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Description
Sex: Male, Female

Species: Mutated rats

Location of Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Date encountered: November 14th, 1980

Height: Variable

Weight: Variable

Threat level: Extremely high

Aggression level: Extremely high

Known mutations:

- Incredibly high pain tolerance enables The Living Tide to survive wounds that would kill other mutants. Specimens have been known to survive being torn in half for a short period of time, wherein they will continue to attack.

- Hive mind connection through The Brood Mother ensures that all individual creatures can communicate and coordinate with one another. Individuals are still capable of some degree of autonomy.

- Razor sharp incisors combined with powerful jaw muscles enable The Living Tide to chew through solid concrete and even metal in order to expand their burrow network. This can cause severe structural damage to subways, sewers and buildings.

- Sharp claws can be used to attack enemies as well as aid them in burrowing.

- Use hyper-aggressive swarm tactics to bury enemies through sheer numbers as their main method of attack, however they are able to to perform more subtle methods of attack such as ambushes and digging traps.

History:

After The Brood Mother and The Rat King had migrated from Salem, New Jersey, the hideous mutants quickly began to breed and grow their numbers. The first of these mutant spawn would be encountered by subway and sewer workers on occasion as the creatures began to scout out their new surroundings. One of these creatures was killed by workers repairing the MATCO speedline below 8th and Market Street. The specimen was nearly the size of a dog and was photographed and even made it into the city newspaper. City officials contacted the necessary parties to determine whether or not the find was a cause for concern, however due to the fact that abnormally large rodents were not completely unheard of, the finding did not illicit a military response. And so, with the military unwilling to investigate further, the rodents continued to multiply unimpeded. Soon signs of their existence became more and more prevalent, as numerous subway tunnels were found damaged such as rails and electrical lines being chewed through. Large holes were also found dug into the concrete walls by something bigger than a man. All the while, sightings of the large rats continued to be reported by workers and commuters. These sightings prompted a lone reporter to venture into the dark subways in search of the truth behind the creature sightings. The reporter managed to take several photographs of the damaged tunnels as well as what appeared to be large droppings in the tunnels.

The reporter managed to successfully return to the surface and publish his findings, but mentioned that he felt as though he was being watched the entire time he was down in the tunnels. He also mentioned hearing the sounds of creatures scurrying from every direction, but could not pinpoint a source. Once again, city officials attempted to petition military intervention but did not receive a definitive response. Eventually on March 1st, the city's police department would get involved when a north Philadelphia neighborhood filed numerous complaints that some large animal was attacking pets and residents at night. It was suspected that a large rabid dog may be on the loose, but nobody was able to get a good look at the creature as it was reported to move very fast. Police patrols were stepped up in the neighborhood where the animal was sighted, and only a few hours into the search did one of the squad cars locate the animal rummaging through a dumpster. The creature was not a dog, but an enormous rat that was the size of a large dog. More than that, it was hideously deformed and disfigured, with it's body covered in boils and cancers. Attempts to corral the creature and capture it elicited an extremely aggressive response from the abomination, as it leapt atop one of the squad cars and nearly collapsed the roof under it's weight. The officers opened fire on the creature as it attempted to flee. The officers shot the creature well over 17 times yet it still managed to escape by tearing open a manhole cover and disappearing into the sewers.

The incident was reported to city officials, who finally convinced the military to send a detachment to investigate the matter further now that they had a confirmed sighting of what appeared to be a mutant. As the armed forces traveled to the city, encounters with the large rats began to increase sharply, with many of them turning violent. Several people were hospitalized after being violently attacked by the rats, with injuries ranging from bites and scratches to viscous maulings that cost at least one person their life. Newspapers ran headlines about killer rats invading the city, which exacerbated the fears that mutants had taken up residence. After three days a military detachment had arrived in the city and quickly set up in the areas where sightings were concentrated. As part of this mission, all subway lines were shut down, leading to a commuting crisis as citizens were forced to use buses or taxis. The goal of the operation was to understand what they were dealing with rather than a cut-and-dry extermination op; that would come later. Teams armed with flamethrowers and M16 rifles descended into the sewers and subway tunnels in search of the mutant rodents. For about 30 minutes, no sign of the creatures was able to be found, until one team reported finding a freshly excavated tunnel with steam emerging from it. The tunnel was big enough to where a man could easily crawl into it.

Suddenly, the sounds of creatures scurrying around in the dark subway tunnels could be heard, along with ominous shadows of several entities approaching. Shining their flashlights into the depths of the tunnel, the light revealed over a dozen of the massive rodents clinging to the walls and ceilings. The order to open fire was given immediately and the sounds of gunfire roared over the radios. The other teams were ordered to move in to support in the firefight as the chaos erupted. Despite being riddled with lead and set ablaze, the rodents did not go down easily; in fact, they were exceedingly difficult to put down for good. Some had their limbs sheared off by gunfire but continued to crawl towards their human attackers. Dozens more eerie glowing eyes approached from deeper within the tunnel, and the situation was quickly becoming unwinnable. All teams retreated back to the surface while trying to take out as many of the rodents as possible, but it seemed that for every one killed a dozen more took it's place. The literal tide of shrieking, clawing, crawling flesh swallowed the mounds of the dead and threatened to overtake the teams until they were momentarily stopped by flashbangs and smoke grenades. Upon returning to the surface, it became clear that the situation here was dire: this wasn't the usual 1-off mutation, they were dealing with an entire population of creatures. Because of this, the United States Military issued an evacuation order to the city of Philadelphia. Millions of people would have to be displaced for their own safety and to ensure that military efforts against the creatures would go smoothly.

Complete maps of the sewers, subways and any other underground network the rats could be using to move around the city were acquired by the US Army. In the midst of the evacuation, the rats launched their counterattack: dozens upon dozens of the creatures emerged from manholes, storm drains and sewer outlets to attack the evacuating citizens of the city on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to New Jersey. Several civilians were attacked and killed by the rats, and even soldiers overseeing the evacuation could do little to stem the tide with such few numbers and ammo. However from the depths of the Delaware river, salvation would come in the form of three unlikely saviors: The First Born, The Devourer, The Mauler appeared, having been attracted by the chaos unfolding on the bridge. The legacy of The Progenitor scaled the bridge to meet these new mutants, while the humans took this pause in the carnage to expedite the evacuations to New Jersey. The situation had taken a turn for the absolute worst, and now it seemed like the city would become a battlefield between humans, mutants and other mutants. The two mutant factions faced off with one another, the offspring of The Progenitor viewing the new creatures as both a threat and a food source. The amphibians had longed for a meal that wasn't the fish in the rivers or the occasional human or deer. The rodent horde consolidated in attempt to intimidate the giants with their superior numbers, shrieking and howling as they did so.

This cacophony did little to deter the Offspring however, and the three charged at the horde. In response, the mutant tide responded in unison and met their charge head on, the two sides colliding like a wave smashing against a sea wall. It soon became clear that the Offspring had the upper hand due to their size and strength as well as their corrosive abilities. Dozens of the rodents were torn apart, melted, crushed or swallowed whole. These horrible casualties did little to deter the swarm, and still they pressed their attack with mindless ferocity. News helicopters above captured the epic struggle and broadcast it on live television for the entire country to see. Just as victory seemed assured for the Offspring, the rodents suddenly ceased their attack all at once and retreated back across the bridge into the city. The Offspring gave chase to the fleeing monstrosities, and in response the rodent horde split into many smaller packs to separate their enemies. The Mauler was quickly identified as the most vulnerable due to it's massive size and sluggish speed, and an ambush would be readied for it. Countless more of the rodents tunneled into the basement of buildings from their underground warrens and held their position until the trap was ready. Once the huge amphibian monstrosity was in position, hundreds of the rodents sprang from their hiding places within the buildings and swarmed The Mauler.

Teeth and claws bit and slashed into the creature's rubbery skin. The Mauler attempted to defend itself, grabbing entire groups of the creatures off of it and crushing them in it's huge hands. Others were bitten and swallowed whole, yet still they pressed their attack. The huge mutant attempted to roll itself over to crush it's swarming attackers, and while it succeeded in killing the ones clinging to it's back, more rushed in to fill the gap completely covering the struggling creature. It's regenerative healing was able to mitigate much of the damage done by the smaller mutants, but was quickly becoming taxed by the sheer volume of attacks. The Mauler attempted to call out to it's siblings for help, but they had been purposely lead far enough away to where they were isolated from one another. The damage began to take it's toll, and wounds that once closed within moments now remained open and weeping with streams of blood. The rodents attacked these weakpoints further, causing even more damage to the child of The Progenitor. The Mauler felt the creatures digging into it's skin and innards, but refused to go down without a fight. A swipe of it's mighty arms flung a dozen of the rodents into the side of a building and killed them on impact. The other arm brought it's fist down on another incoming pack, crushing them into gory pulps. Yet no matter how many of the rodents fell, the horde seemed to be never ending. The Mauler continued to fight to it's very last breath, even as the rats ate it alive. After a while, the struggling stopped and the rodents feasted upon their kill.

With one of the Offspring killed, the rodents unanimously retreated back into the Philadelphia underground, much to the confusion of The Devourer and The First Born. In the aftermath of the battle, the United States Military was dumbfounded as to how to proceed next. The Devourer and The First Born were loose in the city, and the rodents were several hundred times more numerous than they had anticipated. The Mauler's carcass, or what little was left of it, was found on Cherry street, having been dragged there by the rodent horde who attempted to drag it back into the sewers but could not take the entire carcass, so they elected to tear it apart into smaller pieces. Due to the remains of The Mauler being in such poor condition, blood and tissue samples were taken and the rest of the remains were burned. Such displays of intelligence were not uncommon among rodents, however the manner in which they coordinated attacks and acted in unison suggested a higher form of intelligence not yet known. Use of conventional weapons proved to be ineffective, as a squad of soldiers simply could not stave off the horde in a head-on confrontation. So it was decided to contact Helix Biotechnologies and requisition the use of several Mk. 2 Rosalis to infiltrate the underground and perform precision strikes against the horde. The Mk. 2 Rosalis had improved considerably since their debut in Boston; the neural studs were developed further thus allowing increased transmission range and reduced the likelihood of malfunction to almost zero. The creature's genetic code had also been refined so that almost 100% of the embryos would survive to adulthood, enabling mass-production.

Within the 24 hours it would take for the Rosalis to arrive in Philadelphia, additional reinforcements were deployed into the city to finalize evacuations as well as keep a lookout for the remaining Offspring and more rodent activity, now designated as "The Living Tide". Using the maps procured earlier, several cameras were installed to monitor the Living Tide's movements through the various sewer and subway tunnels the mutants frequented the most. Land mines were also placed along subway tracks and in the sewers to try and kill as many of the creatures as possible. Major subway entrances were heavily fortified with machine gun nests, grenadiers and land mines in case the creatures attempted to use them to get to the surface. Once the Rosalis arrived, they would be split up into two groups: Group A would be tasked with tracking the horde's movements in an attempt to locate the source of this infestation, Group A would be tasked with inflicting as many casualties to the horde as possible while remaining undetected as these creatures have to be coming from somewhere, and thus there must be some sort of nest or den they're breeding in. In the meantime, their enemy was making preparations for it's next move: the humans and other creatures were existential threats to their kind, and they would need to be dealt with accordingly. The prodigious intelligence controlling the rodents had a very specific plan in mind for the bigger creature's who's kin they had slain the day before. The ambush that had worked once only did so because the creature was too sluggish to retreat; the other two were smarter and faster. Therefor it was decided to fight them on equal terms.

The next day the tide would locate The First Born, having left it's resting place in the Schukyll River below the I676 bridge. The creature ventured into Logan Square when it was ambushed by dozens of the mutant rodents. The First Born immediately went on the offensive, showering several in digestive acids that reduced the rats into a red and green soup in seconds. Another party was batted away by the mutant's powerful tail. The remaining rodents fled towards the Swann Memorial Fountain seemingly in an act of retreat. The First Born cautiously followed, it's instincts telling it that something was amiss. The ground began to tremble with maddening intensity as the fountain was swallowed by the earth, water rushing into the newly formed sinkhole. Emerging from the hole came a huge rodent the likes of which had not yet been seen. It stood on two legs and possessed shaggy fur that hung from it's muscular body. It's lower jaw split into a pair of mandibles as it roared a challenge to The First Born. The First Born bellowed back, accepting the creature's call for battle. It's smaller minions crowded at it's feet and hissed at the amphibian, intending to aide it's larger relative in battle. The two sides charged at one another with murderous intent. The First Born and the massive rodent later called "The Rat King" collided with one another with such force that the smaller rats were momentarily stunned. The two titans bit and slashed at each other, the rodent's claws which easily sheared through concrete cut through the mutant's skin just as easily. However every wound inflicted by the massive rodent was healed almost instantly. The Living Tide latched themselves onto the legs of The First Born and bit into them in an attempt to distract their enemy. The distraction successfully diverted the amphibian's attention, allowing The Rat King to score a mighty blow with a whip of it's tail.

The First Born stumbled onto N 20th Street in front of the Franklin Institute before regaining it's wits. The Rat King charged and headbutted the mutant onto the steps of the museum. Again the creature charged, lunging at the First Born who grabbed the Rat King by the waist and threw it into the side of the museum, shattering through the entrance, skidding across the tile floor and destroying the statue of Benjamin Franklin. Meanwhile the newly deployed Rosalis were sent into the Philadelphia underground to carry out their mission. Group A quickly located a large concentration of The Living Tide moving along the Broad Street Line carrying various items such as food containers and seemingly useless things such as rubble. The 8 Rosalis units of Group B camouflaged themselves and proceeded to pick off this column one by one all while remaining completely hidden. Group B was shadowing another formation of rodents entering a large tunnel in the 60th street station. The Rosalis followed the rodents into the tunnel and discovered a massive dug-out chamber thick with steam, however the Rosalis's enhanced senses were able to penetrate the fog and find hundreds of the rodents moving in and out of the chamber through connected tunnels. In the center was a large mass that appeared to be moving, however it's exact nature was difficult to discern. The Rosalis moved in closer for a better look at the large mass, but suddenly all of the rodents moving around the chamber stopped and looked in the direction of the cloaked Rosalis clinging to the walls. A powerful shriek came from the mass as it flailed pairs of atrophied limbs, and in an instant the rodents attacked the Rosalis. The Rosalis put up a valiant fight, but were overwhelmed and killed. The last transmission from the unit 058 showed the mass wasn't a mass at all, but a hideously bloated rat of gigantic proportions. Numerous mammaries lined it's stomach, wherein smaller newborns suckled. It's head sported an exposed brain and ferocious tusked maw.

This then, had to be some sort of queen or brood mother, and more importantly, the source of the infestation. This also seemed to confirm that The Living Tide was being controlled by a higher intelligence, hence their uncanny levels of coordination as well as attacking the Rosalis in unison. In order to deal a massive blow to this infestation, The Brood Mother had to be destroyed immediately. A plan was set in motion to set a trap consisting of food and any other items the rodents may find useful. Hidden among these items would be several explosive canisters containing a powerful nerve gas that once detonated, would kill The Brood Mother and any of her minions. The loss of their Hive Mind nexus should result in The Living Tide turning feral and uncoordinated, and the teams equipped with machine gun turrets and explosive weapons posted at all subway entrances would gun down survivors. Operation: MOUSE TRAP was put into effect, and crates and boxes full of food items were left out in the open. The canisters of nerve gas were sealed airtight as so the rodents wouldn't sniff out the gas and either remove them or not take the bait at all. To maximize the chances of success, multiple of these traps were placed around the city where the rats frequented the most. It was imperative that the canisters not be detonated before they reached the queen's chamber, otherwise the Living Tide and by extension The Brood Mother, would become aware of the ruse and dispose of the crates. Snipers on rooftops lay in wait, however their objective was not to kill, merely to observe and confirm if the rats took the bait. After a few hours, the first report came in that the rodents had taken the boxes placed in the Marian Anderson Community Center.

Soon more and more reports followed, and it seemed that the plan was working. Tracking devices also implanted into the packages allowed those at HQ to assess the rodent horde's location and their proximity to the next, based on data recovered by Rosalis Unit-058. The plan took a turn for the worst as scouts of The Living Tide had located the US Army's HQ in City Hall, and launched a full scale assault on the fortified compound to eradicate the human presence in the city once and for all. This sudden attack caught the base defenders off guard and unable to monitor the progress with the canisters. Things became further complicated when The First Born and The Devourer, having been reunited, chased a column of rats down Hamilton street, but were temporarily impeded when the rodents escaped into a subway station. Undeterred, the Offspring began to burrow into the subway station, using their corrosive abilities to aid them in doing so. Meanwhile in City Hall, the compound was being swiftly overrun by The Living Tide: the sheer number of rodents assaulting the building were enough to fill up all roads leading to it. Along with The Living Tide, several other Rat Kings joined in the attack for extra muscle. Sand bags, land mines and barbed wire did little to deter the onslaught of rats. Even the 8 Rosalis of Group A were no match for the sheer numbers of the horde. Machine gun nests posted at the entrances and rooftops soon were force to abandon their position due to the overwhelming number of enemies. Those unlucky enough were swiftly torn to pieces. Fireteams stationed in the building gunned down possibly hundreds of the mutants, in some areas so many that the halls were blocked by the corpses of the rats. Yet for each rodent killed, a dozen more took it's place. Even the mounds of the dead only served as temporary obstacles, as the rodents merely climbed over or literally chewed their way through the bodies. Similarly, fortified rooms found themselves under siege by rats that had burrowed or chewed through the floor, walls and even the ceiling. The situation seemed insurmountable, and the remaining soldiers inside City Hall prepared to make a final stand.

Meanwhile in the fetid warrens of the rodent horde, the ground above the queen's chamber began to loosen and a shower of acidic fluid opened the way for The First Born and The Devourer to drop in. The Brood Mother shrieked in fury at the trespassers to her domain, her pulsing exposed brain sending out waves of controlling influence to her minions across the city. The small army of The Living Tide and 4 Rat kings that served as her personal guard stepped in for their queen and snarled at the intruders, intending to kill them both to protect the nest. The Offspring roared in response, having no intention of backing down. With the intentions of both sides made clear, The Brood Mother unleashed a psychic scream that crippled the Offspring with pain and called out to her minions for reinforcements to defend the nest. All at once, The Living Tide attacking City Hall ceased their assault and hastily retreated into any manhole or subway station they could find: the Offspring's surprise attack on The Brood Mother's lair had inadvertently saved the humans. Within moments, untold hordes of the rats spilled into the huge chamber from dozens of tunnels: The final battle had begun. The First Born and The Devourer had little issue dealing with the smaller members of The Living Tide, however once The Rat Kings got involved, the Tide was able to utilize their swarm tactics more effectively. Unable to fend off the incoming horde with their acidic projectiles, the Offspring quickly began to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of bodies The Living Tide had at it's disposal. The First Born's defensive acidic mucus kicked in and secreted through it's skin, burning away grasping limbs and gnashing jaws. The Devourer gulped down as many of the rats as she could until her stomach was close to bursting, and the rodents began to bite off her tentacle-like tongues to prevent her from using them.

The Brood Mother watched as her minions swiftly overwhelmed the intruders, her cacophony of shrieking and screaming invigorating the horde as if cheering them on. Back at HQ, the US Army regained control of the building and executed the final phase of Operation: MOUSE TRAP. With the flip of a switch, all of the gas canisters unknowingly brought into the queen's chamber by The Living Tide detonated, filling the chamber with a vile pale yellow gas. The effects were immediate, the rodent's nervous system was aggressively attacked by the chemical agent, resulting in convulsions, seizures, foaming at the mouth and finally, death. The Brood Mother began to suffer the effects of the gas, violently vomiting and convulsing as her psychic link to her minions was suddenly disrupted. The psychic backlash instantly killed some members of The Living Tide, while others lay writhing in brain-twisting agony on top of the effects of the nerve gas. The Offspring, granted temporary immunity to the chemical agent thanks to their advanced healing factors, seized the opportunity and escaped from the chamber of death from the same way they came in, scaling the walls and climbing out of the burrow they created earlier. As the Offspring escaped, The Living Tide, The Rat Kings, and The Brood Mother all began to die off one by one: several of the smaller rodents lay dead in rigor mortis of their last moments thrashing uncontrollably. The Rat Kings, formidable titans capable of matching the Offspring in physical might, fell like great pillars into the mounds of their dead kin. The Brood Mother was the last to perish, and she was alive long enough to watch her children die by the hundreds. She attempted to muster one final shriek of defeat, but her own vomit and thickened saliva clogged her airways until she joined her spawn in the embrace of death. The Offspring made it back to the surface, their bodies beginning to show symptoms of the nerve gas. Their regeneration taxed to it's limit, the two made a break for the nearest body of water, and were spotted disappearing into the Schuykill river.

After teams were sent into the queen's chamber to confirm that the mutants were dead, clean up efforts could begin. Those of The Living Tide that weren't killed by the gas or the psychic backlash were still at large in the city. For the next three months, armed kill teams swept the Philadelphia subways and sewers to hunt down and kill any remaining Rat Kings or Living Tide. Occasionally, they would receive unexpected "assistance" from the Offspring who would surface to hunt any remaining Living Tide or Rat Kings. Without their queen to lead them, the mutants were feral and uncoordinated, reverting to basic instinct and thus being easier to deal with. Decontamination efforts were also underway to clean out any remaining traces of the nerve agent used to kill the rat horde, and by June the city was slowly being re-opened and residents allowed back in. The "Battle of Philadelphia" as it was called, marked the beginning of a new war. However this war would not be fought just between Man and Monster, but Monster against Monster as well. The population explosion of certain mutants has led to clashes over food, territory, or simple berserk rage. Conflict among these creatures is inevitable, and humanity must either fight back or become prey in this War of the Monsters!

Description
Sex: Male, Female

Species: Mutated rats

Location of Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Date encountered: November 14th, 1980

Height: Variable

Weight: Variable

Threat level: Extremely high

Aggression level: Extremely high

Known mutations:

- Incredibly high pain tolerance enables The Living Tide to survive wounds that would kill other mutants. Specimens have been known to survive being torn in half for a short period of time, wherein they will continue to attack.

- Hive mind connection through The Brood Mother ensures that all individual creatures can communicate and coordinate with one another. Individuals are still capable of some degree of autonomy.

- Razor sharp incisors combined with powerful jaw muscles enable The Living Tide to chew through solid concrete and even metal in order to expand their burrow network. This can cause severe structural damage to subways, sewers and buildings.

- Sharp claws can be used to attack enemies as well as aid them in burrowing.

- Use hyper-aggressive swarm tactics to bury enemies through sheer numbers as their main method of attack, however they are able to to perform more subtle methods of attack such as ambushes and digging traps.

History:

After The Brood Mother and The Rat King had migrated from Salem, New Jersey, the hideous mutants quickly began to breed and grow their numbers. The first of these mutant spawn would be encountered by subway and sewer workers on occasion as the creatures began to scout out their new surroundings. One of these creatures was killed by workers repairing the MATCO speedline below 8th and Market Street. The specimen was nearly the size of a dog and was photographed and even made it into the city newspaper. City officials contacted the necessary parties to determine whether or not the find was a cause for concern, however due to the fact that abnormally large rodents were not completely unheard of, the finding did not illicit a military response. And so, with the military unwilling to investigate further, the rodents continued to multiply unimpeded. Soon signs of their existence became more and more prevalent, as numerous subway tunnels were found damaged such as rails and electrical lines being chewed through. Large holes were also found dug into the concrete walls by something bigger than a man. All the while, sightings of the large rats continued to be reported by workers and commuters. These sightings prompted a lone reporter to venture into the dark subways in search of the truth behind the creature sightings. The reporter managed to take several photographs of the damaged tunnels as well as what appeared to be large droppings in the tunnels.

The reporter managed to successfully return to the surface and publish his findings, but mentioned that he felt as though he was being watched the entire time he was down in the tunnels. He also mentioned hearing the sounds of creatures scurrying from every direction, but could not pinpoint a source. Once again, city officials attempted to petition military intervention but did not receive a definitive response. Eventually on March 1st, the city's police department would get involved when a north Philadelphia neighborhood filed numerous complaints that some large animal was attacking pets and residents at night. It was suspected that a large rabid dog may be on the loose, but nobody was able to get a good look at the creature as it was reported to move very fast. Police patrols were stepped up in the neighborhood where the animal was sighted, and only a few hours into the search did one of the squad cars locate the animal rummaging through a dumpster. The creature was not a dog, but an enormous rat that was the size of a large dog. More than that, it was hideously deformed and disfigured, with it's body covered in boils and cancers. Attempts to corral the creature and capture it elicited an extremely aggressive response from the abomination, as it leapt atop one of the squad cars and nearly collapsed the roof under it's weight. The officers opened fire on the creature as it attempted to flee. The officers shot the creature well over 17 times yet it still managed to escape by tearing open a manhole cover and disappearing into the sewers.

The incident was reported to city officials, who finally convinced the military to send a detachment to investigate the matter further now that they had a confirmed sighting of what appeared to be a mutant. As the armed forces traveled to the city, encounters with the large rats began to increase sharply, with many of them turning violent. Several people were hospitalized after being violently attacked by the rats, with injuries ranging from bites and scratches to viscous maulings that cost at least one person their life. Newspapers ran headlines about killer rats invading the city, which exacerbated the fears that mutants had taken up residence. After three days a military detachment had arrived in the city and quickly set up in the areas where sightings were concentrated. As part of this mission, all subway lines were shut down, leading to a commuting crisis as citizens were forced to use buses or taxis. The goal of the operation was to understand what they were dealing with rather than a cut-and-dry extermination op; that would come later. Teams armed with flamethrowers and M16 rifles descended into the sewers and subway tunnels in search of the mutant rodents. For about 30 minutes, no sign of the creatures was able to be found, until one team reported finding a freshly excavated tunnel with steam emerging from it. The tunnel was big enough to where a man could easily crawl into it.

Suddenly, the sounds of creatures scurrying around in the dark subway tunnels could be heard, along with ominous shadows of several entities approaching. Shining their flashlights into the depths of the tunnel, the light revealed over a dozen of the massive rodents clinging to the walls and ceilings. The order to open fire was given immediately and the sounds of gunfire roared over the radios. The other teams were ordered to move in to support in the firefight as the chaos erupted. Despite being riddled with lead and set ablaze, the rodents did not go down easily; in fact, they were exceedingly difficult to put down for good. Some had their limbs sheared off by gunfire but continued to crawl towards their human attackers. Dozens more eerie glowing eyes approached from deeper within the tunnel, and the situation was quickly becoming unwinnable. All teams retreated back to the surface while trying to take out as many of the rodents as possible, but it seemed that for every one killed a dozen more took it's place. The literal tide of shrieking, clawing, crawling flesh swallowed the mounds of the dead and threatened to overtake the teams until they were momentarily stopped by flashbangs and smoke grenades. Upon returning to the surface, it became clear that the situation here was dire: this wasn't the usual 1-off mutation, they were dealing with an entire population of creatures. Because of this, the United States Military issued an evacuation order to the city of Philadelphia. Millions of people would have to be displaced for their own safety and to ensure that military efforts against the creatures would go smoothly.

Complete maps of the sewers, subways and any other underground network the rats could be using to move around the city were acquired by the US Army. In the midst of the evacuation, the rats launched their counterattack: dozens upon dozens of the creatures emerged from manholes, storm drains and sewer outlets to attack the evacuating citizens of the city on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to New Jersey. Several civilians were attacked and killed by the rats, and even soldiers overseeing the evacuation could do little to stem the tide with such few numbers and ammo. However from the depths of the Delaware river, salvation would come in the form of three unlikely saviors: The First Born, The Devourer, The Mauler appeared, having been attracted by the chaos unfolding on the bridge. The legacy of The Progenitor scaled the bridge to meet these new mutants, while the humans took this pause in the carnage to expedite the evacuations to New Jersey. The situation had taken a turn for the absolute worst, and now it seemed like the city would become a battlefield between humans, mutants and other mutants. The two mutant factions faced off with one another, the offspring of The Progenitor viewing the new creatures as both a threat and a food source. The amphibians had longed for a meal that wasn't the fish in the rivers or the occasional human or deer. The rodent horde consolidated in attempt to intimidate the giants with their superior numbers, shrieking and howling as they did so.

This cacophony did little to deter the Offspring however, and the three charged at the horde. In response, the mutant tide responded in unison and met their charge head on, the two sides colliding like a wave smashing against a sea wall. It soon became clear that the Offspring had the upper hand due to their size and strength as well as their corrosive abilities. Dozens of the rodents were torn apart, melted, crushed or swallowed whole. These horrible casualties did little to deter the swarm, and still they pressed their attack with mindless ferocity. News helicopters above captured the epic struggle and broadcast it on live television for the entire country to see. Just as victory seemed assured for the Offspring, the rodents suddenly ceased their attack all at once and retreated back across the bridge into the city. The Offspring gave chase to the fleeing monstrosities, and in response the rodent horde split into many smaller packs to separate their enemies. The Mauler was quickly identified as the most vulnerable due to it's massive size and sluggish speed, and an ambush would be readied for it. Countless more of the rodents tunneled into the basement of buildings from their underground warrens and held their position until the trap was ready. Once the huge amphibian monstrosity was in position, hundreds of the rodents sprang from their hiding places within the buildings and swarmed The Mauler.

Teeth and claws bit and slashed into the creature's rubbery skin. The Mauler attempted to defend itself, grabbing entire groups of the creatures off of it and crushing them in it's huge hands. Others were bitten and swallowed whole, yet still they pressed their attack. The huge mutant attempted to roll itself over to crush it's swarming attackers, and while it succeeded in killing the ones clinging to it's back, more rushed in to fill the gap completely covering the struggling creature. It's regenerative healing was able to mitigate much of the damage done by the smaller mutants, but was quickly becoming taxed by the sheer volume of attacks. The Mauler attempted to call out to it's siblings for help, but they had been purposely lead far enough away to where they were isolated from one another. The damage began to take it's toll, and wounds that once closed within moments now remained open and weeping with streams of blood. The rodents attacked these weakpoints further, causing even more damage to the child of The Progenitor. The Mauler felt the creatures digging into it's skin and innards, but refused to go down without a fight. A swipe of it's mighty arms flung a dozen of the rodents into the side of a building and killed them on impact. The other arm brought it's fist down on another incoming pack, crushing them into gory pulps. Yet no matter how many of the rodents fell, the horde seemed to be never ending. The Mauler continued to fight to it's very last breath, even as the rats ate it alive. After a while, the struggling stopped and the rodents feasted upon their kill.

With one of the Offspring killed, the rodents unanimously retreated back into the Philadelphia underground, much to the confusion of The Devourer and The First Born. In the aftermath of the battle, the United States Military was dumbfounded as to how to proceed next. The Devourer and The First Born were loose in the city, and the rodents were several hundred times more numerous than they had anticipated. The Mauler's carcass, or what little was left of it, was found on Cherry street, having been dragged there by the rodent horde who attempted to drag it back into the sewers but could not take the entire carcass, so they elected to tear it apart into smaller pieces. Due to the remains of The Mauler being in such poor condition, blood and tissue samples were taken and the rest of the remains were burned. Such displays of intelligence were not uncommon among rodents, however the manner in which they coordinated attacks and acted in unison suggested a higher form of intelligence not yet known. Use of conventional weapons proved to be ineffective, as a squad of soldiers simply could not stave off the horde in a head-on confrontation. So it was decided to contact Helix Biotechnologies and requisition the use of several Mk. 2 Rosalis to infiltrate the underground and perform precision strikes against the horde. The Mk. 2 Rosalis had improved considerably since their debut in Boston; the neural studs were developed further thus allowing increased transmission range and reduced the likelihood of malfunction to almost zero. The creature's genetic code had also been refined so that almost 100% of the embryos would survive to adulthood, enabling mass-production.

Within the 24 hours it would take for the Rosalis to arrive in Philadelphia, additional reinforcements were deployed into the city to finalize evacuations as well as keep a lookout for the remaining Offspring and more rodent activity, now designated as "The Living Tide". Using the maps procured earlier, several cameras were installed to monitor the Living Tide's movements through the various sewer and subway tunnels the mutants frequented the most. Land mines were also placed along subway tracks and in the sewers to try and kill as many of the creatures as possible. Major subway entrances were heavily fortified with machine gun nests, grenadiers and land mines in case the creatures attempted to use them to get to the surface. Once the Rosalis arrived, they would be split up into two groups: Group A would be tasked with tracking the horde's movements in an attempt to locate the source of this infestation, Group A would be tasked with inflicting as many casualties to the horde as possible while remaining undetected as these creatures have to be coming from somewhere, and thus there must be some sort of nest or den they're breeding in. In the meantime, their enemy was making preparations for it's next move: the humans and other creatures were existential threats to their kind, and they would need to be dealt with accordingly. The prodigious intelligence controlling the rodents had a very specific plan in mind for the bigger creature's who's kin they had slain the day before. The ambush that had worked once only did so because the creature was too sluggish to retreat; the other two were smarter and faster. Therefor it was decided to fight them on equal terms.

The next day the tide would locate The First Born, having left it's resting place in the Schukyll River below the I676 bridge. The creature ventured into Logan Square when it was ambushed by dozens of the mutant rodents. The First Born immediately went on the offensive, showering several in digestive acids that reduced the rats into a red and green soup in seconds. Another party was batted away by the mutant's powerful tail. The remaining rodents fled towards the Swann Memorial Fountain seemingly in an act of retreat. The First Born cautiously followed, it's instincts telling it that something was amiss. The ground began to tremble with maddening intensity as the fountain was swallowed by the earth, water rushing into the newly formed sinkhole. Emerging from the hole came a huge rodent the likes of which had not yet been seen. It stood on two legs and possessed shaggy fur that hung from it's muscular body. It's lower jaw split into a pair of mandibles as it roared a challenge to The First Born. The First Born bellowed back, accepting the creature's call for battle. It's smaller minions crowded at it's feet and hissed at the amphibian, intending to aide it's larger relative in battle. The two sides charged at one another with murderous intent. The First Born and the massive rodent later called "The Rat King" collided with one another with such force that the smaller rats were momentarily stunned. The two titans bit and slashed at each other, the rodent's claws which easily sheared through concrete cut through the mutant's skin just as easily. However every wound inflicted by the massive rodent was healed almost instantly. The Living Tide latched themselves onto the legs of The First Born and bit into them in an attempt to distract their enemy. The distraction successfully diverted the amphibian's attention, allowing The Rat King to score a mighty blow with a whip of it's tail.

The First Born stumbled onto N 20th Street in front of the Franklin Institute before regaining it's wits. The Rat King charged and headbutted the mutant onto the steps of the museum. Again the creature charged, lunging at the First Born who grabbed the Rat King by the waist and threw it into the side of the museum, shattering through the entrance, skidding across the tile floor and destroying the statue of Benjamin Franklin. Meanwhile the newly deployed Rosalis were sent into the Philadelphia underground to carry out their mission. Group A quickly located a large concentration of The Living Tide moving along the Broad Street Line carrying various items such as food containers and seemingly useless things such as rubble. The 8 Rosalis units of Group B camouflaged themselves and proceeded to pick off this column one by one all while remaining completely hidden. Group B was shadowing another formation of rodents entering a large tunnel in the 60th street station. The Rosalis followed the rodents into the tunnel and discovered a massive dug-out chamber thick with steam, however the Rosalis's enhanced senses were able to penetrate the fog and find hundreds of the rodents moving in and out of the chamber through connected tunnels. In the center was a large mass that appeared to be moving, however it's exact nature was difficult to discern. The Rosalis moved in closer for a better look at the large mass, but suddenly all of the rodents moving around the chamber stopped and looked in the direction of the cloaked Rosalis clinging to the walls. A powerful shriek came from the mass as it flailed pairs of atrophied limbs, and in an instant the rodents attacked the Rosalis. The Rosalis put up a valiant fight, but were overwhelmed and killed. The last transmission from the unit 058 showed the mass wasn't a mass at all, but a hideously bloated rat of gigantic proportions. Numerous mammaries lined it's stomach, wherein smaller newborns suckled. It's head sported an exposed brain and ferocious tusked maw.

This then, had to be some sort of queen or brood mother, and more importantly, the source of the infestation. This also seemed to confirm that The Living Tide was being controlled by a higher intelligence, hence their uncanny levels of coordination as well as attacking the Rosalis in unison. In order to deal a massive blow to this infestation, The Brood Mother had to be destroyed immediately. A plan was set in motion to set a trap consisting of food and any other items the rodents may find useful. Hidden among these items would be several explosive canisters containing a powerful nerve gas that once detonated, would kill The Brood Mother and any of her minions. The loss of their Hive Mind nexus should result in The Living Tide turning feral and uncoordinated, and the teams equipped with machine gun turrets and explosive weapons posted at all subway entrances would gun down survivors. Operation: MOUSE TRAP was put into effect, and crates and boxes full of food items were left out in the open. The canisters of nerve gas were sealed airtight as so the rodents wouldn't sniff out the gas and either remove them or not take the bait at all. To maximize the chances of success, multiple of these traps were placed around the city where the rats frequented the most. It was imperative that the canisters not be detonated before they reached the queen's chamber, otherwise the Living Tide and by extension The Brood Mother, would become aware of the ruse and dispose of the crates. Snipers on rooftops lay in wait, however their objective was not to kill, merely to observe and confirm if the rats took the bait. After a few hours, the first report came in that the rodents had taken the boxes placed in the Marian Anderson Community Center.

Soon more and more reports followed, and it seemed that the plan was working. Tracking devices also implanted into the packages allowed those at HQ to assess the rodent horde's location and their proximity to the next, based on data recovered by Rosalis Unit-058. The plan took a turn for the worst as scouts of The Living Tide had located the US Army's HQ in City Hall, and launched a full scale assault on the fortified compound to eradicate the human presence in the city once and for all. This sudden attack caught the base defenders off guard and unable to monitor the progress with the canisters. Things became further complicated when The First Born and The Devourer, having been reunited, chased a column of rats down Hamilton street, but were temporarily impeded when the rodents escaped into a subway station. Undeterred, the Offspring began to burrow into the subway station, using their corrosive abilities to aid them in doing so. Meanwhile in City Hall, the compound was being swiftly overrun by The Living Tide: the sheer number of rodents assaulting the building were enough to fill up all roads leading to it. Along with The Living Tide, several other Rat Kings joined in the attack for extra muscle. Sand bags, land mines and barbed wire did little to deter the onslaught of rats. Even the 8 Rosalis of Group A were no match for the sheer numbers of the horde. Machine gun nests posted at the entrances and rooftops soon were force to abandon their position due to the overwhelming number of enemies. Those unlucky enough were swiftly torn to pieces. Fireteams stationed in the building gunned down possibly hundreds of the mutants, in some areas so many that the halls were blocked by the corpses of the rats. Yet for each rodent killed, a dozen more took it's place. Even the mounds of the dead only served as temporary obstacles, as the rodents merely climbed over or literally chewed their way through the bodies. Similarly, fortified rooms found themselves under siege by rats that had burrowed or chewed through the floor, walls and even the ceiling. The situation seemed insurmountable, and the remaining soldiers inside City Hall prepared to make a final stand.

Meanwhile in the fetid warrens of the rodent horde, the ground above the queen's chamber began to loosen and a shower of acidic fluid opened the way for The First Born and The Devourer to drop in. The Brood Mother shrieked in fury at the trespassers to her domain, her pulsing exposed brain sending out waves of controlling influence to her minions across the city. The small army of The Living Tide and 4 Rat kings that served as her personal guard stepped in for their queen and snarled at the intruders, intending to kill them both to protect the nest. The Offspring roared in response, having no intention of backing down. With the intentions of both sides made clear, The Brood Mother unleashed a psychic scream that crippled the Offspring with pain and called out to her minions for reinforcements to defend the nest. All at once, The Living Tide attacking City Hall ceased their assault and hastily retreated into any manhole or subway station they could find: the Offspring's surprise attack on The Brood Mother's lair had inadvertently saved the humans. Within moments, untold hordes of the rats spilled into the huge chamber from dozens of tunnels: The final battle had begun. The First Born and The Devourer had little issue dealing with the smaller members of The Living Tide, however once The Rat Kings got involved, the Tide was able to utilize their swarm tactics more effectively. Unable to fend off the incoming horde with their acidic projectiles, the Offspring quickly began to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of bodies The Living Tide had at it's disposal. The First Born's defensive acidic mucus kicked in and secreted through it's skin, burning away grasping limbs and gnashing jaws. The Devourer gulped down as many of the rats as she could until her stomach was close to bursting, and the rodents began to bite off her tentacle-like tongues to prevent her from using them.

The Brood Mother watched as her minions swiftly overwhelmed the intruders, her cacophony of shrieking and screaming invigorating the horde as if cheering them on. Back at HQ, the US Army regained control of the building and executed the final phase of Operation: MOUSE TRAP. With the flip of a switch, all of the gas canisters unknowingly brought into the queen's chamber by The Living Tide detonated, filling the chamber with a vile pale yellow gas. The effects were immediate, the rodent's nervous system was aggressively attacked by the chemical agent, resulting in convulsions, seizures, foaming at the mouth and finally, death. The Brood Mother began to suffer the effects of the gas, violently vomiting and convulsing as her psychic link to her minions was suddenly disrupted. The psychic backlash instantly killed some members of The Living Tide, while others lay writhing in brain-twisting agony on top of the effects of the nerve gas. The Offspring, granted temporary immunity to the chemical agent thanks to their advanced healing factors, seized the opportunity and escaped from the chamber of death from the same way they came in, scaling the walls and climbing out of the burrow they created earlier. As the Offspring escaped, The Living Tide, The Rat Kings, and The Brood Mother all began to die off one by one: several of the smaller rodents lay dead in rigor mortis of their last moments thrashing uncontrollably. The Rat Kings, formidable titans capable of matching the Offspring in physical might, fell like great pillars into the mounds of their dead kin. The Brood Mother was the last to perish, and she was alive long enough to watch her children die by the hundreds. She attempted to muster one final shriek of defeat, but her own vomit and thickened saliva clogged her airways until she joined her spawn in the embrace of death. The Offspring made it back to the surface, their bodies beginning to show symptoms of the nerve gas. Their regeneration taxed to it's limit, the two made a break for the nearest body of water, and were spotted disappearing into the Schuykill river.

After teams were sent into the queen's chamber to confirm that the mutants were dead, clean up efforts could begin. Those of The Living Tide that weren't killed by the gas or the psychic backlash were still at large in the city. For the next three months, armed kill teams swept the Philadelphia subways and sewers to hunt down and kill any remaining Rat Kings or Living Tide. Occasionally, they would receive unexpected "assistance" from the Offspring who would surface to hunt any remaining Living Tide or Rat Kings. Without their queen to lead them, the mutants were feral and uncoordinated, reverting to basic instinct and thus being easier to deal with. Decontamination efforts were also underway to clean out any remaining traces of the nerve agent used to kill the rat horde, and by June the city was slowly being re-opened and residents allowed back in. The "Battle of Philadelphia" as it was called, marked the beginning of a new war. However this war would not be fought just between Man and Monster, but Monster against Monster as well. The population explosion of certain mutants has led to clashes over food, territory, or simple berserk rage. Conflict among these creatures is inevitable, and humanity must either fight back or become prey in this War of the Monsters!