What’s a scramble-squirrel?1)
A scramble-squirrel is a small, furry rodent that scurries and scrambles about in small packs or family groups of a dozen or a dozen-and-a-half strong; in behavior, curiosity, boldness, and persistence it’s akin to a…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
2)
…real-world red squirrel. However, unlike real-world and Torilian squirrels, scramble-squirrels don’t “chitter” (scold) or make any loud noises unless shrieking in pain, and have hairless, prehensile tails that resemble… 3)
…rat-tails more than the bushy tails of squirrels. Known as ruloan to the elves, they are thieves and opportunists who love to snatch food, and are quite capable of luring humans and other sentients with a feinted theft while…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
4)
…the real thieving goes on elsewhere, or distracting sentients with carried coins, gems, and other ‘gleaming things.’
They have very sharp seven-toed claws and a great sense of balance, and typically race along high tree…# 5)
…branches and leap from one to another, sometimes to other trees, not minding if they land head-downwards or even clutching the undersides of branches. They tend to be plump, have large compound eyes like flies that can see in…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
6)
…many directions and at many angles at once, and so have superb depth perception, and very seldom “miss” their landings, or not notice precisely what prey or some creature that’s after them or fellow family members are doing, 7)
…or located (which is how they can work so well together as a hunting team).
Scramble-squirrels are prey for many things, and throughout the 1300s and 1400s DR have been growing less and less common across the woodlands of…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
8)
…Faerûn. They are edible, and quite tasty roasted over an open fire, as they eat berries and green growing shoots and nuts and leaves when not able to pilfer meat, cheese, and bread from sentient wayfarers 9)
It’s not unusual in a wooded area, or farmland/ranchland with woodlots and hedge-lines of trees, to look out of a window and see a scramble-squirrel clinging to a precarious perch looking in at you (likely seeing if there’s a…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
10)
…way in, and any food to be easily had, by the ‘snatch and race away again’ method).
Rathan of the Knights of Myth Drannor once described them as “Infuriatingly persistent little furballs,” but is known to have evened the odds 11)
…on one occasion with an accurately-hurled mace, that stunned four scramble-squirrels and knocked them off a tree-limb; he promptly pounced, wrung their necks, and popped them in a stewpot. When he and Torm were eating the…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
12)
…results, they had to guard their meal against other scramble-squirrels, who seemed eager to eat their boiled and seasoned fellows.
There’s just one known instance of scramble-squirrels being found in a city: the halfling 13)
…thief Baerandle Borthcrown had a small family of trained scramblers he worked with, in Athkatla in the 1340s to 1380s DR; they stole small, valuable items like gems and jewelry via open upper windows for him, and…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020
14)
…he fed them well as a reward.
Oh, and they do make huffing and hissing noises, and snorts (but not loudly).#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020