Rock rats were a mysterious species of magical rodents, possibly descended from pack rats.[1]
Behavior[]
These mousy creatures were relatively shy, but also had a penchant for stealing small, shiny or brightly-colored objects of value.[1]
Abilities[]
The one magical trait that was the namesake for these rodents was their uncanny ability to burrow through solid stone.[1]
Ecology[]
Diet[]
Much like some lizards, rock rats were known for preying upon the eggs of other creatures.[2]
Habitats[]
These creatures were commonly found mountains, where they riddled the stone with their burrows.[1] Rock rats could be found in the Silver Marches,[2] as well as around the Dragonspine Mountains in the Moonsea North[1] and the Storm Horns mountain range in Cormyr. There they were known to be preyed upon by hedgehog shriekers.[3]
History[]
According to legends, the origins of rock rats traced back to a greedy wizard who had been polymorphed into a pack rat by an angry enchantress in retaliation for swindling her. The polymorphed wizard fled into the Dragonspine Mountains, intending to live a life befitting a rodent, but all his descendants carried a bit of greed and magical nature within them.[1]
In the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, sometime around winter, the wizard Evaine and her familiar Gamaliel were traveling through the Dragonspine Mountains and chose to rest the night within a cave. Whilst Evaine was sleeping and her familiar's attention was elsewhere, a rock rat entered their cave, attracted by the glowing coals of their fire. Once its gaze met with the glittering gem of communication on her tunic, the rock rat felt compelled to carry it off into the night. Chewing through the fabric of her tunic, the rock rat freed the brooch and held it in its mouth as it scurried off through a labyrinth of tunnels that lead to a cliff face outside. Without warning, the rock rat was assailed by a snowy owl and dropped the gem of communication in its mad scramble to escape the owl's clutches. Ultimately the rodent managed to wriggle itself free of the snowy owl's grasp and fled into its burrow, letting out a sad chitter as it went. The snowy bird circled around for a moment, but shortly sensed its quarry had been lost and chose to leave the scene.[1]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 James Ward, Anne K. Brown (November 1993). Pool of Twilight. (TSR, Inc), p. ?. ISBN 1-5607-6582-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 125. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.