Rat Bats

RAT BATS by Reagren Wright

Eighteen hundred years ago, a nameless alchemist of the Western Empire began to study the mystic art of necromancy. After mastering the dark practice he began creating necro magical weapons and objects. His sinister creations caught the attention of a death cult who worshiped Kirgi the Rat God. During this time the god didn’t enjoy the popularity he does know in the Empire. His followers at the time wanted to do something to attract huge attention to him. The plan was to release a menace into the cities of the Empire that would be such a great threat, that people would seek out the Rat God in an attempt to remove the plague, thus he’d gain thousands of followers. After years of experimenting with various rodents, the alchemist created the ultimate pest, the rat bat. This magical creature is a more or less a large rat with bat wings. It is an omnivore that will eat anything organic, be it animal or vegetable, living or dead, wood or leather. If anything living receives multiple bites from these rats, it will be stricken down with a horrific sickness. Killing these creatures only makes things worse. Any rat bat within 20 feet (6 m) of one that is killed by any means other than natural causes, will instantly absorb the dead rat bat’s P.P.E , which increased its S.D.C., and gives it a natural armor rating. The more rat bats that are killed, the tougher and more invincible the critters become. Before long there where generations of rat bats that neither normal nor magical weapon could kill. Just as many within the Empire where preparing to turn to the followers of the Rat God for help, a mysterious minstrel played a “magical flute” that attracted the attention of thousands of rats bats. He played the flute until he led the entire plague of rodents into the Sea of Scarlet Waters where the entire population drowned (death by natural causes). Since that day, the rat bat has never been seen again in the Empire, but that doesn’t mean the critters are extinct. It is believe the species might be living in large underground caverns scatter throughout the Empire. Others believe the Rat God has several hundred thousand living in his deific realm waiting to be released into the Palladium World to consume the world’s food supply and destroy all things so the Children of Kirgi can inherit the world. So far there is no proof of any of these rumors, yet no scholar or monk has ever claimed the species will never been seen again.

Alignment: Considered diabolic

Hit Points: 2D4

S.D.C.: 1D6

P.P.E.: 4D6

Natural Abilities: Fly, Nightvision 200 feet (61 m), keen hearing, superior sense of smell, echo-location, Rat Bats can eat 5x their body weight in a single day, Rat Bats can eat anything organic, including wood and leather, Climb 70%, Prowl 80%, Acrobatics 45%, Plague Bite (anyone who receives four or more bites from a Rat Bat within twenty-four hours must make a saving throw vs. disease [15] or suffer the same effects as a 6th level Sickness spell, only they lose 1D4 hit points each day that cannot be healed until the disease runs its full duration of 3 days), and the Death Charge. Killing a Rat Bat by any means other than natural causes, cause it to release all of its P.P.E., which can only be absorbed by other Rat Bats within a 20 foot (6 m) radius. Once this P.P.E. is released (4D6), it will increase the S.D.C. of all Rat Bats within the radius by the same amount and provide them a natural armor rating of six. If another Rat Bat is killed, the process repeats itself. There is no limit to how many S.D.C. a Rat Bat can possess, however the natural armor rating stops at 19!!! The effect of the Death Charge is permanent. The only effective way to prevent this is to kill large numbers in a way that covers a large area or make they die via natural cause (drowning or suffocation). Casting a spell to create a vacuum or quicksand won’t directly kill the critter however death by asphyxiation is a natural event. However, the spell river of lava would directly kill the critters and any rat bat(s) nearby would absorbed all the P.P.E. of each rat bat that died!!!

Speed: 11 on the ground or 22 by flight.

Attacks Per Melee: Two

Damage: Bite does 1D4 points of damage (see Plague Bite)

Magic: None

Psionics: None

Value: None, accept the Priest of Kirgi might pay up to 50,000 gold for a single critter.

Average Life Span: 3-5 years

Habitat: Underground, dungeons, crypts, etc.

Range: The Western Empire, although some might be living in the Yin Sloth Jungles.

Language: None

Enemies: They are a rodent so they are prey animal for other creatures.

Allies: None

Size: 8-12 inches (roughly .3 m), has an 8-12 inch tail, and 8-12 inch wingspan. Weight: Up to 3 lbs (1.35 kg).

Note: Rat Bats are gregarious and live in flocks numbering up to twenty. They reproduce every 8 weeks bearing 4-12 young. Once the young mature, they leave to find their own flock.