Rat King of Ravenmar

The tale of the Rat King of Ravenmar is a popular story, woven into the fabric of the city's folklore and often told to entertain and sometimes scare children. This whimsical yet dark tale revolves around an ambitious rat with an insatiable desire for cheese, leading it to concoct a devious plan to seize control of Ravenmar.

A Plan of Cheese

According to the story, the Rat King, as he came to be known, was no ordinary rodent. He was exceptionally intelligent and cunning, with a taste for the finer things in life, particularly cheese. Unwilling to settle for scraps and leftovers, he devised a plan to take over the city. His strategy involved kidnapping the ruler of Ravenmar and creating a large, mechanical puppet that resembled the noble. This puppet, controlled by the Rat King from within, was used to issue decrees and manipulate the city's affairs to suit the rat's whims, primarily ensuring a constant supply of cheese.

Cautionary Tale

The story of the Rat King of Ravenmar is often told as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and greed. It serves as a reminder that even the smallest creature can have great aspirations. Whether told around a fire at the Beakpoint Inn or whispered among children playing in the streets, the tale of the Rat King remains a beloved and integral part of Ravenmar's cultural heritage.

Variations

One popular variation of the story is a heroic saga where a group of brave adventurers discovers the Rat King's plot. They navigate the treacherous underbelly of Ravenmar, engaging in a fierce battle with the rat and his army of rodents in the city's sewers and tunnels. After a series of challenges and close encounters, the heroes manage to defeat the Rat King, dismantle the puppet, and rescue the leader of Ravenmar, thus saving the city from the rodent's rule. Another more ominous version of the tale involves a devil who stumbles upon the Rat King's scheme. Intrigued by the rat's ambition and cunning, the devil contemplates making a deal with him. However, as the story goes, the devil eventually sees the rat as nothing more than a snack for his hellhound. In a swift and brutal end, the Rat King meets his demise, thrown to the ferocious beast, thus bringing an abrupt conclusion to his reign over Ravenmar. Some say the Wolf on Rookery Lane is actually a statue of this hound, and proof of the events of this story.