Rat King: lore

The Rat King, whose name is Louis, rules the New York Warrens and says he has three million subjects. He brought one hundred close friends to the ritual. His aim is to take Long Island, establish the sovereign rat nation of Ratannia and expel or execute humans who refuse to leave. He seeks a Patron’s help to improve his chances. Ratannia is not recognized by the US government because it has not attained sovereignty. The New York Oracle reports that magical attempts to solve the rat problem instead strengthened the rats.

He considers himself a New Yorker and speaks with a pronounced local accent. He hates humans, especially cat lovers, resents non-humans who ally with them, and attributes anti-rat attitudes to propaganda. He gets along better with outcasts such as Billy and Victor. He distrusts competing authorities, including police, federal agents, vampires and criminal rivals, and especially hates Fairfax Industries for its vermicide. He believes the EPA is a Fairfax shell company. Despite insulting his subjects’ intelligence, he takes their safety and his responsibility seriously.

Appearance

He is a large, hunched gray-and-white rat with scars, yellow sclera and black eyes. He wears an improvised rusty crown, scrap jewelry and a ragged red cape with white fur. Royal Pestments adds scrap-and-sign armor that breaks apart as it takes damage. Rats ride on his body and reload his improvised pipe gun. His render shows a sewer-pipe throne; the Ratannia flag resembles Ohio’s flag with a rat face.

Relationships

He rivals Mo & Krill, saying they had a chance to accept his rule. He and Seven made a deal whose terms are unknown; the source suggests it may have involved shelter in the sewers. His subject Rabies Ronnie carries rabies; Rem wants to play with Ronnie, who appears in Rem’s secret Hideout room. Nurse Harrow warns of Ronnie, while Rat King offers to test Victor’s immunity with rabies. Danny advertised vermicide that killed 31 subjects, provoking Rat King’s desire for revenge. The source notes that real rats are unlikely to carry rabies.

Named subjects

The Rat Swarm lines name Abbi with an I, Abby with a Y, Achilles, Ajax, Ares, Arizona, Ash, Aspen, Auggie, Big Sal, Bitin’ Mike, Blaine, Bobby, Bobby Detroit, Boone, Bruce (twice), Calhoun, Caliope, Carl, 2nd Carl, Carlito, Cash, Cathy with a C, Charlotte, Cheeky, Chester, Chubs, Chuck, Cumin, Cupcake, Dane, Dante, Dax, Denise, Dillion, Donna, Donovan, Dutch, Eddie, Eli, Erika, Fat Face, Frankie, Freddie, Gene, George, Gomez, Gumdrop, Hector, Helen, Hera, Ingrid, Jackie, Jacques, Jake, Jamenez, Jane, Jasmine, Jasper, Jessie, Jimmy, Jimmy T, Junior, Kathy with a K, Kelly, Kingston, Knick-Knack, Kulas, Levi, Lexington, Lilia, Little Sal, Liv, Lou, Louie, Louise, Mango, Marcus, Margot, Matt, Miguel, Mildred, Mocha, Monty, Nacho, Nick, Nutmeg, Odie, Oregano, Palomo, Paul, Peanut, Phoebe, Phillip, Polka Dot, Potato, Prosecco, Pumpkin, Rabies Ronnie, Rainbow, Regianno, Reginald, Reno, Rodrigo, Rokko, Sam, Sanchez, Sarah, Snub Nose Molly, Soda-Pop, Stabbin’ Mike, Stuart, Switchblade Mac, TJ, Tomaso, Two-shoe Greg, Valerie, Vince, Vino, Wally, Widget and Zero. The source also names the Devens brothers, Gumdrop’s polycule, Jasper cousins, Jimmy T gang, McMullen gang, Pantegana boys, Pendleton family, Scarlito sisters and Silver Bullet Crew.

Other interactions

Rat King regards Celeste and Pocket as traitors; Celeste sympathizes with his aims but thinks his methods go too far. He would permit Billy to visit Long Island. Wraith expelled him from her casino; Vyper and the Paradox Organization stole from him. Abrams has encountered him in the sewers. Haze warns that the US government would end his reign if he killed Long Island’s people, while the Curiosity Dealer favors his rule. Kelvin wants to learn about rat culture, but Rat King suspects exploitation. He regards Ivy as one of his people, questions her attachment to the Arroyos and warns Mendoza may return. He likes Lash and Viscous, warns Viscous about humans, and liked Drifter until he attacked rats. He says Valerie is interested in Victor and mispronounces Venator’s name.

Sources and editorial notes

Adapted from Rat King/Lore, revision 215541, by Deadlock Wiki contributors; checked 2026-11-01. Source-derived content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Literary biography and dialogue summarized; quoted interaction lines and media omitted. Names are retained as factual source data.