The Demented Ratling
And, in the rock gardens in the center of Dwerfton--he was shocked to watch one of the "boulders" stand up.
It was, in fact, not a lichen-encrusted rock but a huge shaggy ratling, broad as the Stone Dwarves populating the town and twice as tall. But in spite of its hulking first impression as it turned on the Gnumian mage and his hounds, this figure offered no threat or insult. He stood up with red translucent eyes casting around at unseen things--and he gnawed on what remained of a leather shoe sole. Twidgie was a gentle sort and thought nothing of it--rodents of all sorts needed to gnaw, yes? A leather sole was tough enough, yes? It didn't go further, deeper, yes..?
"H-hallo there," the little gnome greeted, and the massive brute twitched an ear and cocked half his face expectantly. After a half-minute, the demented creature relented his gaze and plodded off, gazing out distantly over the low humps of the tiered buildings into the wallscape of Dwerfton. The gnome scratched the neck of Pajazzo, one of the shaggy hounds, and considered asking the great elder dwarf of this place about this strange fellow later. There must be a history here...
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One of my favorite NPCs.... just a buff, mentally ill dude taken in by the dwarf town. And with a number of secret if you give 'im the right stuff!
