[@rezay] Rats are slightly more survivable than humans but just barely. They will see it as a cursed land that borders on myth where the dead walk and the damned horrors of a past age stalk the sickly land. Any rat going in will have to get a signed warrant of exploration from the King and sign a contract. They're aware of what could be inside, good and bad, and thus will still try to make efforts to explore it to a degree. After all, OOC their tech develops very slowly unless they're studying old world tech or otherwise using something old world.

Personally, I also imagine that you might have some mutated monster come shambling out of the mire and thus the Knights of Highwarren mount up and do a glorious charge against the foul terrors in the name of King and Caretaker.