Rat Race

 

There is a certain place teeming with rats in Ankh-Morpork (yes, that definition applies to the whole city, but there's one place where it applies more than usual). The main joy it provides is the possibility of employing Rugged Victor's Rodentia Vivisection on a massive scale, but beyond that, from time to time you can find amongst the critters a Rat King who puts up a pretty decent fight

This is a damp underground room with soil walls propped up by wooden beams. A burnt-out stub of a candle sits in a puddle of wax on a small rock next to the wall. There are a few tiny, rat-sized drinking troughs on the ground, filled with water. More tunnels lie to the west and a ladder leads further down. There are two obvious exits: west and down. 

A six-rat rat king is standing here. 

> 

The six-rat rat king pauses for a moment, and you hear a faint soundless call in your mind. Moments later, a sleek rat, a furry rat and a plump rat run in to join the fight. 

The six-rat rat king, the sleek rat, the furry rat and the plump rat move aggressively towards you! 

p: 3028 (3028) Gp: 420 (435) Xp: 641203 

You chop up the furry rat's right front leg with your storm serpent kodachi. 

The six-rat rat king pounces at you but your floating Tsortean metal shield swoops in and absorbs all of the blow. 

The sleek rat attempts to bite you but your floating Tsortean metal shield swoops in and absorbs all of the blow. 

l king 

This is six rats with their tails all twisted together in an intricate knot. Each of its component rats moves in unison, flowing across the floor in an eerie display of coordination. Their eyes are bright with an animal intelligence. 

It is in good shape. 

It is standing. 

 (...)

The six-rat rat king pounces at you but your floating Tsortean metal shield swoops in and absorbs all of the blow. 

You move your hand and the ball of fire zooms out into the immediate vicinity and sweeps over everything. 

The fire burns the six-rat rat king. 

The fire dies away. 

You kill the six-rat rat king. 

The six-rat rat king's knotted tangle of tails is torn apart, revealing a silver rat ring and scattering rats in all directions. 

The large rat leaves west. 

The fat rat and the sleek rat leave down.

After its defeat, you can gather a new artifact that has been included in the Disc! It apparently has the ability of summoning a rat minion that will temporarily defend you. I have already gotten two, and I have to give it a try. Right now they are in a box, though, waiting, but I'll write another entry once I decide to try it out.

look rat ring

You recognise the silver rat ring to be a piper's ring.  This is a thick silver band, embossed with a circle of three rats biting on each other's tails.  Each rat has two tiny red rubies for eyes.

Six of its eyes glow a dull red.

It emits a slight octarine glow.