Post by Tami on Feb 13, 2015 15:49:03 GMT -5
Organization
The anarchic madness of the Ratkin still has some level of organization. Ratkin society has two levels, Plagues and nests. Plagues are large-scale organizations that cover entire continents. Ratkin claim all of the members of their same Plague as their siblings. In Asia, the Ratkin who do not align themselves with the Beast Courts see the Nezumi as a separate Plague.
Ratkin from different Plagues see one another as cousins who deserve courtesy and hospitality. Despite their large numbers and wide distribution, wererats get along with each other exceedingly well. Though they often fight — especially rural and urban Ratkin — they do so for concrete reasons. Residents chase out or kill visitors who attack, threaten, or steal from the members of the nest, but most welcome peaceful visitors. This sense of kinship and hospitality with their own kind is also why Ratkin care for the most insane members of their breed so well.
Nests
Each Plague is made up of a range of colonies — breeding grounds of Ratkin attended by packs of courtiers and providing a home base for rat packs. Many of the larger and older colonies incorporate sacred sites, becoming nests — sacred spaces where the Ratkin can regain Gnosis. These nests are often many decades old and can contain many dozens or hundreds of Ratkin. The smallest colonies are often temporary gatherings that are home to no more than a few Ratkin. Many homid Ratkin prefer living in small colonies above ground, or form rat packs with no real home. They find space in various odd corners of cities, taking over cheap apartments or squatting in abandoned buildings.
Larger nests are usually underground, where rodens Ratkin and rat Kinfolk are most comfortable. Located in tunnels and sewers, the largest of these nests may have up to a thousand wererats. Such nests stretch across several miles of tunnels in both the physical world and the Umbra. Showing up to a large nest in homid form is an insult to residents, and assuming homid form is impossible in most portions of these nests due to size constraints. Ratkin colonies have a strict internal hierarchy. A Rat King rules the colony, attended by packs of courtiers — usually all rodens Ratkin. Below the courtiers, rodens wererats have priority. Metis hold the middle ground, acting as guards and wardens and hoping to one day become courtiers. The homid breed sits at the bottom of the pecking order, taking whatever scraps they can get.
Colonies grow rapidly, since breeding is a sacred duty for the traditional Ratkin who live there. In only a few years, a colony can amass large numbers of rodens Kinfolk. Those who survive the Birthing Plague go on to breed even more, further swelling the colony’s numbers.
Ratkin build nests on sacred sites, and every well-established nest has a number of resident Shadow Seers who make treaties with local spirits. Portions of these nests extend into tunnels through the Umbra, so the Shadow Seers protect the tunnels from spiritual interference. Ratkin also find that powerful spirits make excellent allies in their attempts to sabotage and destroy human civilization.
The anarchic madness of the Ratkin still has some level of organization. Ratkin society has two levels, Plagues and nests. Plagues are large-scale organizations that cover entire continents. Ratkin claim all of the members of their same Plague as their siblings. In Asia, the Ratkin who do not align themselves with the Beast Courts see the Nezumi as a separate Plague.
Ratkin from different Plagues see one another as cousins who deserve courtesy and hospitality. Despite their large numbers and wide distribution, wererats get along with each other exceedingly well. Though they often fight — especially rural and urban Ratkin — they do so for concrete reasons. Residents chase out or kill visitors who attack, threaten, or steal from the members of the nest, but most welcome peaceful visitors. This sense of kinship and hospitality with their own kind is also why Ratkin care for the most insane members of their breed so well.
Nests
Each Plague is made up of a range of colonies — breeding grounds of Ratkin attended by packs of courtiers and providing a home base for rat packs. Many of the larger and older colonies incorporate sacred sites, becoming nests — sacred spaces where the Ratkin can regain Gnosis. These nests are often many decades old and can contain many dozens or hundreds of Ratkin. The smallest colonies are often temporary gatherings that are home to no more than a few Ratkin. Many homid Ratkin prefer living in small colonies above ground, or form rat packs with no real home. They find space in various odd corners of cities, taking over cheap apartments or squatting in abandoned buildings.
Larger nests are usually underground, where rodens Ratkin and rat Kinfolk are most comfortable. Located in tunnels and sewers, the largest of these nests may have up to a thousand wererats. Such nests stretch across several miles of tunnels in both the physical world and the Umbra. Showing up to a large nest in homid form is an insult to residents, and assuming homid form is impossible in most portions of these nests due to size constraints. Ratkin colonies have a strict internal hierarchy. A Rat King rules the colony, attended by packs of courtiers — usually all rodens Ratkin. Below the courtiers, rodens wererats have priority. Metis hold the middle ground, acting as guards and wardens and hoping to one day become courtiers. The homid breed sits at the bottom of the pecking order, taking whatever scraps they can get.
Colonies grow rapidly, since breeding is a sacred duty for the traditional Ratkin who live there. In only a few years, a colony can amass large numbers of rodens Kinfolk. Those who survive the Birthing Plague go on to breed even more, further swelling the colony’s numbers.
Ratkin build nests on sacred sites, and every well-established nest has a number of resident Shadow Seers who make treaties with local spirits. Portions of these nests extend into tunnels through the Umbra, so the Shadow Seers protect the tunnels from spiritual interference. Ratkin also find that powerful spirits make excellent allies in their attempts to sabotage and destroy human civilization.