Ratfolk

**Ratfolk** (known by others of their kin as **Klish**,) look like a hybrid of a thin halfling and a rat. They appear as frail as an elf and as tall as a dwarf.  They have heads shaped like a rat's, with an elongated skull, thin lips and nose, and dark orbs for eyes. The fur that grows on their bodies is thin, and commonly has colours ranging from white, light browns to dark grey and black. They have long thin tails. On a continent filled with many very tall folk, they often happily pass unnoticed due to their comparatively smaller size, making excellent rogues and thieves. They average between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. Their size is Small.

**Ratfolk** reproduce and mature at an alarming rate when measured against a human life cycle, but perhaps as a result live comparatively shorter lives. Ratfolk reach adulthood at age 2, being as physically and mentally mature as an 18 year old human. This quick change from child to adult often catches other species off guard, especially those who's lifespans can extend into the centuries. A female ratfolk would not often exceed 15 years of age, although 20 is not completely unheard of, it is as rare as a Human living beyond 100. Male Ratfolk lifespans are on average 5 years shorter than female, meaning they usually live around a decade.

The average gestation period of a **Ratfolk** mother is around 28 days. They can produce four to six children per pregnancy, which can happen 4 or 5 times a year until they reach around 12 years old, at this point they can no longer reproduce offspring. Males are still usually fertile until they die.

Ratfolk are a quick learning, fast moving people, that work best as part of a group. In combat they utilise their allies to distract their foes while they strike or helping their allies by hampering or confusing the enemy. They have difficulty with sunlight, therefore prefer to opt for night jobs or working indoors or underground.

The **Ratfolk** often refer to themselves as the “**Klish**”, claiming that their once grand empire spanned across the entire world, although not a single shred of evidence has ever been found of the great Klish Empire. Additionally, no one has been able to trace the lineage of any **Ratfolk** due to their lack of willingness to  document their history. Today, **Ratfolk** exist in considerable numbers, moving through the underbelly and sewers, living in burrows or crowding the streets and alleys of the nine grand cities. It is likely that the Ratfolk species once lived in the underdark at some point in their undocumented history, due to their preference for underground environments.

A **Ratfolk** character often has many brothers, sisters and cousins, as well a uncles and aunts and so on. Ratfolk do not record births or family trees, they are instinctively able to identify a sibling or cousin simply by sight. It is assumed by biologists that they actually achieve this through a complex mechanism of pheromones and subconscious scent receptors. A such, negatively affected inbreeding is minimal.

For the sake of game statistics an Ratfolk would use the Kobold race with the following changes; the appearance, height, weight and lifespan of a Ratfolk is changed as per the description above. Also, replace the Language feature with the following:

Languages:

You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon