The Ratwives, also known as "The Cut," were a caste of Skaven eunuchs with a unique, if deeply undesirable, vocation. A subset of the slave caste, these Skaven were individuals who were too weak to fight or work but had a predilection for the healing arts and the application of narcotics. This made them valuable, and indeed, useful caretakers for the indolent and vulnerable Rat Mothers.[1a]
Despite their name, these individuals were not female Skaven but rather male Skaven that had been completely emasculated. This was to ensure they could not take advantage of their nearness to the breeding females. Also derisively referred to as "The Cut" for the obvious reason, the position of Ratwife was certainly no place of honour. Indeed, many Skaven would have much preferred slavery to this fate.[1a]
In addition to taking care of the Rat Mothers, Ratwives also looked after the nurseries and whelp-pits, ensuring the juveniles within received food, water, and clothing. However, there was never enough for all the young Skaven; many of the Ratwives' charges died before becoming independent.[2b]
When a Grey Seer or black-furred ratling was born in the whelping pits, it was presumably the Ratwives who saw to it that these juveniles were handed off so they could be placed within special creches. Presumably, these creches too were overseen by the Ratwives, as the infamous Grey Seer Thanquol recalled vindictive Skavenslaves scaring him with frightful tales when he was just a whelp. Like the common young of the ratmen, a juvenile Grey Seer's greatest enemy was another whelp of his own likeness.[2a]
Canon Conflict[]
In the short story, Plague Priest by C. L. Werner, the author refers to the Rat Mothers as "rat-wives," this can be particularly confusing as the term "Ratwives" is used in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Children of the Horned Rat to designate the Skaven eunuchs who attend the Rat Mothers and their pups.[1a][3]