R A T S I N T H E M A L L
A Rat is neither good, nor Evil! It just does, what a Rat has to do!
Heavily Inspired by the Brilliant RPG "RATTEN!" from Prometheus Games
"Yes, yes! Me remember story my grand-grandfather told me! Yes, he remembers it, he saw it! The creators, builder-builder who made this place! Wrathful they were, layed Trap-Trap´s out for us! But they are gone now-now! Left place for us, Rat-folk, sure-sure! More food then any of all-all could ever want to eat! More place to build lairs! More-more for us-us! But we are no longer one litter-litter! No-no, broke up, and hunting our own Tail-tail! Worse-Worse, we lost so much of place, Creators left-left for us! So much we once ruled, so much taken-taken from us! We-We need a new Leader! A New-New Top-Rat! Make all Rats-Rats into one great pack! Retake this place for us..Retake the Mall for the Rats!" Storykeeper Old-Eye, to his pack
Welcome to "Rats in the Mall", an Rp, were you will take control of a pack of Rats, and lead them in their struggle against the many dangers off the "Grand Planes of the Mall" an abandoned Shopping-Center, left to rot and decay, just like the little Furred Rats like it!
The Rats in this Game will be far different from the ones in our world through. They will be smarter, more organized and most impotently of all, will have Thumbs! (If you want to know what makes the last point so important, try grab something without your Thumb, and use it as a tool!) They will also be able to communicate with other Mammals, and be able to learn the Languages of Reptiles, Amphibians and Birds. Only Insects will be beyond compensation for the Rats, another reason why they are so feared among them.
Still, these Rats would not be just furred Humans! They still will spend most of their time on all fours,
They wont be alone in the Mall, for there are a lot of animals who took it onto them, using the Mall as their personal Hunting, Feeding or living ground! From the timid "Smalls" (House-mice), to the terrible Stinkers (Dogs) and Skulker (Cats) to the silent Horrors of the Clicker (Cockroaches) and the nightmarish Many-Eyes (Spiders).
The Mall with multiple levels, and many shops would be still holding Interesting Treasures for a inquisitive pack, yet also as many dangers.
Anyone interested?
EDIT:
Timeline and history of the mall, also CS, all WIP
Note: Rats have no understanding of Time-keeping, except the ones who hold possession of a Creators Timekeeper, and know how to read it. As such, time is messured in Generations, and even then, its hard to tell the difference between Legends and facts!
Beyond time: The oldest Tales told by Ratkind, so many generations ago, that no names are remembered! In human terms we are speaking about the Ice-Age, we know it existed, and how we lived, but nothing futher
Countless Generations ago: The first Tales that have names in them, but most are already forgotten, or so deeply embedded in legends, that there is little hopes in finding the truth. Your Clan will have no real history that goes so far back, yet they still might have some great Legends about their own Hero´s that feasted with Ironclaw-Catslayer
Great Many Generations ago: The earliest reliable records, yet still heavily tainted by bragging and glorification. More names remain, and a great leader may be able to recall his linage to a hero from this time, or at least lie convincing enough to be taken seriously! The oldest Clan-Packs hail from this time Period, and some Stinkers are old enough to remember this time themselves, even through they often lack the motivation, or intellect to talk about it.
Many Generations ago: The not so distant Past! Some may even recall their oldest ancestors telling of this time, and its horrors. Most Pack-Clan´s hail from this time, and the most important happenings in this time, are common knowledge among the wise and clever alike.
Few-Few Generations ago: The close Past! The fur of them who have been born in this time, just has turned grey (if they survived, which not many did). The ones that did, may be old and fragile, yet know more about the plains of the Mall, then most.
Few Generations ago: Most leaders of this time Hail from this time, and are in the prime of their years! Some clans have just been founded, or overthrown their old leaders and reformed into something new, and the ones that come from this time, are often instable.
NOW! NOW!: The newest Thing-Things that have happened in the Mall, and that are affecting all that are alive at the moment!
Beyond Time: The Old World! Creators inhabited the Mall, Rats had to remain hidden, to evade their Judgment, for most where merciless, even through tales exist of some who passed Judgment, and where gifted
Beyond Time: The Vanishing of the Creators! The Creators left the Mall, for reasons unknown to Ratkind. The Smalls where the first to escape their golden cages, and establish themselves in the mall, worshipping the creators...Fools-Fools
Countless Generations ago: The Great Pack! The Rats united under their Leader Ironclaw-Catslayer, forming the first Great-pack, with him as great-great-Overlord. In one, endless tied, they took over the Mall, crushed the pathetic Smalls, and annihilated anything that dared to stand against them. The Mall, for the first time in its history, belonged to Ratkind. Ironclaw-Catslayer would rule with an Iron Claw till his death, reaching an legendary age and fathering thousands of Children
Countless Generations ago: The end of the Great Pack! After the death of Ironclaw-Catslayer, the Great-Pack slowly began to split into multiple factions, known as Pack-Clans. Infighting was common, and no united leader was found. Territory was lost, yet the Rats still held domain over most of the Mall!
Countless Generations ago: The Great Night of Death! The Iron-gates of the Mall had been closed since the first rat ever had come out of the shadow, yet it was in this night, that they opened, for reasons, unknown till this day. First, the Skulker entered the Mall, sadistic and always hunting, then the dark Pack of Stinkers drove them off, taking the grand hall from Rat-kind, and turning it into the Land-of-Bones. The Pack-Clans where scattered all over the Mall
Countless Generations ago: The Grand Rebellion of the Smalls! Discontent with their slavery and cattle-existance, the Smalls Rose up in a rebellion beyond anything known to Rat-kind. And while it would end up crushed in the end, the timing allowed gruesome beasts to futher thin out the Rats, forcing them to abandon most of their Realm.
Great Many Generations ago: The Blood Corn! A sweet threat at first, brought into most nests by Slave-Scavanger Smalls, the Blood Corn was a deadly trap. A pink, round orb, of great taste, many rats would feast on the abundant food-supply, before realizing the danger of it. Drowning in their own blood, the poison would wreck havoc, on the few Pack-Clans, that survived both the Grand Rebellion and the Great Night of Death! Till this day, the pink corn lies around, sweet and inviting, still bringing a painful death to all who feast on it!
Great Many Generations ago: The loss of the World below! Pack-Clan Deep-Deep Born, was for a time the strongest clan there was, powerful and mighty, with endless Hordes of Strong Warrior-Rats, armed with all kinds of weaponry, found in the Cellars below the mall. Yet, some day, they just vanished! Trade stopped, Diplomacy froze and old conflicts simply ended. More then one Ambitious clan tried to find out what had happened to them, only to return with their tails between their legs, talking about horrors with many eyes, and clicking sounds.
Many Generations ago: The Wrath of the Creators!: In an display of their endless power, the Creators returned on last time, displaying their wrath, by using a gigantic Bolder to shatter one of the windows in higher levels of the mall, leading to an entrance for the Black-Wings! Silently and deadly, they took hold of much of the roof and upper levels, yet unlike the sadistic Skulkers, they where not beyond reasoning, and could be bribed...and even hired!
Many Generations ago: The rise of the Faith of Fire! It was a Rat, who later would simply call it, the Burned Prophet, who was saved by a sudden spark from the walls, laying a fire which separated it from a hungry Skulker. Sure, the fire burned off most of its fur, yet the Prophet saw, that its beauty must be worshiped! Founding the "Faith of fire", the main contender with the "Faith of the Creators", he oversaw the construction of the great Cathedral of fire, surrounding the ever-burning barrel, which also serves as the place of sacrifice for the Faith.
Many Generations ago: Multiple Clan-Packs are visited by the Missonaries of the Faith of fire, and a great many convert from their old faith of the Creators. Threatened by this, some of the oldes Clan form the "Great-Mighty Alliance" against the encroachment of the new faith. The conversion of a Blackwing to the faith of Fire, and its zealous preaching while flying finally breaks out the conflict of the two Religions, and for the first time, a Major Civil war rages between Ratkind.
Few-Few Generations ago: The great War still rages on, calming whole Clans in the Conflict. Sub-Factions and different Kinds of Heresy spread among the Rats, shattering the formally two great alliances, and turning the conflict into a Byzantine Maze of Alliances, Promises, Betrayal and Death.
Few-Few Generations ago: The great battle in the halls of Burning Water turns into a decicive Victory for the Faith of the Creators, as three mercenary Skulkers (for the price of 100 smalls each) join the fight on their behalf. The victory is short lasted, as half the leaders of the winning side end up eaten by the treacherous Skulkers!
Few Generations ago: The great war ends, with the "Late-Late" Peace! All factions sign the promise-promise Treaty, that enforces peace between the two faiths, and plans to once more, try to form a new great Pack. A whole Generation is born during the Negotiations for the latter, until its given up, and a mere peace is signed
Beyond time: The oldest Tales told by Ratkind, so many generations ago, that no names are remembered! In human terms we are speaking about the Ice-Age, we know it existed, and how we lived, but nothing futher
Countless Generations ago: The first Tales that have names in them, but most are already forgotten, or so deeply embedded in legends, that there is little hopes in finding the truth. Your Clan will have no real history that goes so far back, yet they still might have some great Legends about their own Hero´s that feasted with Ironclaw-Catslayer
Great Many Generations ago: The earliest reliable records, yet still heavily tainted by bragging and glorification. More names remain, and a great leader may be able to recall his linage to a hero from this time, or at least lie convincing enough to be taken seriously! The oldest Clan-Packs hail from this time Period, and some Stinkers are old enough to remember this time themselves, even through they often lack the motivation, or intellect to talk about it.
Many Generations ago: The not so distant Past! Some may even recall their oldest ancestors telling of this time, and its horrors. Most Pack-Clan´s hail from this time, and the most important happenings in this time, are common knowledge among the wise and clever alike.
Few-Few Generations ago: The close Past! The fur of them who have been born in this time, just has turned grey (if they survived, which not many did). The ones that did, may be old and fragile, yet know more about the plains of the Mall, then most.
Few Generations ago: Most leaders of this time Hail from this time, and are in the prime of their years! Some clans have just been founded, or overthrown their old leaders and reformed into something new, and the ones that come from this time, are often instable.
NOW! NOW!: The newest Thing-Things that have happened in the Mall, and that are affecting all that are alive at the moment!
Beyond Time: The Old World! Creators inhabited the Mall, Rats had to remain hidden, to evade their Judgment, for most where merciless, even through tales exist of some who passed Judgment, and where gifted
Beyond Time: The Vanishing of the Creators! The Creators left the Mall, for reasons unknown to Ratkind. The Smalls where the first to escape their golden cages, and establish themselves in the mall, worshipping the creators...Fools-Fools
Countless Generations ago: The Great Pack! The Rats united under their Leader Ironclaw-Catslayer, forming the first Great-pack, with him as great-great-Overlord. In one, endless tied, they took over the Mall, crushed the pathetic Smalls, and annihilated anything that dared to stand against them. The Mall, for the first time in its history, belonged to Ratkind. Ironclaw-Catslayer would rule with an Iron Claw till his death, reaching an legendary age and fathering thousands of Children
Countless Generations ago: The end of the Great Pack! After the death of Ironclaw-Catslayer, the Great-Pack slowly began to split into multiple factions, known as Pack-Clans. Infighting was common, and no united leader was found. Territory was lost, yet the Rats still held domain over most of the Mall!
Countless Generations ago: The Great Night of Death! The Iron-gates of the Mall had been closed since the first rat ever had come out of the shadow, yet it was in this night, that they opened, for reasons, unknown till this day. First, the Skulker entered the Mall, sadistic and always hunting, then the dark Pack of Stinkers drove them off, taking the grand hall from Rat-kind, and turning it into the Land-of-Bones. The Pack-Clans where scattered all over the Mall
Countless Generations ago: The Grand Rebellion of the Smalls! Discontent with their slavery and cattle-existance, the Smalls Rose up in a rebellion beyond anything known to Rat-kind. And while it would end up crushed in the end, the timing allowed gruesome beasts to futher thin out the Rats, forcing them to abandon most of their Realm.
Great Many Generations ago: The Blood Corn! A sweet threat at first, brought into most nests by Slave-Scavanger Smalls, the Blood Corn was a deadly trap. A pink, round orb, of great taste, many rats would feast on the abundant food-supply, before realizing the danger of it. Drowning in their own blood, the poison would wreck havoc, on the few Pack-Clans, that survived both the Grand Rebellion and the Great Night of Death! Till this day, the pink corn lies around, sweet and inviting, still bringing a painful death to all who feast on it!
Great Many Generations ago: The loss of the World below! Pack-Clan Deep-Deep Born, was for a time the strongest clan there was, powerful and mighty, with endless Hordes of Strong Warrior-Rats, armed with all kinds of weaponry, found in the Cellars below the mall. Yet, some day, they just vanished! Trade stopped, Diplomacy froze and old conflicts simply ended. More then one Ambitious clan tried to find out what had happened to them, only to return with their tails between their legs, talking about horrors with many eyes, and clicking sounds.
Many Generations ago: The Wrath of the Creators!: In an display of their endless power, the Creators returned on last time, displaying their wrath, by using a gigantic Bolder to shatter one of the windows in higher levels of the mall, leading to an entrance for the Black-Wings! Silently and deadly, they took hold of much of the roof and upper levels, yet unlike the sadistic Skulkers, they where not beyond reasoning, and could be bribed...and even hired!
Many Generations ago: The rise of the Faith of Fire! It was a Rat, who later would simply call it, the Burned Prophet, who was saved by a sudden spark from the walls, laying a fire which separated it from a hungry Skulker. Sure, the fire burned off most of its fur, yet the Prophet saw, that its beauty must be worshiped! Founding the "Faith of fire", the main contender with the "Faith of the Creators", he oversaw the construction of the great Cathedral of fire, surrounding the ever-burning barrel, which also serves as the place of sacrifice for the Faith.
Many Generations ago: Multiple Clan-Packs are visited by the Missonaries of the Faith of fire, and a great many convert from their old faith of the Creators. Threatened by this, some of the oldes Clan form the "Great-Mighty Alliance" against the encroachment of the new faith. The conversion of a Blackwing to the faith of Fire, and its zealous preaching while flying finally breaks out the conflict of the two Religions, and for the first time, a Major Civil war rages between Ratkind.
Few-Few Generations ago: The great War still rages on, calming whole Clans in the Conflict. Sub-Factions and different Kinds of Heresy spread among the Rats, shattering the formally two great alliances, and turning the conflict into a Byzantine Maze of Alliances, Promises, Betrayal and Death.
Few-Few Generations ago: The great battle in the halls of Burning Water turns into a decicive Victory for the Faith of the Creators, as three mercenary Skulkers (for the price of 100 smalls each) join the fight on their behalf. The victory is short lasted, as half the leaders of the winning side end up eaten by the treacherous Skulkers!
Few Generations ago: The great war ends, with the "Late-Late" Peace! All factions sign the promise-promise Treaty, that enforces peace between the two faiths, and plans to once more, try to form a new great Pack. A whole Generation is born during the Negotiations for the latter, until its given up, and a mere peace is signed
(Motto of the Pack)
(Name of the Clan-pack)
History
(The Rats in the Grand Planes of the Mall have no written Language (at least none that has lasted) nor do they make for the best Historians! Still, every Self-respecting Pack-Clan has a history to be proud of, and to tell when ever they have a chance, and a rat near enough to hear them! So, what is your clan´s history? What )
Leadership
(The Rats in the Grand Planes of the Mall mostly follow a crude system of Tribal-Tyranny, with an Alpha on top, often with many outlandish and ludicrous titles to match his ego! Yet, over the years, it has not been unheard off, that other forms of governments have taken root in some Pack-Clans, inspired by all kinds of things, from a found book, to a picture, maybe even to one of the Creators Mirrors, who show the world as it was?)
Territory and Ressurces
(The Mall is a deadly and dangerous place, yet full of pockets for Rats to thrive in, planning their retaking of the mall! Many of the old stores lay vacant )
Culture and Faith
(Over many years of Separation, many Pack-Clans have developed their own Quirks and Ideals, that left a lasting mark on its population. How do your rats live, how do they get their food, how do they spend their free time, and how do they treat their Smalls...if their have any!)
(The matter of Faith is quite important for the Rats in the Mall, after all, who but divine beings can create such a place? The dominant Religion among the Rats and Mice is the "Faith of the creators" worshiping the builders of the Mall, and their artifacts, yet its position is contested by the "Faith of Fire" a rapidly spreading Believe, calming that it was fire who crushed the Creators, so why should they be worshiped at all? Alternatively, your clan can have its own Religion, or, Ideology that has replaced mere faith)
(The matter of Faith is quite important for the Rats in the Mall, after all, who but divine beings can create such a place? The dominant Religion among the Rats and Mice is the "Faith of the creators" worshiping the builders of the Mall, and their artifacts, yet its position is contested by the "Faith of Fire" a rapidly spreading Believe, calming that it was fire who crushed the Creators, so why should they be worshiped at all? Alternatively, your clan can have its own Religion, or, Ideology that has replaced mere faith)
Army and Warriors
(Every Clan-Pack is in itself a joined collective to protect the Rats inside it. The whole of Rat Society is build around this concept, so it is little surprising, that "Military" is a rather important Subject for each Clan to consider! How is their armed force organized, how are they armed? Consider that, while rats have no means to melt Steel, they do have access to a whole mall of different kinds of potential Weapons. Also, there is by now no understanding of Gunpowder)
First off, the golden rule! This is not an RP about Winning, nor about accually population, unit or provision sizes. Numbers arent really wanted, and should be held vague. The Size of the mall will also be kept at an "Dramatic" opulence, leaving it the size of a multi-leveled small country to a gigantic City for a rodent!
A clan can pick from multiple Elements, to make up its strengths and weaknesses! These are ranked from 1. (The absolute abstinence of such an Element, to a 5. (An Element which is legendary for this clan, with few, if any able to match them in this regard in the whole Mall. Your whole Socity is most likely be based around this aspect, and as such, needs a leader in this regard, or suffer from Instability)! Only the first and the last give any Bonus/Penalty!
There will be no Dices to be rolled, nor will there be any Min/Max Rewards! Its just a system to allow for a Balanced creation of Clans with Weaknesses and Strengths, that can be easily compared to other clans! So the dick messuring can begin!
-CLAN-
RICHNESS
[How wealthy is the land that your Clan-Pack has settled, and how well fed are your Rats? There are many things that can be considered of Value in the Mall and trade is abundant! Yet, a rich life makes ones soft and lazy, unprepared to fight for ones Possession!]
1. "Hungry-Hungry....FOOD...food.." Your clan is pitiful poor! Maybe you were driven off your old ground, or maybe your Pack-Clan´s land is just a inhospitable place! Yet, at least the hunger picks on the weak first, and your kin has learned how to thrive with little.. Take +1 to your Military, but also gain the "Great Hunger, Sharp Teeth" Weakness with no additional Point!
2. "Why-Why rationing Food! ME-ME HUNGRY NOW!" Your clan´s lands is barren, yet not fully devote of substinance! A lot of effort has to be directed into scavenging, yet in the end, it can be enough to maintain...sometimes!
3. "Still-Still not enough Food..!" Your Clan´s Lands are unremarkable, yet able to feed your Rats and mice (the later at least sometimes)! Maybe you even have a trade good, that allows your people to maintain a stable economy!
4. "W..wait, what is that feeling-feeling...me...not hungry..anymore!" Your Land are remarkable, and filled with food and even some riches! You are well off, and can hold onto what you own, without having to fear for starvation...at least if you can maintain your grip on this land.
5. "CANT-CANT EAT anymore...must...be..carried off.." The wealth of your clan is legendary! Your people either are all well fed, or a minor social elite takes up much of the wealth, yet maintains the Status Quo with other means, by keeping the mass from starving. This either hails from a well picked position, like a store containing rare items or trade goods, or a firm grip on a certain resource! Such societies seldom breed the most fearsome warriors, yet make for some excellent Traders and Diplomats Take -1 to your Military! You also have to take a Trader or otherwise Patrician leader, or suffer from the "A Pack Divided" Weakness!
MILITARY
[How Fearful is the strong Claw of your clan? How veracious its warriors, how disciplined its soldiers? Yet, one always needs to remember, that a strong army has its price, and as such, it will take a toll on ones Richness. This Quality is linked to both Knowledge (How are they equipped) and Faith (How fearless are they in face of death)]
1. "WEAK-WEAK! RUN...RUN FOR IT!" Your clan has barley any Military to speak of! Maybe you rely on Outside Protection, maybe on Mercenaries or maybe just on Luck! At least, there is no strain on your Wealth.. Take +1 to your Richness, but also gain the "Skulkers at the Door" Weakness with no additional Point!
2. "We-We fight them? You sure-sure?" Your Clans "warriors" are a rag-tag milita, barley able to defend your Clan, if met with any danger! You either look for some Protection, alliances or be willing to accept HIGH casualties!
3. "We-We can hold this! No step-step back!" Your Clans warriors are capable, yet nothing out of the ordinary! They will be able to defend your Clan, if hard pressed, yet against great dangers, or if you want to conquer, you will need allies!
4. "We-we never Surrender! We-We kill you all!" Your Clans warriors are formidable, either through strict discipline and tactics or the use of fearsome barbarism!
5. "They-They have surrounded us-us!" ".....Good!" The warriors of your pack Clan are Legendary! Tales for either their discipline, or ferociousness have reached every corner of the mall. They the best of the best there are, deadly and fearless! Little Furred Spartans! Yet, such warriors are hard to maintain and supply! Soldiers need to fed and equipped, while Warriors sure want to share the spoils of war! Take -1 to your RICHNESS! You also have to take a Warlord or otherwise Military leader, or suffer from the "A Pack Divided" Weakness!
POPULATION
[The size of your clan, showing how many Rats (and/or) mice are in your Clan-Pack! Keep in mind, that the bigger your Clan is, the harder it is to keep them in line, and as such a large clan suffers from problems in keeping a stable Leadership]
1. "Few-Few Rats here! How can we survive like this?" Your Clan has no right to this name! Your are just a Handful of Rats, with a few Mice thrown in. All can be lost, should a battle go wrong, or a plague hit you...yet at least, such a small number is easy to control! Gain +1 to control, but also gain the "Skulkers at the Door" Weakness with no additional Point!
2.
3.
4.
5. "Wave of water? SEND IN WAVE-WAVE OF RATS! There are few clans, if any to match the size of yours, for their number is beyond counting! In the regard of Quantity, few can match your clan, and in the end, almost any problem can be tackled with the right amount of Bodies thrown at the problem! The controlling of said Problem...another task! Take -1 to your CONTROL! You will need a ground to feed and provide for all these hungry Rats, or your will suffer from "Great Hunger, Sharp Teeth" Weakness!
CONTROL
[The Direct power the leadership/Goverment of your Clan has onto its people! A weak grip can be devastating, yet a lose leash can often attract more Rats into a Clan, and promote a faster growth]
1."YOU-YOU NOT CHIEF! ME-ME AND ALL NOT FOLLOWING YOU IF NOT GIVE FOOD!" The control of the whole of the clan is barley existent, and its members must be motivated by direct personal gain, to act on the behave of the leader! Many Opportunistic Rats join such a clan...for what it is worth! Gain +1 to POPULATION, but also gain the "A Pack Divided" Weakness with no additional Point!
2.
3.
4.
5. "The Pack-Pack is me-me!" Your leader (or body of government) is the absolute authority of your clan. Most likely a figure of great prestige in the mall and a legendary reputation, it takes a will of Iron, to break the masses, and enforce such a state. Sure, such an absolute state means the...removal of all who have a spirit to free for such a system! Take -1 to your POPULATION! You also need an Iron Fist, or other element to maintain control, or your will suffer from "Ratolution in the air!!!" Weakness!
KNOWLEDGE
[The artifacts of the Creators are everywhere, and its secrets are endless. The more your clan starts to investigates these secrets, the more they learn, yet also can easily lose faith into the truth of the Creators...or the fire (or any other religion they hold dear)]
1."PLACE-PLACE BIG! ME SMALL! MUST EAT PINK CORN!" Your people are primitive, to a point that even scavenging can be seen as an achievement for your Pack-Clan! You collect, yet dont repair! You learn barley everything, and even armor is barley understood. Yet an simple mind is easy to fill with faith.. Gain +1 to Faith, but also gain the "Half-Feral" Weakness with no additional Point!
2.
3.
4.
5. "They-they...were just like us-us!" Your Rats have unlocked many secrets, and started to build a firm understanding of many of the Creators Machinery, while the knowledge of their language and writing is commonplace among your scholars. Your People have mastered the Art of Boom-powder, can know how to scavenge it from the few places it can be found! [NOT Produce it through! Also the amount is limited...even through there are legends of the halls of Powder..] Take -1 to your FAITH! You also need to have a Scholaric leadership, or suffer the "A Pack Divided" Weakness!
FAITH
[Some worship the creators that build this place, some the fire that they claim took them from this world, others worship...stranger things! Holding onto faith, to a fanatical degree, may cause progress to halt, yet nothing is more fearful, then a zealous rat, rallying his pack in righteous fury!] [[NOTE: The worshipers of the Creators get no Penalty to Knowledge, but rather to Richness, while the worshipers of Fire get their Penalty to Population]]
1. "What-What if...there is no Gods..nothing-nothing." Your people are without any faith, nor believe that unites them! While it is easier to explore and see the Mall without the veil of Religion, the price is the animosity of the two largest Religions! Gain +1 to KNOWLEDGE, but also gain the "ExRatticated by Fire AND Creators" Weakness with no additional Point!
2. "Yes-yes, we believe in Fire! Can you go now?" Your Rats pay a lip-service to the faiths of the Mall, if they can even be bothered to do so! Religion barley has any grip on your clan, and as such is mostly ignored.
3. "Look-Look! Place fine and mighty...Creators must be merciful! Your Clan is religious, to a degree that may influence it decision making! They will have a hard time, dealing with HeRatics!
4. "There can be no Doubt-Doubt! Only Faith!" Your Clans devotion to its faith is remarkable, and Religion is a dominant factor in the life of each rat! Such devotion will surley not go unnoticed by the Powers that are!
5. "No Fear-Fear! I am clad in more then just Tin-Tin!" Your people are as devote and faithful as one can get, and their zeal is legendary among the Wall. Death holds little meaning for them, and they are willing to go through any lengths, and any pains, should their faith require it. You can be sure of the Support of the Faith that you follow, and the regular Boon´s from either the Faith of Fire or the Faith of the Creators. Yet, their strict Dogma holds some problems! The Faith of Creation sees all what the Creators have build as holy, and at such a level at devotion, to loot their Gifts is Heresy! Meanwhile, the Worshipers of Fire always must keep the fire fed, so that it shall not fade, even if that means sacrifices, of captives that normally would be absorbed into the clan, or even their own fellow Rats!Take -1 to your RICHNESS(If Faith of Creation) or -1 to POPULATION(If Faith of Fire), or an alternative depending on your faith! You also need to act in the limits of your faith or get the "Religious Turmoil" Weakness!
-LEADER-
A clan can pick from multiple Elements, to make up its strengths and weaknesses! These are ranked from 1. (The absolute abstinence of such an Element, to a 5. (An Element which is legendary for this clan, with few, if any able to match them in this regard in the whole Mall. Your whole Socity is most likely be based around this aspect, and as such, needs a leader in this regard, or suffer from Instability)! Only the first and the last give any Bonus/Penalty!
There will be no Dices to be rolled, nor will there be any Min/Max Rewards! Its just a system to allow for a Balanced creation of Clans with Weaknesses and Strengths, that can be easily compared to other clans! So the dick messuring can begin!
-CLAN-
RICHNESS
[How wealthy is the land that your Clan-Pack has settled, and how well fed are your Rats? There are many things that can be considered of Value in the Mall and trade is abundant! Yet, a rich life makes ones soft and lazy, unprepared to fight for ones Possession!]
1. "Hungry-Hungry....FOOD...food.." Your clan is pitiful poor! Maybe you were driven off your old ground, or maybe your Pack-Clan´s land is just a inhospitable place! Yet, at least the hunger picks on the weak first, and your kin has learned how to thrive with little.. Take +1 to your Military, but also gain the "Great Hunger, Sharp Teeth" Weakness with no additional Point!
2. "Why-Why rationing Food! ME-ME HUNGRY NOW!" Your clan´s lands is barren, yet not fully devote of substinance! A lot of effort has to be directed into scavenging, yet in the end, it can be enough to maintain...sometimes!
3. "Still-Still not enough Food..!" Your Clan´s Lands are unremarkable, yet able to feed your Rats and mice (the later at least sometimes)! Maybe you even have a trade good, that allows your people to maintain a stable economy!
4. "W..wait, what is that feeling-feeling...me...not hungry..anymore!" Your Land are remarkable, and filled with food and even some riches! You are well off, and can hold onto what you own, without having to fear for starvation...at least if you can maintain your grip on this land.
5. "CANT-CANT EAT anymore...must...be..carried off.." The wealth of your clan is legendary! Your people either are all well fed, or a minor social elite takes up much of the wealth, yet maintains the Status Quo with other means, by keeping the mass from starving. This either hails from a well picked position, like a store containing rare items or trade goods, or a firm grip on a certain resource! Such societies seldom breed the most fearsome warriors, yet make for some excellent Traders and Diplomats Take -1 to your Military! You also have to take a Trader or otherwise Patrician leader, or suffer from the "A Pack Divided" Weakness!
MILITARY
[How Fearful is the strong Claw of your clan? How veracious its warriors, how disciplined its soldiers? Yet, one always needs to remember, that a strong army has its price, and as such, it will take a toll on ones Richness. This Quality is linked to both Knowledge (How are they equipped) and Faith (How fearless are they in face of death)]
1. "WEAK-WEAK! RUN...RUN FOR IT!" Your clan has barley any Military to speak of! Maybe you rely on Outside Protection, maybe on Mercenaries or maybe just on Luck! At least, there is no strain on your Wealth.. Take +1 to your Richness, but also gain the "Skulkers at the Door" Weakness with no additional Point!
2. "We-We fight them? You sure-sure?" Your Clans "warriors" are a rag-tag milita, barley able to defend your Clan, if met with any danger! You either look for some Protection, alliances or be willing to accept HIGH casualties!
3. "We-We can hold this! No step-step back!" Your Clans warriors are capable, yet nothing out of the ordinary! They will be able to defend your Clan, if hard pressed, yet against great dangers, or if you want to conquer, you will need allies!
4. "We-we never Surrender! We-We kill you all!" Your Clans warriors are formidable, either through strict discipline and tactics or the use of fearsome barbarism!
5. "They-They have surrounded us-us!" ".....Good!" The warriors of your pack Clan are Legendary! Tales for either their discipline, or ferociousness have reached every corner of the mall. They the best of the best there are, deadly and fearless! Little Furred Spartans! Yet, such warriors are hard to maintain and supply! Soldiers need to fed and equipped, while Warriors sure want to share the spoils of war! Take -1 to your RICHNESS! You also have to take a Warlord or otherwise Military leader, or suffer from the "A Pack Divided" Weakness!
POPULATION
[The size of your clan, showing how many Rats (and/or) mice are in your Clan-Pack! Keep in mind, that the bigger your Clan is, the harder it is to keep them in line, and as such a large clan suffers from problems in keeping a stable Leadership]
1. "Few-Few Rats here! How can we survive like this?" Your Clan has no right to this name! Your are just a Handful of Rats, with a few Mice thrown in. All can be lost, should a battle go wrong, or a plague hit you...yet at least, such a small number is easy to control! Gain +1 to control, but also gain the "Skulkers at the Door" Weakness with no additional Point!
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5. "Wave of water? SEND IN WAVE-WAVE OF RATS! There are few clans, if any to match the size of yours, for their number is beyond counting! In the regard of Quantity, few can match your clan, and in the end, almost any problem can be tackled with the right amount of Bodies thrown at the problem! The controlling of said Problem...another task! Take -1 to your CONTROL! You will need a ground to feed and provide for all these hungry Rats, or your will suffer from "Great Hunger, Sharp Teeth" Weakness!
CONTROL
[The Direct power the leadership/Goverment of your Clan has onto its people! A weak grip can be devastating, yet a lose leash can often attract more Rats into a Clan, and promote a faster growth]
1."YOU-YOU NOT CHIEF! ME-ME AND ALL NOT FOLLOWING YOU IF NOT GIVE FOOD!" The control of the whole of the clan is barley existent, and its members must be motivated by direct personal gain, to act on the behave of the leader! Many Opportunistic Rats join such a clan...for what it is worth! Gain +1 to POPULATION, but also gain the "A Pack Divided" Weakness with no additional Point!
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5. "The Pack-Pack is me-me!" Your leader (or body of government) is the absolute authority of your clan. Most likely a figure of great prestige in the mall and a legendary reputation, it takes a will of Iron, to break the masses, and enforce such a state. Sure, such an absolute state means the...removal of all who have a spirit to free for such a system! Take -1 to your POPULATION! You also need an Iron Fist, or other element to maintain control, or your will suffer from "Ratolution in the air!!!" Weakness!
KNOWLEDGE
[The artifacts of the Creators are everywhere, and its secrets are endless. The more your clan starts to investigates these secrets, the more they learn, yet also can easily lose faith into the truth of the Creators...or the fire (or any other religion they hold dear)]
1."PLACE-PLACE BIG! ME SMALL! MUST EAT PINK CORN!" Your people are primitive, to a point that even scavenging can be seen as an achievement for your Pack-Clan! You collect, yet dont repair! You learn barley everything, and even armor is barley understood. Yet an simple mind is easy to fill with faith.. Gain +1 to Faith, but also gain the "Half-Feral" Weakness with no additional Point!
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5. "They-they...were just like us-us!" Your Rats have unlocked many secrets, and started to build a firm understanding of many of the Creators Machinery, while the knowledge of their language and writing is commonplace among your scholars. Your People have mastered the Art of Boom-powder, can know how to scavenge it from the few places it can be found! [NOT Produce it through! Also the amount is limited...even through there are legends of the halls of Powder..] Take -1 to your FAITH! You also need to have a Scholaric leadership, or suffer the "A Pack Divided" Weakness!
FAITH
[Some worship the creators that build this place, some the fire that they claim took them from this world, others worship...stranger things! Holding onto faith, to a fanatical degree, may cause progress to halt, yet nothing is more fearful, then a zealous rat, rallying his pack in righteous fury!] [[NOTE: The worshipers of the Creators get no Penalty to Knowledge, but rather to Richness, while the worshipers of Fire get their Penalty to Population]]
1. "What-What if...there is no Gods..nothing-nothing." Your people are without any faith, nor believe that unites them! While it is easier to explore and see the Mall without the veil of Religion, the price is the animosity of the two largest Religions! Gain +1 to KNOWLEDGE, but also gain the "ExRatticated by Fire AND Creators" Weakness with no additional Point!
2. "Yes-yes, we believe in Fire! Can you go now?" Your Rats pay a lip-service to the faiths of the Mall, if they can even be bothered to do so! Religion barley has any grip on your clan, and as such is mostly ignored.
3. "Look-Look! Place fine and mighty...Creators must be merciful! Your Clan is religious, to a degree that may influence it decision making! They will have a hard time, dealing with HeRatics!
4. "There can be no Doubt-Doubt! Only Faith!" Your Clans devotion to its faith is remarkable, and Religion is a dominant factor in the life of each rat! Such devotion will surley not go unnoticed by the Powers that are!
5. "No Fear-Fear! I am clad in more then just Tin-Tin!" Your people are as devote and faithful as one can get, and their zeal is legendary among the Wall. Death holds little meaning for them, and they are willing to go through any lengths, and any pains, should their faith require it. You can be sure of the Support of the Faith that you follow, and the regular Boon´s from either the Faith of Fire or the Faith of the Creators. Yet, their strict Dogma holds some problems! The Faith of Creation sees all what the Creators have build as holy, and at such a level at devotion, to loot their Gifts is Heresy! Meanwhile, the Worshipers of Fire always must keep the fire fed, so that it shall not fade, even if that means sacrifices, of captives that normally would be absorbed into the clan, or even their own fellow Rats!Take -1 to your RICHNESS(If Faith of Creation) or -1 to POPULATION(If Faith of Fire), or an alternative depending on your faith! You also need to act in the limits of your faith or get the "Religious Turmoil" Weakness!
-LEADER-
Weaknesses:
Level 1:
[These Weaknesses are pressing matters that risk the Status of your Clan, yet pose not threat to its existence, if well managed! Still, such problems shouldn't be taken lightly!]
Level 2:
[These Weaknesses are serious threats to your clan, that can, if not dealt with, cause permanent damage, and, in the worst of cases even destroy your clan!]
Level 3:
[These Weaknesses are devastating, and a direct Threat to your Clan´s existence! They need to be dealt with, as soon as possible or the consequences will be horrible!]
Strength :
Level 1:
[These Weaknesses are pressing matters that risk the Status of your Clan, yet pose not threat to its existence, if well managed! Still, such problems shouldn't be taken lightly!]
Level 2:
[These Weaknesses are serious threats to your clan, that can, if not dealt with, cause permanent damage, and, in the worst of cases even destroy your clan!]
Level 3:
[These Weaknesses are devastating, and a direct Threat to your Clan´s existence! They need to be dealt with, as soon as possible or the consequences will be horrible!]
Strength :
The mall has its share of mundane horrors, yet among them are a few, that are ancient Legends among Rat-kind, some hidden and only seen as distant memories, while others clearly around! To surive an encounter with such a beast, makes a Rat a living legend, to kill them Immortal!
[ Bullmastiff ]
Old Scar is the leader of the Dark Pack, the Pack of Stinkers that hold onto the Land-of-Bones. A gigantic White furred beast able to tear the head of a Skulker with a single bite, he seldomly would bother with hunting a Rat, yet he and his pack will defend their Territory with a ferocious fury. Sometimes, when he feels merciful, he allows rats to pass his territory, and there are cults worshiping him as the incarnation of war! Some even claim, that he himself has once feasted on a Creator he has killed
Old Scar is the leader of the Dark Pack, the Pack of Stinkers that hold onto the Land-of-Bones. A gigantic White furred beast able to tear the head of a Skulker with a single bite, he seldomly would bother with hunting a Rat, yet he and his pack will defend their Territory with a ferocious fury. Sometimes, when he feels merciful, he allows rats to pass his territory, and there are cults worshiping him as the incarnation of war! Some even claim, that he himself has once feasted on a Creator he has killed
[ Alligator snapping turtle ]
All Rat-Sailors fear the legend of old Shatterjaw. What looks like an island on the water, suddenly sporting a Jaw, strong enough to crush any armor, and cut a Rat in half. Some say it is the oldest Creature there is in the mall, inhabiting it, even when the Creators held onto it, yet others denounce this as heresy. Still, the sound of a Snapping Jaw is the most terrifying thing a Rat-sailor can dream of.
All Rat-Sailors fear the legend of old Shatterjaw. What looks like an island on the water, suddenly sporting a Jaw, strong enough to crush any armor, and cut a Rat in half. Some say it is the oldest Creature there is in the mall, inhabiting it, even when the Creators held onto it, yet others denounce this as heresy. Still, the sound of a Snapping Jaw is the most terrifying thing a Rat-sailor can dream of.
[ Sea Eagles ]
The Blackwings are feared, some even claim they are demonic rats that were reborn as bringers of death! Yet, there is one they fear, and refuse to speak of. In their tongue, they simply call him, "The Screamer" for his long screaming cry of hunting. And while only a hand-full of rats ever have seen him, the ones that did, speak from a Winged Titan, Gigantic and Majestic. It is no wounder, that some Rats have taken to worship this beast, as the killer of Crows, God of the Sky.
The Blackwings are feared, some even claim they are demonic rats that were reborn as bringers of death! Yet, there is one they fear, and refuse to speak of. In their tongue, they simply call him, "The Screamer" for his long screaming cry of hunting. And while only a hand-full of rats ever have seen him, the ones that did, speak from a Winged Titan, Gigantic and Majestic. It is no wounder, that some Rats have taken to worship this beast, as the killer of Crows, God of the Sky.
