Ratfolk
Despite how much /tg/ doesn't like to admit it, when it comes to designing non-human races to fill a setting, if an author doesn't go for the "rubber forehead" angle - "human, but X", ala the elf, the dwarf, the halfling, the orc, etc - then usually their go-to for race design is the "humanoid animal" angle. Catfolk and dog-people, such as D&D's Lupins and Gnolls, are the most common races of this variety to show up, but other races do occasional rear their heads. One of the most common of these uncommon variants are the Ratfolk; humanoid rats (or, more rarely, mice).
Basic Traits
Ratfolk are, like most tabletop furry races, colored by their bestial basis and perception of that race in common culture. So, at the least, ratfolk tend to be shorter-lived than humans, but produce large families. Because of the rat's general negative symbolism in Western culture as a filthy, swarming, disease-spreading pest, ratfolk are usually a "bad guy" race; they tend to be dirty scavengers if not outright evil, often of dubious intelligence, prone to diseases, naturally scheming and/or treacherous, and generally unpleasant. Needless to say, this slots them heavily into the "obvious bad guy" niche.
Ironically, those who have actually studied rats usually report that most of these traits are pretty much wrong. For example, rats are fastidious groomers, very social, and quite emphatic.
Prominent Ratfolk in /tg/ Media
The most obvious and well-known of Ratfolk in anything related to /tg/ are the Skaven, who are dark fantasypunk takes on pretty much everything about the "evil ratfolk" standard depiction.
Ratfolk called Slitherin appear as a Titanspawned race in the Scarred Lands setting. Originally purely evil, the 5th edition relaunch upgraded them to PC status.
Ratfolk appear as a benevolent race of traders and merchants in the Pathfinder setting. Their Wicked Fantasy counterparts, the Rodduns, have more of a noble gangster vibe. Starfinder also has a ratfolk race of its own, called the Ysoki.
Nezumi are one of the only two non-hostile non-human races in the Legend of the Five Rings universe, the other being the Naga. They are characterised for being heavily resistant to Taint and for having a more practical outview than the honorable-to-the-point-of-stupidity not!Japanese humans. The Crab clan, which shares their practical outlook, has a standing alliance with them that's survived several editions, and severe punishments await any dumbass that shows up with one of their heads instead of a goblin's, as they've just demonstrated a stupid inability to distinguish between friend and foe.
One memetically infamous thread came up with the idea that elves are actually a species of shapeshifting rats who adopt the "sleek, beautiful, glamorous, all-too-human" elven form out of shame at their own rodent-like features and to better mingle with the other races.
Ratfolk vs. Kobolds
Since ratfolk tend to be given the role of "small, stupid, swarming, low-threat monstrous humanoid", the same role classically given to Kobolds, it's not unheard of for ratfolk to either replace kobolds or to be given their name.
For example, in the Warcraft setting, kobolds are dim-witted ratfolk miners with an obsession with candles and characterized by their broken "English". Hence the infamous meme, "You no take candle!"
Monstergirls
 | This article or section is about Monstergirls (or a monster that is frequently depicted as a Monstergirl), something that /tg/ widely considers to be the purest form of awesome. Expect PROMOTIONS! and /d/elight in equal measure, often with drawfaggotry or writefaggotry to match. |
Like with most beastfolk on /tg/, the depiction of ratfolk in an attractive light is a contentious issue. Whilst sexy fan-art of female Skaven and Nezumi - mostly the female nezumi ninja known as Ink-Eyes - occasionally pops up on threads where people see an excuse for it, it naturally brings the anti-furry brigade out of the woodwork when it happens. And portraying them in typical monstergirl fashion often earns the same kind of mockery that, say, putting up a "how do I use catgirls/[cowgirl]]s in my setting?" thread would do.
But... not always. There are a surprising amount of fans of real-life rats on /tg/, and whilst portraying them in a sensual light is often a little uncomfortable, these fans still leap on the idea of portraying ratfolk in a role outside of the negative stereotype that skaven so wholeheartedly embrace.
Ratfolk monstergirls, when they occur, are usually... pretty close to goblins, actually. They often fall into the same fetish fuel depictions as goblins, specifically in the Breederphile and Pervy Tinker format. Very physically affectionate, prone to polygamy (if not outright slutty), and usually very enthusiastic about expanding their family. Such beastgirls being adept artificers is a less common depiction, but has weight given the /tg/-canon of the skaven and the ysoki.
In the Monster Girl Encyclopedia, there are three rat-girl mamono so far.
- The basic "Large Mouse", a shout-out to that staple of fantasy low-level monsters, the Giant Rat, is a pack-hunting, mischievous, cocky loli mousegirl who uses strength-in-numbers to capture men and fuck them into submission, piling on in lusty squeaking hordes. They are prone to being overwhelmed by their own built-up demonic energy, making them surprisingly aggressive and prone to biting people - a tactic to more easily swell their ranks by turning a man into an incubus and any women into new Large Mice.
- The Wonderland variant "Dormouse" is a sleepy mousegirl loli who spends most of her time lost in lustful dreams, relying on the abundance of demonic energy that she exudes whilst horny to turn a wandering man into an incubus to catch herself a physical mate. Steeping a dormouse in tea permeates the drink with her demonic energy; such contaminated tea induces wonderful erotic dreams, but transforms women into more dormice.
- The Hinezumi is a mousegirl from the not!China "Mist Continent". This is a passionate, dedicated, butt-kicking busty martial-artist mousegirl with the ability to envelop herself in an aura of burning flames as she fights. Naturally, given what kind of setting this is, splashing her with water will make her into a meek and stuttering little thing, easy prey for a dominating mate.
See Also
| The Races of Pathfinder | |
|---|---|
| Player's Handbook: | Dwarf - Elf - Gnome - Half-Elf - Half-Orc - Halfling - Human |
| Advanced Race Guide: |
Aasimar - Catfolk - Changeling - Dhampir - Duergar Drow - Fetchling - Gillman - Goblin - Grippli - Hobgoblin Ifrit - Kitsune - Kobold - Merfolk - Nagaji - Orc - Oread Ratfolk - Samsaran - Strix - Suli - Svirfneblin - Sylph Tengu - Tiefling - Undine - Vanara - Vishkanya - Wayang |
| Bestiaries: | Android - Astomoi - Caligni - Deep One Hybrid - Gathlain Gnoll - Kasatha - Munavri - Naiad - Orang-Pendak Reptoid - Rougarou - Shabti - Trox - Yaddithian |
| Adventure Paths: | Being of Ib - Kuru |
| Inner Sea Races: | Ghoran - Monkey Goblin - Lashunta - Skinwalker Syrinx - Triaxian - Wyrwood - Wyvaran |
| Ultimate Wilderness: | Vine Leshy |
| Blood of the Sea: | Adaro - Cecaelia - Grindylow - Locathah - Sahuagin - Triton |
| Planar Adventures: | Aphorite - Duskwalker - Ganzi |