Cranium Rat

Half an hour later, Marvin arrived at the infirmary in the Flaming Fist garrison, led by the gnome proprietor.

Two surviving Flaming Fist soldiers lay strapped to medical beds, wrapped in bandages and babbling nonsense.

"I saw Albert turn into a rat-man. He was so furry, so plump, so alluring... My head spun, I was completely captivated, and then he stabbed me in the back!

"I had no choice but to fight for my life and slit his throat with a dagger," one soldier muttered.

"I was walking behind Brown and Grieve. Then an invisible shockwave suddenly exploded between the three of us! After I fell, I managed to grab hold of a rock in time. Brown and Grieve were less lucky—they fell into the cave below.

"Then I saw hundreds of tiny blood-red eyes appear in the darkness, surrounding the two of them.

"Helm preserve us! I never want to remember that chittering sound of gnawing, or my companions' screams!" the other soldier recalled, his face twisted in pain.

After questioning them repeatedly for nearly an hour, Marvin finally obtained useful information from the two soldiers.

Seeing Marvin stop questioning them and fall silent in thought, Colonel Liana at his side could not help asking, "Mr. Rodhart, have you reached a conclusion?"

After their second meeting, her attitude toward Marvin had become much friendlier.

Even the way she addressed him had changed from "nameless wizard" to "Mr. Rodhart."

People could not teach people.

But events could teach them in one go.

After losing three subordinates, Liana had finally awakened to reality. She no longer bothered over the complicated conspiracies and political struggles among Baldur's Gate's upper ranks, and began focusing on the matter before her.

She knew the enemy in the underground passage beneath the Friendly Arm Inn would not be easy to handle.

They were not only skilled spellcasters adept at enchantment magic, but also exceptionally good at hiding themselves.

Even now, she did not know what exactly she was up against.

Thinking back to Marvin's earlier suggestion, Liana quickly realized that this inconspicuous low-level wizard possessed talents the Flaming Fist sorely lacked.

In 1385 Dalereckoning, Mystra died, causing the Weave to collapse and the Spellplague to erupt, killing vast numbers of spellcasters.

Afterward, without the Weave, newcomers with magical talent found it an order of magnitude more difficult than before to master arcane arts and harness the raw magical energy of nature.

As a result, the number of new spellcasters in Faerûn plummeted.

As time passed, wizards became an increasingly rare profession.

It was not until 1480, when Mystra returned to life and reforged the Weave, that wizards finally endured the long winter.

The original owner of Marvin's body had also become a Magic Initiate that year.

Ten years had passed. The proportion of wizards in Faerûn had risen slightly, but they were still scarce talents.

Therefore, although Marvin was merely a low-level wizard capable of using first-circle spells, adventurers still competed to recruit him.

Among the Flaming Fist Mercenary Company's six thousand members, there were only twenty spellcasters.

Liana knew very well what these spellcasters, treated as treasures by the mercenary company, were capable of.

In a face-to-face battle, as a level 10 fighter, she could kill two low-level wizards in a single breath with the greatsword in her hands.

But there were many things that muscle and steel could never accomplish.

Having regained her composure, Liana could only turn to Marvin for help in dealing with the unknown enemy and thorny situation in the Friendly Arm Inn's underground passage.

When Liana asked, Marvin did not hold anything back and told her everything he had learned earlier.

After she had processed all the information, he combined it with the testimony of the two surviving soldiers and continued his reasoning.

"According to our two friends lying in those beds, our enemy is skilled in enchantment magic—skilled enough to confuse well-trained Flaming Fist soldiers and make them slaughter one another.

"Furthermore, the enemy can use psionics. The Mind Blast they cast can incapacitate several soldiers at once..."

The gnome proprietor slapped his thigh and cried, "The enemy can command rats too! I understand now. That villain plotting some unknown conspiracy beneath my inn is a wizard skilled in illusions, capable of psionics, and keeping a whole swarm of rats as magical pets!"

"Your explanation is not entirely accurate, my friend." Marvin smiled and shook his head.

Combining the information he had obtained earlier through the skeleton and the communication necklace, he already knew what the enemy was.

The true mastermind was indeed some Mind Flayer.

It had sent its Duergar slaves to dig their way beneath the Friendly Arm Inn.

But because of the unforeseen Gelatinous Cube, the Duergar team had been reduced to a single person in charge.

To make up for that oversight, the Mind Flayer had sent another loyal servant.

This loyal servant was not only proficient in magic and capable of using Mind Blast, but also deeply connected to rats.

Then there was only one answer.

"Cranium Rat!" Marvin spoke the answer in the Faerûnian common tongue.

Yet instead of looking shocked, everyone around him looked utterly confused.

Because in the common tongue, the term "Cranium Rat" was far too unfamiliar to them.

Marvin had no choice but to explain further. "Cranium Rats are swarm creatures with a hive mind, communicating with one another through psionics.

"A single Cranium Rat is no different from an ordinary rat.

"But when fifty Cranium Rats gather together, the swarm's intelligence can rival that of humans, and they can cast first-circle spells and wield psionics.

"When a Cranium Rat swarm reaches one hundred, they become powerful spellcasters capable of casting fourth-circle spells.

"These rodents are products of Mind Flayer biological experiments. They usually serve as scouts, gathering intelligence and observing enemies for their evil masters.

"When Cranium Rats operate separately, they are extremely difficult to detect. Even if we see a lone Cranium Rat, we would only take it for an ordinary rat and remain unwary. That is why so few people know about them."

Thanks to the original owner spending ten years as an exam-cramming student, burying his head in books every day.

Thanks to Volo's Guide to Monsters.

If that remarkable book had not recorded rare creatures like Cranium Rats, Marvin would not have been able to deduce the truth so quickly.

Just who is this Mr. Volo? How does he know so much rare knowledge? Marvin wondered.

Just then, the quest panel refreshed.

Quest: Explore the unknown underground area beneath the Friendly Arm Inn and eliminate potential enemies.

Success rate increased to 150%. Details of the change:

[Relevant Intelligence]: Through intelligence gathering, you have learned that the enemy you face is a Cranium Rat swarm. Prepare according to the enemy's characteristics. (Success rate +100%)

After hearing Marvin out, Liana paced back and forth. After some thought, she said, "Mr. Rodhart, are you confident you can deal with the Cranium Rat swarm?"

"I can. But I need time to prepare. And I have one condition." Marvin raised a finger.

"Please, go on."

"After we clear out the Cranium Rat swarm, I want you to immediately report this to Marshal Ravengard and have him send reinforcements. The more serious you make it sound, the better. The appearance of Cranium Rats means a Mind Flayer has set its sights on this town.

"I do not want to provoke such a powerful enemy just because I cleared out a few rodents.

"If the town does not have at least eight professionals above level 7 stationed here, then I would rather risk offending you and flee immediately."

After all, he could earn experience and level up by staying home, slowly copying scrolls and studying magic. Why take unnecessary risks?

If he could not ensure his own safety, Marvin would rather abandon the quest.