Adventure 1 – Living in a Tough World
There’s a small town that not many go to, but many people make legends of this place. The town’s name is Inanis. Legendary people are said to come from here along with the origins of certain urban legends and folklore. Ricky is the only rat in the world with red and blue eyes and he and his family and friends live in the city as it goes through rough times. Few know why Ricky has red and blue eyes, but it appears he has a connection to The Caretaker or The Light that no other being in this town has.
He’s been playing with his friends on the outskirts of town. They’ve been playing tag and hide and go seek with each other until several human pass through the area they’re playing in. They hide in the trees as they pass.
One of them says, “These humans are a nuisance.”
Another says, “We should find a way to be rid of them. They seem to get sick when we’re around them, so let’s run around their houses and touch everything that’s theirs.”
“We shouldn’t bother them,” Ricky says, “They’re just trying to survive and live a good life like us.”
“You’re right Ricky, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make them know that they’re bothering us.”
“How could they understand us?” Becky says, “They can’t even understand our words.”
“They’re such illiterates.”
“Never mind them for now. Let’s just get back to playing.”
“Wait, did you hear that?” Ricky says as a noise catches his ears.
A noise that sounds like a horse running through the forest. Ricky sees a dark shadow in the distance with yellow eyes. As it comes closer he sees that it’s the Rat of Decay, a legendary rat that comes to towns that are filled with filth and lack good people. It spreads the plague and is known to be weak to fire.
“We have to stop it! It’s the Rat of Decay!” Ricky says as he climbs down from the tree to get rocks and other things to light sticks on fire.
“Why should we? If that rat gets rid of the humans here, then we can own this town.”
“Then who would feed us? If the humans go, then our source of food goes too. It’s not like you can farm like they can. Give me a hand here Becky.”
“Already with you.”
The pack of rats use the sticks of fire as weapons and stick them in the Rat of Decay. Some hit the monster while others are swiped away, which catches the forest on fire. With one last fire stick, Ricky runs towards the rat and sticks in the monster to burn it to ashes. Though the monster burns to nothing, it can and will reappear if the circumstances are right. The fires in the forest attract the attention of the people in the town who rush to put it out. Ricky and his friends scurry away as the forest comes down around them. A branch lands on Becky and Ricky stops in his track to save her.
“Don’t worry about me Ricky and save yourself!” Becky says as she tries to push him away.
“No! I’m not letting you die this way. We still have to get married and have children later!”
“If that’s what you want, then you should ask the other girls! They’d love to be with someone like you!”
“You’re wrong Becky. You’re the only one for me!”
The branch is slightly lifted up by an unseen force and Ricky carries Becky out of the burning branch and out of the forest.
“That was amazing Ricky!”
“That was more like a miracle.”
“The Caretaker does look after you more than any other rat I know.”
“I think the best thing he gave me was you.”
“Can you get us to safety before you start smooth talking me?”
Once the group of friends get home, they explain the situation to their elders. They’re happy that Ricky chose the right decision and throw a small party for him. Ricky is usually celebrated for his deeds of bravery. It’s what got him his red and blue eyes in the first place. He recounts the tale of how he got it to his pack of rats.
“It was a grey and awful day. I was starving to find food for us when I noticed a baby in the mud near a crashed carriage and it appeared that the parents perished in the accident. I ignored the baby at first, but I found a blanket and toy in the carriage and give them to it. After a few moments, it calmed down in time for a pack of human bandits to find us. It appeared that they were the reason the carriage crashed and why the baby was orphaned. I had the opportunity to run away, but I didn’t because I knew I had to do the right thing even if I died. As I attacked one of them head on, they stabbed their pointy sword through my eye and my entire body. That’s when the Caretaker hit me with a bolt of lightning and saved my life. He blinded the bandits both literally and figuratively because even they could sense his presence. The baby crawled over to me, pet me on the head, then ascended into the heavens. That is the story as to how I got these eyes and abilities.”
Everyone claps for him and cheers for Ricky. Ricky is a rat that goes on adventures in dangerous places to help people and his pack of rats. This is only the first of many that will happen in the town of Inanis. An empty, dirty, and depraved town that’s a perfect place for vermin of all kinds. A place of legends and of nightmares.
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