Ratkind
From Glen Cook Wiki
More commanly called Ratmen, Ratkind were created during an age of sorcery, when everyone was messing with lower lifeforms. Ratkind have no legal protection under the law, luckily a fact not many people know, though at one time, Ratkind were killed for their skins.
Ratmen perform many of the city's menial jobs - sanitation and so forth. Viewed with contempt by nearly everyone (including Dean), they largely keep to themselves; their isolation is enhanced by the fact that most ratpeople cannot speak clearly in humanoid tongues.
Later in the series, Garrett becomes friends with two exceptional ratpeople, Pular Singe and her half-brother, John Stretch. Singe is renowned as the best tracker in the city and is extremely intelligent by ratkind standards. Stretch is less intelligent, but ambitious. He also has the ability to communicate with ordinary rats, which he uses on Garrett's behalf for surveillance in Whispering Nickel Idols.
Facts
- From the sound of it, Ratkind are toewalkers, which means they can't wear boots (the cover of Cold Copper Tears not withstanding). When they run, they tend to bounce off their hands.
- Ratwomen have litters ranging from 4 to 6 'pups', combined weight less then that of a human baby.
- Ratkind have their names depending on who created them. Common name-family name or family name-common name. Pular Singe's group follows the latter version. Pular is her family name, Singe her common name.
Questions
- Are there Ratkind in places other then TunFaire? And if there are, would they be the same kind? In Angry Lead Skies, it was stated that Ratkind do not like to leave the cities so it's doubtful there has been much travel of Ratkind.
- Presumably rats are only one of the "lower lifeforms" used for experimentation. What other created races might exist?
