Tag: lust

#Lore24 – Entry #66 – Fantasy Month #6 – Demon Lord Suzu’Reitani, Bringer of Calamity

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

I was rather curious as to why Felaria had today’s prompt delivered in written form, and my curiosity was quickly sated, for one does not invoke the name of demons verbally, especially those as ancient and powerful as this particular Demon Lord, lest their sight and wrath fall upon you.  That is traditional wisdom, and one must perform the proper ritual to communicate with a denizen of the lower realms (and what a ritual it must be to reach a demon lord), but perhaps it is best not to take chances?

The great Demon Lord Suzu’Reitani, Queen of Succubi and the Bringer of Calamity, thusly named for it was her coming that led to the Great Cataclysm that shook the very foundations of the world some two-thousand years ago.  Though much history was lost following the great upheaval, we do have records that state quite clearly that it was her entry into the world that led directly to the downfall of the kerryn goddess Sarresh and sealed the fate of the kerryns to be forever enslaved, less they cause another disaster that would see the world utterly destroyed.

This of course, like many things in history, is up for interpretation, for there is ample evidence that it was the Elvish Dominion that called forth the demons into the world, though they’ll never admit to such a thing, certainly.  This discussion is for another time, however.

This great demon lord sought to conquer Andyllion and use it as her bastion in her desires to claim the entirety of our realm as her own.  From what is generally accepted, she masterminded the many wars that marred the decades before the Great Cataclysm, using her many daughters to plant seeds of deceit, bending wills to her own devices, and building the great onyx tower that would serve as the beacon for opening a gateway to her domain and allowing her to come through to claim the world.  The true nature of her failure to take the world as her own has been lost in the chaos caused by the destruction of the great gateway tower, but we do know that her destruction in this world is what triggered the Great Cataclysm that reshaped the very surface of the world, toppling nations, destroying countless civilizations, and forever changing the fabric of our world.

The true depths of her machinations are still far from being fully explored, though her legacy has certainly remained.  To this day there are still those whose ancestry can be traced directly to her blood, for all mazoku are descended from her daughters, their demonic features easily marking them as such, as does the fact that they are almost entirely female, with estimates of less than one-percent of the mazoku being male.  Many creatures maintain demonic qualities, for Suzu’Reitani’s taint runs deep, and her kind are known to breed with anything, and true demons are still not unheard of, though full manifestation in the material world is thankfully rare.  However, there are still many cults worshiping demons, some perhaps even dedicated to Suzu’Reitani herself, though such worship is strictly outlawed and must necessarily remain hidden.

Thankfully another true demon lord has not been summoned into the realm, and hopefully none are planning such madness again.  It is the ever-present danger presented by demons, their unmatched capacity for destruction, that orders of exorcists, like that of the Holy Order of Rashnikova, still exist, and are rarely if ever bored.  Those caught worshipping and summoning demons are dealt with harshly, no mercy granted, and none expected, for one who dedicates themselves to such darkness are far too dangerous to be left to their machinations.

 

 

#Lore24 – Entry #65 – Fantasy Month #5 – Maidenbane Vines

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

A rather disgusting creature of uncertain origin to be sure.  The Emperor’s gardens have some of these on display, as do some private collectors, and rumors abound that they are actually popular with the elite of Draconis Magna as ways of experiencing their own depravity, though I suppose more often it is the kerryns who are forced to endure the touch of these creatures within the city.  Contrary to the name, Maidenbane Vines don’t exclusively target females, and don’t go after virgins first, as many an unfortunate (or I suppose fortunate, depending on one’s proclivities) man has discovered. 

Maidenbane Vines can generally be found within thick growth woods or jungles, most often near areas of civilization, for their primary food source is humanoids, though it is rare that one dies to these creatures, usually only those unfortunate enough to fall victim to them when no help is forthcoming, and perhaps only if they are particularly susceptible to the secretions of the vines or are unlucky enough to find themselves in a colony of the monsters.  These vines are difficult to spot, blending in well with regular vegetation, or perhaps even hiding the bulk of themselves underground until they burst forth to attack an unsuspecting victim.  Visually, they appear like any other vine, though if the creature hasn’t fed in a while, their color shifts from greenish hues to pinks and reds, growing from a central trunk that shares similar coloration to surrounding trees.  There is another telltale sign of their presence, their scent, which is sweet and thick, like certain other plants, but with a distinct honey-like quality, which only grows stronger once the plants become active.

Striking from ambush, Maidenbane Vines will lash out at their targets with multiple tendrils, usually half a dozen or so, and in some cases of extremely old plants, up to two dozen have been observed.  Their strikes are not usually deadly, but meant to daze and disorient, then constrict upon the chosen victim, wrapping them up and drawing them closer to the main body of the plant.  These vines are especially adept at immobilizing its targets, for its tendrils are not only strong, but their secretions serve to pacify the victim, filling them with lustful desires.  The plants are likewise adept at stripping the pacified victims of their gear and clothing, tearing through clothing with ease and finding gaps in armor or breaking straps when needed.  Once a victim is sufficiently restrained and pacified through overwhelming lust, the plant’s main body will open, revealing its moist interior, and extending its particularly phallic stamen, and the plant will begin to feed in ways that I could go into detail on, but will only describe as deeply erotic for the sake of brevity.

Once sufficiently sated, the Maidenbane Vine will then retreat back within its shell to languish after its meal, and release the likely exhausted victim, who, if unable able escape at this point, may suffer another attack hours later.  In most cases, the victim is fatigued and covered in the plant’s nectar secretions, perhaps with some amount of bruising and a rash on their skin, but generally unharmed (aside from, perhaps, their dignity), left feeling extremely aroused and perhaps even craving more if they are particularly vulnerable to the plant’s secretions.  The plant itself is at its most vulnerable when it has a victim within its grasp and is ready to feed, for its interior is extremely soft compared to its outer shell and the resiliency of its vines.  It is not unheard of to distract these creatures using slaves, then attack them once they begin feeding for an easy kill.

As to the origins of the Maidenbane Vines, they were first recorded following the demonic incursion and Great Cataclysm some two-thousand years ago, and tend to be more common the closer one comes to the original incursion point.  Further evidence of a demonic origin comes with their peculiar vulnerability to holy magic and their tendency to be able to sense those who can use it.  Those of particularly strong faith can sometimes force these creatures to retreat, similar to how they can turn undead, and divine energy can harm the creatures similarly to how it harms denizens of the lower realms, though it is not nearly as effective.  The plants, sensing the divine gift, will often try to attack a priest or priestess first, and with a greater animosity, though curiously only those who follow those gods of a generally good nature, further cementing their likely demonic origins.