Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor

The Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor, MRCD, or Roo the Rat, as it often called itself, was an uncannily intelligent rat that spoke Common and ruled a small swarm of its kin in one of the caves of the Lonely Barrens, several hours of travel from Daggerford, circa 1372 DR. "Come now, my children! Feast upon her flesh! But please save the brain for me, as it aids my cunning demeanor..."

- Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor

Description
Appearing as a simple rat, the creature's eyes conveyed its great intelligence. MRCD had a charismatic personality, for a rat, and even more impressive powers of intimidation. It often spoke in aggrandizing terms about itself.

History
By 1372 DR, the Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor became a feared beast that felled many-a travelers and valiant heroes. MRCD laired in a small cave in the Lonely Barrens from which, via a small fissure, the cave opened up into a room filled with gnawed bones and more recent body parts of unlucky adventurers and brave knights. When someone entered the cave by accident or intended to slay the fearsome creature, MRCD greeted them as helpful Roo the Rat. The beast warned visitors of the hungry and smart Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor and sent them through the fissure into the depths of the cave, straight into the dining room.

In 1372 DR, the Hero of Daggerford met a trio of young and terrified trainee knights of the Order of Tye of Waterdeep. The youths were sent to slay the beast as a test of their mettle, but they barely escaped the Mighty Rat with their lives. Squire Blancheflor, Squire Launfal, and Squire Camelon cried, shivered, and lamented their misfortune outside the cave as the Hero of Daggerford strolled inside.

The Hero and the companions met with a smart rat in the cave who warned them of the dreaded Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor, who hungered and waited past the cavern's fissure. The rat mused that it was simply the nature of humanoids to stroll into danger when presented with a challenge. As the adventurers squeezed deeper into the cavern, they were greeted by the same rat who cunningly announced its true identity—the Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor! Praising its own devilish intelligence, MRCD unleashed a behemoth swarm of hungry rats, its children, onto the adventurers. The Mighty Rat told his followers to leave the brains for it as it believed that consuming the brains aided its cunning demeanor.

Bearing overwhelming odds, the Hero survived the nightmarish ordeal. But instead of ending the life of the uncanny cunning rodent of some might and renown, the Hero offered it an opportunity to live in the city of Waterdeep. The squires of the Order of Tye were offered to bring the dreaded Mighty Rat of Cunning Demeanor as their conquest and a prisoner, thus passing the trial and becoming the revered heroes of the order.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford