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| “ | Fear not! I am Ratau. I was once a chosen vessel like you, but those days are lost to the winds. I was sent to guide you. We are deep in the lands of the Old Faith and in grave danger. My instructions are to lead you to safety. Continue through the woods. Escape lies ahead. I will be close by. | „ |
| ~ Ratau meeting the Lamb for the first time. |
Ratau is a supporting character of the 2022 roguelike action-adventure game Cult of the Lamb. He is the former wearer of the Red Crown and the predecessor of the Lamb.
Appearance[]
Ratau is an elder anthropomorphic brown rat with a stick serving as a sort of staff and a paper replica of the Red Crown. He wears a green tunic and a red shawl and has a red open triangle painted in the center of his forehead. His left eye is gone, a vertical purple scar running through it, and his left ear has a wedge cut out of it.
Personality[]
Despite being a loyal servant of The One Who Waits, Ratau comes off as a kind and affable individual. He's always ready to help the Lamb and is shown to also have a good relationship with his own friends.
Ratau is shown to really like the game called "Knucklebones", seemingly not wanting to do anything but play it for the rest of his life.
Ratau seems to also actively regret having failed The One Who Waits in the past, and him having a replica of the Red Crown implies that he'd wish to go back to being his vessel. However, despite having been a cult leader in the past and helping the Lamb with their own cult, Ratau is ultimately less ruthless than the latter, having left his own cult in the first place because he was forced to sacrifice someone.
He seems to despise the Red Fox, even calling him a "murderer". As for the Lamb, Ratau genuinely cares about them and considers them a friend.
Biography[]
Years before the events of the game, Ratau was chosen by The One Who Waits to wear the Red Crown and lead a cult in his name. After being forced to sacrifice a follower, however, Ratau decided to abandon his cult, although he didn't fully stop serving The One Who Waits. During his time as a cult leader he also met the Red Fox, and while the details aren't clear it's possible that he was the cause of Ratau having to sacrifice someone.
Years later, The One Who Waits sent Ratau to assist the Lamb, which he did by leading them to The One Who Waits' temple and giving them some advice, before retiring to his shack to play Knucklebones with his friends.
Should the Lamb complete all the missions given by the Red Fox, Ratau will be sacrificed to the latter. If the Lamb returns to his shack, they will find a his letter, which reveals that Ratau genuinely considered the Lamb a friend.
Quotes[]
| “ | We have nearly reached safety, but look ahead! Another poor soul about to be sacrificed. Rescue them and they would have no choice but to join your new cult. | „ |
| ~ Ratau telling the Lamb to rescue someone who's about to be sacrificed by the Old Faith. |
| “ | We have reached safety. You have done well. The Red Crown will allow you to use those markings on the ground to transport yourself great distances. It will take you to a temple that has fallen to ruin. There you will be able to begin your new Cult. I will meet you there. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Lamb has reached the portal to access The One Who Waits' temple. |
| “ | This hallowed ground which once was mine, is now yours. This crumbling ruin is to be the site of your new Cult. We have much to do. We begin by indoctrinating this poor soul into the warm embrace of your Cult. Followers can gather resources for you. Order this one to collect lumber or stone. | „ |
| ~ Ratau when the Lamb reaches the HQ for the first time. |
| “ | By your hand, our Cult will grow powerful! But your Followers can not live on prayer alone, they must eat. Gather the necessary resources and build a Cooking Fire. It will allow you to prepare meals for your Followers. | „ |
| ~ Ratau telling the Lamb to build a Cooking Fire. |
| “ | Now we must build a Shrine - but first we will need more Followers and more gold. Both of which can be found when crusading through the lands of The Old Faith. Ourmutual benefactr The One Who Waits has been trapped by the four Bishops of the Old Faith. Each of them guards a chain that binds him to the realm beyond. We have conjured openings to their realms. It is your task to track them down and slay them so that he may be freed. Now go! There you shall find gold and willing recruits and for those who are not willing, convert them by FORCE! | „ |
| ~ Ratau telling the Lamb to build the Shrine. |
| “ | I am relieved to see you made it safely, and you have not returned alone. You have convinced more to join our faithful flock. Let us indoctrinate this new convert so that we may continue. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Lamb returns with more followers. |
| “ | Followers will either work or worship. Worshipping Followers generate Devotionfor you to collect. But to collect Devotion, you require a Shrine. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the followers have been indoctrinated. |
| “ | Praise be! Your Followers can now worship you! Here is a new Follower. Assign them to Worship a the the Shrine. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Shrine has been built. |
| “ | The Temple is the centre of your Cult. From there you will preach Sermons to grow stronger and perform Rituals to mould the fragile minds of your Followers. You are responsible for maintaining the Faith of your Cult. If it falls too low, your Followers will dissent against you and eventually leave. Your Followers are ready to hear your word. Show them that you are their great leader. Preach a Sermon from within your Temple. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Temple has been built. |
| “ | You were amazing to behold. A natural leader. I see why you were chosen. If you are to guide your Cult you will need to declare Doctrines so that they might obey you. Return to the lands of the Old Faith and seek out Commandment Stone fragments. With these you will be able to declare new Doctrines. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Lamb performs a sermon. |
| “ | Preaching sermons, performing rituals and providing for the needs of your Followers will keep their Faith high. The bones of your enemies are required to perform such Rituals. Destroy their skeletons to gather their bones. Returns to the lands of the Old Faith, gather bones from fallen enemies, recruit more Followers and return to perform a Ritual here in the Temple. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after a new doctrine has been declared. |
| “ | Indoctrinating followers is well and good, but there is so much more you can take from them. Give them gifts, complete quests and performing blessings for them and you will increase their Loyalty to you. Once they are totally loyal to you, they will give you everything they own. Watch as I show you. You, Follower, come back in here! (Ratau gives a gift to the follower, increasing their loyalty.) The more loyal Followers you have, the stronger you'll become. I have much to teach you, but I am old and grow weary. Visit me at my home and I will show you how to harness the true POWER of the Red Crown! | „ |
| ~ Ratau after a ritual has been performed. |
| “ | I am glad I found you. I bring good news! The One Who Waits is pleased with your progress and wishes to grant you a Crown Ability. Enemies you slay will now drop Fervour. Collect this to replenish your Curses. | „ |
| ~ Ratau unlocking a Curses-related ability for the Lamb. |
| “ | You have discovered my humble cottage. Be careful you don't make the same mistakes I did, or you will end up in a place just like this. Now, perhaps a game of Knucklebones? You don't know it? Why, it's simple. Step up to the table and I will show you. | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Lamb enters the Lonely Shack. |
| “ | By the One Below! You're a natural! Here, you've earned yourself a prize. Now you've had a taste of the game... care to wager some coin? | „ |
| ~ Ratau after the Lamb wins at Knucklebones against for the first time. |
| “ | It seems fortune is not on my side. No matter, you played well. | „ |
| ~ Ratau if the Lamb wins against him with a bet. |
| “ | Haha! No one can beat the great Ratau at Knucklebones! Care to play again? | „ |
| ~ Ratau when the Lamb loses against him for the first time. |
| “ | I must thank you. By relieving me of my duties you have granted me what I desire most: peace. Now that I have taught you everything you need to know, I can pass my days playing Knucklebones. I have friends on their way to join me for a game or two as we speak. A rowdy bunch to be sure, but now I am retired I am free to enjoy myself. | „ |
| ~ Ratau if the Lamb goes at the shrine outside the shack. |
| “ | It's you! No, wait! Lamb, don't trust this murderer- (Ratau gets telekinetically dragged away by the Red Fox. The Lamb tries to save him with their own telekinesis, even crying as they do, but without success.) | „ |
| ~ Ratau if the Lamb sacrifices him to the Red Fox. |
| “ | I have tried many times to write this letter to you, only to find myself unable to express what I wish to say. Likely I will scrap this as well and toss it on the growing pile of failed attempts. But still I try. Whilst teaching you, I have begun to think of you as... well, I hope you could think of me as... You are already better than I ever was. I know you will not make the same mistakes I did. I am proud of you. Your dear friend and mentor, Ratau. | „ |
| ~ Ratau's letter for the Lamb, which can be read only if he's been sacrificed to the Red Fox. |
Trivia[]
- He and Ratoo are brothers.
- It's revealed by the Cult of the Lamb Twitter account that the opponents you can play Knucklebones against were all members of Ratau's original cult, having stayed loyal to their friend even after it disbanded.
External Links[]
- Ratau on the Cult of the Lamb Wiki
[]
 Villains
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Cult of the Lamb Old Faith | ||