*You think that Ill ever stop! NO! Damn you all!

Ill have my revenge one way or

another.* - Matias the Shunned

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**Introduction**

The Rat Hermit is a strange creature indeed. It must be something about the
sewers that changes one. Of three reported cases of the species, three different
origin species spawned the curios creature. They tend to dwell under the city
plotting revenge on those who outcast them.

Again the origins of this new creature are yet unknown as not enough cases for
study can conclusively point to one deterministic fact. There are only three known
occurrences as of this time. I have spoken with and studied all three to the best of
my ability. They are dangerous and unstable individuals which need to be watched
if my conclusions are indeed correct.

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**Physiological Observations**

Rat Hermits for the most part resemble the base humanoid race they started from.
They usually garb themselves in dirty torn rags or whatever is available to them.
After sometime in the sewer a Rat Hermit begins to drastically change in
appearance over the course of a year.

Their skin has severely wrinkled not as in old age but more akin to staying in a
warm bath too long. They lose most of their hair and grow course rat-like fur where
their hair would have been. Their teeth sharpen and shrink to tiny yet dangerous
dagger-like maws and no longer interlock but instead pierce the gums between
other teeth giving them the appearance of a toothless elder until they speak.

They know the languages they did before and retain their intelligence and wisdom.
Their personalities drastically change and seem to be consumed by a mixture of
hatred, shame, ambition, and most of all vengeance. They plot against the city
above, bringing about disease and famine as best they can. In one case the Rat
Hermit was almost completely harmless as the size of the city was too large to be
affected in such a way by one malevolent creature. In the other two though,
another story completely unfolded.

They are typically hunched over in posture and have a dozen or so rats on them in
some fashion. They are dirty and somehow smell worse than the sewer in which
they live. They themselves seem to not notice their own stench but have an
incredible sense of smell and can sniff out the stealthiest of assassins.

All three cases were that of a male individual. I suspect the process is not gender
specific. There was one factor that tied all three together. All three Rat Hermits
were outcasts from the city proper for one reason or another and had fled into the
sewers away from their tormenters.

**Social Observations**

Given their apparent means of creation and small sample of known individuals not
much can be gleaned on how they interact with each other as no two individuals
cared enough to interact with one another. I would assume that procreation
wouldnt be a method for reproduction, especially given there are no known females
at this time. It seems that replication only stems from transformation from another
race.

**Other Specie relations**

Rats by far are the only friends of Rat Hermits. The rats seem to not only flock to
the hermit but even enjoy his company. During my expedition I was immediately
discovered as it seemed the Hermit had a telekinetic bond with every rat in the city.
Once I was noticed by another rat it became apparent I was an outsider although
thankfully they were more curious about me than distrustful.

The Hermit seems to care deeply for the rats and they care for him. I only
witnessed one fight in which the hermit came to blows with a contingent of city
guard and those rats willingly gave their lives to protect the hermit. Upon being
dealt what I would have thought a fatal blow from a sword to the hermit, several
rats gave their lives in forming a shield of sorts in his defense. He immediately
lamented their decision but struck with his teeth and claws with a new vigor. When
this fight was over several thousands of rats had come to his call and I was glad
that I was hidden among the throng of them as so many would have devoured me
alive in my human form.

The Rat Hermit seemed to despise any individual living in the city above. When I
spoke to him he had deduced I was not a rat easily enough as I was no expert on rat
behavior. He had no malicious intentions toward me, only a cool indifference. He
did seem to enjoy some company even if he was agitated at first by my deception.

The schemes which the Rat Hermits weave were complicated but always carried out
remotely via his rat friends. He instructs the rats on various complicated tasks on
foiling the plans of those above. The more tame case happened in the town that
hired me to investigate the rats strange almost mocking behavior. The discovery of
the hermit occurred shortly thereafter, when I followed a rat in my disguise below.
The Hermit and rats were excited and while I did not hear the conversation it did
seems as they were mere pranksters taking pleasure in the towns discomfort. The
other two both used the diseases carried by the rats to spread hideous plagues
about their city.

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**Variants**

Having only encountered three individuals not much can be said on if there are
many variations on the transformation as all three seemed to behave and are
deformed in the same way. However they were still individuals and thus Ill describe
all three.

* Matias the Shunned of the three Matias was the most volatile and dangerous.
Before his transformation he was a human of great esteem and pride. His downfall
was apparently horrific although Im not clear on the details. This was apparently
enough for him to hide in the sewers. Unfortunately this individual is no longer
alive; after having discovered he was responsible for the deliberate spread of a
rabies epidemic that destroyed over a third of the citys clergy he was hunted and
killed by town guardsmen. It is known that he was expelled to the sewers over
twelve years ago making him also the oldest case. The individual was the least
interested in talking to me after deducing my true nature but still did to some
degree.

* Ramdi Formerly a middle class Halfling that was subject to intense racism in a
largely human community. The youngest of the three, and had only been exiled two
years. He was more a trickster and benign than the others. He was almost pleased
by my company and cared not for my true form. I gleaned the most information
from this individual and was the second one I had discovered. He did hate the world
above but seemed more interested in enjoying their displeasure than outright
hurting them

* Shakt the Wretched Shakt was formerly a male dwarf that seemed to have
caused his own situation, although I do not know why. He had done something that
in his eyes was unforgivable and refused to explain further. He had been in selfexile for seven years. His mood was dark and brooding. He was in the midst of
planning to inflict a plague on the city when we met. I was thankfully able to stifle
most of it, but even then the plague was more of a fever that was easily treated. I
do not doubt his intent was murderous though.

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**DM tips**

The Rat Hermit is an interesting monster that comes from grave injustice to bite
back at a city for their perceived sins. The party can take things two ways;
sympathize or condemn. It brings a moral dilemma to the table as to ask, how far is
too far? Keep in mind this is largely based in a city so encounters may not be very
battle heavy when using this creature and could indeed be more geared towards a
RP experience.