The Problem Grows - Domains and Rats

 

So this image has been living rent free in my head sine I saw it (I mean who doesn't love a good rat scenario?) - True to their name, Ratking makes the pertinent observation that in OD&D Giant Rats can get as big as 8 HD (turns out the real number is more something like 20 HD thanks to Marcia's sleuthing - Well according to her the real real number is still between 1/2 and 1 HD, but I think all are in agreement that it's worth getting silly with - Go check out her Rat Math Posting!). Now based on this wild variance, there's some implications here that immediately came to mind. Namely that a lowly Giant Rat may start at 1/2 HD but if an infestation is goes untreated, these monsters could grow to titanic size! (No wonder taverns are always trying to get adventurers to clear these things out)

Which also had me thinking about a system to implement this into domain play...

The Problem Grows

The idea / formula is pretty simple (and I'm sure has been done by someone before) just make sure you're keeping strict time records or w/e. Once your Party has a Domain they control (alt. could be applied to their favorite village), you introduce a Problem. These Problems are more of a nuisance than an imminent and pressing threat. They can be ignored, at minor cost... and for each month it goes unsolved The Problem Grows.

Each Problem has 6 Elements (which, hey, if you want to remix one of those elements at any point you can roll d6 to help you pick one B] )

• A Set-Up (This lays out the gist of the Problem as well as the main things that happen as The Problem Grows)
• A Sign (These are the initial signals that a Problem exists before the first Month passes and the Cost truly sets in)
• A Cost (This is the actual mechanical resource drain on the Domain per Month)
• A Solution (True to it's name, this is how you get the Problem to end)
• An Opportunity (Some people can turn Problem to Profit! This gives you some igniter ideas for how that may play out)
• A Complication (Along with the basic Set-Up of what Happens when The Problem Grows, Complications add just a little extra spice)

Let's see this in ratction action!

Rat Infestation

A Set-up: A Rat Infestation starts with d6+2 Giant Rats (roughly the size of a small dog) creating a nearby burrow. Each of these Rat starts at 1 HD, and gains an additional HD per month that The Problem Grows. The Brood will also gain d6 1 HD Rats each time The Problem Grows. The Rats are led by The Rat Queen (she's the giant rat, who makes all of the rules) who can give orders via squeaks and pheromones.

By default, Giant Rats are about the size of a terrier dog. At 5 HD the Rats are the size of a Person. At 8 HD the size of a dire bear. At 20 HD (the max) they're the size of a T-Rex. (Rat HD caps at 20) The Rat Queen is always 2 HD above her brood (excluding Brutes). Once she hits 20 HD no other (non-Brute) Rat may exceed 18 HD.

Rats live in a large Burrow beneath (or neighboring) the domain. The Burrow initially includes The Throne Room (where the young suckle on the Rat Queen's teet), 1 Entrance, 1 Sleeping Den and 1 Food Storage Room. Whenever The Problem Grows, roll d6 and add the following to the Burrow:

1. Additional Entrance - This'll give the rats a greater sphere of influence, as well as additional escape routes. 
2. Additional Sleeping Den - These dens are slick with the rats' body oil... Be careful with fire.
3. Additional Sleeping Den - The concentrated odor of these dens wrinkles the nose of even the most seasoned adventurers.
4. Additional Food Storage - It seems the Rats haven't only been raiding your lair. There's a small portion of treasure in this room, shiny bits and bobs the Rats raided from regional ruffians.
5. Additional Food Storage - This room has a thin layer of edible fungus growing on the walls. If cultivated the fungus makes the consumer's skin more slick and oily.
6. Dead End Tunnel - This long and winding tunnel is a dead end. Is it meant for play or to deceive would-be exterminators? 

The narrow tunnels of the burrow can be squeezed through on all fours provided you're not wearing heavy armor. As the rats get bigger, so too do their tunnels.[*1] Destroy the burrow and the rats won't reproduce, but they will simply build a new one by next month (or worse, go on the offensive taking rooms and buildings in your domain).

A Sign: Chewed stores, large scratches at the bottoms of doors, gnawing marks on the corners of crates and stone. The Rats only operate at night and it'll take a month (or a thorough investigation by PCs) before the domain's wards realize there's a nearby burrow.

A Cost: The Rats reproduce fast and will consume resources equivalent to 1 hireling per 3 rats. (Round down when in doubt)

A Solution: Kill or relocate the Rat Queen and the nest will scatter. So long as she lives new (and loyal) Rats will appear.

An Opportunity: These crafty creatures are remarkably easy to train and bond with in the absence of the Rat Queen. If eaten, Rats produce 1 day of Meat Rations per 1 HD. ("Rat-tions") Unless thoroughly cooked the meat has a noticeable tang. 

A Complication: Each Month Roll 1d6 as The Problem Grows and gets more complicated:

1. Grow Fat With Strength - All Rats gain another +1 HD this month.
2. Breeding Frenzy - Double the number of new Rats this month.
3. Fecal Matters - Fist sized rat droppings can be found around the domain, especially in the dining spaces. Sure to make an impression on any guests and may harm hireling morale.
4. Birth of a Brute - Promote a (non-Queen) Rat with the most HD to a "Brute" - this Brute gets an immediate +2 HD and improves its armor by one step.
5. Squeakers - The latest of the brood are particularly noisy, making the Burrow's location and entrance(s) easier to track down.
6. Mixed Omen - A thief was caught in the pantry! ... Eaten alive. Along with the money they'd have stolen from you, they also had 1d6x5 Gold worth of additional riches!

I don't have a conclusion but have fun with this little idea!

[[ Edit: I realized rats are pretty smart, so as their brains get bigger they may get better at communicating with humans - Once a Rat reaches 8 HD it'll be able to understand simple sentences. At 12 HD it'll recognize the proper nouns that are commonly used in the domain.]]

[[*1 : This is so that the problem (in some ways) gets more directly easy to solve if you let it grow!]]