- Wererat
A wererat is a fictional creature akin to a
werewolf , butshapeshifting into the form of arat instead of a wolf. This type of therianthrope is rare in historical legends, but has become common in modernrole playing game s andfantasy fiction inspired by them. They are commonly portrayed as sewer-dwelling scavengers and opportunistic thieves.Mythology
There are some references to "goblin rats" or rat-themed
yōkai in some Japanese myths that may or may not be the source for the wererats in games and novels.Brad Steiger has written about wererat sightings inOregon , mostly by children. Some of theBenandanti were supposed to change into mice.Games
In the
Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , the wererat is one of several different types of animalistic forms. They are classified as "lycanthropes", despite the fact that the term reflects a lupine, or wolven, form. They are also found in various games inspired by or based on Dungeons & Dragons such as "NetHack " and "Neverwinter Nights ".See Ratkin for wererats in White Wolf's "
World of Darkness " role-playing setting.Fiction
Wererats also appear in the series by
Laurell K. Hamilton (see wererats in Anita Blake mythology and ).The rats changed into men are characters in the
fairy tale Cinderella and star in various adaptations such as the children's book "I was a Rat " byPhilip Pullman .Yuki Sohma , from a popularmanga series, titledFruits Basket , transforms into a rat when hugged by a member of the opposite gender or when weakened.Peter Pettigrew is a ratAnimagus , akin to a wererat, in theHarry Potter series.In the American Manga Gold Digger wererats were one of several lycanthropic races created by an enchanter named Iceron. Five characters important to several recent events are wererats.
Sherissa , the near immortal leader of the wererat clans,Gothwrain her thrall, servant and apparent enemy, and also three young warriors/assassins collectively known by fans as theMall Rats (Gold Digger) :Lydia McKraken ,Romeo Ellis andMoisha Rich .References
*cite journal| journal=Dragon| issue=251| title=Ecology of the Wererat| month=September| year=1998| last=Johnson| first= Kristin| publisher=TSR
*Cook, David, et al. "Monstrous Compendium Volume One" (TSR,1989 ).
*External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/yaiolani/wererats.htm Werewolf and Shapeshifter Codex: Wererat Annex]
* [http://www.darknexus.com/WWLarp/ratkin.html Ratkin: Wererats]
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