Category: Creature

#Lore24 – Entry #177 – Wild West Month #26 – The Great Valley of Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

South of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, west of the Plains Which Stretch Forever, several days before you would reach the harsher deserts of the Great Scorpion Flats and the Vast Dry Sea of Salt lies the Great Valley of Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky.  Surrounded by higher mesas, the valley drops sharply from these heights.  Below lies a land that is more hospitable than the other desert areas I have spoken of, with plants and animals and water that are more easily found.  Most striking of this wide, long valley are the Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky, standing as high as the mesas surrounding the valley, but dotted all throughout the valley floor.  It is almost as if they were pushed through the earth by the spirits of earth and accepted by the spirits of the sky.

We sometimes journey to the Great Valley of Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky, for it is one of the sacred meeting places of the Kerra-Kerra, a place where we commune with the Many Spirits of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons, for days, sometimes weeks.  It is one of the places that we come closer to our Great Mother Saressh, and a place where we lay our venerated dead to rest, hidden amongst the many Stone Towers, where the spirits welcome them into the Great Beyond and home to the Great Mother so that they may be born again.

There are many pathways hidden amongst the Stone Towers Reaching to the Sky that lead to the flat tops, for that is where we perform our communion with the Many Spirits.  These paths may be found by those not of the Kerra-Kerra, but only the brave would venture to such places, for the spirits often do not allow those who do not commune with them to come into these places.  There are other dangers for those who do not venerate the Many Spirits, for the Valley itself is guarded by the mighty Thunderbirds that make their nests atop the Towers, and they do not recognize outsiders as welcome, and they wield the power of thunder and lighting as easily as we wield our bows and spears and guns.  Not even one of the Howling Steel Chariots could survive the attack of a Thunderbird.

#Lore24 – Entry #176 – Wild West Month #25 – The Horses that Go Up in Flames

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

To the east of the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, north of the Plains Which Stretch Forever, and west of the Hills of Coal, there lies a stretch of cursed land where little grows, and few animals live, the very rock of the area painted in the shades of blood where they are not burnt black.  But, unlike so many places, the Burnt Lands are not cursed by the Devil Wardens, but by the spirits themselves.  Here is the land of the Horses that Go Up in Flames.

From the distant hills and mountains that surround this region, in the darkness of night, you can see the Horses that Go Up in Flames from many miles away, for they leave fiery trails stretching behind them.  Most often you will see but one, but on some nights, you may see a half dozen or more running together, not stopping even for the mesas, running up and over them as if they were not there.  For those daring to venture closer, you can see that the horses are spirits of fire, their skeletons visible and the color of charcoal, wreathed in billowing flames.  Their pained, angry cries can be heard before they are seen, but by then, they are likely already upon you, for they move with the speed of a wildfire.

The Horses that Go Up in Flames are a mystery to the Kerra-Kerra and the Horse People.  They do not seem to wish to speak with us as other spirits do, and may not be entirely of the spirits of the elements.  Horses that have strayed from our tribes as they travel around the Burnt Lands sometimes end up there.  Tales speak of these horses running as if possessed by a spirit, not fearful in the least as they drive headlong toward the Horses that Go Up in Flames.  As they approach, they cry in agony as their bodies erupt in flame, and in moments, they join the flaming herd as if they belonged there all along.

It is best to cross the Burnt Lands on the outside, for the Horses that Go Up in Flames do not stray from the area they have claimed, though what it is they may protect or guard we do not know, though in times of great need, you may dare cross through these lands; it is best to do so in the day, for the Horses that Go Up in Flames are less active then.

#Lore24 – Entry #172 – Wild West Month #21 – The Dead That Do Not Rest

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Be ever aware of the smell of death, for one cannot ever be certain that what lies dead will stay still upon the Bitter Frontier.  Dark sorcery, perhaps lingering from the times of the Devil-Wardens, can steal the body once the soul has gone, using it as a vessel to consume the living.  Such things are often the work of the Reaper Spirit, for once the soul is consumed, the bodies that remain are but tool for it to use to slay more of the living.  These are the Dead That Do Not Rest.

The Corpses that Walk are the lowest of the Dead That Do Not Rest, shells of the living that still move and have a fierce hunger for fresh flesh.  Without a soul, the body is as a puppet, controlled by this hunger, doing all that it can to sate its unrelenting with fresh meat.  They are not always easy to kill, for a dead body feels no pain, but a well-placed arrow into their heads is best, or crushing or removing the head entirely; fire is also effective, but best used when the Corpses that Walk are many.  The greater threat is their numbers, for they carry a foul sickness with them that will weaken and kill almost anyone who is bitten by them, and those who succumb have their souls consumed by the Reaper Spirit, their bodies turned into its vessels.

There are more fearsome Dead That Do Not Rest, those who have once served the Reaper Spirit perhaps, thinking they could control it, or who have succumb to their own dark sorcery.  These Dead That Do Not Rest, while having no souls, still have a shadow of their former living souls within them that grants them deadly cunning in addition to greater power.  The Corpses With Bloody Claws and Fangs consume flesh like the Corpses that Walk, but still think and attack from ambush, or, in some cases, consume the recently dead as would any scavenger; if there has been a great battle, be ever cautious, for these are likely near.  They are fast and deadly when one is not prepared to face them; holy magic from the Great Mother will work well against them, as will it against all Dead That Do Not Rest, as does fire, or cutting them to pieces through strength of your warrior spirit.

Even more powerful are the Corpses that Drink Living Blood, for they are the most powerful and cunning of the Dead That Do Not Rest, for they are the users of dark sorcery who have willing brought the Reaper Spirit into them.  They can appear as they did in life, hiding their true nature and using their dark sorcery to control the minds and bodies of animals and people alike, luring them close so they may consume the blood that flows within their veins using their hidden fangs.  Those so chosen by the Corpse that Drinks Living Blood can remain as a cow does, a constant supply of blood, until their body finally fails, which is when they too become a Corpse that Drinks Living Blood, albeit weaker.  However, they can live for many, man years if they are smart, so their power will eventually become the same as the one that spawned them.  These are weakest during the day, and should they touch the light of the sun, they will burn.  It is best to try to paralyze them with a wooden stake to their hearts and drag them into the light of day, or use much fire, for their bodies are strong and hard to hurt without holy magic.  Great care must be taken when dealing with these abominations.

#Lore24 – Entry #161 – Wild West Month #9 – The Horse People of the Plains Which Stretch Forever

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

Though they are called the Plains Which Stretch Forever, these lands are bordered in the east by the mighty River Before the Great Walls, and in the west by the Peaks Reaching to the Sky, and only take many weeks of travel to cross.  These lands are pleasant, yet as part of the Bitter Frontier, they hold their own dangers.  Powerful winds and storms frequently rage across them, and the Expanse of Calm Grasses that Kill have claimed many of the unwary.

Upon the Plains Which Stretch Forever roam the mighty Horse People, Equinari as they call themselves, for they of such size need the vastness of such a place to flourish.  It is here that their tribes roam free and trade with the Kerra-Kerra of the Sprinting Horse and Sly Fox tribes, working with our cousins to hunt the mighty herds of antelope and bison that travel the plains.  Their tribes rarely travel beyond the plains, though the borders of these lands, as with most of the Bitter Frontier, can change at the whim of the Great Spirits.

The Horse People are usually peaceful with our kind, though they often must fight with the Northern Orcs and the Travelers from the Cities Beyond the Great Walls who try to steal their ancestral lands or threaten their hunting.  One would be wise to reconsider any anger towards one of the Horse People, for they stand half again as tall as most others, and are built powerfully, like the plains bison.  Tales are many of those who have angered one of the Horse People who have been crushed beneath their mighty hooves or thrown as easily as if they were one of our spears.  Their shamans are powerful and friendly with the many spirits of the Plains Which Stretch Forever, and can call upon them to drive off those who would dare cross them if the offense is great enough.

For now, the Horse People tolerate the People from Beyond the Great Walls and their Bands of Wood and Steel that carry their Howling Steel Chariots to the far west, and have granted them passage through certain areas of the Plains, but I fear that soon there could be conflict, for they seek ever to expand and stretch the range that their Bands of Wood and Steel cover, and the Northern Orc tribes have taken to attacking these Chariots, for those aboard often carry much of great value.

The spirits and the visions of the Great Mother tell us to be wary, for such troubles will fall upon us sooner rather than later.

#Lore24 – Entry #160 – Wild West Month #8 – The Dangers of the Bitter Frontier

As told by Kumiko Stalks-Amongst-the-Stars, shaman of the Midnight Panther tribe of Kerra-Kerra

The dangers of the Bitter Frontier are all around us.  It is a place of great bounty for the land is full of plants and animals which sustain us.  It is a place of great hardship, for it too is a land which is barren and filled with vast stretches which animals will not go, or which are filled with nothing but poisonous plants and beasts and abominations alike which seek the blood of any who are unprepared to face them. 

It is only by respecting the spirits of the Broken Cage that Still Imprisons that we can understand these dangers and where they are, for the very landscape of the Bitter Frontier can change within the span of a moon, perhaps less, if the Great Spirits are angered. 

While many of the animals which roam the Bitter Frontier can be dangerous, they can at least be reasoned with if one is keen to observe and respect them.  There are many abominations which roam the Bitter Frontier, however, that cannot be dealt with the same.  These must be avoided, or, if one encounters them, they must be fought or driven away through might and magic, for they seek only blood and destruction; a sacrifice may be accepted, but these foul things warped by the dark sorcery of the Devil-Wardens are greedy and will most likely seek additional blood if it is there.  The packs of Wolf-Bears are such an abomination, for these are possessed of the foul nature of a normal grizzly but travel in packs as large as a dozen, seeking to fill their ever-empty bellies.

Only the Red Fang tribe seems to have some affinity with these creatures, but we do not follow their ways, for their ways are brutal and foul; we will speak of them at another time.

But do not think that the only abominations are animals, or like animals.  The very plants of the Bitter Frontier can be filled with the dark sorcery, and even the spirits which we revere can be corrupted by these foul magics and may seek to do us harm.  Many are the tales of the unwary who are drown in by Plants That Are Not As They Seem, seeking nourishment only to have their very lifeblood drained from them, or of the corrupt Wind Spirits which roam the expanse of the Desert that was Once a Sea which use the very sand as their weapons, tearing flesh from bone.

As the Peopel from Beyond the Great Walls continue to try to tame the Bitter Frontier, they are discovering why it is we of the Kerra-Kerra do not go into certain regions at certain times, but they seem not to learn these lessons, and continue to venture where they should not seeking their treasures from within the earth.  Their actions have drawn the abominations from their usual places, and perhaps caused them to breed faster; this is a problem we must deal with, though we of the Kerra-Kerra do not have a good answer; we must simply adapt and survive.

#Lore 24 – Entry #103 – Sci-Fi Month II #12 – Known Commonalities Amongst Demon Sector Creatures

 

From the Official Report by Bovinius Greenwhisker, Herdminder, assigned to UEF-04, Maharani Morgiana.

Though our study of the creatures native to the Demon Sector has only just begun, there are several notable commonalities shared amongst a significant number of creatures which should be noted and observed in the field.  Much of our information comes from the local wildlife captured and studied in the Valefar system, but long-range messages received from other exploratory teams deeper within the Demon Sector have revealed these traits to be common there as well.  It should be noted that these traits are NOT found in ALL lifeforms we have thus far encountered; aside from coloration and size differences, many of the species we have encountered thus far are almost identical to what we are familiar with.  These traits, while most common in predators, are sometimes present in the prey animals as well, making for some interesting and potentially dangerous combinations.

  • Aggression – The most common trait attributed to this particular type of Demon Sector wildlife is their aggression. Even the herbivores are more aggressive than one might expect, often choosing to fight when threatened instead of running.  The colonists of Valefar V have dealt with the particular type of “raptors” common in the temperate regions of the main continent for some time (though these creatures are most certainly to be classified as dinosaur-type creatures, not avians), and they are known for highly aggressive pack behavior and their fearlessness; they are known to attack even low-flying grav-craft used in driving them from claimed territory.  Some subspecies of Valefari deer are likewise aggressive, charging to attack hunters instead of fleeing, the males possessing particularly vicious antlers that are easily able to tear through unprotected flesh.
  • Intelligence – Animals of the “Demon Sector type” (we really should settle on an official name for these…) are also possessed of uncommon intelligence and cunning, capable of tactical thinking and problem solving. The Valefari raptors are known for their pack tactics, luring hunters into tracking one of them while others attack from the flanks, or even luring the unwary into rudimentary traps, such as creating rockslides or making use of quicksand.  A breed of rodent first encountered by explorers and later studied by UEF-01 in the Dantalion subsector is particular adept at navigation, possessing almost a minotaur-like quality to traverse mazes, and subsequently, structures, and are rather fond of the outer coating used on wiring, so they make for excellent saboteurs. 
  • Increased Size – Compared to other known species of similar types outside the Demon Barrier, the Demon Sector variants are thus far universally larger, on average at least fifteen percent larger (mostly due to increased muscle mass), though some are much larger. Again, the Valefari raptors are five to six feet high on average, with the alphas being as tall as eight feet, their long balancing tales making their length between eight and twelve feet.  The deer share similar increased size and mass, and the saboteur rodents average out to be about two feet from nose to tail.
  • “Spicy” Flavor – The natural flavor of meat collected from the various “Demon Sector creatures” has been described as “spicy” or hot naturally, whether in its raw state or cooked, though cooking tends to make the meat even hotter, depending on the method used (it should be noted that certain variations of these species, depending on their nature, are harder to cook than others, see Elemental Resistances below). This can be mitigated with certain herbs and spices, and there seems to be a growing movement to perfect “Demon Cuisine”.
  • Brilliant Coloration – These types of creatures are usually noted for their brilliant colorations that don’t always blend in with their surroundings. They, like the succubi, are usually possessed of brilliantly colored skin and fur, of various hues of red, orange, green, and blue, though many other colors have thus far been encountered.  These colors are often matched with stripes or spots not unlike those of predatory felines. 
  • Elemental Resistances – Of the known thirty types of “Demon Sector” animal variations encountered thus far, twenty-six of them possess some form of elemental resistance, usually related to the environment in which they have been encountered. Fire and cold resistances seem to be the most common thus far (and these are also the ones hardest to cook properly due to the higher heat required for cooking in both cases, either to overcome the natural resistance to flame and heat or to avoid burning the cold-resistant meat with too high a flame).  Similar resistances have been noted to acids and toxins, electricity, natural and otherwise, and even one species has proven resistant to divine magic.  It would be safe to assume that a newly encountered creature will possess a type of resistance, and thus should be carefully observed before engaging if at all possible.

Though we have no measurable metrics to validate the idea, it is theorized that creatures possessing some or all of these traits have demonic blood in their heritage.  Many traits of these creatures are shared by the succubi with whom we are familiar (and yes, I mean the race more correctly identified as ‘mazoku’, despite the current day common parlance), though their ratio of male to female members seems to be more in line with normal animals of similar species.   Some of those capable of using divine power in battle have reported that their holy magic affects these creatures as they would a demonic or other extra-planar creature, so this theory holds water.  Further time and study will tell us for certain, though.

#Lore24 – Entry #91 – Fantasy Month #31 – Draconic Disappearances

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Finally, we return to a proper topic!  And no sign of any Yurisayan priestesses anywhere!  Yet.  I’m still on guard, and shall be for another several days, I’m sure.

Dragons.  They are an everyday sight in some form or fashion, for they are the primary symbol of the Empire. The very arcane magics wielded by arcanists across the face of Andyllion are based upon their legendary spellcraft, and the very language of the arcane is Draconic, or, to those who are capable, even High Draconic.  Supposedly the kobolds are descended from the dragons, and some even still possess a version of their legendary breath.

And yet, true dragons have not been seen upon the world since before the Great Cataclysm.  Many who haven’t educated themselves in the matter assume they were wiped out during the Cataclysm, but in fact they were gone for a substantial period of time before then, perhaps for hundreds if not thousands of years.  There are lesser descendants of dragons in the form of drakes, but these are essentially wild animals in comparison to a true dragon, possessed of a fraction of the intelligence, none of the arcane ability, and the largest of them only reaching the size of a young adult dragon at best.

It would be safe to assume that the ancient dragons perhaps were aware of the coming apocalypse, given the timing of their vanishing.  Records and tales indicate that they were quite long-lived, filled with knowledge that we of this time cannot begin to fathom.  Certain historical records do exist indicating that when dragons once ruled the world, there existed alongside them great technological wonders that have simply been impossible to replicate. 

The question remains, however:  what happened to the dragons?  Given my study of the subject, I lean towards either of two theories being the most likely explanation.

The first theory is that the dragons simply left Andyllion, known as the Great Draconic Migration theory.  Records indicate that dragons were often revered or feared by the lesser races while they were here, sometimes worshipped as gods themselves, and were often responsible for ruling over many of the greatest civilizations, as the number of draconic ruins we have discovered may well indicate.  In the history as told by the civilized kobold peoples, who once served dragonkind as loyal retainers, there came a time in which their true-dragon masters began withdrawing from the world, relinquishing their leadership roles and pulling themselves away from the lesser races.  This was the case for the goodly dragons, at least; those of an evil nature were more likely to remain to plunder the remaining holdings of their now-departed enemies, ruling as tyrants and hoarding wealth, until their inevitable destruction.  Regardless, there are tales that have been passed down within kobold society in which they worked tirelessly for centuries, gathering up the wealth of their masters and relocating it into the great cities that were supposedly built for dragonkind.  Once these dragons had enclosed themselves within their fortified cities and withdrawn from the events of the world, there is little in the way of record as to what happened.

What there is, however, are many ruins that have been studied in past centuries which indicate the distinct possibility that the dragons had constructed some form of great arcane portals, which they used to travel to worlds or planes unknown.  Though long destroyed and dormant, these portals are, as recorded in various records, massive in size, easily able to accommodate the largest of dragons.  The information pieced together from various ruins have been used by modern-day arcanists to create the typical teleportation circles and short-range translocation spells currently in use, in fact, and though it is kept under the strictest of secrecy, supposedly the Emperor himself possesses a working example of one of these portals, which could allow him to travel to any part of the Empire, likely why there is a push for frequent expansion.  The Dragon Isles themselves, long sought after by treasure hunters, is rumored to contain the last of the great dragon cities, and perhaps it too holds one of these portals, maybe even still intact and working.  One can certainly dream.  Could it be that the draconic portals of ancient times were able to reach even further, to the very stars themselves?  Or into realms beyond, the elemental planes, the realms of the gods, the hellish abyss the demons call home, or perhaps worlds we cannot begin to imagine?  Perhaps.

The second theory to explain their vanishing is more esoteric, but nonetheless compelling.  What if the dragons never truly left us?  What if they are still here, walking amongst the lesser races, completely unaware of their true nature?  What if the dragons decided that they needed to change their very nature, to perhaps enter a period of dormancy for whatever reason that only they would know, and their essences, their draconic souls, were refined, changed, and diffused throughout the world and into the lesser races?   Could this perhaps explain the prevalence of draconic imagery and their remaining presence in our imagination even though thousands of years have passed since they vanished?

This is the Soul Transference theory, which posits that the dragons, foreseeing the coming apocalypse as an event they simply could not survive in their natural state (though one would be hard-pressed to imagine something as powerful as a dragon being unable to withstand what many lesser races managed to survive), and collectively worked to change the very essence of their souls.  Per the theory, dragonkind as a whole, or mostly so, for there are those records of evil dragons tormenting the lesser races for some many years following the draconic withdraw, somehow forced a rapid and unprecedented evolution into beings of pure energy, which was then spread across the planet and infused into the many lesser races. 

Though initially one may scoff at the theory, one must pause to consider the very nature of the dragons.  These beings were far more complex than simply massive reptilian creatures.  Their essence was closely tied to the very fabric of the magic that fills our world, as evidenced by their mastery over all forms of magic as we understand it; they did not perceive magic as we do, into distinctly separate types (arcane, divine, and natural), rather simply as the foundational essence of the world to be manipulated as they required, thus enabling them to use any form of magic as easily as another.  Perhaps it is our nature as “lesser beings” that we cannot fathom how this is possible, thus requiring us to separate our magics into distinct types, unable to make use of more than single form?  Their entire bodies, then, were filled with this magical essence, draconic life-essence, vitae draconis, if you will, which may explain how such incredibly large creatures were capable of flight and moving their massive bulk around at all, and without consuming a city’s worth of food daily.  What if the Great Cataclysm would taint the very essence of magic that sustained them, and would have essentially acted as a poison that would have doomed them to oblivion?

Thus, to retain their presence within the world, they conceived of Soul Transference, transforming themselves into the beings of pure magical energy that would merge into the lesser races.  This could explain why certain individuals are gifted with either a greater understanding of the arcane arts than others, why they are capable of learning what is known of High Draconic, or those who are possessed of a natural ability with magic that requires honing one’s instincts instead of long hours of study.  This could also explain why these naturally talented sorcerers eventually begin to develop some draconic features (scales appearing on their skin, claws and horns and the like).  This could likewise explain why some kobolds are much larger than others, and why these individuals have a more strongly draconic countenance and often exhibit greater control and power of their breaths, and their own efforts to reproduce children that possess these traits typically fail; perhaps there are only so many dragon souls to go around?

Though typically not associated with the theory, I hypothesize that certain individuals who have recorded frequent dreams of dragons in some form or another, may actually be reliving past-life experiences and memories of ancient times when they were once what we know as true dragons.  Perhaps this would also explain why some are so driven to explore the ancient past, and seemingly have the uncanny ability to locate lost relics with a “gut instinct”; dragons were known to acquire vast amounts of treasures, after all, and could supposedly know if a single coin was missing from their hoards, indicating some kind of link with objects of great wealth. 

Again, I could continue for some time discussing the intricacies of these theories, but I have duties I must attend, and I would not want to be late, lest Mother decide to step back into the gutter for her choice of tomorrow’s topic.  Perhaps I shall return to it later on; it is certainly one of the topics of which I most enjoy a spirited discussion.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #86 – Fantasy Month #26 – The Wolf Princess of Kenbakku Wood

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

I wonder if Mother has been considering attending this year’s celebration, perhaps?  While I wouldn’t mind the opportunity to see the festivities, I certainly won’t be the one volunteering (or volunteered!) to be the titular princess.  Fortunately, the position is chosen long before the celebration begins, as I understand, due to the extremely physical nature of the honored position.

The story of the Wolf Princess of Kenbakku Wood is rather ancient, dating to a period in which the region of Agreacian, in which the titular woods lie, was not yet part of the Empire.  The tale revolves around the guardians of the Kenbakku Wood, a mixture of druids and rangers, human, elven, and otherwise, who have seen their sacred woods encroached upon by order of the Princess Lupania, who had been given authority to develop part of the region as she saw fit.  Though efforts to stop this desecration were initially peaceful, when Lupania proved that she would not be convinced to stop her plans to level a section of the woods, more drastic steps were taken.

In a bold maneuver, the Protectors of the Wood kidnapped Princess Lupania and brought her into the very heart of Kenbakku, where their sacred stone circle lay amongst the massive trees, and enacted their revenge upon the Princess, sealing her within a special wolf-hide costume that would grant her a more lupine nature, though still possessed of her own identity and (mostly) human form, albeit with some severe restrictions to her movements, at least initially as she struggled to adapt to her new situation.  She was then given a head start, after which the Protectors would begin hunting her; all she had to do to escape her trapped and animalistic state was to escape the wood on the edge of her realm, after which all pursuit would end and she would be free to do as she would, likely leading to a war against the people of the Wood. 

What followed was a frantic rush through the strange and unfamiliar forest, in which Princess Lupania struggled to come to terms with the strange suit which trapped her while trying to evade the seasoned hunters.  She would soon learn that she had an additional ability, specifically to understand the speech of the animals of the forest.  Though in the form of a predator, many of the woodland creatures sensed something different about her, and she was able to convince them to aid her in her flight.  Though many dangers lay ahead and the hunters were all around, Lupania, with the aid of newfound friends of the wood, managed to escape, and as promised, the wolf suit fell away, returning her to her normal state, though with a drastically changed perspective.  She would no longer seek to ravage the woods for expanding her kingdom, rather, having learned more of the nature of the forest than she could previously have imagined, she instead came to terms with the Protectors, and aided them with their task of protecting the sacred land.  She would even return to the woods frequently, even learning the druidic ways of changing her shape to that of a wolf when she did so, becoming as one with the flora and fauna.  It is said that her spirit still roams the Kenbakku Wood to this day, still in the form of a majestic wolf, encountered rarely by those traversing the forest, aiding those who respect the Wood, and hunting those who would seek to harm it.

The annual celebration commemorating this story, while mostly a local festival, has garnered some attention from the outside world, growing in popularity.  In the centuries since the original story supposedly took place, the festival has evolved and now centers around the Flight of the Wolf Princess, in which the chosen woman is sealed inside a suit similar to the one Lupania wore, and the escape through the is reenacted, the story retold through a much shorter section of the woods.  Once the ceremonial Princess has escaped, the festivities begin in earnest, lasting through the three nights in which both of Andyllion’s moons are at their fullest.  The Wolf Princess returns to wearing her lupine guise each night following the initial retelling of the story, ever present throughout the festivities, and supposedly the spirit of the original Wolf Princess appears on occasion, perhaps even possessing the ceremonial princess on even more rare occasions. 

#Lore24 – Entry #84 – Fantasy Month #24 – Capture Cubes

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Strange creations, these capture cubes, and quite effective if employed strategically in sensitive places, so I gather.  Though I cannot say for certain who is responsible for their creation, I would hazard a guess that their origins lie with the Houslin family’s ancestry; admittedly this is pure speculation on my part, but it would fit with what I know of Lady Regina, certainly.  She did briefly toy with the idea of instilling within her most vexing staff the ability to summon such a creature, after all.

I may have been a little too vocal when I refused to be her test subject for those experiments.

I am not sorry.

Capture cubes are a form of artificially created creature, not unlike a basic homunculus in their basic makeup, with practically no intelligence and little in the way of mobility.  They are essentially massive blocks of nearly transparent jelly, after all, between six and ten feet on each side, if not larger, and quite malleable like a normal ooze, though they somehow retain their overall cubic shape.  Some of these creatures reportedly have the ability to replicate themselves, if they are somehow cut into two or more large enough pieces without damaging them significantly enough to dissolve their form.  Most often used as a security emplacement to trap those unfortunate enough to come into contact with them, the cubes nonetheless are capable of movement, albeit slowly, giving them the ability to effect something of a patrol route within the areas they are placed. 

As their name suggests, capture cubes are meant to incapacitate intruders who stumble upon them and keep them alive until they can be properly secured by the more intelligent guards.  The fact that they are nearly completely transparent, at least initially, makes detecting them difficult unless they have recently “fed”, so those who would sneak through an area guarded by these creatures must be especially cautious.  There have been accounts on record that have reported these creatures placed at the bottom of pit traps or placed in specialized slots above corridors, waiting for the traps to trigger for either the victim or the cube to drop, resulting in an easy capture.

Unlike the more dangerous oozes that can be found within the dank and dark dungeons of the world, capture cubes don’t consume their prey, rather, only the clothes worn by them.  Any non-living animal- or plant-based material is dissolved, and any metal, glass, or stone material is expelled, though items of sufficiently strong magical enchantment composed of matter it normally consumes will likewise be expelled.  The victim is held in place by the sticky nature of the jelly, being guided somehow to the center of the cube, which, as it dissolves the victim’s clothing, turns entirely black, blocking out light and leaving those captured suspended in complete darkness, somehow able to breathe (reportedly with some difficulty), but unable to speak or struggle free in any but the most exceptional cases.  It is possible for larger cubes to absorb up to two victims, perhaps more in the case of smaller beings, placing them in decidedly close conditions within itself.

Typically at this point the cubes will begin returning to a designated point, bringing their captured prey with them to be disgorged into the waiting hands of the guards or whoever may be in charge of the area they have been set to patrol, or, if there are other active threats and no more material to consume, will disgorge the victims from itself, leaving them covered in the completely black jelly, which is extremely sticky and clingy, proving most difficult to remove without magical aid; usually those thusly disgorged will be completely disoriented and unable to see and barely able to move, so they are only slightly less secure than if they were still inside the cube.  Within a few minutes, the creatures will resume their nearly transparent nature and continue to hunt.  Eventually the material on the disgorged victims will dissolve, usually after a few hours, if left unattended.

There have been varying accounts of what happens when these creatures are killed, possibly hinting at variations in their makeup or construction.  They are difficult to damage by non-magical weaponry, as such strikes will result in the weapons sticking to the creature and being pulled into it, though magic can be effective, especially fire and cold.  Some simply dissolve into a puddle of slightly sticky slime, while others reportedly remain much more sticky, enough so as to potentially trap those who would try to cross through it, or at least, hinder their movement for a time.  At least two accounts of combat with these creatures mention that they exploded upon death, showing their attackers with their slime, resulting in damaged or completely dissolved clothing and armor and severely hindered movement until removed or until it later dissolved on its own.

I would rather not ponder on the nature of the person who originally conceived the capture cubes.  While effective at what they are meant to do, undeniably so, the idea of trapping someone inside utter darkness, covered in sticky slime, unable to move or struggle free for hours, just makes me shiver. 

 

#Lore24 – Entry #78 – Fantasy Month #18 – Beast of Bugtussle Bay

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

For what little is known about the fabled Beast of Bugtussle Bay, I can at least gain much pleasure from the name being alliterative.  As the legends go, around a hundred years ago on the offshore Imperial colony situated upon the island of Conerael Cay (mmm, added alliterative appeal!), in the harbor town of Bugtussle Bay (so named for the large insects that had to be fought off when the colony was originally established, some confirmed specimens being man-sized), a terrible creature appeared out of the nearby sea following a battle with a particularly bold group of pirates who attacked the well-defended stronghold.

It is unknown as to whether this creature was awakened by the battle that perhaps took place over its lair, or if it may have been somehow summoned by one side or the other to turn the tide of the battle.  Regardless of what called it, the Beast of Bugtussle Bay, as it would be known, went on a destructive spree the likes of which have, interestingly enough, been seen several times throughout history, but more on that shortly.  In this case, both fleets were decimated, even those who had given up the fight and were fleeing the area, and the town of Bugtussle Bay was ravaged, consumed by fire, the bodies of its defenders left torn to pieces or impaled upon the shattered remnants of the town’s buildings. 

Descriptions of the Beast vary wildly, as those who survived the incident were overwhelmed with a powerful fear from the moment the creature appeared out of the sea, but some features were consistent.  Universally, it was described as tall and bulky, perhaps ten to twenty feet in height, with two great batlike wings and a roar that would freeze the blood with terror.  Additionally, many survivors reported the air to be filled with a black sand that seemed to pour from the creature the more it consumed, even its footsteps leaving behind patches of the substance.  Further descriptions vary greatly, with some saying that it grew larger throughout the attack, some reporting that it attacked with terrible, oversized claws, some indicating that it was instead focused on eating as much as it could with its great, fanged maw, while others reported it toppling buildings with a powerful tail.  Some say it was shrouded in a supernatural darkness, others say it was covered in layers of seaweed and coral that had grown upon it during its long slumber beneath the sea, while others still say the beast was consumed with hellish flames that could sear flesh and ignite structures from thirty feet away.  All who chose to remain upon Conerael Cay after the attack, and those who came after, agree, however, that they were truly blessed that the Beast has, to date, not shown itself again.

Curiously, as I delved into the archives after I had heard the story of the Bugtussle Bay attack, I discovered multiple reports from across the Empire, and even a handful from lands beyond, of a terrifying creature suddenly appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, to leave behind destruction and ruin in its wake, whether it was in a major city or a small, out of the way village.  The descriptions of the creature in these encounters, however, vary greatly, though certain features, such as the wings and flames, occur most frequently, though one is particularly ubiquitous:  the black sand that appears with the creature.  Even the encounters with the creature far from the sea all mention the black sand blowing through the air or piling up wherever the creatures stepped.  There is no pattern that I can discern to these attacks:  no common period of time between sightings, no common triggering incidents, and no information on what happened to the creatures once its wrath had come to an end.