HABITAT: Underground, Deep Roads
COMPANION: Insert 'I Guess meme here' (yes)
MOUNT: They're not that giant
SHAPESHIFT: Yes
RANGER CALL: Insert 'A Plague Tale reference here' (yes)

Giant rats are most commonly found in the Deep Roads, an extensive network of underground tunnels and cities built by the dwarves. Due to their rapid breeding capabilities, they often spill over into the surface world, seeking food wherever it may be found. Although an individual giant rat is not much of a threat, they hunt in packs, making them fearsome in numbers. They are scavengers par excellence, adept at finding sustenance in the most unlikely places, and their presence is a constant nuisance to those who traverse the Deep Roads.

The lore surrounding giant rats, particularly those touched by the Blight, adds a layer of menace to these otherwise mundane creatures. Blight-touched rats, though only about three feet in length, are covered in sharp bony spikes and boils, presenting a grotesque and disturbing sight. While their primary danger lies in their ability to spread the plague, their appearance alone is enough to unsettle even the bravest adventurers. Despite this, many dismiss them as minor threats, a sentiment echoed by Senior Enchanter Nalia in her infamous lecture, just two years before she met her end at the jaws of a Blight Rat.

In the lore, giant rats symbolize the creeping, often underestimated dangers that lurk in the shadows, waiting for a moment of weakness. They remind us that even the smallest creatures can become formidable foes under the right (or wrong) circumstances.