Rats

Mark CMG · Apr 7, 2007

I've currently got a player who is very set on the idea of having a rat familiar, even though he is from a location and background that would not bring him into contact with many, if any, rats (though perhaps a number of other types of rodents). He is presently in a location where observing them, and even capturing them (setting aside the familiar aspect for the time being), would be quite easy and I am of a mind that it might bring some fun to the game to introduce his character to the creatures before he commits to having one as a lifelong companion. Any thoughts on some of the things that I could add to gameplay?

shilsen · Apr 7, 2007

How about having a rat in there who was actually the familiar of another arcanist, whose master died? He's slowly losing his familiar abilities and is desperate to hang onto them, and starts to follow the PCs around and try to persuade them (while being unable to speak and having a limited intellect) of his usefulness. The PCs, if they are like most groups, are likely to be more than a little suspicious of the rat, while this individual player's PC might be drawn to it, which could lead to some interesting roleplay. And amusing, if you play up the rat as having a lot of personality and ego from its former role as a familiar.

Ravilah · Apr 7, 2007

I just recently had my players visit a mostly-ocean world I homebrewed called Syblis. They were dropped off on Piratehome (Island) in order to investigate the disappearance of all the pirates in the world. All they found were dozens of ships abandoned at anchor.

They were about to go into the hold of one ship when they finally realized what had happened. Hundreds of thousands of large, diseased rats poured out of the ships (awaken from hibernation by the human scent). I made a special type of Barge Rat just for this occasion. Their eyes glistened red, their teeth were sharp and yellow, and they exuded stench like a ghoul.

The players were so freaked out, even the Samurai turned tail and ran.

mmadsen · Apr 7, 2007

Mark CMG said:
I've currently got a player who is very set on the idea of having a rat familiar, even though he is from a location and background that would not bring him into contact with many, if any, rats (though perhaps a number of other types of rodents).

Where would that be?

Sejs · Apr 7, 2007

mmadsen said:
Where would that be?

I honestly can't think of one.

Rats are everywhere. Even other the outer planes.

Celebrim · Apr 7, 2007

It depends on what role animals play in your campaign. In mine, animals are very close to being people too, so rats for example have a culture and a society and speaking to an animal is actually interesting. Think something akin to the Rats in Neil Gaimen's Neverwhere or the rats in China Meiville's King Rat or for that matter Grimm fairy tales.

If on the other hand you prefer your animals to be more like animals, then this requires a totally different take on the rats role in your campaign - say more like Ravilah's or the rat swarm in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Or, if your players have a naturalist bent, you might get some milage out of presenting ecosystems and novel fantasy species of rat.

Imruphel · Apr 7, 2007

Sejs said:
(snip) Rats are everywhere. Even other the outer planes.

Yep and as clean as Singapore is, they are still relatively common here.

Mark CMG · Apr 7, 2007

mmadsen said:
Where would that be?

What if I say, "An Arctic-esque environment?"

ashockney · Apr 7, 2007

Mark CMG said:
I've currently got a player who is very set on the idea of having a rat familiar, even though he is from a location and background that would not bring him into contact with many, if any, rats (though perhaps a number of other types of rodents). He is presently in a location where observing them, and even capturing them (setting aside the familiar aspect for the time being), would be quite easy and I am of a mind that it might bring some fun to the game to introduce his character to the creatures before he commits to having one as a lifelong companion. Any thoughts on some of the things that I could add to gameplay?

The Rat ( 子 ) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is an animal associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities.

"I have conquered an empire but I have not been able to conquer myself." - Peter the Great, a Rat

"The best political weapon is the weapon of terror. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But, we don't ask for their love; only for their fear." - Heinrich Himmler, a Rat

"There is nothing impossible to him who will try." - Alexander the Great, a Rat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_(zodiac)

Agent Oracle · Apr 7, 2007

Mark CMG said:
What if I say, "An Arctic-esque environment?"

Hate to tell you, but there are rats in Alaska too. What do you think arctic foxes eat? Heck, wolves eat them too.

An Alaskan Blogger said:
We're comforted knowing that other Anchorage residents and businesses share our woes. Employees at the Wells Fargo branch across the street from our office report mice in their drive-through kiosk. Flashlight's wife spotted critters racing up and down the wires at the TV studio where she works. The Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services regularly fields complaints about rodents this time of year. Last year, 27 people reported vermin in restaurants, apartments or other buildings.

More than 20 people a day pass through American Pest Management's store in midtown looking for weapons in the war on mice, shrews, voles and the occasional rat, says operations manager Larry Jones. Rodents are a big, hairy problem in Anchorage, he said, and they're particularly troublesome during the winter and in areas where there's lots of remodeling or new construction. That's because they get displaced when big swaths of land are cleared and turned for new projects.

Rats might be rarer than mice, but that's not a reason to say "no" to a player wanting one, especially on something as harmless as a familiar.

Rats

Mark CMG

Creative Mountain Games

shilsen

Adventurer

Ravilah

Explorer

mmadsen

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Sejs

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Celebrim

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Imruphel

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Mark CMG

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ashockney

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Agent Oracle

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