: T his w orks a li ttle di fferen tly from the Ga rou
version . Roll Perc eption + O c c ult (di ffi c ulty 6). T he n umb er of
suc c esses requi red is ba sed on the c on c en tra tion a n d stren gth
of the Wyrm's in fluen c e. (A fomor in a n empty room, for
in sta n c e, w ould on ly require on e suc c ess.) V a mpires c a n be
sen sedw i th this a b i li ty, but on ly if their Huma n i ty is below 7 .
Spirit of the Spin y Ra t (Level T w o) T he South
A meri c a n spin y ra t surroun ds itself w i th sha rp qui lls to protec t
itself a ga in st preda tors. T his ta len t is si mi la r to the Gi ft of the
Porc upin e, though n ot a s dea dly.
System: Sproutin g spin es requires a poi n t of Ra ge; the
Ra tkin must be in Crin os or Ra t T hin g form. A n yon e w ho
gra pples, body sla ms or immobilizes the metis (or is on the
rec eivin g en dof these moves) ta kes a ggra va tedda ma ge equa l to
the w erera t's Stren gth + 1 . T he spin es la st for on e turn for every
poin t of the ra t's perma n en t Ra ge.
Stin k (Level T w o) T he Ra tkin c a n emit a horrific odor
den se en ough to sa tura te a ten -by-ten -foot a rea . (Exa c tly how he
does this is en tirely up to youpla yers a re not requiredto simula te
this smell w ith bodily fun c tion s in a n y w a y durin g the ga me.)
System: Spen don e Gn osis a n droll In telligen c e + O c c ult.
A n yon e w a n ti n g to rema in in the a rea must ma ke a c on tested
Willpow er roll (di f f i c ulty 7 ) a n d exc eed the metis' suc c esses.
Ra t T hin g (Level T hree) Wi th a bit of pra c tic e,
metis Ra tki n c a n lea rn to ta ke on a form betw een Crin os a n d
Roden s, ra ther like the w ell-kn ow n Ga rou Hispo form. T he
result is a gi a n t, lumb eri n g Ra t T hin g: a lon g, f ur r y qua dra peda l
roden t a bout the size of a la rge dog.
System: Roll Sta min a + Pri ma l-U rge, di f f i c ulty 7 . Shi ft-
in g from Roden s or Crin os requires on e suc c ess; shi fti n g fr om
Homidform requires three suc c esses. A s usua l, spen din g a poi n t
of Ra ge w i ll a utoma ti c a lly shift the c ha ra c ter in to this form.
T he Ra t T hin g's Physic a l A ttri b utes a re Stren gth +4, Dexteri ty
+ 1 , Sta min a +1 ; the b rute is fa r stron ger tha n it is a gile, but it
c a n lumber a lon g a t three times n orma l run n i n g speed. If the
rest of the pa c k is in Roden s for m, they c a n ea sily ride on the
ba c k of this bea st of b urden . Wi th a bsolute obedien c e, it w i ll
c a rry them through hell a n d hi gh-w a ter on its f ur r y ba c k.
U n fortun a tely, size is tra dedoff for in telligen c e. A w erera t
in Ra t T hin g form ha s a n effec ti v e In telligen c e of 1 , a n d c a n
on ly follow the simplest orders. It c a n n ot spea k, sa ve for va gue
grumblin g n oises. Its Ma n i pula ti on sc ore is a lso effec ti v ely 0.
T houghit is too den se to be a ffec ted by a n y kin dof supern a tura l
mi n dc on trol, it ha s the a tten ti on spa n of a tw o-yea r-oldhuma n
c hild. Pity the stupi d, stupi d Ra t T hin g.
Sliver T ooth (Level T hree) T he Ra tkin 's inc isors
splin ter in to n a sty sha rds a s they pierc e flesh, imbeddin g deep
a n d preven tin g hea lin g.
System: A fter a suc c essful, da ma gin g bite a tta c k, the
Ra tki n c a n spen d a poin t of Ra ge to a c ti v a te the Gi ft. A n y
da ma ge tha t the ta rget doesn 't soa k c a n n ot be hea led un ti l a ll
the splin ters of tooth a re removed; a s usua l, the bite c oun ts a s
a ggra va ted da ma ge a s w ell. Removin g the splin ters is very
tric ky w ork, a s they c a n get pretty sma ll.
T he metis rec eives on e a utoma ti c , un a ggra va ted hea lth
level of da ma ge; she c a n n ot soa k it, but c a n regen era te a s usua l.
U n ti l she does, she c a n n ot ma ke bi te a tta c ks.
Ra tkin Lulla by (Level Four) Few Wyrm c rea tures
c a n be a s foul or disobedien t a s Ra tki n rugra ts. Sometimes
hypera c tive ra tlin gs w ould muc h ra ther c limb the w a lls tha n
submi t to sleep. A fter yea rs of helpin g li ttle on es get rea dy for
beddy-bye, metis lea rn skills useful for la ter in li fe. T hrough a
c ombin a tion of spi ri tua l c a lmn ess, a ra spy sin gin g voic e, a n d
Ratkin
T
w eird-a ss Ra tki n lyric s, a metis c a n ma ke his en emies drow sy,
or even forc e them in to un c on sc iousn ess.
System: Spen d a poin t of Gn osis a n d roll Ma n i pula ti on +
Expression ; the diffic ulty is either the vic tim's Ra ge + 3 (if he's
a sha pec ha n ger) or a 6 (if n ot). Suc c ess brin gs a sha pec ha n ger
or v a mpi re out of a f r en zy, or c a lms dow n a huma n w ho's
rea c tin g violen tly to the Delirium. T he v i c ti m ma kes a simple
Willpow er roll; the di ffi c ulty is 3 plus the n umber of suc c esses
you sc ored (ma xi mum of 9). If the roll suc c eeds, he feels sleepy,
ga in in g a +1 di ffi c ulty to a ll die rolls for the rest of the sc en e. If
it fa ils, the vic tim's diffic ulties a re a t +3 (to a ma ximum of 9).
O n a botc h, the v i c ti m fa lls a sleep.
Whelp Body (Level Four) AstheGarouRagabashGift.
Wa r of V en gea n c e (Level Five) Ga rou sta lkin g
through the deep w ildern ess use the Gift: Son g of the Grea t Bea st
to c a ll up the spirits of legen da ry c rea tures tha t sta lkedthe Ea rth
millen n ia ago. A roden s Ra tkin w i th the Gi ft: Wa r of V en gea n c e
c a n do the sa me thin g... but he c a n also c a ll up the shades of
a n c ien t c rea tures sla in lon g a go by w erew olves a n d ma gi.
System: Spend on e Gn osis a n d roll Perc eption + Prima l-
U rge (diffic ulty 7 ). T he n umber of suc c esses determin es the spirit's
a n ger. It w ill rema in summon edfor on e sc en e, durin g w hic h it c a n
betra y lon g-forgotten sec rets or even a tta c k if a w erew olf or ma ge
is presen t. If sta ts a re required, ta ke a n umber of poin ts equa l to the
w erera t's suc c esses times ten , a n d divide it a mon g the spirit's four
T ra its (Ra ge, Gn osis, Willpow er a n dPow er); n o T ra it sa ve Pow er
c a n be ra ised a bove 1 0. T he spirit does n ot ha ve Cha rms, c a n n ot
reform, a n d w ill n ot go in to Slumber if destroyed.
( ftob ens G ifts
A bsolute Ba la n c e (Level O n e) Ra ts ha ve a n a ma zin g
sen se of ba la n c e: they c a n w a lk a lon g c lotheslin es, the moorin gs
of ships, a n dn a rrow rooftops w itha ma zin g a gility. A roden s usin g
A bsolute Ba la n c e c a n ma in ta in her footin g on a n y solidsurfa c e,
in c ludin g ic e, the slic k bottom of a riverba n k, a grea sedsurfa c e,
or a sn ow drift. T he best pa rt: the ra t doesn 't lea ve tra c ks.
System: Roll Dexteri ty + A thletic s, di ffi c ulty 6; extremely
trea c herous surfa c es ma y raise the diffic ulty to 7 or 8 . If
c limbin g proves n ec essa ry, the ra te still depen ds on the Dexter-
ity + A thletic s roll, but the Ra tki n c a n n ot fa ll for the dura ti on
of the sc en e. If the fea t is somethin g a n ordin a ry ra t c a n
n orma lly perform, n o roll is n ec essa ry; this a pplies even if the
Ra tki n is in Homid or Crin os form. T he Storyteller, of c ourse,
c a n still proc la im some fea ts of ba la n c e impossible.
Leap of the K a n ga roo Ra t (Level O n e) A ka n ga roo ra t
c a n propels itself w ith lea ps of six to eight feet a t top speed. When
surprised, it c a n lea p up to 2 4 feet, a ra ther a stoun din g fea t for a
bea stie a bout 1 5 in c hes lon g. With the use of its ta il, it c a n even
c ha n ge its direc tion in mid-a ir. N ow pic ture a n in e-foot Crin os
w erera t ta kin g a dva n ta ge of the same skills. A lthough ka n ga roo
ra ts a ren 't members of the fa mily rodentia (they're ma rsupia ls), this
supern a tura l Gift is still bestow edby K a n ga roo Ra t-spirits.
System: T here a re tw o a pplic a tion s of this Gi ft. T he
Ra tki n c a n lea p on c e up to three times its n orma l jumpi n g
di sta n c e. A ltern a ti v ely, she c a n "lon g-run " w i th a series of
sma ller jumps (up to tw ic e i ts jumpi n g di sta n c e). U sin g the Gi ft
for on e ma ssive lea p ha s n o deleterious effec ts; just roll Sta min a
+ A thletic s (di ffi c ulty 7 ) a n d ga in a t lea st on e suc c ess. Lon g-
run n i n g, how ever, requires a poi n t of Ra ge for ea c h hour of
tra vel. Ea c h hour, the Ra tkin should roll her Sta mi n a ; a fa i led
roll in flic ts a hea lth level of n on -a ggra va tedda ma ge tha t c a n 't
be regen era tedun ti l the w erera t rests. Lon g-run n in g a llow s a n
a vera ge of ten miles a n hour.
Surviva l (Level O n e) T he ra t does n ot n eedfood or
w a ter for a full da y. Just a s the ka n ga roo ra t c a n susta in himself
w i th seeds he fin ds in the desert, the Ra tki n c a n improvise a
method of foresta lli n g sta rva tion . T his Gi ft is ta ught by a
K a n ga roo Ra t-spirit.
System: T his requires the use of on e Gn osis a n da suc c essful
Wits + Surviva l roll. T he diffic ulty depen ds on the mere proximity
of food, even in ac c essible food (3 for the ba semen t of a superma r-
ket; 6 for a n urba n a rea or forest w ildern ess; 9for a va st desert).
Devour the Dead (Level T w o) T he user c a n c a ll up a
sw a rm of Ra t-spirits to devour a dea dbody a n dremove a ll physic a l
eviden c e in the immedia te vic in ity. Roden s K n ife-Skulkers often
use this Gi ft to dispose of the bodies of their vic tims.
System: Spen don e Gn osis; a sw a rm of Ra t-spi ri ts a ppea rs
from n ow here a n d c on sumes the dea d body, bones a n d a ll,
w i thi n three turn s. U n fortun a tely, a ll items c urren tly on the
body w i ll be c a rried off in to the U mb ra , w here they'll be
c a refully hidden . Remember to loot the body first.
Sc a mper (Level T w o) T his a b i li ty c a n ma ke a fleei n g
roden s Ra tki n muc h ha rder to hi t.
System: O n the turn you dec ide to sta rt Sc a mperin g, spen d
on e Ra ge. T o use the Gift, the ra t must be usin g a n "a ll-out
dodge" durin g c omba t: tha t is, settin g a side her en ti re dic e pool
for dodgin g. If she does, the di ffi c ulty for dodgin g sta rts out a t a
4, rega rdless of w ha tever c over is a va ila ble. T he Gi ft w ill la st a s
lon g a s you keep dodgin g, up to the en tire len gth of the c omba t.
Spen din g extra Ra ge a llow s extra a c tion s in a turn , but these
must a lso be dodges. A s usua l, ea c h a ddition a l a tta c ker tryin g to
hit the Ra tkin in a turn ra ises the diffic ulty for dodgin g by 1
(un less you spen d a poin t of Ra ge for ea c h a ddition a l dodge).
T his c a n n ot be used in c on jun c tion w i th the Gi ft: Eva sion .
Itc hy (Level T hree) Y ea rs ago, a small pac k of Ra t-spirits
ac c essedthe T elevision Zone in the U mbra . When they c a me ba c k,
the results w eren 't pretty. Loc al c a rtoon mic e ha d ta ught them
thin gs Ra ts Were N ot Mea n t to K n ow . T he Itc hy Gi ft a llow s a
Ra tkin in the U mbra to sha pec ha n ge in to a form tha t c a n employ
ma n y of the Ca t-a n d-Mouse ta c tic s used in c lassic c artoon s.
System: "T a kin g Itc hy form" is n ot subtle; a ll of the c olors
in the Ra tkin 's fur bec ome muc h brighter tha n rea lity c a n
n orma lly ma n a ge. T he w erera t even begin s to move like a
c a rtoon mouse, a n da n y c rea ture he dec ides to sta lk w i ll hea r a n
ma c a bre pa rody of c a rtoon music . Spen don e Gn osis a n d
roll In telligen c e + En igma s, di ffi c ulty 6.
Itc hy-form Ra tki n ha ve the sta tistic s
of Roden s for m, but c a n ta ke ridic ulous
a moun ts of da m-
a ge a n dlive; the
n umber of extra
suc c esses on the
in itia l roll bec ome
tempora ry hea lth levels for
the dura tion of on e sc ene.
Appendix One: Ratkin G ifts
I
T hese extra levels on ly a pply to n on -a ggra va ted da ma ge; the
c la w s a n d teethof supern a tura l c rea tures rema in just a s dea dly.
By spen din g on e Ra ge, you c a n a lso form a c a rtoon w ea pon for
on e sc en e; the n on -a ggra va tedda ma ge it in flic ts is equa l to your
perma n en t Ra ge. Y ou c a n on ly devise on e c a rtoon w ea pon or
tra p a t a ti me, w hic h fizzles out a t the en d of the sc en e.
For some rea son , c a rtoon ra ts ha ve un usua lly ela stic bod-
ies, w hic h c a n distort in to a ll the sha pes you'd expec t in
a n ima tion . A n Itc hy form-roden s" eyes c a n litera lly bugout, a
hea rt poun din g in your c hest ma y sw ell severa l in c hes outside
of your body, a n d so on . T he Storyteller ha s c on trol over this;
toon out a t your ow n risk. Sin c e this Gi ft c a n on ly be used in
the U mbra , n o on e n eeds to w orry a bout shreddin g the V eil.
Sliver T ooth (Level T hree) A s the Ra tki n metis Gi ft.
Comma n d Metis (Level Four) Ra tkin metis a c t a s
lac keys to the roden s w ho domin a te c olon y politic s. Should
on e bec ome disobedien t, a high-ra n kin g Ra tkin c a n forc e him
to obey his w ill.
System: Spendon e Gnosis a n droll Charisma + Leadership
(the di ffi c ulty is the metis' Willpow er); the n umber of w ords in
your c omma n d must equa l the n umber of suc c esses. Y our c om-
ma n dmust be a c omplete sen ten c e (in c ludin g impera tives); on e
suc c ess mea n s your c omma n dis on e verb. By the w a y, this a bility
c a n n ot be usedon a Ra tkin metis w ho is of a higher ra n k tha n you
a re, or on a metis in fren zy! T he effec ts la st for on e sc en e; if the
a c tion stron gly goes a ga in st the metis' c ha ra c ter, the Storyteller
ma y a llow a Willpow er roll (di ffi c ulty 9) to modify the c omma n d.
T his c a n n ot, how ever, override the metis' surviva l in stin c ts.
Min dof the Sw arm (Level Four) O nc e a sw a rm of ra ts
ha s been summon ed, or if you en c oun ter them in the w ild, you c a n
c on trol them through sheer forc e of w ill. Y ou c a n n ot motiva te
them to assault a n ythin g in their pa th (tha t requires the Rite of the
Sw a rm), but you c a n direc t their movemen ts. T his Gift c a n also be
usedto summon up a few extra ra ts or Ra t-spirits for the dura tion
of on e sc ene; oddly en ough, it's ta ught by a Ra t-spirit.
System: T he size of the sw a rm you c a n c on trol depen ds on
a Ma n i pula ti on + A n i ma l K en roll. Spen din g a poin t of Gn osis
a n da poin t of Willpow er isn 't a big pric e to ask. T he effec ts last
for a n umb er of hours equa l to the roden s Ra tkin 's Willpow er.
Suc c esses Sw a rm Size
1 up to 1 3 ra ts (n orma l ra ts)
2 up to 2 0ra ts
3 up to 3 0ra ts (la rge ra ts)
4 up to 40ra ts
5 up to 5 0ra ts (big-a ss ra ts)
If the roden s c a n ga ther a ll of these ra ts in to on e pla c e before
the Rite of the Sw a rm is in voked, the diffic ulty for the ritua list's
fin a l roll is dec rea sedby 2 . Y ou c a n 't summon up a llies in a ddition
to those summon edby the Rite of the Sw a rm, but if you like, you
c a n a ttra c t tw o extra ra ts for eac h suc c ess on your in itia l roll.
Furtive Ga therin g (Level Five) In Ra tkin in festa tion s,
high-ra n kin g w erera ts bec ome ma sters of c on spirac ies a n dpolitic s.
T hrough this Gi ft, a Ra tkin c a lls upon the spirits to surroun d a
sec retive meetin g of ra ts a n d w erera ts. T his must be don e in
priva c y, but on c e un derta ken , n o on e c a n c ommun ic a te w ith the
c on spira tors... or even kn ow they a re there. O ddly en ough, this
Gift is ta ught by a Stormc row -spirit, sin c e Gra n dfa ther T hun der
sympa thizes w i th the Ra tkin ra c e's n eedfor reven ge.
System: Spen don e Gn osis a n droll In telligen c e + O c c ult;
the di ffi c ulty is the level of the loc a l Ga un tlet. T he Ra tkin a re
sea ledoff from a ll in terruption s; a n yon e w ho w a n ders in to the
a rea c a n n ot sen se a n y a spec t of the f ur ti v e ga therin g. T he
w erera ts, on e a n d a ll, a re in visible to a ll senses.
Aspect
funnel (Runner Gifts
Da n ger Sen se (Level O n e) N o on e lives w i th more
da n ger tha n a Ra tki n T un n el Run n er. When a w erera t is
prepa red for the w orst, her sen ses bec ome hypera tten ua ted,
developin g a sixth sen se for un seen perils. A s the old w ives'
ta les suggest, if a ship is sin kin g, the ra ts kn ow of it first. T his
Gi ft is gen erously bestow ed by a Ra t-spi ri t.
If a Ra t's Da n ger Sense is w orkin g, he rec eives a n overw helm-
in g sen sory impulse mere momen ts before the disa ster oc c urs. T his
impulse doesn 't ha ve to be a n image; it c ould be the smell of a
sulfurous explosion -to-be, the soun d of a w a ll c rea kin g before it
gives w a y, or simply a n un ea sy sensation surgin g through tw itc hin g
w hiskers. T he pla yer represen tin g the Ra tkin c a n then dec la re a
pa n ic ky a c tion in a n tic ipa tion of the disa ster a bout to ha ppen .
System: When ever a T un n el Run n er w ith this Gift is n ea r
immin en t da n ger, the Storyteller should roll the c ha ra c ter's
Wi ts + A lertn ess. (T he di ffi c ulty is n orma lly a 6, but un seen
supern a tura l da n gers ma y in c rea se the di ffi c ulty of the roll to 7
or 8 .) If the roll ga in s a t lea st three suc c esses, the Run n er
rec eives the sen sory fla sh w a rn in g of the da n ger. T he w a rn in g
c a n be quite c ryptic ; it n eed n ot be c rysta l-c lea r.
Sc en t of the T rue Form (Level O n e) Simila r to the
Philodox Gi f t of the sa me n a me.
System: A Ra tki n w ith this Gi ft c a n sen se other w erera ts
in sta n tly. Detec tin g the true form of a n y other supern a tura l
c ri tter requires a Perc eption + Pri ma l-U rge roll, di ffi c ulty 6.
T he n umber of suc c esses required depen ds on the type of
supern a tura l c rea ture he's sn iffin g.
Suc c esses Critter
Zero Ra tki n
O n e Ga rou or Cha n gin g Breed
T w o a n y kin d of K in folk
T hree va mpire or c ha n gelin g
Four ma ge, sorc erer or hedge-w iza rd
Five+ a n y other frea kishly obsc ure bea stie (mummy, etc .)
Silen t Run n in g (Level O n e) Five thousa n d yea rs of
pra c tic e ha s ta ught the w erera ts a lot a bout hidin g from
un w a n ted a tten ti on . T his Gi ft obsc ures a Ra tki n 's pa th of
tra v el to a ll methods of detec tion , supern a tura l or otherw ise.
Ra t-spirits fa lsi fy eviden c e of w here the Run n er ha s been ,
la yin g fa lse tra ils a n d obsc urin g existin g on es. T his n ot on ly
ma kes use of the T ra c kin g A b i li ty di ffi c ult, but a lso c oun tera c ts
methods like the Rite of the Questin g Ston e.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis, c a ll out to your c ha ra c ter's
totem for a id, a n d roll In telligen c e + Sub terfuge. Ea c h suc c ess
raises the diffic ulty of a tra c kin g roll by 1 , to a ma ximum of 1 0;
ea c h a ddition a l suc c esses beyon d tha t subtra c ts a suc c ess from
a n y tra c kin g roll used to fi n d the c ha ra c ter.
Hotw ire (Level T w o) Y ou c a n c irc umven t the
elec tric a l system of a n y vehic le a n d jump-sta r t the en gin e.
Wi th a little more w ork, you c a n even bin da n Elec tri c i ty-spi ri t
to a spa re key, c rea tin g a "spirit key" for the c a r tha t other
Ra tki n c a n use. Some T un n el Run n ers like to tra vel in style,
usin g a n d disc a rdin g c a rs a lon g the w a y.
System: Spen don e Gn osis a n d roll In telligen c e + Repa ir;
T un n el Run n ers ha ve a di ffi c ulty of 8 on this roll, w hile En gi-
n eers ha ve a di ffi c ulty of 6. O n e suc c ess sta rts the en gin e. Y ou
ma y then c ra ft a spirit key by holdin g up a spa re key to the c a r's
elec tric a l system a n d c oa xin g a n elec tric ity elemen ta l in side.
Ma ke a tempora ry Gn osis roll a ga in st the di ffi c ulty of the loc a l
Ga un tlet; the n umber of suc c esses revea ls how lon g the key w ill
w ork. Ea c h suc c ess gua ra n tees the key w ill fun c tion for on e da y
before the spirit esc a pes. O n ly Ra tkin ma y use this spirit key.
Sigil (Level T w o) Wi th this Gi ft, a Ra tki n c a n
en c ode a messa ge in a bit of gr a ffi ti ; on ly other T un n el Run n ers
c a n dec ipher it. T hese ma rks a re often foun d in tra i n ya rds,
outside bus sta tion s, un der freew a ys, a n d a n yw here else tha t
w a n derers frequen t. Most in c lude w a rn in gs a bout ha za rds to be
foun d a hea d. T his Gi ft is ta ught by a Wa n derlust-spirit, on e of
Ra t's ma n y Ga ffli n gs.
System: In sc ribin g the Sigil requires on e Gn osis a n d a
suc c essful In telli gen c e + Pri ma l-U rge roll. T he pla yer w rites
dow n a messa ge up to ten w ords in len gth; the Storyteller
di sti lls this in to a n ima ge other w erera ts w ill rec eive if they
study the glyph. A n y T un n el Run n er c a n n otic e a n ddec ipher
on e of these glyphs w ith a suc c essful Perc eption + Surviva l roll;
if the w erera t isn 't spec ific a lly lookin g for it, the di f f i c ulty is a n
8 (a n d the Storyteller rolls sec retly), but if a T un n el Run n er is
spec ific a lly lookin g for Sigils, the di ffi c ulty is a 6.
U rb a n Ca moufla ge (Level T w o) Experien c edT un -
n el Run n ers don 't look like they're w a n deri n g begga rs; in stea d,
they blen d in w herever they go. A highly ta len tedtra veler c a n
w a n der a lmost a n yw here lookin g like he's a n a ti v e. Why be
in visible w hen you c a n be i gn ored? Run n ers c a rry this to a n
extreme: even w hen ever they're ba refoot a n d broke, n o on e
w i ll question thei r presen c e if the Ra tki n is usin g this Gift.
O ther supern a tura l c rea tures rely on bein g in visible or obfus-
c a ted; w erera ts w i th this ta len t just rema in n on desc ript. U n li ke
other a bilities, you c a n a c ti va te this Gi ft a s soon a s someon e
a pproa c hes you. Disa ppea rin g from pla in view tea rs the V eil
a pa rt; bein g in c on spic uous doesn 't.
System: Roll In telligen c e + Stea lth a n dspen don e Gn osis.
If the n umber of suc c esses exc eeds a view er's Perc eption , you're
n ot in visible, but youw i ll be ign ored. For la rge groups of people,
just use the highest Perc eption ra ti n g in the c row d. T his Gi ft
c a n n ot be used duri n g the stress of c omba t, how ever.
Eva sion (Level T hree) T ra ppin g a ra t is di ffi c ult.
Hi tti n g on e c a n be n igh-impossible. A n yon e w ho's c ha sed a
fer a l ra t through a n a pa rtmen t la te a t n ight ha s experien c ed
this fi rst-ha n d. T un n el Run n ers heighten this in stin c t to super-
n a tur a l levels, espec ia lly w hen they tra vel through rea lms
frequen ted by supern a tura l c rea tures.
System: Durin g c omba t, spen don e Ra ge a n droll Dexterity
+ Dodge (di ffi c ulty 8 ). A dd up the n umber of suc c esses a n d
remember it; ea c h suc c ess c a n be spen t for a n a utoma ti c suc c ess
on a Dexterity + Dodge roll tha t turn . T hese poin ts c a n be spen t
before or after the roll is ma de; if you miss a Dodge roll by on e or
tw o suc c esses, it ma y sa ve your ta il. T he T un n el Run n er c a n n ot
a tta c k w hile usin g Eva sion , but he ma y ta ke other a c tion s. T his
Gi ft c a n 't be useda t the sa me time a s the roden s Gi ft: Sc a mper.
Sec on d Sight (Level T hree) High-ra n kin g T un n el
Run n ers ten dto settle dow n to a few selec t c olon ies, or dec ide to
spen da lifetime a c tin g a s the Sc out for on e tribe. Sta yin g in on e
pla c e for too lon g c a n be in tolera ble un less, of c ourse, the
ma veric k lea rn s to use this Gi ft. By sta rin g in to the eyes of a
youn ger Run n er, the w erera t c a n lea rn to use this sec on d ra t a s
his eyes a n d ea rs outside the N est. T his sec on d Ra tki n must
volun ta rily a gree to this c ommun ion . T his expla in s a c ommon ly
usedta c tic : a T un n el Run n er ma y a gree to be c a pturedby a n est's
en emies to help his c olon y fin d out more in forma tion .
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll Perc eption + Empa -
thy; the di ffi c ulty is equa l to (5 + the sec on dRa tki n 's Ra n k). If
you suc c eed, you c a n c lose your eyes a n d see through the eyes
of this tempora ry a lly. T his effec t la sts on e da y for ea c h suc c ess.
O n c e you a dva n c e beyon d Ra n k T hree, you c a n do this w i th
more tha n on e T un n el Run n er; for ea c h level of Ra n k you ha ve
a bove 3 , you c a n c ommun e w i th a n a ddi ti on a l sc out.
Spea k in T on gues (Level Four) T he Ra tki n c a n
un dersta n d a n y on e huma n la n gua ge for the dura ti on of on e
sc en e. Commun ic a tion is fluen t; n o Lin guistic s roll is required.
System: Spend on e Willpow er, a n d your min d w ill be
flooded w ith kn ow ledge of the n ew la n gua ge. A s for a n y misun -
dersta n din gs or Soc ial rolls tha t result, w ell, tha t's up to you.
T un n el Ec hoes (Level Four) T here a re some tun n els
tha t even Run n ers fea r to trea d. In these pla c es, sc outs often
c ommun ic a te ac ross lon g dista n c es by sc ra pin g on w a lls, ra ttlin g
bon es, c hitterin g to set up ec hoes, a n dso on . High-ra n kin g ra ts
don 't just sprea dmessa ges this w a y; they a lso listen c losely to get
a rough idea of the tun n els a hea d, just in c ase they n eed to bolt
through them. Whisper in a ven tila tion sha ft of a big c orpora te
buildin g, or ra ttle some bon es a t a n open sew er lid, a n dthere's a
c ha n c e you ma y sense a pa ssa gew a y you n ever rea lizedw a s there.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll Perc eption + Perfor-
ma n c e. While performi n g thi s Gi ft, your sen ses w i ll be
hypera tten ua tedfor the dura ti on of the sc en e, espec ia lly to the
soun ds of ec hoes a n drustlin g dow n the system of tun n els you're
usin g. If a n yon e ma kes a loud n oise w hile you're in this sta te,
you'll ta ke on e hea lth level of n on -a ggra va ted da ma ge.
O nc e you ta ke this risk, how ever, you c a n c ommun ic a te to
a n yon e in tha t tun n el system. Ea c h poin t of Willpow er you spen d
a llow s you to rela y on e sen ten c e (up to ten w ords in len gth). A n y
Ra tkin in the tun n el might rec eive this message. U n fortun a tely,
the ha rmon ic s get distorted over dista n c e; a n other T un n el
Run n er usin g this Gift w on 't rec eive the w ords you sen t, but
in stea d, detec t a sen sory ima ge tha t rela ys the sa me in forma tion .
T his ima ge c a n be in terc epted by other T un n el Run n ers w ho
spen da poin t of Gn osis a n dma ke a suc c essful BloodMemory roll
(di ffi c ulty 8 ); other sha pec ha n gers, huma n s, or supern a tura l
c rea tures just hea r un ea rthly subterra n ea n n oises.
Even if you don 't spen d Willpow er, you c a n a lso roll
tempora ry Gn osis to get a sen se of a sec tion of the tun n el
system. Wi th three suc c esses, you mi ght a lso get a vi si on of
t
Appendix One: Ratkin Gifts 1 1 5
someon e sta lkin g dow n there. With five suc c esses, you ma y
un c over a sec ret tun n el, a n en tra n c e to a room you n eed to
a c c ess, or a n objec t tha t ha s been lost or a ba n don ed. When
other sha pec ha n gers go c ra w lin g in the sew ers, they lea rn to
fea r the stra n ge ec hoes ric oc hetin g a roun d them; they foretell
the a pproa c h of a skilled T un n el Run n er!
Cheese It! (Level Five) Wi th this Gi ft, the T un n el
Run n er c a n help his en tire pa c k bolt from da n ger, a lthough
usin g it ten ds to be risky.
System: First, the T un n el Run n er c a lls out a brief phra se
to si gn i fy the use of this Gi ft (e.g., "Everyon e out!") Every
w erera t w ho w a n ts to ta ke a dva n ta ge of this opportun i ty spen ds
on e poi n t of Ra ge; the T un n el Run n er spen ds three. (T he
T un n el Run n er c a n on ly help a n umb er of w erera ts equa l to the
tota l of her perma n en t Ra ge a n dperma n en t Gn osis.) A ll of the
pla yers represen tin g the fleein g ra ts then pla y a quic k ha n dof
Roc k, Pa per, Sc issors. (O n the c oun t of three, everyon e throw s
dow n the ha n d sign a l for roc k, pa per or sc issors.) T he Story-
teller pla ys, too.
Everyon e w ho ma de the sa me c hoic e a s the Storyteller is
luc ky; their Ra tki n bolt to a pla c e of hidin g w i thi n lin e of sight,
even n ea rby rooftops. A n y Ra tki n w ho c hose the most popula r
c hoic e c a n bolt to the n ea rest hidin g pla c e, even if they didn 't
ma ke the sa me c hoic e a s the Storyteller. Every other ra t sta ys
right w here they a re; the Gi f t does n ot w ork for them. If the
T un n el Run n er doesn 't ma ke the sa me c hoic e a s the Story-
teller, he c a n try this Gi f t a ga in n ext roun d.
Shadow Seer C/ifa
Ra t Mother's T ouc h (Level O n e) A s the Ra tkin
metis Gi ft.
Sen se Wea ver (Level O n e) A n y goodRa tkin kn ow s
how to hi de in the midst of huma n c iviliza tion . T his Gi ft a ids
a w erera t in fi n di n g Wea ver-spirits of a ll va rieties. T he spirit
must be w i thi n sen sory ra n ge, a n dea c h ha s its ow n distin c tive
soun d or smell. T his perc eption c a n v a ry from ra t to ra t, so a
Sha dow Seer ma y develop her ow n person a l ra n ge of desc rip-
tors for spirits. Sha dow Seers w ho sen se tha t a n a rea is overrun
(or "c a lc ified") by the Wea ver ma y c a ll on thei r ra t pa c k to sn a p
a few w ebs.
System: T his Gi ft requires on ly a Perc eption + O c c ult roll.
T he di ffi c ulty va ries depen din g on the stren gth a n dPow er of the
spirit. Sen sin g a Wea ver Ga fHin g, for in sta n c e, is di ffi c ulty 6; a
Ja gglin g is di ffi c ulty 7 . More suc c esses on the roll bestow s more
in forma tion on the spi ri t, possibly in c ludin g a mea sure of its
Pow er a n dw ha t Cha rms it might possess. Ra tki n En gin eers show
up to this Gi ft w i th a slight degree of c a lc ific a tion .
Sen se Wyrm (Level O n e) A s the Ra tki n metis Gift.
N a me the Spirit (Level T w o) A s the lupus Gi f t of the
sa me n a me.
Summon En glin g (Level T w o) U sua lly, w hen
sha pec ha n gers n eedto replen ish their Gn osis, they summon a n
En glin g a n d sta lk it. In urba n a rea s, this hun t ta kes on a few
un ique tw ists; a Sha dow Seer w i th this Gi ft kn ow s them in ti-
ma tely. T he En glin g is a lw a ys disguised a s somethin g mun da n e.
O n ly the members of the Ra t Pa c k c a n rec ogn ize tha t it's rea lly
a spirit. Huma n s rea c t to this in un predic ta ble w a ysw a tc hi n g
ma d street people pursue a fleein g ic e c rea m truc k, a boy w i th a
ba lloon , or a c loud of butterflies ea c h ha s di fferen t results.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll perma n en t Gn osis
a ga in st the di ffi c ulty of the loc a l Ga un tlet. Wi th three suc c esses,
a n En glin g a ppea rs, but in a disguise tha t on ly the Sha dow Seer
c a n see through. (T he spirit's sta ts a re: Willpow er 5 , Ra ge 1 ,
Gn osis 1 0, Pow er 2 5 ; Cha rms: A irt Sen se, Ma teria lize.) T he
Ra tkin must c ha se it dow n a n d "kill" it; if they do, they ga in 1 0
Gn osis to divide equa lly betw een the members of the Ra t Pac k.
T ouc h the Spirits (Level T w o) In a n imist philoso-
phies, a ll objec ts hold some spi ri tua l essen c e. T hrough this
Gi ft, a Sha dow Seer c a n spea k direc tly to these i n a n i ma te
spirits, lea rn in g w here physic a l objec ts ha ve been a n d w ha t
they've been usedfor. Psyc hic s c a ll this "psyc hometry." K n i fe-
Skulkers don 't c a re w ha t it's c a lled... they just c a ll for the
Sha dow Seers to do it on c omma n d.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll Perc eption + Empa -
thy. Ea c h suc c ess a llow s you to see ba c k on e da y, sen sin g the gist
of w here the objec t ha s been a n d w ho w a s usin g it.
Protec t the Sw a rm (Level T w o) A ll sorts of super-
n a tura l c rea tures like to c a ll up ra ts a s a llies. Ra tki n from riva l
pa c ks, va mpires w i th the A n i ma li sm Disc iplin e, ma ges w i th
the Ra tstorm rote a n d Bea st-Spea kin g Ga rou a re just a few
exa mples. If a Sha dow Seer run s in to a ra t w ho's been v i c ti m-
izedby a n y of these Gi fts, she c a n determi n e w ho is c on trollin g
the poor defen seless bea stie. If she's pow erful en ough, she ma y
even a ttempt to c on vin c e the roden t to disobey its ma ster.
System: O n c e you've lea rn ed this Gi f t, you c a n sen se
w hether a ra t you en c oun ter is possibly bein g c on trolled by
a n other supern a tura l c rea ture. Roll Gn osis; you must sc ore
more suc c esses tha n your riva l's in itia l roll for his supern a tura l
"pow er," w hether tha t's a Disc iplin e, Sphere, Gi ft, or w ha t-
ha ve-you. Y ouw ill even ga in a brief glimpse of the riva l w ho's
been ma n ipula tin g the poor c ritter. If you suc c eed, you c a n a lso
overpow er his a b i li ty, but on ly if your Ra n k is the sa me level or
higher tha n the pow er tha t's used. Ma ke a sec on d roll of
Ma n i pula ti on + Pri ma l-U rge (di ffi c ulty 7 ); you must ha ve
more suc c esses tha n your riva l's in itia l roll.
Comma n dSpirit (Level T hree) A s theT heurgeGift
of the sa me n a me.
Exorc ism (Level T hree) A s the T heurge Gi ft.
Pulse of the In visible (Level T hree) A s the T heurge
Gi ft. T he Ra tki n c a n v olun ta ri ly en ter a sta te of disc on n ec tion ,
rema in in g c on sta n tly a w a re of a ll the spirits a roun d her w hile
she w a n ders a bout in the physic a l w orld.
Disc a rded Drea ms (Level Four) Huma n s throw
thei r drea ms a w a y a n d n ever rea li ze w ha t they've lost. T his
Gi ft a llow s a Ra tki n to sa lva ge these drea ms f r om a n y tra sh
pi le. By c ha n ti n g a n i n c a n ta ti on a n d offeri n g the refuse to
someon e a s a gi ft, the rec ipien t w i ll be c a ught up in a n
ela bora te drea m; this is ba sedon a memory someon e ha s lost.
T he drea mer ma y even thi n k she ha s the skills to c a rry out thi s
a spi ra ti on . A stern oldw oma n w i th a broken doll mi ght thi n k
she's a ba lleri n a ; a lon ely ma n w i th a moth-ea ten c oa t mi ght
thi n k he's the height of fa shion , a n dso on . T his Gi ft is ta ught
by a T ra sh Ga f f li n g or a n y serva n t of the Grea t T ra sh Hea p,
a pow erful Bon e Gn a w er T otem.
I
System: Spen don e Gn osis a n droll Perc eption + En igma s;
the di ffi c ulty depen ds on the rela tive obsc urity of the item
you're lookin g for. Y ou ma y fin d a n item tha t's on ly va guely
w ha t you w a n t; if you get a t lea st three suc c esses, you've foun d
exa c tly w ha t you n eeded.
N ow fi n d a c rea ture w ho's in n eed of a lost drea m. Roll
Ma n i pula ti on + Expression (di f f i c ulty of the rec ipien t's tempo-
ra ry Wi llpow er) to expla in w ha t the lost objec t sign ifies. If the
rec ipien t rea lly w a n ts to live the drea m, you on ly n eed on e
suc c ess; if he resists, you n eeda t lea st three. For the dura tion of
on e sc en e, your ta rget w i ll li ve out the fa n ta sy you give hi m; if
you sc ore a t lea st fi v e suc c esses, he w i ll even ga in some of the
skills or ta len ts he n eeds to c a rry out this delusion . A grea t
sin gin g voic e, ma stery of the a rts of da n c e, the stea lth of a sec ret
a gen ta ll these trea sures c a n be foun d in the tra sh, if on ly you
look ha rd en ough. A s on e w ould expec t, you c a n n ot perform
this Gi ft duri n g the stress of c omba t.
Fea st of the Dea d (Level Four) It's sa id tha t some
primitive tribes devour pa rts of their en emies to ga in their
stren gth. By devourin g the hea rt or bra i n of a vic tim, the Ra tkin
tempora rily ga in s three of its Gi fts ra n domly.
System: K ill it. Ha c k it open . Ea t it. Ra n domly roll for
three of the v i c ti m's Gi fts, a n d they're yours for the rest of the
da y (a lthough they must be Level T hree or less). T his Gi ft offers
n o protec tion a ga in st redun da n c y; you c a n ga in a Gi f t you
a lrea dy kn ow . In a ddition , this c a n 't be used in c on jun c ti on
w ith the Elegy Gi ft or the Roden s Gi ft: Devour the Dea d; n or
c a n the Gi ft be used more tha n on c e on a given c orpse, even if
you do ea t the bra in a n d sa ve the hea rt for your girlfrien d.
Elegy (Level Fi v e)By spea kin g the la st rites over a dyin g
Ra tkin , you c a n gua ra n tee his spirit w ill survive to serve Ra t's
c a use. A t the momen t of dea th, he w ill be reborn a s a Ra t-spirit.
O ver his dyin g body, you must rec ite the grea test a c c omplishmen ts
of his life. A ll of his Gifts w ill be gon e, but his memories a n dspirit
w ill rema in . O f c ourse, he c a n be boun dor ma n ipula tedlike a n y
other ephemera , but some w erera ts a re w illin g to ma ke this
ultima te sa c rific e in servic e to the Ra t Goddess. -
System: If a w erera t's hea lth levels go below In c a pa c i-
ta ted, a n d a n y of his w oun ds a re a ggra va ted, you ma y immedi-
a tely perform this Gi ft. He gets his shot a t Fin a l Ra ge fi rst
rollin g Sta min a a t di ffi c ulty 8 a n dhea lin g on e hea lth level per
suc c ess so you c a n on ly proc eed if he fa ils tha t roll.
Dec ide how muc h Gn osis you w a n t to in vest in to the
Elegy. T he dyin g Ra tki n you're tryin g to help then rolls Gn osis;
the di ffi c ulty is equa l to 1 0-his Ra n k. Ea c h poin t of Gn osis you
spen d before the roll a dds on e suc c ess; if the dyin g ra t gets a t
lea st fi v e suc c esses, his flesh w ithers a w a y. He's reborn a s a Ra t
Ja ggli n g a n d sc a mpers off in to the U mbra .
Knife-Skulke
Dea th Ma rk (Level O n e) T his Gi ft is n ot in voked
lightly. T he Skulker in vests a touc h of Gn osis in a sma ll piec e
of bla c k c loth; w hen this is brushed a c ross the forehea d of a
c rimin a l, the v i c ti m is ma rkedw i th a n in visible spiritua l sigil.
A n y K n i fe-Skulker c a n see this w i th some effort; va rious "spirit
sight" disc iplin es c a n a lso detec t it. Depen din g on the severity
of the c rime, the Skulker ma y give the c rimin a l a hea d sta rt,
offeri n g him a c ha n c e to a ton e for his c rime b efore the other
K n i fe-Skulkers c a tc h up w i th hi m. If he doesn 't, the Dea th
Ma rk ma kes the guilty ba sta rd ea sier to tra c k dow n ... a n d
c ripple or ki ll, if n ec essa ry.
System: T he Skulker spen ds on e Gn osis a n drolls In telli-
gen c e + En igma s to c rea te the dea th ma rk a n d store it in bla c k
c loth. A Skulker c a n on ly ma in ta in on e Dea th Ma rk a t a time.
If he prefers, he c a n ha n d off the en sorc elled shroud to a n
emissa ry (usua lly a T un n el Run n er) w ho w ill c a rry it to the
c rimin a l. A n yon e c a n brush the c loth over the vic tim's forehea d,
w ho is usua lly restra in ed. O nc e this is don e, the Skulker c a n tell
the direc tion a n ddista n c e of the guilty pa rty (ra ther like the Ri te
of the Questin g Ston e). T he vic tim ma y a ttempt to remove the
ma rk w ith a n other Gi ft, Disc iplin e, A rc a n os, or the like. How -
ever, his n umber of suc c esses must exc eed the Skulker's in itial
roll, a n d suc h "c ures" n ever la st for more tha n a da y.
Stic ky Pa w s (Level O n e) T he Skulker c a n gra b a
w ea pon out of his en emy's ha n ds (or c la w s, or pa w s) a n d use it
a ga in st its w ielder the same turn .
System: Spen d on e Ra ge a n d roll Dexterity + Melee to
gra b the w ea pon ; the di ffi c ulty is the equa l to the vic tim's
Dexteri ty + 3 .
Truth of Gaia (Level One) As the Level One
Philodox Gift.
Chitter (Level T w o) A s the Get of Fen ris Gi ft: Sn a rl
of the Preda tor. By c hi tteri n g a t a n a lmost subson ic level, the
Ra tki n c a n un n erv e his foes.
Mother's T ruth (Level T w o) T he Gi ft: T ruth of
Ga i a just isn 't good en ough for some people. A K n ife-Skulker
c a n tell w ho's lyi n g w i th tha t Gi f t, but w ho's to sa y he isn 't lyin g
a b out the results? When someon e's gui lt n eeds to be proven to
everyon e presen t, Mother's T ruthforc es the v i c ti m to ra t on his
a c c omplic es a n d c o-c on spira tors. For on e sc en e, the vic tim of
Mother's T ruth c a n n ot tell a lie.
T he v i c ti m ma y even be c oerc ed in to tellin g everythin g
tha t he's tryin g to hide. T his relies on a n ela bora te use of
in terroga tion a n d threa ts, mixed in w i th a li ttle supern a tura l
prow ess. N ev er sw ea r on your Mother's gra ve, espec ia lly w hen
she's rea lly a n In c a rn a w i th goddess-gra n ted pow ers. T he Ra t
In c a rn a bestow s this Gi ft through on e of her c hosen Ra t-spirits.
System: If the vic tim does n ot resist this Gi ft, the K n i fe-
Skulker n eeds on ly to spen don e Gn osis a n droll In telligen c e +
In ti mi da ti on (di ffi c ulty 6). In this c a se, the vic tim w i ll litera lly
bi te his ton gue if he tries to tell a lie. If he resists, everyon e
presen t w ill kn ow it.
Getti n g the w itn ess to betra y his da rkest sec rets requires
a n exten dedc on testedtest of Willpow er, a lon g w i th a thr i lli n g
dr a ma w orthy of a c ourtroom. T he in quisitor a n d his vic tim
tra de off question s a n d a n sw ers, a ltern a ti n g Willpow er rolls a s
they go. T he v i c ti m rolls first a t di ffi c ulty 6. T he in quisitor's
di f f i c ulty is low er: T a ke the n umb er of suc c esses the K n i fe-
Skulker got on his in itia l Ma n ipula tion + In terroga tion roll a n d
sub tra c t it from 6. T he Storyteller c a lls for regula r Willpow er
rolls periodic a lly throughout the in terroga tion ; if the Skulker
gets ten suc c esses before his v i c ti m, he ha s brow bea ten him in to
submission , a n d the vic tim spills a ll the deta ils of his c rime. If
the vic tim gets ten suc c esses fi rst, the in terroga tion does n ot
w ork a n d c a n n ot be a ttempted a ga in for a f ull da y.
Sta lk (Level T w o) A s the Ra ga ba sh Gi ft: Sense of
the Prey. K n ife Skulkers kn ow lots of tra c kin g sec rets.
Doppelga n ger (Level T hree) A s the Level Four Gla ss
Wa lker Gi ft.
Pa ra lyzin g Stare (Level T hree)A s the Shadow LordGift.
O pen Woun ds (Level Four) A s the Shadow LordGift.
Wither Limb (Level Four) A s the Ga rou metis Gi ft.
Gea s (Level Five) Simila r to the Philodox Gi f t of the
sa me n a me. T he K n i fe-Skulker c a n pun ish a v i c ti m or group of
c rimin a ls by forc in g him to un derta ke a quest. T he v i c ti m or
vic tims ma y even be forc ed to a c t a ga in st thei r ba sic in stin c ts.
In a ddition , Ra t-spirits w i ll ha rry a n d ha ra ss every v i c ti m w ho
stra ys from the purpose of the Gea s.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll Cha risma + Lea der-
ship (di ffi c ulty of the vi c ti m's Wi llpow er). Wi th a group of
c rimin a ls, the di f f i c ulty is ba sedon the vic tim w i th the highest
Willpow er. Ea c h v i c ti m then ma kes a fi n a l Willpow er roll
(di ffi c ulty 9) to determin e if their guilt is pow erful en ough to
forc e a person a lity c ha n ge un ti l the Gea s is fulfi lled. T he Gea s
must be a spec ific ta sk the vic tims c a n perform a n dsurvive; they
ha ve up to on e mon th to c omplete it.
'W arrior Gifts
Resist Pain (Level One) As the Philodox Gift.
Slic in g T eeth (Level O n e) A s the A hroun Gift:
Ra zor Cla w s, but used w ith the Ra tkin 's bi te a tta c k.
Stic ky Pa w s (Level O n e) A s the K n i fe Skulker Gift.
Curse of Ha tred(Level T w o) A s the Ga rou metis Gi ft.
Ra t's T eeth (Level T w o) T in y sha rp projec ti les
hurled a t high veloc ity c a n in flic t grievous da ma ge. With this
Gi ft, the w erera t produc es a seemin gly en dless supply of sha rp
objec ts from hidden pla c es sc a ttered over her body. She then
a ssa ults a c hosen v i c ti m w i th a c on tin uous fusi lla de. Ja pa n ese
N ezumi use shuriken a n dthrow in g kn ives; in gen ious Ra tki n in
other pa rts of the w orld ha ve been kn ow n to use items like
n eedles, kitc hen kn ives a n d bits of broken gla ss.
System: A s lon g a s you c a rry a misc ella n eous a ssortmen t
of sha rp objec ts, you've got a n ever-en din g supply of throw n
projec tiles. T o in voke this Gi ft, spen da turn doin g a n ela bora te
ma rti a l a rts pose a n d spen d on e Ra ge; you c a n do n othin g else
duri n g this first turn . For the rest of the sc en e, you c a n let off on e
ba rra ge of throw n objec ts eac h turn . Roll your perma n en t Ra ge
a s your a tta c k roll; a n y suc c esses left over a fter your vic tim
dodges a re a dded to your da ma ge roll (just like Firea rms rolls).
Y our da ma ge pool is equa l to your tempora ry Ra ge; don 't forget
to a ddyour extra da ma ge dic e.
Spirit of the Fra y (Level T w o) A s the A hroun Gift.
If your Storyteller is usin g the option a l In stin c t rules (see
Cha pter T w o), this is a sure w a y to gua ra n tee your Ra tki n is a
psyc hotic little mon ster a fterw a rds.
Bolt! (Level T hree) A s the Level T hree Ra tki n Gi ft.
Improvisa tion (Level T hree) In your ha n ds, a n y-
thin g c a n bec ome a letha l w ea pon . A ll Ra tki n a re servitors of
c haos; in c omba t, a w a rrior w ith this Gi ft is a dea dly, un predic t-
a ble ma dma n .
System: Spen da poin t of Gn osis a n dn a me a type of objec t
tha t w ouldbe n ea r your c ha ra c ter in c omba t. Y ou ma y then w ield
Ratkin
on e of these objec ts a s a w eapon for the dura tion of on e sc ene.
Ea c h time you use this Gi ft, how ever, you must n a me a di fferen t
type of objec t. A s a lw a ys, your Storyteller c a n veto your c hoic e
if its too impla usible. For in sta n c e, the first time youfight in a
c a fe, for in sta n c e, you ma y dec ide to fight w i th "pla tes," w hile the
n ext time, you ma y c hoose "kitc hen kn ives," "hot c offee" or
"tra sh c a n s." In a ddition , you must gra phic a lly desc ribe ea c h
a tta c k you ma ke, a n d desc ribe a di fferen t a tta c k ea c h time.
Wieldin g it requires a roll of Dexterity + Melee; the diffic ulty
sta rts a t a 6 a t the begin n in g of c omba t. Eac h a tta c k you ma ke
must be differen t tha n a ll the a tta c ks before it. If you c hose
"pla tes," for in sta n c e, you c ould brea k a pla te over someon e's
hea dthe first roun d, roll a pla te a c ross the floor a n dtrip someon e
in to a pla te gla ss w in dow the sec ondroun d, a n dbrea k a pla te in to
ja ggedpiec es before sta bbin g someon e on the third
roun d. Each attackmust be different.
T he Storyteller respon ds to ea c h
a tta c k w i th a thumbs-up or a thumbs-
dow n . Depen din g on how in gen ious
your a tta c k is, the di ffi c ulty of your n ext
a tta c k is either -1 or +1 . T he da ma ge
roll sta rts out equa l to your perma -
n en t Ra ge; this also goes up or
dow n by 1 depen din g on your
in gen uity. If the Storyteller is
impressed a n d gives a thumbs-
up to your a tta c k, the da ma ge
roll of the same subsequen t
a tta c k gets a n extra die a n d
the di ffi c ulty goes dow n by
1 . If the Storyteller is n ot
a museda n d gives a thumbs
dow n , the da ma ge roll of
your n ext a tta c k loses on e
die a n d the di ffi c ulty goes up
b yl.
O pti on a lly, the Storyteller
ma y a sk everyon e a t the ta ble (or
w a tc hi n g the ga me) to gi v e a
thumbs up or dow n a n d use the
c row d's judgmen t. Believe me, if
the pla yer a n dStoryteller a re in -
gen ious, they will dra w a c row d.
Persec ution Complex
(Level Four) A s the Sta r-
ga zer Gi f t: Pr eter n a tur a l
A w a ren ess.
T r eppelga n ger
(Level Four) T here's
sa fety in n umbers, or so you've
been told. T he Doppelga n ger
Gi f t helps a Ra tki n imita te a n -
other person . T he T reppelga n ger Gi ft
splits you i n to a ga n g of little Ra tki n .
T hey must a ll sta y w ithin the sa me
i mmedi a te a rea , but they c a n a lso c oor-
di n a te thei r a c tion s ba sed upon your
thoughts.
System: Roll Intelligenc e + Performa n c e; for eac h suc c ess
you obta in , this Gi ft rema in s a c tive for on e turn . Ea c h turn , you
c a n split on e little n in e-in c h Crin os off the side of your body. Y ou
ma y form up to three little "gangsters," a n dyoumust spen da poin t
of Gn osis for ea c hon e. T his c on tin ues un til they a re a ll c omplete
or you stop formin g them. When the last little on e is formed, you
shrin k dow n to the sa me size. A ll members of the ga n g a c t on the
sa me in itia tive. A ga n gster ma y on ly ma ke on e a tta c k ea c h turn .
T hey c a n n ot use a n y of your Gifts, a n dthey c a n n ot joi n in the Gift:
Pac k A tta c k; they're a ll exten sion s of you.
T hese tin y ra tlin gs c a n sc urry through a n umber of ya rds equa l
to their Dexterity ea c h turn . T hey c a n ma ke a ma zin g vertic a l
lea ps, jumpin g on to ta bles, c ha irs, shelves a n d dra w ers w hen
nec essary. A t the en dof the c omba t, a ll of the little c ritters reform
in to one big Crin os ra t a ga in . A lthough
they look like little Crin os w erera ts,
they're a c tua lly w ea ker. In
T reppelga n ger form, eac h on e
ha s Stren gth +1 , Dexterity +2 a n d
Sta min a -1 . T hese little rugra ts a re c ute,
though: they get Cha risma +2 a n dA p-
pea ra n c e +2 . When you shrin kdow n ,
you ha ve the same tra its.
Pa c k A tta c k (Level
Fi v e)Hi gh-ra n ki n g Wa r-
riors a re the ma ster ta c ti -
c ia n s of the Ra tki n ra c e.
T hey don 't just lead sw a rms
of ra ts in to b a ttle; they c a n
c oordin a te en tire Ra t Pa c ks in in -
gen ious a ssa ults. By dra w in g upon the
"hive min d" deep w i thi n a Ra tkin 's
psyc he, a Wa rlord c a n ma ke it easier
for his pa c k to overw helm en emies w i th
ruthless effic ien c y.
System: First, the Wa rrior lets out a
keen in g c ry a n d rolls Ma n i pula ti on +
Lea dership. For ea c h suc c ess, a ra n dom
member of her pa c k must
a utoma tic a lly joi n in the
Pa c k A tta c k on the n ext
turn ; they c a n n ot a bort this a c -
tion a n d c a n n ot split their Dic e
Pools. A ddition a l Ra tki n in the
pa c k ma y join in volun ta rily.
T hen , duri n g the n ext dec -
la ra ti on pha se, the Wa rrior
dec la res f i r st, sta ti n g the ta r-
get of the Pa c k A tta c k. T he
Wa rrior also a c ts first, a s if he ha d
the Gi ft: Spirit of the Fra y. For
every tw o Ra tki n in the Pa c k A t-
ta c k, dec rea se the di ffi c ulty of a ll
a tta c ks a ga in st the ta rget by 1 (to a
min imum of 4). T he Wa rrior c a n c on -
tin ue the Pa c k A tta c k by spen din g on e
Ra ge a t the begin n in g of ea c h subse-
quen t turn .
1 1 9
9reakAspect Gifts
(ftatkin Engineer Q i{ts
Con trol Simple Ma c hin e (Level O n e) A s the Glass
Wa lker Gi ft. U sin g this Gi f t w hile in the U mbra in c rea ses the
di ffi c ulty by 1 .
O pen Seal (Level O n e) Simila r to the Ra ga ba shGi ft
of the sa me n a me.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll Gn osis a ga in st the
di ffi c ulty of the loc a l Ga un tlet. In a n y la bora tory, En gin eers
a re a t -2 to their di ffi c ulty. T his Gi f t ma y a lso open a n dc lose
doors w hi le a n En gin eer is in the U mbra .
Sc roun ge (Level O n e) Ra tkin En gin eers ha ve a
ta len t for fin din g a ll sorts of usa ble jun k. Spend a few
min utes sea rc hin g a roun d, a n d there's n o tellin g w ha t
you might fin d. T his Gi ft c a n either help fin d some
mun da n e item tha t's hidden n ea rby, or sc roun ge up
somethin g biza rre tha t n o on e w ould ha ve thought to
look for. T his Gi ft is ta ught by a T ra sh Ga fflin g.
System: Spen don e Gn osis a n d roll Perc eption
+ A lertn ess. Y ou c a n either n a me a spec ific item tha t
w ouldn orma lly be in your c urren t loc a tion , or n a me
a gen era l type of item tha t's ra ther ha rd to fin d. T he
di ffi c ulty of the roll depen ds on how w ell the item is
hidden or how ra re the item is. For in sta n c e, fi n di n g
w here the forks a re kept in a resta ura n t a fter hours is
di ffi c ulty 4; fi n di n g a fork in a subw a y sta tion c ouldbe
di ffi c ulty 6; fi n di n g a ma gn eti zed fork w i th silver pla t-
in g by the side of the freew a y might be a di ffi c ulty 9.
T he Storyteller, of c ourse, ha s the right to rule out a n y
spec ific item a s "impossible to fin d." If the resta ura n t in question
rea lly doesn 't ha ve a n y ra dioa c tive pluton ium forks stashedin the
kitc hen , the Sc roun ge Gift w on 't help youfin d on e.
Hotw ire (Level T w o) A s the T un n el Run n er Gift.
Mousetra p (Level T w o)When c orn ereda n doutn um-
bered, ra ts ha ve un usua l bursts of c un n in g a n d in gen uity. T his
tra i t is very c ommon a mon g the En gin eers, their mec ha n ic a lly-
in c lin ed supern a tura l c ousin s. Wi th this Gi ft: the Ra tkin c a n
figure out a w a y to set a tra p usin g a lmost a n ythin g a t ha n d. First,
he sc roun ges for somethin g tha t c a n in flic t da ma ge. He then
Mc Guyvers it in to a dea thtra p of a ma zin g in gen uity.
System: T he dic e roll is ea sy; it's the c rea tive pa rt of this
roll tha t ta kes some w ork. T he En gin eer must spen da poin t of
Gn osis a n d roll In telligen c e + Repa ir. Y ou must expla in how
the devic e w orks; the di ffi c ulty depen ds on the pla usibility of
your expla n a tion . Ma n y ga mers c la im to ha ve kn ow ledge of
"kitc hen c hemistry" a n d homema de tra ps, but this Gi ft de-
pen ds on your a bi li ty to pi tc h idea s ba sed on w ha t's a t ha n d.
O n ly ma teria ls tha t a re presen t n ea r the Ra tki n c a n be
in c orpora ted in to the Mousetra p; this Gi ft c a n n ot be used in
c on jun c ti on w i th the Sc roun ge Gi ft. T he di ffi c ulty sta rts a t 5 ,
but it c a n go a s high a s 1 0if it's obvious you're ta lkin g out of your
ass. For in sta n c e, if you c a n c ome up w i th a dec en t expla n a tion
of w hy a light b ulb should explode un der c erta in c on dition s in
a li vi n g room, tha t's a 6. If you're stuc k in a bookstore a n d sta rt
b la theri n g a bout killin g someon e w i th pa per c uts, a n elec tric
fa n , a n dlemon jui c e, tha t's pa thetic en ough to merit a 9or 1 0.
A n En gin eer c a n build a Mousetra p durin g the stress of
c omba t. T his ta kes tw o turn s, but the sta rti n g di ffi c ulty
is then set a t 8 .
When c ompleted, the tra p does da ma ge equa l to
the Ra tkin 's Wits plus a n a ddition a l die for every
suc c ess. T he da ma ge is n on -a ggra va ted un less you use
somethin g tha t obviously c a uses a ggra va ted da ma ge
(fi re, a c idor the like). It's a on e-shot i tempoof! a n d
the deedis don e. T he vic tim shouldeither get a Perc ep-
tion + A lertn ess roll to a void the tra p, or a Dexterity +
Dodge roll to dive for c over w hic hever is higher.
Summon Elec tric ity (Level T hree) Fa r more
effec ti v e tha n a gen era l Ri te of Bin din g, this Gi ft sum-
mon s a n elec tric ity elemen ta l a n dbin ds it to a n elec tric a l
devic es for a short periodof time. Even broken devic es w i ll
be a ble to opera te w i th a li ttle judi c i ous jury-ri ggi n g.
System: Roll Gn osis versus the di f f i c ulty of the loc al
Ga un tlet. Y ou must be n ea r a sourc e of elec tric ity, w hic h isn 't
very ha rd in a n y huma n c ity. Wi th f our suc c esses, you've
summon ed the spirit. Bin din g it in to a ba ttery or a n elec tric a l
devic e requires a Gn osis roll a ga in st the spirit's Gn osis; if you
suc c eed, it is boun d, a n d w ill c on tin ue to supply pow er for on e
w eek per suc c ess. Five suc c esses bin ds it for a yea r; a fter tha t, the
spi ri tua l w a rra n ty w ill expire.
Con trol Complex Ma c hin e (Level T hree) A s the
Gla ss Wa lker Gi ft. T his Gi ft a llow s c on -
trol of c omplic a tedobjec ts like c om-
puters, c a rs a n d A T Ms.
Ba ttery (Level Four)
A Ra tki n En gin eer c a n use this
Gi ft to en ergize himself or
other w erera ts. T his c a n tem-
por a r i ly i n c rea se physi c a l
a bilities, thoughoften a t the
risk of i n fli c ti n g tempora ry
da ma ge a s w ell. Some da n ger-
ous w erera ts use direc t elec -
tri c i ty to a ffec t this, w hile
more seda te on es simply mix up
n oxious c on c oc tion s of ba ttery a c ida n dother
foul fluids. Con ven ien c e stores n ow sell ma n y
odd"en ergy bevera ges" tha t a re c ommon ly a da pted
for this purpose.
System: Spen don e or more poin ts of Gn osis a n droll Wits
+ Repa ir. Every tw o suc c esses on the roll c a n in c rea se a Physic a l
A ttri b ute by on e for the dura tion of a sc en e, a s lon g a s the
En gin eer ha s spen t a n equa l n umber of poin ts of Gn osis. N o
T ra it c a n be ra isedhigher tha n 6 in this w a y (n ot c oun tin g n on -
Homid A ttri b ute bon uses).
Death Ra y (Level Five) Y ou c a n disc ha rge en ergy
throughyour fin gertips. Gra n ted, you'll n eed to hook yourself up
to a c a r ba ttery or w a ll outlet for a few hours a da y, but if you've ever
ha d a Ga rou tryin g to c hoke you to dea th, you kn ow it's w orth it.
System: Y ou must spenda t least a n hour "medita tin g" w hile
a tta c hed to a supply of elec tric ity. Spend on e Gnosis a n d roll
In telligen c e + En igma s (diffic ulty 6); for eac h suc c ess, you ga in a
tempora ry dot in a n ew tra it c alled "Elec tric ity." If you spend
f c
Ratkin
a n other poin t of Gnosis, you c a n c ha rge this T ra it up further; the
ma ximum ra tin g is 1 0. For the rest of the da y, your body w ill ha ve
a c on sta n t sta tic elec tric c ha rge un til you disc ha rge it.
T o a tta c k w i th the Dea th Ra y Gi ft, roll the dic e in your
Elec tric ity pool. A tta c kin g w ith a touc h is diffic ulty 6; a tta c k-
in g a t ra n ge (up to fi fty f eet) is di ffi c ulty 8 . If you hi t, you in flic t
on e hea lth level of a ggra va tedda ma ge per suc c ess; this da ma ge
is soa keda t di ffi c ulty 8 . T he Elec tric ity tra i t goes dow n on e dot
ea c h ti me you use the Dea thRa y. O ption a lly, you c a n burn off
poin ts of Elec tric ity in stea d of Gn osis to pow er Gifts like
Ba ttery a n d Summon Elec tric ity.
(Plague
Poison Food (Level O n e) Hea lth Depa rtmen t
offi c i a ls w ouldc rin ge a t the very thought of this Gi ft. Common
bla c k ra ts a n d brow n ra ts a re c a pa ble of sprea din g food poison -
in g un der the ri ght c irc umsta n c es. A dd the ordin a ry ra t's
c a pa c ity for breedin g, a n d tha t mea n s severa l hundred ra ts c a n
drive a resta ura n t out of business if un c hec ked. N ow pic ture a
Pla gue Lord c a llin g up his ow n a ssortmen t of Disea se-spirits
a fter lea rn in g this Gift from his ephemera l ally.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis a n d roll In telligen c e + En ig-
ma s. A n yon e w ho ea ts the poison ed food ta kes a n umber of
hea lth levels of n on -a ggra va tedda ma ge equa l to the n umber of
suc c esses. T his da ma ge c a n be soa kedw i th a Sta min a roll, but
the poison rema in s in the food for on e sc en e. (In c iden ta lly,
ta kin g multi ple bites in the sa me sc en e does n ot i n fli c t da ma ge
multiple times.)
Sn iffle (Level O n e) Ha vin g trouble seein g a n
in visible en emy? T o use this Gift, the Pla gue Lord plac es a
pin c h of dust on his pa lm a n d blow s. He ma y direc t the germ-
la den c loud a roun d the room, seekin g the in visible. T he first
person it ma kes c on ta c t w i th must ma ke a n a sty Willpow er roll
to a void sn eezin g, c oughin g, a n d w heezin g from a tempora ry
b out w i th a n a sty c old.
System: Sa c rific e a poin t of Gn osis to your Disea se-spirit
a n dproc ure a ha n dful of pow der. Roll In telligen c e + Medic in e
(di f f i c ulty 6). Y ou ha ve a n umber of turn s to fi n dyour oppon en t
equa l to your n umber of suc c esses on this roll. Ea c h turn , the
c loudof germs tra vels up to five ya rds. If your oppon en t is in the
a rea of the c loud, he must ma ke a Willpow er roll (diffic ulty 9)
to a void givin g a w a y his position w ith a loud outburst.
V irulen t Curse of Ha tred(Level O n e) A s the Level
T w o Wa rrior Gift: Curse of Ha tred, but w ith a few distin c t
differen c es. T he vic tim's T ra its a re reduc edby a simula tion of
the Pla gue Lord's fa vorite disease. Pla yers a re en c ouraged to
resea rc h their fa v ori te a ffli c ti on s; the ga me mec ha n ic s, how -
ever, a lw a ys rema in the sa me.
System: Spen don e Ra ge a n droll Ma n ipula tion + Expres-
sion ; the di ffi c ulty is the vic tim's Willpow er. Wi th a t lea st on e
suc c ess, the v i c ti m loses tw o Willpow er poin ts a n d tw o Ra ge
poin ts. T his c a n on ly be a ttempted on c e per sc en e. T his is a n
Epidemic Gi ft, a n dc a n be sprea dto more tha n on e vic tim w ith
the Pla gue Lord Gi ft: Epidemic Con ta gion .
Blur of the Weepin g Eyes (Level T w o) Got
somethin g in your eye ? T he Ra tkin c a n in flic t someon e lookin g
a t him w i th a n a sty in fec tion a ffec ti n g his eyesight. A ll he's got
0(u\e5 Catoyers take Heed:
Some Epidemic Gifts in c rea se the di ffi c ulty of a vic tim's
die rolls. If on e of these Gifts is usedon a vic tim more tha n
on c e, the modifiers to the vic tim's die rolls a re n ot c umula -
tive. For in sta n c e, the Gift: Fever raises the diffic ulty of
In telligen c e a n dWits rolls by 2 . If it's usedtw ic e on the sa me
vic tim, the diffic ulty of those rolls a re still on ly inc reasedby
2 ; they a re n ot in c rea sed by 4. A vic tim c a n be hit w ith
severa l different Epidemic Gifts, but c a n n ot be pun ished
w i th multiples of the same Gift. T he sa me a pplies to a n y Gi ft
j tha t raises or low ers a vic tim's T ra its.
to do is spit on his vic tim to tra n smit this n a sty disea se. T his
on ly la sts for on e sc en e, but the poor fool w ill visibly suffer. He
might w eep pus from his eyes, suffer from a vision defec t, ha ve
his eyeba lls w ell up w ith blood, or w a tc h a s his eyelids a re
c overedin sc ales. T he Pla gue Lordgets to gra phic a lly desc ribe
the illn ess; the ga me mec ha n ic s rema in the sa me.
System: Y ou must suc c essfully spit a t someon e to tra n smit
this Gi ft; this requires a suc c essful Dexterity + Melee roll a n d
on e poin t of Ra ge. Y our vic tim ha s the di ffi c ulty of a ll Perc ep-
tion rolls in c rea sedby tw o (a n d a ll a tta c k di ffi c ulti es in c rea sed
by on e) for on e sc en e. T his c oun ts a s a n Epidemic , a n d c a n be
sprea d to more tha n on e vic tim w i th the Level Five Gi ft:
Epidemic Con ta gion .
Dredge the Spirit World (Level T w o) T he Plague
Lord c a n summon a few selec t spirits of misery: those of Pa i n ,
Disease a n dN ight. If the Gift involves a n a ppropria te sa c rific e,
it ma y a lso c a ll up a w ra i th... or a Spec tre.
System: Roll Gn osis a ga in st the diffic ulty of the loc a l
Ga un tlet; the di ffi c ulty depen ds on the pow er of the da rk spirit
in voked.
Spirit Diffic ulty
Pa in -spirit 6
Disea se-spirit 7
N i ght-spi ri t 8
w ra ith/ghost 9
O n a botc h, the Pla gue Lordha s either c alledup a Spec tre
(if you've got a c opy of Wra ith: T he O blivion ) or a min or Ba n e
of the Storyteller's c hoosin g.
Suc c esses T he spirit...
O n e .. .c omes even tua lly a n d is in itia lly hostile.
T w o .. .ma n ifests quic kly, but is still in itia lly hostile.
T hree .. .c omes immedia tely a n dis n eutra l.
Four ... c omes immedia tely a n drema in s pa ssive, yet ben ign .
Five+ ...the spirit c omes immedia tely a n d is fri en dly.
Ca tgut (Level T hree) T hi s is on e of the fouler sec rets
possessed by Pla gue Lords. By c a refully c urin g the skin or
in tern a l orga n s of other Cha n gin g Breeds, the Lordc a n w ea v e
a highly dura ble skein . With a bit of w ork, this c a n be c ra fted
in to form-fi tti n g a rmor. Ca tgut a rmor, un fortun a tely, rea lly
pisses off other sha pec ha n gers. Ba stet ha ve been kn ow n to
fren zy a t the very sight of a Pla gue Lordw ea rin g a leopa rd-skin
Appendix One: Ratkin G ifts 1 2 1
c oa t or c a t ea rs. (A n dyet, other w erera ts ha ve been kn ow n to
fa ll to the groun d la ughin g.)
System: Pr epa r i n g c a tgut a r mo r r equi r es a dea d
sha pec ha n ger, a n hour of w ork, a n d the expen diture of a poi n t
of Gn osis. Roll In telligen c e + Repa ir; if the roll suc c eeds, the
pelt tha t's skin n edbestow s three extra dic e for soa kin g da ma ge.
Sha pec ha n gers of the sa me Cha n gin g Breed a s the vi c ti m of
this Gi ft must ma ke fren zy c hec ks the fi rst time they see it, or
w hen ever they en ter b a ttle a ga in st a Ra tki n w ea rin g it. T his
Gift c a n n ot be used on Ra tkin .
Lesion s (Level T hree) Like the Ga rouGi ft: Ha lt the
Cow a rd's Flight. If you c a n b i te or c la w your v i c ti m, lesion s a n d
sores w i ll brea k out on his legs a n d feet, ma ki n g ra pid move-
men t impossible. His run n in g speed is effec tively ha lved.
System: Spen don e turn foc usin g your disea ses w i thi n you,
a n dthen bi te or c la w your vi c ti m. Y ou must un lea sh this illn ess
before the en d of the sc en e. If you suc c eed, roll Cha risma +
In timida tion ; the di ffi c ulty is the vic tim's Willpow er. If this roll
suc c eeds, the vi c ti m moves a t ha lf n orma l speedfor the rema i n -
der of the sc en e. T his is a n Epi demi c , a n dc a n be sprea dto more
tha n on e v i c ti m w i th the Gi ft: Epidemic Con ta gion .
In fli c t Pa in (Level Four) Y our a b i li ty to tra n smit
disea se ha s bec ome so impressive tha t you c a n a djust the pa in
your v i c ti ms feel. T his Gi f t is ta ught by a Pa in -spirit.
System: Y ou must suc c essfully b i te or c la w your vic tim to
tra n smi t this Gi f t. Spen d a poin t of Ra ge a n d roll In telligen c e
+ Medic in e; the di ffi c ulty is your v i c ti m's perma n en t Gn osis
(or f our , for those w i thout Gn osis). T he n umb er of suc c esses
determi n e the dic e pool pen a lties your vic tim rec eives for the
dura ti on of the sc en e; these w ork just like the pen a lties for
w oun d levels. O n e or tw o suc c esses i n fli c t a -1 ; three or f our
suc c esses in flic t a -2 ; fi v e or more suc c esses gra n t a -3 . T he
effec ts c a n be c ompletely n ulli fi ed w i th the Gi ft: Resist Pa in .
T his is a n Epidemic Gi f t, a n d c a n be sprea d to more tha n on e
vic tim w ith the Gi ft: Epidemic Con ta gion .
Epidemic Con ta gion (Level Five) T he Pla gue Lords'
forte, Epi demi c Gi fts, a re even n a sti er w hen in the ha n ds of the
hi ghest-ra n ki n g Lords. By use of this Gi ft, a w erera t c a n ma ke
a n y Epidemic Gi ft highly c on ta gious.
System: If the v i c ti m of a n Epidemic Gi ft c omes w ithin
touc hi n g dista n c e of a n other person (on e ya rdor so), there's a
c ha n c e tha t the a i lmen t w i ll sprea d to tha t poor soul a s w ell.
T he vic tim n eeds to ma ke a Willpow er roll, diffic ulty 7 . If the
v i c ti m fa i ls, he is a lso a ffli c ted w i th the illn ess... a n dc a n in turn
pa ss it on to someon e else.
Here's the best pa rt: T he Pla gue Lordc a n dec ide w hether
Ra tkin c a n suc c umb to this epidemic a s w ell. Do you w a n t
w erera ts to be in fec ted by this pla gue? If the a n sw er is "yes," the
di ffi c ulty of a w erera t's Willpow er roll to resist in fec tion is 5 . If
the a n sw er is "n o," Pla gue Lords c a n un lea sh in fec tious Gi fts
in to a herd of shapec han gers w ith impun ity. Either w a y, the
Pla gue Lord is a lw a ys un a ffec ted by his ow n pla gues.
I W lunchwausen
Persua sion (Level O n e) A s the homidRa tkin Gift.
Spirit Speec h (Level O n e) A s the T heurge Gi ft.
T a le Spin n in g (Level O n e) U sin g this a ma zi n g
a bility, the Ra tkin c a n tell a n ela bora te story defyin g a ll rea son
a n d logic , a n d tell it so c on vin c in gly tha t the listen er believes
it is true. T ellin g the story a bsorbs a n en tire sc en e.
System: Burn on e Gn osis a n d roll the Mun c hma usen 's
Ma n ipula tion + Expression . T he most educ ated or skeptic a l
listen er ma kes a n In telligen c e roll to resist; for ea c h suc c ess, he
c a n stop the Ra tki n a t a n y poin t a n da sk him on e question tha t
should dera il the story en tirely. ("But sir, there is n o air on the
moon!" quoth, he. T o which I replied, " Ah, but you are mistaken!
T he cheese has holes, does it not?" ) Rega rdless, if the "ta le-teller"
ha s more suc c esses tha n the listen er, the Gi ft suc c eeds a n dthe
Moon Mouse ma kes it to the en d of his story. O ption a lly, the
listen er ma y w rite dow n his n umb er of suc c esses on a piec e of
pa per a n dpa ss it to the Storyteller; the Mun c hma usen doesn 't
fi n d out the results un ti l his story is over.
N a me the Spirit (Level T w o) A s the Shadow Seer Gift.
Ra pier Wit (Level T w o) T hrough a c ombin a tion of
fa st-ta lk a n d quic k reflexes, the Ra tki n c a n pa rry a n d riposte
a ga in st a tta c ks more effec ti vely. T his does n ot a lw a ys requi re a
w ea pon , but it does require quic k w i ts (both on the pa rt of the
pla yer a n dthe c ha ra c ter). T he Mun c hma usen must c ompose a
son g or poem w hile usin g Ra pi er Wi t, a ddin g a sta n za a t lea st
every time he a ttempts to pa rry or riposte. If the Ra tki n is
un a rmed, the pla yer must a lso desc ribe w ha t items n ea rby he is
usin g in c omba t in stea d. A c ha ir, c ha n delier or mug of a le c a n
be dea dly if w ielded by a w i tty Mun c hma usen .
System: When the Ra tki n begin s usin g Ra pi er Wi t, the
pla yer improvises the first tw o lin es of a n origin a l poem or son g.
Ma rk off on e Gn osis. A n y time the Mun c hma usen is a ssa ulted
w ith a Bra w l or Melee a tta c k, she ma y a ttempt to a utoma tic a lly
pa rry a n dc oun tera tta c k. T his la sts for the rest of the sc en e, a n d
w orks in a ddition to the Mun c hma usen 's other a c tion s. Ea c h
ti me the Ra tki n is a tta c ked, the pla yer must a dd a n other tw o
lin es to the poem or song. T he c omposition n eedn ot nec essar-
ily ma ke sen se, but it must a t lea st rhyme.
For a suc c essful pa rry a n dc oun tera tta c k, the Mun c hma usen
rolls Dexterity + Expression . T he di ffi c ulty of the fi rst roll sta rts
out a t a 6. Ea c h time the Mun c hma usen pa rries a n d adds
a n other tw o lin es to her c omposition , the Storyteller deter-
min es w hether the di ffi c ulty of the n ext pa rry shouldgo up by
1 or dow n by 1 , depen din g on the i n gen ui ty of the poem or son g.
(O ption a lly, pla yers c a n vote usin g the "thumbs up/thumbs
dow n " method like the on e used in the Wa rrior Gi ft: Improvi-
sa tion .) T he di ffi c ulty of the pa rry/c oun tera tta c k c a n n ever go
low er tha n 4 or higher tha n 1 0.
T o pa rry, she must sc ore more suc c esses tha n the a tta c ker
didon his a tta c k roll. T he da ma ge for the c oun tera tta c k is equa l
to Stren gth, a lthough the Storyteller ma y a dda die or tw o if the
w ea pon is pa rti c ula rly vic ious. If the w ea pon does a ggra va ted
da ma ge, so does the c oun tera tta c k. Her oppon en t c a n a ttempt
to soa k da ma ge, but c a n n ot Dodge or Pa rry the c oun tera tta c k.
T he Gi ft la sts for the rest of the sc en e; hopefully by then , the
Mun c hma usen 's ma sterpiec e w i ll be c omplete.
A dversity (Level T hree) A Mun c hma usen c a n
survive extreme tempera tures for a f ull da y w i th this Gi ft.
A rc a dia n Ra tki n often tell ridic ulous stories a bout ha v i n g lived
I
on the moon , the bottom of the oc ean , or the c a ldera of a n
a c tive volc a n o. Some of these stories a re true.
System: T a va (Ra n kT hree Ra tki n ) a re immun e to extreme
hea t (up to boilin g la v a ) or extreme c old (up to A n ta rc tic
c on dition s). A t Ra n k Four, they ga in the a bility to live un derw a -
ter or in a va c uum. A Rrrrr't (Ra n k Five) Ra tkin c a n reproduc e
the Ra tki n Gi ft: Survivor; Moon Mic e fin d this a bility essen tia l.
N o roll is nec essary; the Ra t just spends Gnosis for ea c h
da y he w a n ts to survi ve. Extreme hea t or c old requires on e
Gn osis. U n derw a ter c on dition s or c ompete va c uums require
tw o Gn osis; the Survivor Gi ft requires three. A s a side n ote, this
Gi f t w i ll n ever gra n t i mmun i ty to silver, though it w ill reduc e
the da ma ge from fi re from a ggra va ted to n on -a ggra va ted.
T a ste of Ma dn ess (Level T hree) Sha re my delusion !
T he Mun c hma usen c a n c on struc t a brief v a ri a n t of rea lity for
his v i c ti m to experien c e. T his must be summa rized in on e
sen ten c e of n o more tha n ten w ords.
System: Spen da poi n t of Gn osis a n droll Ma n i pula ti on +
Subterfuge (the diffic ulty is equa l to the subjec t's Willpow er).
If the roll suc c eeds, the vic tim believes the delusion a s truth.
T he effec ts la st on e hour per suc c ess.
WhisperedDrea ms (Level Four) Y ou c a n spea k a n
illusion in to existen c e. T his a ppa rition c a n a ffec t a ll of your
vic tim's sen ses, c a n move a n yw here w ithin your lin e-of-sight,
a n d c a n exist a s lon g a s you c on c en tra te on it. T he Gi ft begin s
w hen you w hisper a few w ords a bout the dw eomer you a re tryin g
to c rea te. T he illusion la sts for on e sc ene.
System: Spendtw o Willpow er poin ts a n droll Ma n ipula tion
+ Expression (di ffi c ulty 8 ). A n yon e w itn essin g the illusion c a n
a ttempt to "see through it" by rollin g Perc eption + A lertn ess; the
diffic ulty is equa l to (5 + the n umber of suc c esses you obta in ed, up
to a ma ximum of diffic ulty 9). O nc e on e person poin ts out this fla w ,
the illusion is ruin edfor everyon e, a n d it van ishes.
Hypera tten ua tion (Level Five) T he A rc a dia n Ra tkin
c a n exa ggera te a n y on e sense to ridic ulous proportion s. T he
effec ts la st for on e sc en e, a n d on ly w ork if a c c ompa n ied by
outra geous bra ggin g. For in sta n c e, the Moon Mouse mi ght hea r
footsteps through the groun dseven lea gues a w a y; smell a sin gle
peppermi n t lea f restin g on a c up of trea c le on the low est level
of a sew er system; see w ell en oughfrom the top of a buildin g to
shoot the a pple off a tree outside the c ity; or feel a ma n 's deepest
psyc hologic al problems through the bumps on his forehea d.
In c on c eiva ble! T his Gi f t is c ha otic , often throw i n g in sen sory
da ta you n ever a n tic ipa ted. It's ta ught by a Wyldlin g spirit.
System: Roll Ma n i pula ti on + Expression (di ffi c ulty 9),
w i thout spen din g a n y Willpow er. For ea c h suc c ess, you c a n
in c rea se your Perc eption by on e poi n t for a s lon g a s you spen d
a n equa l a moun t of Gn osis; this la sts for on e sc en e. T he
Stor yteller ta kes a n y Perc epti on roll you ma ke a n d
"hypera tten ua tes" it to Herc ulea n proportion s. A ga in , your
heighten ed sen ses a re c ha otic : Y ou might try to i den ti fy the
sc en t of a Gla ss Wa lker's c iga rs, but you ma y a lso c a tc h a w hi ff
of the store ac ross tow n tha t he bought it f r om....
Switcher C/ fa
Firebug (Level O n e) By foc usin g a n ger a n ddestruc -
tive emotion s, the T w itc her c a n ign ite fla mma ble ma teria ls
w ithin ten feet. Y ou c a n 't hurl balls of a bysma l fla me, but you
c a n torc h thin gs w i thout c a rryin g a n i n c ri mi n a ti n g li ghter or
book of ma tc hes. T his in fern o c a n on ly en gulf w ood, pa per or
c loth; you'll n eed the Pyrotec hn ic s Gi f t for a n ythi n g less
fla mma ble. In a ddition , the Gi ft does n ot w ork on items tha t a re
bein g w orn or c a rried. T his Gi ft is ta ught by a Wyldlin g spirit.
System: Spen don e Ra ge a n droll tempora ry Ra ge to ign ite
a fire. Y ou just n eedon e suc c ess. T his ma y seem trivia l, but n o
huma n in vestiga tor w ill be a ble to deduc e the c a use of your a c t
of a rson . T he Gi ft is also in sta n ta n eous; ima gin e the effic a c y of
settin g a buildin g on fi re right in the middle of a n epic fight sc en e.
Sen se A n gst (Level O n e) Y oukn ow a n ger a n d
bittern ess so w ell tha t you c a n smell it in others. Huma n s
bec ome fa sc in a tin g: you c a n sen se their c urren t grea test pet
peeve or a n n oya n c e. When you're n ea r sha pec ha n gers, you c a n
sen se the exten t of their Ra ge; if luc ky, you c a n determin e the
la st even t tha t rea lly pissed them off. Y ou kn ow how c lose a
va mpire is to goin g berserk (a n dw ha t mi ght set him o f f ), or the
pa in of a w ra i th hoverin g n ea rby. If you use this on someon e
ta in tedby the Wyrm, you c a n sen se pa rt of w ha t drove him to
his ma dn ess. In a ll, if a n yon e is pissed off, you c a n figure out
w hy... a n d use it to your a dva n ta ge.
System: Roll Perc eption + O c c ult, di ffi c ulty 6. If a huma n
is a c tua lly c a lm, you c a n tell w ha t w ouldmost upset him a t tha t
momen t; ga in in g more tha n on e suc c ess gives you more in sights
in to w ha t w ould c heese him off. T hree suc c esses on a Perc ep-
tion + O c c ult roll lets you tell the rela ti v e Ra ge of a w erew olf
(or other sha pec ha n ger), the Huma n i ty of a v a mpi re (or a brief
impression of his Pa th's mora lity a n d how "fa r a lon g" he is on
i t), the A n gst level of a w ra i th, the Ba n a lity of a c ha n gelin g, or
the la st thin g tha t rea lly pissedoff a huma n or ma ge; a lthough
this desc ription is n ever c ouc hedin a c tua l ga me terms, it a llow s
a Ra tki n to ma ke a rough guess w hether a given ta rget is a
w erebea st, un dea d, fa e thin g, huma n or "somethin g else." T his
Gi ft c a n on ly be used on c e per sub jec t per sc en e.
Sense Wea ver (Level O n e) A s the Shadow Seer Gift.
Holdout (Level T w o) By c rea tin g a "poc ket" in your
flesh, you c a n smuggle a w ea pon or a sma ll pa c ka ge. Don 't be
surprised if a c orn edT w itc her pulls somethin g a ma zin g out of
his... w ell, you kn ow ....
System: Spen don e Gn osis, a n d the spirits w i ll a idyou in
sec retin g the devic e. Roll Wits + Subterfuge to ma ke sure it's
w ell hidden . If your holdout item is bigger tha n a ra t, you
c a n n ot shift in to ra t form w i thout immedia tely droppin g it on
the groun d. T he pa c ka ge c a n 't be la rger tha n your c hest c a vi ty.
In sertin g it c a n be ra ther emba rra ssin g un less it's don e in
priva te. Exc retin g it from your n ew ly c rea tedorific e requires a
poi n t of Ra ge. Y ou ma y poi n t to the spot w here you'd like the
n ew orific e w hen you a c tiva te this Gi ft, but be spec ific ; Ra t-
spirits don 't give a ra t's a ss w here they shove it in .
Self-Destruc t (Level T w o) Studen ts of the Wea ver c a n
lea rn to c on trol simple ma c hin es, forc in g them to stop fun c tion -
ing. Devotees of the Wyld c a n ma ke them self-destruc t in a
spec tac ular fa shion , throw in g off spa rks a n d lovely ja ggedpiec es.
System: Spen d on e Ra ge a n d roll your rema in in g tempo-
ra ry Rage. A n yon e hit by the fa llout loses a n umber of n on -
a ggra va ted hea lth levels of da ma ge equa l to the n umber of
Appendix One: Ratkin G ifts
suc c esses; this c a n be soa ked. T his on ly w orks on mun da n e
tec hn ology, n ot fetishes, ta len s, ta lisma n s, Devic es a n dthe like.
Pyrotec hn ic s (Level T hree) Fire w a lks w i th you.
While c ow a rds c loa k objec ts in da rkn ess, you're a soldier of the
A poc a lypse; you'll c loa k them in fla mes. T he size of the objec t
in question depen ds on your a n ger a n d your a b i li ty. A n yon e
usi n g this Gi f t must ha ve some sort of prop to c over up the
supern a tura l a c ti v i ty. U se ga solin e, mix c hemic a ls, or just w i re
somethin g to blow . Even if it shouldn 't physic a lly w ork, your
ra c e's un dyi n g ha tredw ill give it the kic k it n eeds to jump-sta rt
the A poc a lypse.
System: Sta rt off by foc usin g your a n ger. Y ou c a n spen d a s
1
muc hRa ge as you like; ea c h poin t gives youa n a utoma tic suc c ess
on the In telligen c e + O c c ult roll tha t follow s. T he size of the
objec t a n d its c omposition both a ffec t the n umber of suc c esses
you n eedto set it a bla ze. Every suc c ess a llow s you to torc h a 1 0-
by-1 0foot a rea . Y es, this c a n be used on livin g thin gs.
O ption a lly, mec ha n ic a lly-in c lin edStorytellers ma y c hoose
to split the n umb er of suc c esses on the i n i ti a l roll betw een these
tw o ta bles to fur ther defin e the c on fla gra tion . For more deta ils,
c hec k out the Fire! sec tion of the ma in rulebook.
[.Suc c esses Severity of the Fire di ffi c ulty to soa k da ma ge
O n e
T w o
T hree
Four
Five
Suc c esses
O n e
T hree
Five
hea t of a c andle (fiist-degtee bums) 3
hea t of a torc h (sec ond-degree bums) 5
hea t of a Bunsen burn er (third-degree) 7
hea t of a c hemic a l fi re 9
molten meta l 1 0
w oun ds in flic ted ea c h tur n Size of the Fire
size of a torc h on e
bon fire; ha lf of body burn ed tw o
ra gin g in fern o; tota l immersion in fla mes three
Sa n c tify (Level T hree) T hi s Gi f t is usedin c on jun c -
tion w i th the Ri te of the Pa in -Da gger; if you kn ow this Gi ft, you
ma y a lso lea rn tha t ri te from a Wa rrior (w i thout spen din g the
experien c e for i t). N orma lly, you c a n bin d a spi ri t to a bla de of
religious sign ific a n c e to form a Pa in -Da gger, the Ra tki n 's
equi v a len t of a Ga rou kla i v e. T he Sa n c ti fy Gi ft a llow s you to
tempora ri ly bin d on e of the spirits used in the ri te to anything
w i th a ja gged or poin ted edge: butc her kn ives, c ha in sa w s,
broken bottles, mea t hooks a n d bon e sa w s a re a ll obvious
exa mples. T his Gi ft is bli ssfully bestow ed by a Pa i n -spi ri t, but
on ly if you c a n give it w ha t it w a n ts fi rst. T his often in volves
sa c rific in g a n other c rea ture's pa in .
System: Fin d a w ea pon to dedic a te a s your n ew Pa in
Da gger. Spen d on e Ra ge a n d w hisper the grea test c rime you
in ten dto c ommit w i th it in to the bla de. Y ou c a n then perform
the Ri te of the Pa in Da gger upon it to summon a Pa i n -spi ri t a n d
bin d it in side. If the w ea pon n orma lly i n fli c ts n on -a ggra va ted
da ma ge (li ke a broken bottle or a mea t hook), the n ew w ea pon
c a n mete out Stren gth + 2 a ggra va ted da ma ge. If the w ea pon
n orma lly in flic ts a ggra va tedda ma ge (li ke a c ha in sa w ), the n ew
w ea pon metes out Stren gth + 4 da ma ge.
In a ddition , the T w itc her c a n spen d a poin t of Gn osis to
forc e the spi ri t to use the Cha rm: A gon y (see p. 48 ). When the
bla de is dedi c a ted, roll Gn osis; for ea c h suc c ess, the spirit
rema in s boun d for on e w eek. A s usua l, a T w itc her c a n n ot
t
c rea te more tha n on e Pa in Da gger a t a time; how ever, they
don 't w orry a bout losin g O bliga tion Ren ow n for performin g
irreveren t or obsc en e a c ts w ith them.
U n fortun a tely, the spirit in side a Sa n c tified Pa in Da ggers
ma y w hisper to the T w itc her w ho c a rries it; on ly the ow n er c a n
hea r these disturbin g messa ges. O n c e a da y, if the ow n er fa ils a
Willpow er roll (diffic ulty 9), a dra w n spirit bla de w ill forc e its
ow n er to a tta c k a vic tim of its c hoic e. Some Ra tkin believe it's
a sma ll pric e to pa y.
K een in g of Sw a rm Pa n ic (Level Four) T his Gi f t is
essen tia lly the sa me a s the N ezumi Gi ft from Hen geyoka i:
Sha peshifters of the Ea st. It is on ly possible in the midst of a
c row d of a t least fi fty or sixty huma n s. T he T w itc her keens a
high, w a ilin g soun d just beyon d the fri n ge of huma n hea rin g.
A fter a few min utes, the huma n s bec ome un ea sy a n d soon
begin to push a n d shove ea c h other. T he huma n sw a rm c a n
bec ome extremely da n gerous if it senses the n eed to bolt.
System: Expen don e poin t of Gn osis a n droll Cha risma +
Ritua ls (diffic ulty 7 ). If the Ra tkin obta in s a t least three
suc c esses, the c row dw ill begin to forc e its w a y tow a rds a c hosen
exit. With four suc c esses, the c row d w ill pa n ic , surgin g so
violen tly tha t a n y n on -huma n s in their w a y a re sw ept in to the
c row d. Ea c h of these vic tims suffers on e level of da ma ge
(diffic ulty 8 to soa k).
Withfi v e suc c ess, the c row dbolts. A n yon e c a ught in the
w a y of the c row dshouldroll Dexterity + A thletic s or Dexterity
+ Dodge; otherw ise, tha t vic tim is tra mpled un der a w a ve of
huma n flesh. T he vic tim ta kes on e level of da ma ge eac h turn
un ti l he gets to his feet (un ti l then , he c a n a ttempt to soa k the
da ma ge a t diffic ulty 9). T he most in sidious pa rt of this Gift is
its dura tion : ten min utes for ea c h suc c ess on the in itia l roll.
A ll Hell (Level Five) By summon in g a sw a rm of
Wyldlin g spirits a n d Ra t-spirits, you c a n in voke sheer pa n de-
mon ium. T hey'll c ra w l the w a lls, ma n ipula tin g mun da n e ob-
jec ts ra n domly, a n d c a usin g sheer c ha os. A n y n on -Ra tki n in
the room is hit w ith the Delirium.
System: Spen d on e Gn osis; everyon e presen t rolls Will-
pow er (diffic ulty 8 ). A n yon e w ho fa ils this roll gets hit by the
Delirium, just a s if they w ere huma n . Huma n s a re a utoma ti c a lly
a ffec ted, but move on e step up the Delirium c ha rt for eac h tw o
suc c esses they get.
Appendix One: Ratkin G ifts 1 2 5
I t was then that the rats were driven to being scavengers and
thieves, living on the fringes of a world run by men.
Robert O 'Brien , Mrs. Frisby and the Rats o/N IHM
T U vfe of the
(Desperate
Li fe i s best li v ed to extremes. Ra tki n a r en 't just
sha pec ha n gin g ra ts; they're extremists, a n a rc hists, ma dmen
a n d vision a ries. T he c urse of w erera t blood sha pes a Ra tki n 's
en ti re existen c e, even before the horrors of In fec tion . For
homids, holdin g dow n a job , ma i n ta i n i n g a rela tion ship or just
keepin g out of prison or poverty c a n be a n exerc ise in fa i lure.
For roden s, just sen sin g you're somehow di fferen t from the
a n i ma ls a roun d you c a n be ma dden in g. For metis Ra tki n ,
grow in g up in a c olon y mea n s en durin g a life of sha me,
drea min g of the da y w hen you c a n fulfi ll your gra n dest drea ms...
a n d basest urges.
Werera ts a re n ot just gia n t roden ts they a re a s si mi la r
to ra ts a s huma n s a re to va mpires, or w olves a re to Ga rou. Life
a s a Ra tki n lea ds to life on the edge, a n d a n y despera te c rea ture
forc ed to extremes lea rn s to see the w orldvery, very di fferen tly.
O n c e you've been c a lled by the Ra t In c a rn a , others ma y v i li f y
you, but the Ra tki n in your pa c k w i ll c ome to un dersta n dyou.
A n y revolution a ry ha s a rea son w hy he's ta ken a da n gerous
pa th in li fe. In the w orld of the despera te, the ma dn ess of the
Birthin g Pla gue lea ds a ll of its vic tims of a stra y. T a ke a look a t
a few exa mples...
er
Quote: "I'm n ot lost. I kn ow exactly where I'm n ot going. Y ou,
on the other ha n d, a re headed right for where you shouldn ' the...."
Prelude: T w o yea rs ago, you thought you w ould n ever
esc ape from your drea ry existenc e. A dea d-en d job, a lifeless
ma rria ge, a li feti me of forgotten frien ds your life w a s goin g
n ow here. T he drin kin g problem pushed you over the edge,
lea di n g stra ight in to fights w i thyour w i fe tha t la stedfor hours.
T hen on e da y, you w a lked out of the house on the spur of the
momen t for a pa c k of c iga rettes a n d n ever lookedba c k. Sure,
you're w ife thin ks you're a ra t ba sta rd, but you kn ow you're both
better off this w a y. Y ou usedto ha ve n ightma res a bout the life
youleft behin d, but n ow your existen c e is on e un en din g drea m.
Sin c e the da y you w a lked out, you've tra veled just a bout
everywhere. T he c redit on your A T Mc a rd ra n out a lon g time
a go w hic h is just a s w ell, sin c e you don 't w a n t to be tra c ked
dow n to pa y old debts. Y ou've ha d n ightma res a bout people
from your old life tra c kin g you dow n , but there's n o w a y you'd
ever go ba c k. Driftin g from on e sma ll tow n to the n ext, you
n ever trust a n yon e for lon g.
Sta yin g in on e pla c e just
seems too da mn da n ger-
ous, so the roa dha s bec ome
your home.
Sure, i t w a s
ha r d a t f i r st.
T he fi rst ti me
you got rea lly
si c k, ther e
w a s n o on e
to ta ke c a re of
Y O U ... un ti l the
sic kn ess got w orse
t a n d
In timida tion
Pr i ma l-U r
Streetw ise.
Subterfuge.
t&fA&oantaQ es-*
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O O O O O O O O O
Cunning
O O O O O O O O
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Bruised
Hur t -1
In jured -1
Woun ded -2
Ma uled -2
Crippled -5
In c a pa c i ta ted
Strength/T JOet
4

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i
In fec tion bega n . When the pla gue hit youfor the first time a n d
the Ra t God c a lledyou, there rea lly w a sn 't muc h of a n old life
to give up. In stea d, youfoun d out a bout yout n ew li fe, on e filled
w i th c on sta n t c ha n ge. U n fortun a tely, others like you w a n t you
to joi n their ra n ks... a n d tha t w orries you. Y ou a lrea dy messed
up on e fa mily, so w hy shouldyou be ea ger to sc rew up a n other
on e? Y ou'll use these Ra t People a roun dyou a s lon g a s you n eed
to, but on a momen t's n otic e, you'll dec ide to strike out on your
ow n a ll over a ga in .
Con c ept: Y ou don 't ha ve a home, n or do you w a n t on e.
Everythin g you n eed is in c a rried on you ba c k physic a l
ba gga ge is a s burden some to you a s emotion a l ba gga ge. A s
fa r a s you're c on c ern ed, c han ge is good. Every few mon ths,
you c han ge some aspec t of your a ppea ra n c ew hether tha t
mea n s grow in g a bea rd, dyin g your ha ir, or even sha vin g your
hea d. When you rea lly n eedto hide out for a w hile, youjust ta ke
to your ra t for m, droppin g out of huma n soc iety a ltogether.
Rolepla yin g Hints: Y ou ha ve n o in ten tion of ever getti n g
c lose to a n yon e ever a ga in . T rustin g someon e mea n s settin g
yourself up for betra ya l. T he on ly people you trust a re the
members of your pa c k, a n deven they seem like the sort w ho w ill
desert you if they fi n d somethin g better. Y our iden tity is a
fa c a de, on e w hic h you in ten dto preserve. T he ra ts you c on sort
w i th on ly give their fi rst n a mes, a n d tha t's fi n e w ith you. A s
lon g a s n o on e in quires in to your pa st, you don 't rea lly c a re
a bout theirs. Y our n ew life is a series of a dven tures, a n d the
other tra velers you w ork w ith a re a ll mea n s to fulfillin g those
en ds. Y ou're a ma n of mystery a n d prefer to keep it tha t w a y.
Equipmen t: ba c kpa c k ja mmed w ith sc a ven ged supplies;
w ell-w orn thri ft store c lothes
127
Realistic Street Rat
Quote: " T he streets belong to everyone. Someday, we'U take
backthe rest of the city, too."
Prelude: Y ou w ere born a metis; your guilty pa ren ts
sa c rific ed you to the Birthin g Pla gue a t a n ea rly a ge. When the
In fec ti on hit you for the fi rst ti me, it w a s beyon d a n ythin g you
ha d ever experien c ed. In mere momen ts, your min d w a s over-
w helmedby the history of the w orld... a n dthe da n gers it fa c ed.
Prophetic drea ms revea leda n en tire w orldjust beyon dthis on e.
O ther c rea tures ha ve n a mes for the spi ri ts tha t live there, but
you remember them by their soun ds a n d sc en ts. A s a ma ster of
in sight, you're w ell a c qua in ted w i th the foul sten c h of the
Wyrm's ten ta c les, the ozon e c ra c klin g of the Wea ver's w ebs,
a n d the libera tin g effervesc en c e of the Wyld.
T hese w on ders w ere a ma zin g, but to you, the huma n w orld
w a s even more fa sc in a tin g. A s soon a s youw ere old en ough to
lea ve your c olon y, you sta rtedw a n derin g the streets a n d fin d
others w ho w ere just like you... a lmost. T he w ea lthy huma n s
di dn 't trust you, but youfoun d plen ty of other people w ho ha d
a ba n don ed the preten se of "c ivilized" soc iety. Some lived on
the streets bec a use they thought it w a s gla morous; a few
preferred the da n gers of street li fe to the violen c e a t home; most
of them ha d n o c hoic e. N o ma tter w ha t thei r rea son s, they a ll
ha d on e thi n g in c ommon : they n eeded help.
Before the First Cha n ge, youa lw a ys kn ew huma n soc iety
di dn 't qui te w ork. T he vic tims you help out a re proof of tha t.
Y ou n ow ta ke pri de in kn ow in g tha t a w erera t c a n help them
w hen ordin a ry huma n s c a n 't. Sin c e you c a n sc roun ge, hide a n d
surv i v e w i th the c un n i n g of a ra t, you a c tua lly like li fe on the
street, a n dgen uin ely c a re for the people w ho live there. Y ou
help them; in return , you kn ow a few good-hea rtedpeople
w ho w ould do a n ythi n g to help you. It's a sha me the rest
of your ra t pa c k doesn 't feel the sa me w a y.
Con c ept: Like ma n y Sha dow Seers on
the streets, you'v e sta rted to c a re a bout
the huma n s w ho li ve there. U n f or tu-
n a tely, you're a meti s, a n d some
Ra tkin question your odd philoso-
phies. Don 't the w erera ts ha ve a sa -
c red duty to help keep dow n the hu-
ma n popula ti on ? Isn 't it da n gerous to w a n der
the streets a s a huma n fema le? Won 't you get
rippedoff, like everyon e else w ho tries to help
the homeless ? Y our sympa thy ea rn s some skep-
tic ism from the other members of your pa c k, but
you kn ow tha t by helpin g out those in n eed, they
ma y someda y return the fa vor.
Rolepla yin g Hin ts: Y ou c a n 't resist meddlin g in
huma n a ffa i rs, espec ia lly a mon g huma n s w ho a re
livin g on the edge. U n li ke most w erera ts, you
a c tua lly remember the n a mes of people
you meet on the street. Y ougive
them c ha n ge, help them out
w hen li fe is rough, get them
help w hen they're sic k, a n d
mourn them w hen they die.
T he streets a re a dra ma tha t
Social
Cha risma _ _ _ _ _ _ _ O
Ma n ipula tion _ _ _ _ _ O O
A ppea ra n c e_ _ _ _ _ O O
o o o o o o o o
Jnfamy
o o o o o o o o o o
Ob ligation
OOOOOOOOOO
oooooo
QQQQQQQDQQ
" W illpower
o o o o o o
Cunning
o o o o o o o
QQOQQQQQQQ
goes on from da y to da y, a n d youprefer to
be more tha n just a spec ta tor. Let the
c ow a rdly huma n s w a tc h; you
prefer to get in volved.
Equipmen t: kn a psa c k
w ith spa re food a n d extra
c lothes, w a rm b la n ket, fe-
tish ra dio for rec eivin g mes-
sa ges from spirits
Lcoterrorist
Quote: " W here the law fails, 1 prevail. The Earth can' t figfit
back, so I 'll fight backfor her."
Prelude: Y ou sta rted your c rusa de to defen d the Ea rth
bec ause of N ew A ge beliefs a n dgood in ten tion s. Y ou've a lw a ys
w a n ted to do the right thin g. N ow yea rs of in volvemen t in
en viron men ta l groups ha ve left you b i tter a n d disgusted.
Gra ssroots politic a l movemen ts did n othin g. Door-to-door
fun d-ra i sers just ma de other people ric h. Forma l protests just
la n ded you in ja il, w hile the c orpora tion s kept gettin g ric her
a n d ric her. Despera te times c a lled for despera te mea sures...
a n ddespera te ta c tic s. Y ou n ow pa ss
judgmen t on the c orpora tion s
tha t poison the w orld.
Y ou've ta ken to
methods a n d phi-
losophies tha t give
the en v i ron men ta l
mo v emen t a b a d
n a me. T oo da mn
b a d. Sa bota gin g
a n d stea li n g
equi pmen t is
just the b e-
g i n n i n g .
Ma yb e a few
)
N a me:
Player:
Chronicle:
(Physical
Breed: ?
Tribe/Plague:
Aspec t: Kui^t ^kulksr
'^^Attributes''
Social
3 O O Cha risma .
Manipulation^,
A ppea r a n c t
A lertn ess_
A thletic
BrawL.
Dodge
Empathy.
Expression .
In ti mi da ti oi
Primal-Urge.
Streetw ise
Sul
talents
- "S^M fcfi fes-
Skilh
A n i ma l K en _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
O O O O
.OOO Etiquette_______OOOOO
(OOO Firearms_
Lea dership_ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
_ O O O O O Melee_
Cental
Intelligence ______ OO
Wits nnn
Knowledges
Computer_______OOOOO
Investigation_____OOO
Law___________OOO
Linguistics_______OOOOO
Medi c i n e_ _ _ _ _ _ _ OOOOO
Occult__________OOOOO
Poli ti c s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ OOOOO
Ritui
Sc ie
' ( / { enmon
Infamy
9 000000000
QQQQQQQQQQ
Obligation
o o o o o o o o o
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Cunning
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a u a a Q u a r j u u
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W illpower *
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QQQQQQQQQQ
Bruised
Hurt
Injured
Wounded
Ma uled
Crippled
In c a pa c i ta ted
.; 5 Y
Q I
Strength/W eakness I
n U ^ls, &fM$ e
A$tU.' y Co^f, \
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pa w n s get i n jured, but tha t just helps sc a re them off their jobs.
If they're w oun din g the Ea rth, then you've got every ri ght to a c t
in self-defen se. Y our fa vorite ta rgets used to be la rge business
tha t w a n ted to ma ke a profi t from loggin g a n d min in g. A fter
you w ere In fec ted, your belief bec a me even more extreme. T he
huma n s, tha t ra c e you a ba n don ed w hen you fi rst Cha n ged,
rea lly ha ve n o right to the pla n et a t a ll. Someon e is respon sible,
a n d someon e must pa y. If n ec essa ry, they a ll must pa y.
Con c ept: Ma ybe some of the w erew olves w ouldbe proud
to kn ow you. More likely, you'dsc are even them. Y ou usedto
believe in the Ga ia theory, but n ow you kn ow the Ea rth Mother
doesn 't give a da mn a bout you. A ll of her lost c hildren ha ve to
look out for themselves. O thers dea l in la w ; you dea l in justi c e.
Y ou're ea ger to in vestiga te a n y la rge c orpora tion tha t profi ts
from the misfortun e of others. U n fortun a tely, you c a n 't ma ke
a lon g-term c a reer out of it on your ow n . In stea d, you'v e got to
fin d a ra t pa c k w ho a c c epts your view s. A s pa rt of your Con tra c t
Rite w i th them, you'll a idthem in their goa ls if they'll oc c a sion -
a lly len dhelp w ithyours. A s lon g a s you get your reven ge a few
times a yea r, you'll stic k a roun d.
Rolepla yin g Hin ts: Moc k the la w ; it's frustra ted you for
fa r too lon g. Wa tc h pa tien tly w hen you see in justic e. T hen sta rt
pla n n in g reven ge. Bec ome visibly upset w hen you see pollu-
tion , tra sh or urba n blight. Hold your a n ger in c hec k... un ti l
you n eedit. Y ou've got to w a tc h a n dw a it, ea rn in g your dec eit's
respec t un til you c a n lea d them on your n ext c rusa de.
Equipmen t: ten -yea r oldva n c overedw ith en viron men -
ta list stic kers, severa l c ases of litera ture a n d pa mphlets, sa fely
hidden w ea pon s of ma ss destruc tion
129
f e
Quote: " Some say it's the government. Some say its the C1A, or
the Zion ists, or the Bavarian lllwninati. I know that's all hogwash. All
of the world's problems c a n be attributed to two groups that are forever
at war: vampires and werewolves."
Preludes A ll you ever w a n tedin li fe w a s to be left a lon e. A fa i r
w a ge for a ha rd da y's w ork shouldn 't ha ve been too muc h to a sk.
Y ou're a n A meric a n , a n dthought you ha drights, but you took the
privileges given you by the U .S. Con stitution for gra n ted. T hen
your w orld w en t to hell. T he ba n ks forec losed on the fa mi ly fa rm,
you lost your job to foreign c ompetition , a n d you foun d yourself
li v i n g in the ba c k of a c a mper. T he rifle you stow ed un der the
bla n kets bec a me the on ly thin g you c ould trust.
Fortun a tely, there w ere orga n iza tion s for disgrun tledA meric a n s
like you. Y ou sta rted goin g to meetin gs for the free food, a n d the
politic s soun dedjust a bout right. T hey spoke w ith reveren c e a bout the
Right to Bea r A rms, the Right to T ra vel Freely, a n djust the Right to
Pea c ea ble A ssembly. Ma ybe they w ere a little too extreme, but they
trea tedyoulike a fri en dw hen n o on e else did. Y oukn ew the w ords they
c ha n ted: " W henever any form of government cannot accomplish these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it...." In spiredby tha t
phra se, they ha d formed a strugglin g but idea listic A meric a n militia .
U n fortun a tely, the more you listen ed to them, the more
ela bora te their politic s a n dc on spira c ies theories bec a me. N o tw o
of them c ould rea lly a gree on w ho the rea l en emy w a s, w ho w a s to
bla me, w ho shouldbe pun ished, or even w ha t their mi li ti a should
do. Y ou show ed up to their meetin gs regula rly, but you w ere
disa ppoin ted w hen they turn ed out to be a ll ta lk. Y ou w a n ted
a c tion . Y ou w a n ted justi c e.
T hen , w hile sta rvin g a n d despera te, you w ere In fec ted for
the first ti me. It sta rted out a s pn eumon ia , but en ded up in the
grea test gift you c ould ever hope for. Y ou ha d drea ms of n ew
fa mi ly, on e tha t lived in sec ret throughout the U n ited Sta tes.
T hey w ere a lot like your old a llies but they a c tua lly took action.
Everyon e in your squa d a greed on a set of c ommon
goa ls a n d a c tua lly helped ea c h other to a c hieve
them. N ow you've got pla c es to hide, a stea dy
supply of provision s, a n d a w a r you thin k you're
a c tua lly w in n in g. T o hell w ith the A meric a n \
govern men t. Y ou n ow serve a higher a uthority.
Y ou're a Wa rrior for the Ra tkin Ra c e.
Breed:< X OM&
Tribe/Plague: T tie RA ( KM*
A spec t: ^U n lc r
Nature:
Demeanor:
Concept: *
Stren gth_
Dexteri ty_
Sta min a
Social Rental
Perc eptio
Wits _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 000
Knmolftys
Computer_ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
En igma s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O
In v esti ga ti on _ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
La w _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
'(Renown *
Jnfamy
o o o o o o o o
ooooo
Ob ligation
o o o o o o o o o o
J J QQi J J U U U Q
Cunning
o o o o o o o o o
Con c ept: A s a huma n , you w ere on the verge of
w elfa re. A s a Ra tki n , you've got a pla c e to sleep, a w a y to get
food, a n d a mission in life. Y ou c on sider solida rity in your pa c k to
be very i mporta n t, so you w a n t to ma ke sure everyon e believes in
the sa me goa ls. Y ou'v e ma de a Con tra c t w i th them: Y ou'll help the
pa c k in its short-term objec tives a s lon g a s they help you in your
a rmed resista n c e to the U .S. Govern men t fr om ti me to time. Y ou
don 't pla n to blow up a n y federa l buildin gs soon , for the time bein g,
you'll w a ge your w a r on e skirmish a t a time.
Rolepla yin g Hin ts: Y ou ha ve your ow n in terpreta tion s of
"tra dition a l A meric a n va lues." Y oua re a w a rrior in a sec ret militia ,
on e fa r beyon d a n ythi n g you've seen before. Be rea lly c a reful w here
you disc lose your politic a l a ffilia tion s; you don 't w a n t to blow your
c over too ea sily. Eva lua te other members of the Ra tkin Movemen t
c a utiously distin guishin g poten tia l a llies from c ra c kpots is c riti-
c a l. Y ou've got to be stoic . If youw a i t lon g en ough, youkn ow tha t
your c ha n c e to strike ba c k w i ll c ome.
Equipmen t: pi c k-up truc k, severa l rifles w ith a mmun ition ,
sma ll plot of la n d, old c omputer w i th low ba ud modem (for
ac c essing loc a l bulletin boa rds), w ell-w orn bible
W onkeywrenching
Quote: "N o, I'm only a temp. Do you have the password for
this machine?'
Prelude: Y ou ga ve the best yea rs of your life to big, w ea lthy
busin esses, sellin g off piec es of your life for a pa yc hec k. Ea c h
time, it en ded in disa ster. Either the c ompa n y w oulddow n size,
or you'dget burn edout, or a so-c a lledfri en d w ould sta b you in
the ba c k. Y ou n ever w a n ted to trust a n other c ompa n y a ga in ,
but the evic tion n otic es a n da n gry phon e c a lls forc ed you to get
a job , a n y job tha t c a me a lon g. Sin c e then , you soldyour soul,
on e hour a t a time, a s a temp employee.
Y ea rs of w orkin g ha ve w orn dow n your en thusia sm. Y ou've
got a ta len t for ma rketin g yourself a s j ust a bout a n ythin g. Y ou'll do
a n y job, if you rea lly ha ve to, but you've got a ha bit of disc a rdin g
your employers before they disc a rdyou. A lon g the w a y, you sc a m
a ll the little perks a n d privileges you c a n get, a n d a lw a ys sc urry
a w a y before the boss c a n figure out w ho's respon sible.
Y our despera te c a reer pa th ha d tw o ma jor fla w s, though.
T emps don 't get sic k lea ve, a n d they c a n ra rely a fford hea lth
in sura n c e. When your hea lth sta rtedfa i li n g a fter yea rs of dr a fty
a pa rtmen ts, c hea p food a n d lon g hours, your fin a n c es got
c a ught in a dow n -
w a r d spi ra l.
When yo u
sta rted dri n k-
i n g, puki n g,
a n dsleep-
i n g a ll
da y, you
w ere rea dy
to w a i t for
yo ur n ext
evic tion . T hen
A lertn ess,
A thletic s
Bra w l.
talents Skills Knowledges
Computer_ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O
En i gma s________OOOOO
Subterfuge.
( Backgrounds
OO Survival^
-^Z^tovantages'
oooooooo
QQQQQQQQQQ
*C(ank'
Willpmoer-
o o o o o
a QQQQQQQQQ
* *-
r
j
- 5 0 '
red U I
Strength/W eakness I
Cullufin llM S^tAi-^XLw w lc fhA st
' ' " vh^tiqt I
>f
In fec tion set in , a n d the Bi rthi n g Pla gue revea led to you a
fa mi ly tha t w ould help support you for life.
Y our ra t pa c k is a ble to help you out w ith a pla c e to c rash
a n d dec en t food. In return , you help them w i th a little
mon keyw ren c hin g from time to time. Y ou c a n a ssume the
proper c orpora te guise for i n fi ltra ti n g a n y orga n iza tion a s a
tempora ry employee. Y ou've got ac c ess to c omputer files,
methods of gettin g through sec urity, a n da ta len t for fi n di n g a n
orga n iza tion 's w ea k poin ts. A n d if, Ra t God forbi d, you should
ever get c a ught, you've got the a bility to c ha n ge your i den ti ty
a n d run ba c k to your fa mi ly. It's n ic e to fi n a lly ha ve a li ttle
in sura n c e, a n d it's n ic e to ma ke the ric hfolks pa y for a c ha n ge.
Con c ept: Y ou're un a ssumin g en ough tha t n o on e rea lly
remembers you. Y ou're a lso skilled en ough tha t you c a n get a
temp job in just a bout a n y offic e. Sin c e your employer pa ys you
little more tha n mi n i mum w a ge, you've dec ided to sell out to
the highest bidder, exploitin g the resourc es of the c ompa n y to
further other goa ls.
Rolepla yin g Hin ts: Y ou've got a ba dha bit of overestima t-
in g your skills. If a n yon e offers you w ork, you'll ta ke it, but
w hether you c a n a c tua lly do the job is a n other ma tter. N o
ma tter w here your ra t pa c k tra vels, you c a n sc a m a c on tra c t or
a pa rt-ti me job, usua lly w i th a question a ble c ompa n y tha t
routin ely sc rew s over its temps. Every employer you fin d ha s
some b en efi t you c a n exploit. Remember to pla c e your ow n
surviva l fi rst; a fter a ll, n o employer is ever rea lly goin g to give
a da mn a bout you.
Equipmen t: ba c kpa c k, la ptop, dress shirt a n d tie, blue
jea n s a n d sla c ks, fa lsified i den ti fi c a ti on
Appendix T wo: Rat Bastards 131
fiat Girl
Quote: " T ake me. Now. N o, n ot here!"
Prelude: Y ou're a tea se. N o on e kn ow s w here you c a me
from, but everyon e seems to ha ve idea s a bout w here you're
goin g. Someon e on c e desc ribed you a s a "seria l gi rlfri en d,"
goin g from on e guy to the n ext to get w ha t you n eed. Y oura rely,
if ever, ha ve to pa y ren t... n ot in c a sh, a n yw a y. Y ou've n ever
ha d trouble fi n di n g a c ouc h to c ra sh on , but you've a lw a ys ha d
troub le sa yin g good-bye. T ha t's w hy you just disa ppea r w hen
you feel you're n ot w a n ted a n ymore.
Ma ybe tha t low ers people's opin ion of you, b ut, hey!
Y ou're n ew a t this "huma n " thin g! T here's a rea son w hy you
n ever ta lk a bout your pa ren ts or fa mi ly: they're ra ts. T he first
ti me you w ere In fec ted, n o on e ga ve a da mn a bout you. Y ou
w ere just a n other diseasedra t
sta r v i n g i n a n a lleyw a y.
T hen , the fi rst time you
Cha n ged, people sta rtedto
ta ke n otic e. Y ou di dn 't just
lea rn to ta ke the form of a
huma n you lea rn ed to
shi ft in to a damned a ttra c -
tive huma n . People kn ow
w ha t they w a n t to ta ke from
you, so you just ma ke a poi n t of get-
ti n g w ha t you w a n t from them fi rst.
Everythin g you n eed fits in to a
c ute little ba c kpa c k, a n d you throw
a w a y w ha t you c a n 't c a rry. T ha t in -
c ludes old rela tion ships. A ll of your
huma n frien ds a re tempora ry, but w ith a
little bit of w ork, you c a n get them to
give you w ha tever you
n eed. Wha tthe hell?
T he huma n rac e is
doomed a n yw a y,
a n d your goa l in life
is to survive lon g en ough
to breed. In the mea n -
time, you'll ma ke a
poin t of seizin g ev-
er ythi n g you
c a n a lon g the
w a y.
Co n -
c ept: Some
people don 't un -
der sta n d ho w
muc h w ork it is do-
in g w ha t you do. It's a
Physical Social
Strength_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ OOO Cha r i sma _ _ _ _ _ _
Dexter i ty_ _ _ _ _ _ _ MOOD Ma n i pula ti o
A ppea ra n *
talent
.^&&Abjlities~
Skills
A n i ma l Ken_____OOOOO
Drive__________OOOOO
000
Per c epr i on .
In telli gen c e.
Wits
Wental
OOO
oo
oo
Knowledges
Computer_______OOOOO
Enigmas________OOO
.OOOO
.OOOO
.^*
'(Renown "
Jntamy
o o o o o o o o
Ob ligation
o o o o o o o o o o
aaaaaaoaQQ
Cunning
o o o o o o o o o
3 QQQQQQQQQ
'* Gnosis*
o o o o o
QQQQQQQQQQ
"Willpower<*
0000
QQG UI JI JU JJO
"Health
Tough
Bruised
Hurt -1
Injured -1
Wounded -2
Mauled -2
Crippled -5
Incapacitated
Strength / ' Weakness
highly refin ed skill; in fa c t, it's a n a rt. T here a re people out
there w ho a re lon ely, a n dyouf ulf i ll their n eeds. O f c ourse, thei r
w ea kn ess even tua lly fi lls you w ith c on tempt, but it's on ly
n a tura l for the higher li fe forms to prey on the w ea ker on es. Y ou
ha ve n o in ten tion of livin g the life of the w ea k, en durin g a
mi n i mum w a ge job a s some c oun ter joc key. In stea d, you seek
out people w ho a re doin g w ell, a n dgive them exa c tly w ha t they
expec t from you.
Rolepla yin g Hin ts: Rememb er w ho your rea l fri en ds a re.
A Ra tki n w ill a lw a ys c hoose to betra y a huma n before exploit-
in g on e of her ow n kin d. Huma n lovers a n d boyfrien ds a re
disposa ble; use a n d disc a rd them a s n ec essity dic ta tes. Ra tki n
trea t you w i th more respec t, a n d you'll stic k by them if they do
right by you. U n fortun a tely, you've a lso got a w ea kn ess. Y ou'll
do j ust a bout a n ythin g to help out other Ra tki n , a n dsometimes
you get b urn ed. Iron ic , isn 't it?
Equipmen t: la test c lothes (the old on es keep getti n g
disc a rded), ma ke-up c a se, lin gerie, someon e else's mon ey a n d
house key, rea lly in c redible feti sh shoes
Fetish: Cruel Shoes. T his highly fa shion a ble footw ea r
reduc es the di ffi c ulty of a ll high-kic ks by 2 . T he w ea rer must be
in Homid form to use this a bility.
Ratkin
Lab G(at Activist
Quote: "N o animal should be caged. Huma n s like to buildc ages
for themselves, but aR animals should run free. I know. I hold the key."
Prelude: Y ou w ere a lw a ys sma rter tha n the other ra ts in
the la b. T he da y the sc ien tists in jec ted you w ith Experimen ta l
Serum X-3 3 , it c ha n gedyour li fe forever. A w eek of debi li ta ti n g
disea se c rea ted a min d of devious c a pa bilities. O f c ourse, the
ba d men in w hi te c oa ts n ever rea lized how bri lli a n t you ha d
bec ome. T he fools! T hey studied you w hile you ra n ma zes a n d
pushed levers, but a t the sa me time, you w ere studyin g them!
N ot ba d for a sma ll a lbin o roden t, eh?
La te a t n ight, you esc apedfrom your c age to see w ha t they
w ere doin g to the other a n ima ls. O ver severa l mon ths, you
lea rn ed your w a y a roun d the Big Shin y Pla c e. Suc hba rba ri ty.
So ma n y horrors. Ra bbits tra pped on gia n t ta bles, un a ble to
blin k a w a y the c hemic a ls seepin g in to their eyes. Dogs tra pped
in tin y c ages, w hin in g for someone to resc ue them. Chimpa n -
zees bled a n d drugged a n d bled a ga in . Y ou vow ed tha t on e da y
you'd esc a pe, a n d return to ma ke the w hi te c oa ts pa y.
Y ou helpedother promisin g ra ts esc a pe, a n deven In fec ted
them w ith the pla gue tha t c ourses throughyour vein s. N ot fa r
from the Big Shin y Pla c e, you even tua lly set up a sma ll c olon y
of ra ts w ho ha ve n ow in fested the w a lls.
Y ou ra idedthe la bo-
ra tory for supplies, sec retly buildin g a n dma ki n g devic es to help
your c olon y thrive. Fin a lly, the a n ger grew so grea t tha t you
disc overedyour ulti ma te w ea pon : Crin os form. A fter the First
Cha n ge, reven ge w a s fi n a lly yours!
Con c ept: A fter a glorious n ight of a n ima l li bera ti on , you
took to the roa d w i th your K in folk c ompa n ion s, fleei n g the
retribution of the w hite c oats. Weeks of furtive tra vel ledyou
to a n un dergroun dof others of your kin d. Y ou n ow ta ke up
c ra sh spa c e w i th other Ra tki n , a n d you've lea rn edof
huma n i ty's other in fa mous c rimes. Corpora te exploi-
ta tion . En vi ron men ta l desec ra tion . V i c ti mi za ti on of
their ow n kin d. T ogether w i thyour roden t c ompa n -
ion s, you w ill tra vel a n yw here, oppose a n yon e, build a n y
w ea pon n ec essa ry to ma ke the huma n s pa y!
Rolepla yin g Hin ts: Y our roden t c ompa n ion s thin k
you a re ma d. Y ouprefer the w ord"vision a ry." A s your
gen ius grow s, you're in sight in to huma n tec hn ology
in c rea ses. Y ou must use the huma n s' ow n w ea pon s
a ga in st them. First, you must pun ish the huma n s w ho
ha ve dec la redw a r on the a n ima l kin gdom. N ext, you
must ra idhuma n ha bita tion s to get the supplies you
n eed for more w ea pon s a n d devic es. Fin a lly, you
must ra ise a n a rmy to c on tin ue this c rusa de, so tha t
the ra ts c a n fin a lly fight ba c k! K eep hidden ! T he
w hi te c oa ts a re a bout, a n d there is w ork to do!
Wea kn ess: T ec hn ologic a l Fa sc in a tion
Equipmen t: strin g, ba tteries, dedic a tedba c kpa c k,
shin y thin gs, tra n sistor tubes, hidden sta sh of duc t ta pe
1 33
Hotable (ftatkin
T ta Giant 0(ai of Sumatra
T he V i c tori a n A ge c rea ted legen ds tha t w ill live on
forever. Some a re rega led in the history of ma n ki n d, but the
sec ret history of the w orld c elebra tes more n efa ri ous heroes.
T he Gi a n t Ra t of Suma tra is on e suc h c rea ture, a roden t gen ius
esteemeda s a ma stermin dof c rime. Spa w n edof the doc ks of a n
In don esia n fishin g villa ge, his ti ta n i c in tellec t ha d humble
begin n in gs. His ta le bega n w i th a c ommon , bloa ted w ha rf ra t.
For this sc a rred roden t, li fe w a s simple, c on sistin g ma in ly
of ra i di n g the loc a l fish ma rket a t the en d of ea c h da y. T heft
c a me n a tura lly to the loc a l ra ts, espec ia lly w i th so muc hsurplus
food a bout. T he history of c rime w ould be c ha n ged forever,
how ever, w hen a In di a n ship c on ta in in g medic a l supplies a n d
c hea p w hisky en tered the ha rbor. T he ma n i fest didn 't list the
stow a w a ys on boa rd: a pa c k of ra ts c a rryin g a n exotic pla gue.
Disemba rkin g in the ti n y villa ge, the foreign ers ra i di n g the
loc a l ma rket a n d sprea d the Bi rthi n g Pla gue w i th ra pturous
glee. Pure c ha n c e ledthem to our hero. He took to the Pla gue
i mmedi a tely a n d, overw helmedw i th in gen ious idea s a bout his
true role in the c osmos, boa rded the pri mi ti v e ship to lea rn
more of w orlds tha t he ha d n ever truly experien c ed.
T ha t lea ky stea mer tra veled throughout the British terri-
tories, a n d the w ha rf ra t's body grew a s qui c kly a s his in tellec t.
Wi th the pa ssin g of yea rs, the self-proc la imed "Gia n t Ra t of
Suma tra " soon lea rn edof his brethren throughout the Empire.
?;
Hoppin g from on e tra mp stea mer to a n other, he soon devel-
oped a c ri mi n a l empire throughout the sea ports of the w orld.
Just a s the sun n ever set on the British Empi re, this roden t
ma stermin d ga thered resourc es to ri v a l n a tion s. N i ght or da y,
his roden t min ion s stole a n ythin g tha t took his fa n c y. His
c rimin a l a c hievemen ts even tua lly ledhim to a w a rdhimself a n
even more presumptuous ti tle: Suma tra n Emperor.
A s the Emperor grew older, he n ot on ly ga in eda dislike for
tra vel w i th a n ythin g less tha n the height of opulen c e, but a lso
a fa sc i n a ti on w ith the hi dden c ults of the Fa r Ea st. T o f ulf i ll his
greed, he dispa tc hedhis min ion s to ga in i n forma ti on he c ould
use in his c ri mi n a l en terprises. T he most suc c essful sec ret
soc iety tha t resultedw a s tha t of the Ra tki n T huggees, dr ea dful
a ssa ssin s of legen da ry prow ess. T his w a s, of c ourse, the ori gi n of
the most exten sive ra t fa mi ly in the Fa r Ea st, on e of the
mysterious dea dly pla gues.
T he Suma tra n Emperor pa sseddow n his ti tle to the eldest
of his on e hun dred (mostly K i n ) c hildren shortly before his
dea th. Heirs to the thron e ha ve preserved a n d expa n ded his
c rimin a l empire ever sin c e. Ra tki n w ould n ot da re open ly
profess to serve the n efa ri ous sc hemes of the la test Suma tra n
Emperor, but a n y w erera t w ho c on ten ds w i th on e of the
T huggee lea rn s of the dea dly lega c y of the Gi a n t Ra t of
Suma tra .
Johnny
In the w ords of O in go Boin go: John n y w a s ba d; even a s a
c hild, everybody c ould tell. His mother w a s Lisa T ra sh-8 0, a
Ra tki n En gin eer w ho grew up in the w a lls of a n IBMfa c i li ty in
T exa s. She fell in love w i th a ra ther in sidious Pla gue Lordw ho
ha dbeen sprea din g disea ses in the buildin g's v en ti la ti on sha fts.
T he result of their torrida f f a i r w a s a bout 95 ba by ra ts in the yea r
tha t follow ed, in c ludin g on e metis c hild w i th a n a f f i n i ty for
ha rd-drives, viruses a n dsystem c ra shes. Sin c e he w a s the r un t
of the litter, his pa ren ts just c a lled him John n y.
T his a n on ymous Ra tki n w a tc hed the evolution of c om-
puter viruses from their ea rliest origin s. Ra t pa c ks shun n edhim,
but he foun d a llies lurki n g in the w i ri n g of his va st c orpora te
home. By w hisperin g to the w irin g of the c omputer n etw ork, he
lea rn ed the ma n y n a mes of c omputer spirits, a lon g w i th the
Chimin a ge they dema n ded. John n y stoppeda t n othin g to lea rn
of the la test developmen ts in c omputer viruses. John n y soon
bega n ta kin g c redit for the ha voc w rea ked by ma n y c ommon
c omputer viruses. Sin c e then , he in sists tha t he ha s helped
further their evolution . How muc h of his a c c omplishmen ts a re
rea l a n d how muc h is hype rema i n s a topic of deba te.
By 1 999, his grea test a c c omplishmen t in volved his most
epic lie: a c omputer v i rus so dea dly tha t it c ould theoretic a lly
tea r dow n every n etw ork in the w orld. John n y spen t mon ths
tra velin g to revels throughout the U n i ted Sta tes, hypin g his
a lleged a c c omplishmen t for a ll it w a s w orth. A s a result, he's
spa w n ed a n urb a n legen d in the w orld of huma n s, w ho c on -
ti n ue to tell the ta le of the legen da ry "Y 2 K bug." A s of this
w ri ti n g, some of the more gullible mun da n es he's vi c ti mi zed
pla n to shut dow n b a n k a c c oun ts, stoc kpile c a sh a n dloc k their
doors on the eve of the millen n ium. Even if his story is a lie, the
t
Sin c e 1 97 2 , Momma ha s lived in a n en ormous w hi te
tra iler. T his is just a s w ell, sinc e Momma is n ow in c a pa ble of
lea vin g the tra iler in Homid form w i thout destroyin g it. Even
in Roden s form, she is ba rely a ble to fit through the door, a n d
w ouldjust a s soon n ot lea ve. Pa c ks of Ra tkin a n dtheir K in folk
w ho revere her fec un di ty stea l a n d seize the goodies n eededto
ma in ta in her extra v a ga n t lifestyle. Ea c h w eek, a n hon or gua rd
of a tten da n ts c a rries out the ma ss of food c on ta in ers, c a n dy
w ra ppers a n dsuperma rket ta bloids tha t a c c umula te. T hey la ter
bestow these trea sures upon T ra sh Ga fflin gs, highly-esteemed
Bon e Gn a w ers, c olon ies w here fa vored offspri n g live, a n d
ra n dom, bew ildered mun da n e huma n s.
Metis Ra tkin c on test for the hon or of pullin g Momma 's
tra iler behin da n ever-c ha n gin g c a va lc a de of broken -dow n c a rs
a n d rusty pi c k-up truc ks. Her kn ow ledge of the ma n y tra i ler
pa rks a n d empty lots of N orth A meric a is n othin g short of
in c redible. Her rea l fa n ta sy, how ever, is to tra v el a roun d the
w orld. Life a broa d w ould n o doubt puzzle her, though, sin c e it
in n o w a y resembles w ha t she sees of forei gn c oun tries on T V
soa p opera s. O n c e every fi v e yea rs, Momma un dergoes a dra -
ma tic U mbra l quest to the fa bled T elevision Rea lm, w here she
is a ble to visit her fa v ori te soa p sta rs in person .
She ha s also built a shrin e in the spirit w orldto her grea test
idol, Elvis A ron Presley. A t the hea rt of this terrifyin g la byrin th
is a w a x effi gy, a llegedly the prop usedto w eigh dow n Elvis' c offin
a fter his dea th w a s fa ked. T hree of Momma 's c hildren a re a lso
n a med "Elvis" a ll of them a re T un n el Run n ers c a pa ble of
imperson a tin g the K in g w i th a n a ma zin g degree of skill. Ra tki n
w ho seek out Momma Ra t kn ow tha t if there's a n Elvis sightin g
a moun t of effort busin esses ha ve ta ken to c oun tera c t John n y's
pla n ha s don e fa r more da ma ge tha n most viruses ever c ould.
T a kin g c redit for the hype, John n y ha s ta ken the n a me of
this in fec tion a n d a dded it to his ow n epithet, proc la imin g
himself John n y Y 2 K . A fter n ea rly ten yea rs of In tern et ro-
ma n c es, he ha s settled dow n to men tor hun dreds of ra tlin gs
w ith ha c kin g in their blood. T heir motiva tion for tea rin g dow n
the c omputer n etw orks of the w orld is simple they'll a dmit
tha t they didit out of respec t for their men tor. A sk a n y Ra tki n
ha c ker w hy he brought a sta rt-up c ompa n y to its kn ees, a n d
he'll give you the obvious respon se: He did it for John n y.
W iomnta 0(at
" W esky! Get momma 's pryin g bar..."
Lisa Simpson, in a horrible, horrible drea m, T he Szmpsons
From birth, Momma lived her w hole life in a Southern
burrow , on e w here the w ea k dieda n d the stron g bred. A fter her
first In fec tion in the ea rly 60's, she rea lizedher tw o true mission s
in life: to survive a n dto breed. A fter a lifetime of devotedservic e
to the Ra t God, she's the proud mother of thousa n ds of little
c hildren , ma n y of w hom a tten d to her n eeds a roun d the c loc k.
T his is ha rdly surprisin g, sin c e the Birthin g Pla gue left her w i th
a ra ther a ma zin g gen etic a ffli c ti on . In Homidform, Momma n ow
w eighs over ha lf a ton . Both a c c omplishmen ts ha ve ea rn edher
a pla c e of hon or a s a w hite tra sh goddess.
a n yw here in the w orld, a sudden depletion in sn ac k c a kes in a
Southern tow n , or a tra iler pa rk filled fa r beyon d c a pa c ity w ith
servitors of the Ra t God, this goddess is n o doubt n ea rby.
(Danny " < Viz " W alton
Born in rura l Midw estern A meric a in the ea rly pa rt of the
c en tury, Da n n y Wa lton ha d a drea m... a n dsomeon e else stole
it from him. T hroughout his c hildhood, Da n n y w a s a ta len ted
c a rtoon ist, forever a musin g the other c hildren a t his orpha n a ge
w i thdra w in gs of fa n c i ful roden ts. He ea rn edhis poc ket c ha n ge
run n i n g erra n ds for the loc a l n ew spa per, w i th a spira tion s of on e
da y sellin g his etc hin gs for the fun n y pa ges. O f a ll his delightful
c a ric a tures, his fa vori te w a s a c ha rmin g little ra t n a medRic ky.
Y oun g Da n n y ha d a drea m. Someda y, the youn g ma n thought,
Ric ky w ould live in a gia n t c a stle. Children from a ll over the
w orld w ould c ome to visit him. His rema rka bly goofy stories
ea rn ed him a n ic kn a me: "Diz."
T hen on e horrible da y in the la te 3 0's, Diz Wa lton sa ved
up his pen n ies to see a movin g pic ture a t the loc al c in ema torium.
Before the fi lm bega n , right a fter the n ew sreel, Diz sa w a n
a n ima tedfi lm tha t filled him w i th ra ge. Before his very eyes, a
c uriously fa milia r c a rtoon roden t piloteda music a l stea mboa t.
T he shoc k w a s un spea ka ble! Someon e ha d stolen his drea m!
A n a n ima ted mouse w i th a rema rka ble resembla n c e to Ric ky
Ra t w a s da n c in g a n d sin gin g upon the silver sc reen !
Diz grew b i tter , a n d desc en ded in to obsc urity. He la ter
a c quireda job w ri ti n g a dc opy a n dobitua ries for the loc a l pa per,
but the on ly a rt he ever soldin volveda dvertisemen ts for n ea rby
ha rdw a re stores. Lega l c omplic a tion s preven tedhim from ever
publishin g the w himsic a l a dven tures of Ric ky Ra t, a n d a n
un fortun a te a n d un expec ted run -i n w ith Hollyw ood la w yers
disc oura gedhim from ever pursuin g his drea m a ga in . A lifetime
of poverty, a ggra va ted by w a tc hin g his ri v a l a tta in fa me a n d
fortun e, ma de him a bitter ma n . T hough on c e a pa tri oti c good-
hea rtedA meric a n , Diz Wa lton bega n drin kin g a n dsmokin g to
exc ess. By the 1 960's, his hea lth bega n to fa i l, a n d the fi fty yea r
old ma n suc c umbed to his fi rst bouts of pn eumon ia .
T hen In fec tion set in . It w ould c han ge his life forever.
Driven to the b ri n k of ma dn ess, Diz Wa lton un derw en t
the Cha n ge for the fi rst time. T he experien c e sha ttered w ha t
w a s left of his fra gile sa n ity, a s Diz rea lizedhe c ould actually
become Rkky Rat. A s a di rty old ma n in roden t form, he lived
a double li fe. By da y, poor sufferi n g Diz w a s tra pped in a sta te
n ursin g home, but by n i ght, Ric ky Ra t lived out his w ildest
fa n ta sies. Ea c h n i ght, he w ouldesc a pe from the oldfolk's home
to en joy the best strip join ts, slea zy ba rs, w horehouses a n d
ga mblin g den s the c i ty ha d to offer. A s a boozin g, promisc uous,
foul-mouthed old ma n , his epic deba uc hery ha s bec ome the
stuff of Ra tkin legends.
N ow , thi rty yea rs la ter, Ri c ky Ra t is a feisty oc togen a ria n .
He ha s vow edto c a rry out a ti ta n i c a c t of ven gea n c e before he
dies: He drea ms of destroyin g the ha ppiest plac e on Ea rth, the
la rgest a musemen t pa rk in the w orld. Ric ky ha s a lrea dy begun
c a llin g upon his dista n t rela tives, a ssemblin g ra t pa c ks devoted
to this on e goal. From his la test n ursin g home in Iow a , Ric ky
Ra t a w a i ts the da y w hen he c a n reta ke the ma gic c a stle, a bduc t
a ha rem of n ubile youn g touri st prin c esses to breed w i th, a n d
fi n a lly rule over his ma gic a l kin gdom, the rea lm tha t should
ha ve a lw a ys been his. Every even in g, he begin s his n oc turn a l
a c tivities by ga zin g off in to the n ight sky to rec eive vision s of
how he c a n tea r dow n his ri v a l's empire. N o doubt it's just a
ma tter of time. A fter a ll, w hen you w ish upon a sta r....
Ratkin
0(ai facts
"This weekend I saw this big fat guy and he didn't no anything
about Rat, fat guy. Damn! Do yu live under a rofc ?"
Sc umda n gle Elfbiter
Ra ts a re c rea tures of extremes, c a pa ble of shoc kin g hor-
rors... or un expec ted kin dn ess. When these c un n in g little
roden ts a re in the w i ld, they c a n ea sily live up to some of the
w orst urba n legen ds. A n yon e w ho ha s ra ised or bredra ts kn ow s
tha t they're qui te di f f er en t w hen they're domestic a ted. Pet ra ts
c a n be a ffec ti on a te, loya l a n d gen era lly c ha rmin g.
T he best w a y to un dersta n d the psyc hology of a ra t is to
ra i se on e a s a c ompa n ion . T his requi res pa tien c e, dedi c a ti on
a n d hours a n d hours of qua li ty ti me. T hough they requi re
a tten ti on a n d a ffec ti on (a s a ll pets do!), ra ts don 't ea t muc h,
don 't b a rk a t a n ythi n g tha t w a lks pa st thei r c a ges, a n d don 't
shred fur n i tur e. T hey a re gen era lly c lea n , ki n d a n d devoted.
T ry telli n g the a vera ge person tha t, how ev er, a n dyou'll get hit
w i th fi erc e skepti c i sm. A f ter a ll, ra ts a re supposed to be dis-
ea sed, di sloya l, trea c herous, self-c en tered a n d dow n ri ght da n -
gerous. Fa c ts a bout fer a l ra ts c a n be f r i ghten i n g, but shouldn 't
di ssua de you from i n v esti ga ti n g more a bout these rema rka b le
c rea tures.
In short, ra ts c a n ma ke for fera l n uisa n c es or devotedpets,
depen din g on their upbrin gin g. Wi th this in min d, w e've a dded
some a dvic e on resea rc hin g ra ts fi rst ha n d. T he history of the
Ra tki n ra c e ha s show n w ha t ha ppen s to these c un n in g c rea tures
w hen they're forc ed to extremes. A lthough w e've suc c essfully
un c overedsome of the seedier breedin g groun ds of the Worldof
Da rkn ess, this book w ouldn 't be c omplete if w e di dn 't ta ke a look
a t ra ts in the rea l w orld.
family W urtiae,
Genus (ftattus
T he w ord "ra t" ha s ma n y di fferen t mea n in gs, depen din g on
the c on text in w hic h its used. Gen era lly, it refers to the over 5 00
spec ies of the gen us Rattus w i thi n the fa mi ly Muridae. Loosely, it
ma y a lso in c lude modera tely-sized roden ts of other fa milies, in -
c ludin g the ba mboo ra t, c a n e ra t, ka n ga roo ra t, w oodra t, pa c k ra t,
ric e ra t a n dspin y ra t. For the purposes of this book, a n dw hen the
w ord"ra t" is usua lly in voked, it refers to on e of tw o spec ies: Ra ttus
norvegicus, the "brow n ra t," or Ra ttus ra ttus, the "bla c k ra t."
T he bla c k ra t is on e of the most in fa mous roden ts, bothfor its
historic a l a c c omplishmen ts a n d its urba n in va sion s. Ra ttus ra ttus
is the spec ies a ssoc ia tedw i th the Bla c k Pla gue, the epidemic tha t
w ipedout a fourth of Europe in the 1 3 thc en tury a n dc on tin ues its
ti n y reign of terror toda y. Gra n ted, the pla gue is fa r less preva len t
in the w orldtha n it w a s seven c en turies a go, but its reputa tion is
still impressive. Ra ttus ra ttus is a lso kn ow n a s the roof ra t, A lexa n -
drin e ra t or c limbin g ra t. T o a ddto the c on fusion , it's a lso referred
to a s the "gra y ra t," but the term "bla c k ra t" suffic es for this book.
In va sion s of bla c k ra ts in the U n ited Sta tes ha ve been
seriously impa iredby c olon ies of the brow n ra t, or Ra ttus norvegicus.
T he roden ts in this book a re modeledprima rily a fter this spec ies,
sin c e most domestic a tedra ts a re desc en dedfrom it. Con tra ry to its
n a me, the R. n orvegic us proba bly origin a ted in Ea st A sia a roun d
the time of the Ic e A ge. Its other n a mes typic a lly depen don the
plac es its foun d: ba rn ra t, sew er ra t, w ha rf ra t a n dso on . U n like the
bla c k ra t, it c a n dig burrow s a n d sw im quite w ell.
Appendix Three: The Real World 1 37
T here a re a few other n ota ble di fferen c es betw een these tw o
most c ommon spec ies. First off, fer a l b row n ra ts a re la rger a n d
more a ggressive, a n d historic a lly ha ve been kn ow n to musc le
sma ller bla c k ra ts out of their territory. Brow n ra ts prefer the
low er levels of buildin gs, in c ludin g ba semen ts, sew er tun n els,
a n d the burrow s tha t ma ke them so ha rd to era dic a te. By
c on tra st, the bla c k ra t is c a lled the "roof ra t" bec a use espec ia lly
thri ves in the higher levels of buildin gs. It is sma ller a n d more
a gile, a n d c a pa ble of ma kin g lea ps up to 8 feet. T he tw o types of
Ra t-spi ri ts in Axis Mun di Roof Ra t Ga ffli n gs a n dT en emen t
Ra t Ga f f li n gs c orrespon d to these tw o spec ies.
In the w ild, distin guishin g the brow n ra t fr om the bla c k ra t
c a n ta ke a bit of w ork. T he brow n ra t ha s a c hubby body sha pe
a n dshort muzzle, w hile the bla c k ra t ha s a slen der body sha pe a n d
elon ga ted muzzle. T he a vera ge brow n ra t is severa l oun c es
hea v i er tha n the a vera ge bla c k ra t, but a lso ha s a shorter ta i l a n d
sma ller ea rs. T he tw o n a mes a re a dmittedly c on fusin g, bec a use
they both c ome in a w i de v a ri ety of c olors, la rgely bec a use ra t
gen es a re so pron e to muta ti on over suc c essive gen era tion s.
(Rats of Many Colors
Brow n ra ts a n d bla c k ra ts a re a c tua lly multic oloredroden ts.
It is n ot un c ommon for a youn g ra t to develop fur quite di fferen t
from those of its pa ren ts. Ra t c oa ts usua lly c ome in on e of tw o
pa ttern s: solidor spotted. Solidc olors in c lude brow n , bla c k, gra y,
light gra y, yellow , lila c , sa n dy, silver a n d, of c ourse, a lbin o. Spotted
pa ttern s in c lude hoodedc oats (w hite bodies w ithda rk hea ds a n d
a lon g stripe a lon g the b a c k), Irish ra ts (w hite w i th spots on the
belly), a n d the ra re c olor-poin tedpa ttern (da rk n ose a n dpa w s).
O n e of the most c ommon pa ttern s is agouti, a type of ba n ded
c olorin g used a s c a moufla ge. By c on tra st, restric ted spottin g
w hite f ur , exc ept for limited c olor a roun d the eyes a n d ea rs is
very ra re. Mixed-bredma les w i th this type of c oa t bec ome sterile
a roun d 3 mon ths, w hile purebred restric ted ra ts die soon a fter
birth. Rega rdless of c olorin g, a ll ra ts sha re the sa me basic tra its.
-4>if;:. .
arib
Ra ts a n d mic e a re c ommensal a n ima ls; tha t is, they c a n live off
the food huma n s ga ther a n d ta ke shelter in their homes. Like
huma n s, ra ts a re omn ivorousbothrea dily a da pt to a w ide va riety
of diets. Wildra ts prefer to sc a ven ge w ithin a short dista n c e of their
n est. Wherever ga rba ge is plen tiful, sa n ita tion is poor, a n d food is
ea sy to fin d, w ildra ts w ill thrive. O f c ourse, ow n ers of pet ra ts a re fa r
more selec tive a bout w ha t their pets ea t n utrition is importa n t!
T he gesta tion period of a ra t is betw een 2 1 a n d 2 3 days. U p
un til a bout die 1 6thda y, the mother doesn 't min dbein g n ea r other
ra ts, but a fter tha t da y, it's a goodidea to isola te her, Ma le ra ts ha ve
been kn ow n to c a n n iba lize their ow n youn g, a n d mothers do n ot
n urse a s w ell w hen they a re livin g w ith a group of ra ts. T he a vera ge
litter typic a lly ha s betw een 6-1 2 pups. A ra t mother usua lly bea rs
betw een three a n dseven litters in a yea r, a lthough she c a n bea r up
to 1 2 litters (a n dover a hun dredpups) if she rea lly n eeds to. She c a n
also bea r c hildren from severa l differen t ra ts. It ta kes a n a vera ge of
a n hour a n d a ha lf to deliver a litter of pups.
Ra t pups a re w ea n eda roun d 2 1 da ys, begin puberty a roun d
5 0da ys, a n d a re rea dy to breedw i thi n 65 to 1 00da ys a fter bein g
born . T hey a re most ferti le betw een 3 a n d 1 0mon ths. Men o-
pa use begin s a roun d 1 5 mon ths, a n d old a ge begin s a t 2 4. T he
a vera ge li fe spa n of a ra t is from 2 to 5 yea rs.
A Very flrief History
Ra ts a re a lso a mon g the most prec oc ious tra v elers in the
w orld. T hey've sprea dtheir kin da c ross every c on tin en t, sa ve for
A n ta rc tic a (a lthough ma n y a re kept a s resea rc hsubjec ts there!)
T hey c a n li v e in every c li ma te, sa ve for A rc tic tempera tures
(a lthough a c lose c ousin of the ra t, the lemmin g, c a n live in suc h
extremes). Sc ien tists suspec t tha t the ra t's epic , w orld-spa n n i n g
i n festa ti on bega n in on e pa rt of the w orld: Before the Ic e A ge,
ra ts origin a ted in Chin a , In dia a n d the Fa r Ea st.
La ter, a s these c ultures tra dedw i th other pa rts of the w orld,
ra ts a boa rdtheir ships tra veledw i th them. T here is a rc ha eologic a l
eviden c e of ra ts in Europe a s ea rly a s the 6th c en tury, even though
the ea rliest w ri tten rec ords of the bla c k ra t in Europe on ly da te
from the 1 3 th c en tury. T he high popula tion of bla c k ra ts ledto on e
of the most n otorious even ts in roden t history: the Bla c k Pla gue,
w hic h killed a bout on e-fourth the popula tion of Europe. T he
disease w a s a c tua lly sprea dby ra t-born e flea s c a rryin g the ba c teria
Yrsinea pestis, a lthough ra re stra in s of the pla gue toda y c a n be
sprea d by ra t bites. T hree w a ves of the epidemic forever a ltered
huma n history, a n d the threa t of further epidemic s still exists.
By the ea rly pa rt of the 1 9th c en tury, c ommon ers kept ra ts for
sport, pa rtic ula rly the b ruta l sport of ra t-b a i ti n g. A sma ll group of
ra ts w ouldbe pla c ed in a pit w i th a vic ious terrier, a n d spec ta tors
w ould pla c e bets on how lon g it w ould ta ke to kill a ll of the ra ts.
A s ra t c a tc hers bega n to breed more ra ts for this sa va ge a muse-
men t, they w ouldsometimes spa re the on es w i th the most un usua l
c oa ts. By the la te 1 9th c en tury, sc ien tists bega n the pra c tic e of
usin g ra ts for resea rc h. Europea n ra ts w ere a mon g the most
c ommon , a lthough on e of the most fa mous in stitution s for suc h
resea rc h w a s the Wista tz In stitute in Phila delphia . T heir size,
prolific ity, a n dw illin gn ess to a c c ept huma n c on ta c t w hen ra ised
in la bora tories ma de them idea l subjec ts.
(Rats
Wild ra ts a re kn ow n a s highly destruc tive vermin a n d
c a rri ers of disea se. Ra ts destroy stored food, c rops a n d homes.
T hey c a n a lso sprea d disea se through uri n e a n d fec es, bite
w roun ds or a s hosts to disea se-c a rryin g flea s.
Ra ts a re n otorious for c hew in g holes in w ood, w irin g a n dother
household items. Legends a n d rolepla yin g games n otw ithsta n din g,
they don 't do this out of a n urge tow a rds reven ge or destruc tion . Ra ts
c hew on thin gs to preven t their teethfrom grow in g too fa st. A ra t's
teethgrow a pproxima tely five inc hes eac hyea r in fa c t, the w ord
"rodent" c omes from the La tin w ord rodere, mea n in g "to gn a w ." "Ra t-
proofin g" a buildin g is a rela tively easy solution to this n uisa n c e; this
Historical (Reputations ^
Historic a lly, ra ts ha ve been met w i th both reveren c e
a n d disda in . In A n c ien t Rome, ra ts w ere c on sidered sym-
bols of goodluc k. Ra ts w ere c on sideredto be serva n ts of the
devil in Europe duri n g the Middle A ges, but there is a lso a
tra di ti on a l Ja pa n ese belief tha t ra ts sometimes serve a s
messen gers of the gods. In Chin a , the ra t is sometimes
c on sidered a symbol of prosperity-T his ma y n ot be a good
thin g, how ever: the idea of a ra t prosperin g off the ha rd
w ork of men is a n other c ommon theme in Chinese legends.
1 38 Ratkin
involves pla c in g very ha rdma teria ls along the w ain sc otin g of w alls,
a bout the height tha t ra ts gn a w . O f c ourse, this w on 't keep out a ll ra ts,
but it w ill min imize the da ma ge they do.
Ra ts a lso ha ve a n exc ellen t sense of ba la n c e, a n d c a n ea sily
w a lk a lon g telephon e lin es or c lotheslin es. A s a result, most ships
n ow ha ve "ra t gua rds" a lon g thei r moorin g lin es to preven t tin y
stow a w a ys from ga in in g ea sy ac c ess. Ra ts a re highly territoria l,
w hic h expla in s n ot on ly their ha bit of fightin g w hen a breedin g
groun d bec omes overpopula ted, but a lso their fera l ten den c y to
c on test w i th huma n s for buildin gs. Fortun a tely, domestic a tedra ts
n eed fa r less spa c e tha n w ild ra ts.
Fera l ra ts a re in fa mous for their ten den c y to ha rbor da n gerous
pla gues. Diseases tra n smitted from a n ima ls to huma n s a re c a lled
z oonoses. Fera l ra ts, both bla c k a n d brow n , ha ve been ac c used of
ha rborin g or tra n smittin g more tha n 2 0diseases. For la bora tory ra ts,
these illn ess in c lude sa lmon ella , leptospira a n d pneumocystis carrdi.
How ever, these la b-bred diseases a re n ot fa ta l illnesses for most
people, save for those w ith w ea ken ed immun e systems.
(Pet (Rats
Sc ien tific experimen ts in the la te 1 9thc en tury led to
a n other stra in of roden t: the semi-domestic a ted ra t. T ha n ks to
ra t fa n c iers of a ll va rieties, over a c en tury of a n i ma l husba n dry
ha s ma de the domestic ra t b etter sui ted to a qui eter, less destruc -
tive li fe. Compa n ion roden ts a re less a ggressive, free of disea se,
a n d more c omforta ble w i th c on fi n emen t. Wi th a li ttle roden t
tra in in g (a n d ow n er educ a ti on ), a pet ra t c a n respon d to her
n a me, perform simple tric ks, a n deven c url up in a poc ket to sleep
onc e she ha s bon ded to her ow n er.
Ra ts a re n ot i n heren tly f i lthy a n ima ls; their psyc hologic a l
sta te reflec ts their en viron men t. If a ra t's c a ge is kept c lea n , her
disposition w i ll be c a lm; she'll rema i n in quisitive a n d a ffa b le.
Ra ts a c tua lly c lea n themselves from hea d to ta i l up to si x ti mes
per da y. T his is don e to sprea d a c oa t of oil a lon g the fur.
A dmittedly, they c a n 't c on trol w hen they'll uri n a te or defec a te,
but this is ea sily c ompen sa ted for. Clea n in g a ra t's c a ge ea c h
w eek is n ota bly simpler tha n c on testin g w i th a c a t's li tterbox or
sc oopin g up a fter a dog's fi lthy ha bits.
*#*
Pet ra ts require pa tien c e a n d devo-
tion . T houghin itia lly shy, a domestic ra t
should be ha n dled a t a youn g age. Ha n -
dlin g a ra t before it's w ea n edis, of c ourse,
too ea rly a s w ith other a n ima ls, the
mother ma y pic k up the stra n ge sc ent tha t
lin gers a fterw a rd a n d rejec t her offsprin g.
A fterw a rds, how ever, the youn g roden t
w i ll be n a tura lly c urious, en ough so to be fed
by ha n d.
Ma n y ra t fa n c iers prefer purc ha sin g a
ra t tha t is quite youn g, w hile some spec ia lize in
breedin g their ow n to sell to pet stores. Do n ot
bother torturin g yourself by lookin g a t ra ts tha t a re
kept a s food for sn a kes a n d other reptiles. Ma n y pet
shops w ill in stea dkeep their "fa n c y ra ts" sepa ra te from
"feeder ra ts." If you've foun d a store tha t ha n dles its pet ra ts
regula rly, you're even more fortun a te. If you c a n fin d a youn g pet
ra t in a ki n d, c lea n store, you're on your w a y to fin din g a suita ble
roden t c ompan ion .
Ra isin g a n dtra in in g a pet ra t ta kes time. A s the ra t grow s older,
he should be ha n dled for a t lea st 1 0-1 5 min utes a da y this is
essen tia l! O ver time, a bon d develops betw een the ra t a n d her
huma n , a n d both even tua lly lea rn to spend
more time together. A tra in ed ra t is quite
c on ten t to sit on her huma n 's shoulder to
w a tc h w ha t's goin g on . [A uthor's N ote: In fa c t,
on e of my ra ts is sittin g on my shoulder right n ow .
(T ime to go to ba c k to your c a ge, A biga il!)]
A s w i th other pets, it's v i ta l tha t you on ly
get a pet ra t if you're w i lli n g to in vest the time
to c a re for a n other c rea ture in your li fe. T hin k
before you pic k up a pet too ma n y a n ima ls
ha ve to be destroyed bec a use foolish ow n ers
di dn 't rea li ze tha t responsibility a c tua lly c omes w i th
pet ow n ership. Don 't be on e of these w orthless jerks!
this a ppen dix is in c luded a s a n a id to fur ther resea rc h a fter
rea din g through it, you should fi n d c on sultin g expert sourc es
muc h ea sier. A s a lw a ys, if you n eed more deta i l, go ri ght to the
sourc es: the referen c e ma teria ls listedin the bibliogra phy. Some
of the w orks in the bibliogra phy ma y n ot seem obvious c hoic es
a t first, but eac hof them ha s a t least a few n ifty ideas for a Ra tkin
c hron ic le. Like a n y good roden t, if you sc roun ge lon g en ough,
hopefully you'll fin d w ha t you're lookin g for. En joy.
N on -Fic tion
Ra ts: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual by Himsel
Ra ts by Susa n Fox
Ra ts, Lice and History by Zin sser
Fiction
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats o/ N IMH by O 'Brien
Cha rlotte's W eb by E.B. White
T he Sw ords ofLankhmar by Fritz Leiber
"T he Ra ts in the Wa lls" a n d"Drea ms in
the Witc h House," b y H.P. Lovec ra ft
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmon d
Rosta n d
In spira tion a l Films a n dT ele-
vision Progra ms
Cha rlotte's Web
Ben a n d W iU ard
T he A byss
Seren dipidous In spira tion
Gremlin s
T he People U n der the Sta irs
T he Ba r o n Mun c ha usen
Rolepla yin g Ga me
Feng Shui a n d Pen oY agon
Bun n ies a n d Burrow s
W atership Down
bibliography
Here's the sta n da rd disc la imer: T his book is in ten ded a s a
ga me supplemen t, n ot a referen c e ma n ua l. T he in forma tion in
"So everyone,.still,keeps o# ,
:
few i!gus bec ause yieer thebj^t...
Hooray Rat!"
-,4- ri'' < ri&i~ ~ "SS**-"Sr = iijs:sr
Sc umda n gle Elfbiter
Ratkin
N a me:
Pla yer:
Chron ic le:
(Physical
Stren gth_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O
Breed:
T ribe/Pla gue:
A spec t:
N a ture:
Demea n or:
Con c ept:
Social
Cha risma _ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O
Dexterity,
Sta min a
.O O O O Ma n ipula tion ,
-O O O O A ppea ra n c e_
..OOOO
..OOOO
Perc eption ,
In telligen c e.
Wits
Mental
..OOOO
_0000
.OOOO
talents
A lertn ess_ _ _ _ _ _ _ OOOOO
A thletic s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ OOOOO
Bra w l_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ OOOOO
_______OOOOO
Dodge_ _ _ _
Empa thy
Expression
In timida tion .
Pri ma l-U rge_
Streetw ise
Subterfuge
_ooooo
.ooooo
_ooooo
.ooooo
Skito
A n ima l K en _ _ _ _ _ OOOOO
Drive_ _ _
Etiquette_
Firea rms_
Lea dership.
Melee_ _ _
Performa n c e.
Repa ir_ _ _
.OOOOO Stealth,
.OOOOO Survi va l
_ooooo
_ooooo
_ooooo
_ooooo
_ooooo
_ooooo
_ooooo
.ooooo
.ooooo
Knowledges
Computer_ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
En igma s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ O O O O O
In vestiga tion _ _
La w _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Lin guistic s,
Medic in e_
O c c ult_ _
Politic s_ _
Ritua ls_ _
Sc ien c e
.OOOOO
_00000
_ooooo
_ooooo
_ooooo
JDOOOO
.ooooo
.ooooo
backgrounds
_ooooo
_00000
.ooooo
.ooooo
_ooooo
o o o o o o o o o o
'(Renown
Jnfamy
o o o o o o o o o o
Obligation
o o o o o o o o o o
QQQQQQQQQa
Cunning
o o o o o o o o o o
QQQQQQQQQQ OOOOOOOOOO
o o o o o o o o o o
Bruised
Hurt -1
In jured -1
Woun ded -2
Ma uled -2
Crippled -5
In c a pa c ita ted
Q
a
Q
Q
Q
a
Q
W illpower Strength/W eakness'
Cha n ge
Di ffi c ulty: 6
W CKM
Stren gth (+1 / +2 for metis).
Dexterity (-1 -4)_ _
Sta min a (+2 / +1 for metis).
Cha risma ( -2 )_ _
A ppea ra n c e (-1 )_ _
Perc eption (+1 )_ _
Stren gth (-!)_
Dexteri ty(+2 ).
Sta mi n a (+2 )_
Perc eption (+3 )_
Di ffi c ulty: 6 A J
CA U SES REDU CEDDELIRT U M
Di ffi c ulty: 6
_ooooo
_ooooo>
Item: QDedic a ted Level Gn osis
_ooooo
Pow er:.
Item: ^Dedic a ted Level Gn osis
_ooooo
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_ooooo
Pow er:_
Item: QDedic a ted Level Gn osis
Pow er:_
_ooooo
_ooooo
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Ma n euverA V ea pon Roll Di ffi c ulty Da ma ge Ra n ge Ra te Clip
firatoling Chart
Ma n euv er Roll Diff Da ma ge
Bi te Dex+Bra w l 5 Str en gth+lt
Body Sla m Dex+Bra w l 7 Spec ia l
Cla w Dex+Bra w l 6 Stren gth!
Gra pple Dex+Bra w l 6 Stren gth
K ic k Dex+Bra w l 7 Stren gth+1
Pun c h Dex+Bra w l 6 Stren gth
tT hese ma n euv ers do a ggra va ted da ma ge.
Armor:
'Merits
type Cost
Colony
Contacts
Vreakfactor
Gea r (Carried):.
.-/^(Possessions'
Equipmen t (O w n ed):.
Size:_ _ _
Loc a tion s
'-Crash Space>
type &onus
W lentor
(Resources
T O T AL:
Ga in edFrom:
T O T A L SPEN T :
Spen t O n :
(Prelude
A ge:_ _ _ _ _ _
Ha in
Eyes:_ _ _ _ _
Ra c e:_ _ _ _
N a tion a lity:,
Sex:_ _ _ _ _
Homid:
Crinos:
Rodens:
Height
;
Weight
(Description
flattie Scars:,
(Dece it Chart Character Sketch