Ratbag

**Ratbag**, also known as **The Cowardly Orc**, is a lesser Morgul Orc who formerly served the Nemesis. He now serves as Warchief of the Outcast Orcs.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born during the late-Third Age, Ratbag was an Morgul Orc who lived with a large clan that were loyal to Sauron and awaited for his return. Unlike many of his cousins and siblings, Ratbag was bullied a lot since he didn't prove himself as a very tough and brave orc than any other of his kin. At one point, he tried to prove to one of his elder brothers that he could capture two Wargs, but the plan failed when he nearly was eaten killed by a pack of Gundabad Wargs. Feeling humiliated, Ratbag left his clan and settled on his own and traveled a long way south into Mordor where he was captured by a group of Uruk Slavers led by Goroth.

During his captivity, Ratbag and a number of weak-minded Orcs that considered to be like him, were forced to do a lot of things for their slave masters. Ratbag hated his work and dreamed on wanting to become a Warchief. His slave master punched him for saying that and warned him to never say that again or else he will meet his head. After he would finish work, he would be tied to a pole rather than being given a bed. Much to his hate towards Goroth, Ratbag vowed that he will make his slave master pay and gain the exact retribution that he craved for so long. He hoped that if he becomes Warchief, no Orc will ever treat him as a weak and cowardly orc.

### Shadow Wars

#### Helping Talion

During the start of the Shadow Wars in TA 2951, Talion first meets Ratbag when he finds him tied to a pole by his slave master, who had butchered him for days as a very weak orc. Treated as if he wasn't an Orc, Ratbag believed that Talion could help him become a Warchief. In so doing, he made a deal with Talion that if he helps him rise to the top of the Uruk Hierarchy, he will draw out the Black Hand of Sauron in return for helping. While Talion was hesitant to trust him and went into his head to find out what he knows, Ratbag was freed and began to slice off an ear from one of the dead Uruk guards. He was given a warning from Talion that he tries to double-cross him, he will meet a certain death if that happens. Ratbag promised that it would not happen due to his cowardly ways.

While Talion helps him to eventually become Warchief, Ratbag swears that nobody under his watch will stop the ranger though he cannot do anything about the other Warchiefs, whom Talion will have to kill. Ratbag faces an execution from his superior, Brogg the twin and a warchief's bodyguard. Before this could be done, Talion intervened and killed Brogg, saving Ratbag and causing him to become the warchief's new bodyguard. However, he showed the Warchief Mogg, who is revealed to be Brogg's twin, he has Ratbag, hung up and prepared for execution. An annoyed Talion saved him again and killed Mogg, finally making Ratbag Warchief.

After the rest of the Warchiefs are killed by Talion and the monument for Sauron is destroyed by Talion, the Hammer of Sauron arrives to question where the Warchiefs were at while this was happening. A group of Uruks shove Ratbag to the front, who explains that the rest of the Warchiefs have perished in battle. Unimpressed, the Hammer promptly executes Ratbag for not answering his duties to kill the ranger by swinging his mace.

#### Overlord

Throughout in the war, Ratbag had survived his terrible blow from the Hammer of Sauron and avoided being captured by any other Orc and Uruk that attended to harm him. That was when he began to work with an Olog-Hai named Az-Harto, who he somehow saved and called him "Ranger" in the name of the ranger that helped him become Warchief. Working together, the pair moved up the Orc hierarchy in Nurnen to the position of overlord, while forging a legend of a two-headed troll to keep their soldiers in line. After Bruz the Chopper attempts to betray the Bright Lord and captures *Ranger*, Ratbag helps Talion in several missions to stop Bruz. After Bruz is defeated and shamed worse than death, Ratbag and *Ranger* leave horrified by how much mental torture their enemy endured at the hands of the Bright Lord.

### War of the Ring

At the time of the War of the Ring, Ratbag and his friend Az-Harto were living as outcasts and had been living in Eriador. With his frien's help, he serves as Warchief of the Outcast Orcs. Knowing that many elves often patrol in Eregion, Ratbag and Az-Harto keep themselves away from their territory and began to take work in guiding travelers to their destinations and making money. At some point, Ratbag and Az-Harto were captured by a group of armed Ruffians, whom they believed were responsible for stealing their money. With his own map of Eriador taken from him, Ratbag was tied up to a tree and left for dead until he was rescued by a group of outlanders. Despite not being trusted, Ratbag offered to help and serve as their guide, only if they help him rescue his friend Az-Harto and reclaim his map. After the job was done, Ratbag fulfilled his promise.

## Personality

Ratbag is known to crave power without knowing what he would do with it. He cannot heft a heavy weapon over his head, but he will, stupidly perhaps, attempt to claw his way to the top of Sauron's Army by aligning with his people's great enemy, the Gravewalker. He has deluded himself into believing the Ranger will help him become a Warchief and, once he has power, he will be able to keep all he has achieved. His many scars bear witness to his ineptitude and history of failure. He is a craven little thing whose only chance of success is in spite of himself.

## Appearances

* *Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor* (First appearance)
* *Middle-Earth: Shadow of War*