Dungeons And Dragons Online: Undead Rats and Carcass Eater

"Unnatural pests"

From the Adventure journal of Alexander, the halfling.

As we crept into the dungeon, Lundiel warned me that my expertise would be required to deal with the many creatures of nature found within. If only that were true. As it turned out, none of us were prepared to handle the unnatural forces we encountered.

If only I had listened to my instincts! I should have known there was something wrong the instant we reached the bottom of the crudely carved steps and were hit with the unmistakable stench of death. In my foolish overconfidence I failed to recognize that whatever was in this cave would not be within the range of my knowledge - for the vermin that we found were not of nature!

Spiraling into those evil depths, we turned from the stairs to face enormous rats, larger even than the largest dog. They immediately swarmed us, viciously pushing forward, overpowering us with mindless intensity. Chattering in a low and distorted tone, the creatures surged forward, craving living flesh.

As if the horrible stench were not enough, the very appearance of these beasts was nauseating. It was clear that we were facing true abominations in those rank depths. The rats were truly hideous - skin and fur in extreme decay, with many missing eyes, likely eaten in hungry attacks by their fellows.

These weren't normal rats - they were undead!

Wave after wave limped towards us exhausting our defenses. It was only after we thinned the swarm that I noticed creatures of a different type, even more fierce and disturbing. We dubbed them Carcass Eaters. We could not tell if they were rats even larger than the others or perhaps some corrupted form of wolf. Lundiel and Kade considered these shambling horrors and agreed them to be a mix of the most vile aspects of both wolf and rat.

These beasts proceeded to feast viciously on the putrid carcasses of their defeated allies. We thought ourselves safe - until there was no more foul carrion to consume....

Most of us adventurers have had at least a few experiences with rats before. A few find their way into your camp at night and rattle the pans. Or you pry off a grate in the sewer and a few dozen of the filthy rodents run out in all directions. Well, as you know by now, things are often a little different in Xen'drik.

The rats can get pretty big in a typical city, but they usually stay out of view and mind their own business, cleaning up refuse in the dumps or the sewers - or chasing the odd cat. Unfortunately, adventurers not too far from Stormreach recently sighted something altogether different, something they have taken to calling an undead giant rat. As this name implies, these rodents seem to be undead and have been described as larger than large dogs and twice as heavy.

In my experience, even most dire rats don't get to that size. These creatures could hardly fit through some of our sewer entrances! Looking a bit like rat wights or zombies, they attack quickly and viciously with claws and bite and often infect their victims with vile diseases.

As frightful as these animals sound, another recent addition to the area's fauna makes them look a bit like house pets. On my trips to Shavarath, gazing out over recent battlefields, I often glimpsed reddish fur moving among the corpses of the fallen

These carcass eaters have apparently made their way to our humble corner of Xen'drik. Maybe they were brought here by someone, or perhaps Shavarath's coterminous period is starting early this time around, and they traveled through a manifest zone on their own. I believe they are animals rather than magical beasts, so where they came from before inhabiting the plane of battle is anyone's guess. Regardless of their natural history, one should be very wary around them.

Unlike the mysterious undead giant rats, the carcass eaters are not creatures from beyond the realm of life. With their jagged teeth and ferocious appearance, they inspire true fear without needing powers of the dead. Attacking just as rapidly as the giant rats do, they never back down once the fight is joined. Usually dining on carrion, they have a special ability which they put to good use against living opponents.

Perhaps developed to aid them in their terrible squabbles over carcasses, they have the ability to erupt into a fearsome blood frenzy not unlike a raging barbarian. They then attack with even more power and vigor, making short work of rival scavengers and inexperienced adventurers alike.

One or two of either of these types of large rats should not pose too much of a problem for an experienced adventurer. When they start to gang up on you, however, you'll need to take quick action! Kill them quickly or simply flee. There cannot be any hesitation. If they hem you in, the beasts will feed off their collective frenzy and rapidly tear you to shreds. These are rats to respect - but not to fear. Keep your cool, and you should be fine.