Rats

[Slife]

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

According to wikipedia,
"Rats live wherever people live. "


Here's the range of the most common species.

 

[PallidPatience]

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.

Do this. This is cool.

 

[Reynard]

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.

My god. A zombie movie, except with rats.

I am so yoinking this.

 

[xrpsuzi]

Have the rat steal something from him in the night, something important enough to look for it, but not that the plot couldn't go on without it. If the PC doesn't get the hint, have them keep stealing little nic naks and have them stored up in his lair.

-Suzi

 

[Mark CMG]

(. . .) but that's not a reason to say "no" to a player wanting one, especially on something as harmless as a familiar.

Oh, I am not saying, "No." I'm just saying that he is unused to them and am looking to build it into the game rather than simply have him collect a familiar as if he was buying a pair of socks.

According to wikipedia,
"Rats live wherever people live. "

His PC doesn't live with those people.

 

[Slife]

His PC doesn't live with those people.

What kind of pest control do they use? Rats would be introduced by *any* trade with others, and they're devilishly tricky to kill off once they're there.

 

[Mark CMG]

What kind of pest control do they use? Rats would be introduced by *any* trade with others, and they're devilishly tricky to kill off once they're there.

Not really at issue. He's away from home now and unlikely to return anytime soon. However, he is now in a port town where there are plenty of rats. So, the gist of this thread is interesting ways to blend some rat introductions or experiences into his impending adventures within this port town.