D&D 5E (2024) Next issue of Game Informer will have details on the two upcoming Forgotten Realms books

[pukunui]

These kinda look like cranium rats to me, but I kinda hope not, as that would be the 3rd time they'd be reprinted in 5e!

I don't see any exposed brains, so I doubt those are cranium rats. These are probably 1st level PCs fighting rats being magically controlled by some mini bad guy off-screen. At least they're not fighting the rats in a tavern cellar!

 

[Demetrios1453]

I don't see any exposed brains, so I doubt those are cranium rats. These are probably 1st level PCs fighting rats being magically controlled by some mini bad guy off-screen. At least they're not fighting the rats in a tavern cellar!

Maybe the tavern's cellar is really spacious? And has stalactites for some reason?

Being a bit serious, it could be a cave being used as a wine cellar or cheese storage (explains the rats) or something similar for a tavern. Although likely not lol.

(Which gives me an amusing idea for a campaign. The tavern keeper wants you to clear his cellar of rats or anything else down there. Except his cellar is a cave that he uses for storage. Which leads to further caves, with more and more deadly monsters the further you go in. There are dragons down there! Whole drow cities! And the tavern keeper won't pay you until you've cleared "everything down there" out.)