It’s Midgard Monday! Each week, we visit a corner of the wide world of Midgard. Look for standalone content you can drop into your campaign—whether it’s in Midgard or your own homebrew. Find new inspiration each Midgard Monday!

As we continue our tour of Midgard lineages for Tales of the Valiant RPG (on sale now!), we visit the ratfolk. This installment of the series also includes a heritage and a background that ratfolk characters (or any character!) might use.

Ratfolk

Small, rodent-like humanoids with twitching snouts, whiskers, and long pink tails, ratfolk often work to avoid attention. Due to their appearance and likeness to rats, ratfolk tend to congregate on the fringes of human society, building their nests in slum tenements, abandoned warehouses, and sewers.

While they try to stay out of the way of others, ratfolk enjoy collecting trinkets and baubles, picking them up off the ground, scavenging from trash, or stealing from unwary owners. Sometimes they sell their treasures, but just as often they hoard them in their homes (to the chagrin of their former owners).

Family is very important to ratfolk. Despite what some may think, they don’t gather in packs out of necessity, but rather for a sense of community. The leader of a community of ratfolk is often referred to as a “rat king” and is usually the most powerful among them. One of the most famous rat kings is the Mouse King of Zobeck. Despite the ill-fitting moniker, the Mouse King commands a sprawling circle of thieves and robbers.

RATFOLK LINEAGE TRAITS

Your ratfolk character has certain hereditary traits dictated by their lineage.

Age. Ratfolk reach adulthood at 12 years old, and can live to be 60.

Size. Your size is Small. Ratfolk are about 3 feet tall and weigh around 40 pounds.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You also have a swimming speed of 10 feet.

Keen Smell. You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell.

Compress Skeleton. You can move through the space of any creature that is at least one size larger than you. In addition, while you are not wearing armor and aren’t carrying a shield or weapon that lacks the light property, you can squeeze through a Tiny gap, as your head can fit through it.

Scurry. When you take the Dash action, you can also receive the benefits of the Dodge action until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your PB and regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.

Zobecker Heritage

You grew up on the Crossroads in the Free City of Zobeck. Those raised here value two things above all else: commerce and freedom. Beholden to no kings or aristocracy, Zobeckers work to improve their own lives by their own means. Almost everyone plies some sort of trade to take advantage of the trade routes that cross through here from the rest of Midgard.

Growing up in one of its varied districts breeds a shrewd mind for business and a defiant spirit of independence. Regardless of whether you spent your days in the high halls of the Collegium or in the slums of the Kobold Ghetto, you know the best way to earn a better life for yourself is to do just that: work for it and earn it.

Defiant. When you fail an INT, WIS, or CHA save, you can reroll. You must take the next result. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Commercial Mind. When you are haggling, bartering, or shopping, you have advantage on checks made to get a better deal or to tell if someone is attempting to rip you off.

Argent Rats Mercenary Background

You were recruited by the Argent Rats, a group of former bandits aiming to legitimize themselves as a proper mercenary company. Their ranks are made of kobolds, ratfolk, dust goblins, and even halflings. No gnomes though! Never gnomes.

Whether you are a new member or one of the original bandits, you try to lead a life of diligence, order, and strength while living down a history of wanton violence and criminality.

Skill Proficiencies. Choose two from Athletics, History, Insight, or Intimidation.

Additional Proficiencies. Gain proficiency with woodcarver’s tools and one tool or gaming set of your choice.

Equipment. A tool you are proficient with, an old contract, a dagger with a unique engraving that belonged to a fellow member of your mercenary band, traveler’s clothing including a cloak, a rank insignia denoting your ties to a mercenary band, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.

Talent

A life dedicated to order and and hard work pays dividends. Choose a talent from the following list to represent your mercenary discipline: Armor Training, Combat Conditioning, or Physical Fortitude.

Adventuring Motivation

The experience between mercenary work and adventuing has a lot of overlap. An argent rat might not even need to leave their background behind to go adventuring. But those who do take the skills gained with them into the wider world. When beginning your adventures, determine whether (of if) your character needed to leave the company.

Adventuring Motivation

d8	Adventuring Motivation
1	Adventuring is a chance to put my training to good use.
2	Adventuring leads to bigger pay days than working as a mercenary ever did.
3	Adventuring allows me to meet new viable recruits.
4	Adventuring lets me scout the wider area beyond what my mercenary band is capable of.
5	Adventuring helps me secure new contracts and jobs.
6	Adventuring is an outlet for my aggression and bloodlust.
7	Adventuring brings me an excitement my mercenary band no longer provides.
8	Adventuring is how I tell the world that I am on a better, more honorable path.

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Want a more focused start? Try the Zobeck Clockwork City Collector’s Edition! This detailed sourcebook
gives players plenty of room to run, and includes adventures within the Clockwork City itself!

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