| “ | My love took my heart to the sea, the sea, she took my heart to the sea... 'Tis where my heart will be, will be, in her bed at the bottom of the sea. | ” |
— Ratoo, singing of how he lost his heart.
|
Ratoo is an NPC in Cult of the Lamb.
Description[]
Ratoo is a brown rat that is missing his right eye and a section of his left ear, in this way he mirrors his brother Ratau. He also appears to be much older, his facial fur being extremely shaggy and taking on the appearance of a greying beard. Ratoo has a staff with a leaf growing out of it, and a heart wedged into it. He carries another heart in a handheld cage and there is also a heart symbol visible on his hat . Ratoo's staff has been bandaged a few times, similar to the staff that Ratau carries.
Ratoo's most notable characteristic is that his ribcage has been torn apart, leaving behind an open chest cavity. Due to this, he wears no clothing save a pair of boots and a hat.
Interactions[]
Ratoo can be encountered during a Crusade, in 2 areas:
- Heart room: This area acts as a healing spring. By interacting with the pond he's fishing in, the Lamb can restore their health. Additional hearts can be found by attacking the hearts fishing around the pond and destroying crates in the area. This area also has the Hearts III Tarot Card that you can unlock with 100
Coins. - Random room: If you encounter Ratoo in this area, he may give you a challenge for some rewards. The challenge can be:
- Completing 3 enemies rooms without getting hit
- Completing 3 enemies rooms without using Dodge
- Completing 3 enemies rooms without using Curses
After completing the challenge, Ratoo will reward the Lamb with some Coin, Resources, a Follower Form or a Decoration blueprint. Nothing will be rewarded if you fail the challenge.
Special Interactions[]
If the Lamb encounters Ratoo in the Heart room while the demon Hathor is summoned, he will request that the Lamb return his heart to him. The Lamb may decline the request and keep Hathor, or accept the request and be rewarded with a permanent half-heart slot. Accepting the request to return Ratoo's heart to him will cause you to lose the Demon Hathor for the run and permanently lose the follower used to summon it.
If Ratoo is reunited with his heart, he places it back into his chest where it remains fully visible for the rest of the game.
Dialogue[]
Random room encounter[]
[Hitless challenge][]
"Helloooo there, crusader! If you make it through the next few combat rooms with nary a scratch - taking no damage! - I'll rustle you up a reward! But if you fail... then alas, naught for you!"
[No curses challenge][]
"Helloooo there, crusader! If you pass the next combat rooms without using curses, I shall gift you a gift worth having! But if you fail... then alas, naught for you!"
[No dodging challenge][]
"Helloooo there, crusader! Stand your ground! If you can complete the next combat rooms without dodging, a rewards shall be yours. But if you fail... then alas, naught for you!"
[Succeeded the challenge][]
"Why, aren't you just something? You've completed the challenge. Hmm, what should you get? I think this is a decent reward!"
Heart room encounter[]
First meeting[]
"My love took my heart to the sea, the sea, she took my heart to the sea... 'Tis where my heart will be, will be, in her bed at the bottom of the sea"
"Welcome crusader, take a moment to join me in my search. I look for the heart that once beat in my chest. That is until it was taken by... her. I have been sitting here for so many years, even her face has faded from my mind, yet I keep searching. Always searching. I've a dozen hearts you see, but none of them are mine. They are yours if you wish to have them, crusader. They are worthless to me. I care only for the heart that was once mine... so that I might look upon her face one last time... sigh."
Random dialogues[]
"A moment of respite in the eye of the storm!"
"I'll trawl the depths, for the heart she took from my chest!"
"Crusader you have come to join me! I am glad for the company, for this can be such a lonely place."
"I need only find it and I will see her again. I have waited here for so long and all I want is but a moment together once more."
After completing all quests of the Fox:[]
"Ah! I remember! That crown, my brother had one just like it. Do you know him? Ratau? Is he well? It's been an age since we last met - I'm a busy rat! Well, say hello for me, won't you?"
If accompanied by the demon Paean[]
"What a lovely heart! A shame it isn't mine. More hearts! And yet, my chest is empty."
If accompanied by the demon Hathor[]
"I know that rhythm! The surdy[sic] beat of that heart, it could only be mine! Wayward heart, returned at last! Crusader, the hollow of my chest yearns for a reunion. May I?
- [Okay - Lose the demon Hathor + permanently lose the Follower that turned into the demon + permanently gain half a Red Heart]: "Oh! Oh! I am happy and I am sad, I weep and I laugh, and I love! Thank you, crusader, for what you have done."
- [Refuse]: "Ah. Perhaps I was mistaken... It's been a long time, see, since I've felt a drumming in my chest. Wishful thinking, I suppose..."
Trivia[]
Since becoming separated from him, Ratoo's heart has either become or always was the Demon Hathor. Hathor is one of the Demons that can be summoned to accompany the Lamb through a dungeon run. It is unclear if Ratoo's heart was always autonomous or if it has become possessed by Hathor since leaving his body.
Gallery[]
