Ratling

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Skrags

25 lbs

33 / 33

Natural Armor:
Natural Armor +1

0 gp

Natural Weapon(s):
Bite (d4)

Attack Abilities:
Necrotic Bite (d8)

2400 gp

You see a small, wiry creature, covered in matted fur. Its beady eyes flicker with intense focus as sharp claws dig into the ground. A twisted, rodent-like tail swishes behind it, twitching in anticipation.

Appearance
Ratlings are small, twisted creatures with fur-covered, emaciated bodies that exude an unsettling aura of desperation. Their beady eyes gleam with an eerie intelligence, while their sharp, jagged teeth are constantly bared. The creature’s form is a mix of rodent-like traits, with thin limbs and elongated, sinewy muscles, giving them a hunched, almost skeletal posture. Their tails are long, whip-like appendages, constantly twitching with unnerving anticipation.

Behavior
Starvation has twisted the Ratlings into relentless, swarming predators. Driven by hunger, they are often seen in packs, viciously attacking anything in their path—be it adventurers, fellow creatures, or even other Ratlings. Their instinctual need to consume overrides any loyalty, as they relentlessly feed until nothing is left but bones. Despite their small size, they are capable of overwhelming much larger creatures through sheer numbers and ferocity.

Role in Skrag Society
The Skrags, creatures of cruelty and twisted sorcery, have domesticated Ratlings as guard animals, using them to protect their territories or laboratories. These creatures are often starved and forced into submission, trained to attack anyone who dares approach. The Skrags also have a darker use for them—Ratlings are sometimes crammed into the bloated, twisted bellies of Rat Abominations, serving as living biological weapons. The Ratlings' ravenous hunger makes them ideal for causing chaos and destruction, waiting to burst free and devour anything in their path once the Rat Abomination expires.

Environment:

Jack's Toy Bin

Skrags

Creature Sub Type

Appearance

Skrags are humanoid rat-men, a grotesque blend of human and rodent features. Standing between four and six feet tall, their bodies are covered in patchy, matted fur of varying shades of brown and gray. Their elongated snouts, sharp teeth, and beady eyes give them a perpetually hungry and cunning look. With wiry, nimble limbs ending in clawed hands and feet, Skrags are well-suited for climbing and scavenging. A long, hairless tail trails behind them, often used for balance and manipulation of objects.

Origins and Evolution

Once a noble race of Ratfolk, the Skrags have devolved into their current state due to their addiction to a mysterious drug called "Warp.

" This substance has not only altered their minds but also their bodies, transforming them into diseased and twisted parodies of their former selves. Prolonged exposure to Warp has granted them a peculiar resistance to necrotic energies but left them vulnerable to holy or radiant powers.

Habitat and Behavior

Scavengers of the Desolate

Skrags are drawn to places of death and decay, such as graveyards, fallen battlefields, and abandoned barracks. These locations offer ample opportunities for scavenging shiny objects and remnants of value. Their obsession with anything that glimmers drives them to steal from even the most dangerous foes, including orcs, ogres, and occasionally, dragon hoards.

Nomadic Tunnels

Skrags inhabit complex tunnel systems and underground warrens, which they constantly expand and fiercely defend. These labyrinthine homes allow them to move swiftly and unseen, making it difficult for enemies to track or catch them.

Social Structure and Hierarchy

Wealth Equals Power

In Skrag society, the accumulation of shiny objects is the primary measure of status. The individual with the most wealth is considered the King of the Skrags.

However, this position is often short-lived, as other Skrags will stop at nothing—including theft and murder—to increase their own wealth and usurp the throne.

Anarchy and Competition

Skrag society is chaotic and cutthroat. Alliances are temporary and based solely on mutual benefit. The constant competition for wealth and power keeps the Skrags in a state of perpetual tension, where betrayal and backstabbing are commonplace.