The Skaven, sometimes known as the ratmen, the Ratkin, the "Children of the Horned Rat," or the "Underfolk" are a malevolent and diabolical race of large, intelligent, humanoid rats that inhabit a massive, inter-continental, subterranean empire known in their tongue simply as the "Under-Empire." At the very heart of Skavendom lies the horrific city of Skavenblight, the ratmen's capital city and the probable birthplace of the Skaven race.
The Skaven as a whole are a cruel, treacherous, and highly numerous species that have since spread their loathsome corruption to the farthest corners of the Known World. From deep below the earth, these scavengers have built a vast empire, whose military power and incomprehensible numbers have the potential to smother the Human kingdoms of the Old World in a seething tide of violence and anarchy.