[✗] Sfriggat - The Woods' Stooge

[TavernLich 324]

Sfriggat - The Woods’ Stooge

 

Glossary

 

Host: The descendant who harbors one or more sfriggae.

 

Lineage: The chain of succession from the first sfriggat, Coren, down.

 

The Uninhibited: Hosts who have been separated from the sfriggat they harbored

 

-=O=-

---

 

 

“It’s there, you sure?” The ‘ame demanded. A wizened man nodded in response, “Pure as the solstice’s snow, I’ll show you.”

 

* * *

 

Coren stalked the jungle floor beneath, his eyes flitted across the undergrowth as the hunter felt the rustle of brush against leather. The corpse of an elderly man littered the floor nearby, its chest bore several puncture wounds that still flowed with blood. It lay there discarded and bare, not unlike carrion amidst the remnants of a battlefield, left to permeate the earth with the scent of death. The forest remained still and patiently awaited Coren, whom in return took to the canopy above.

 

Abruptly, the hum of nearby life ceased, the slightest sliver of alabaster shone through the nearby foliage and neared the corpse before it lurched forward and emerged from the shadows. Coren’s eyes were lit with passion, a concoction of throbbing dread and adamant respect, as the creature finally emerged. The wolf, returning to its previous skill, stood tall on all fours. The wolf, noble and proud with its snow-white fur, approached the elder’s corpse and sniffed at it just once before glaring up toward Coren’s shrouded, and visibly concealed, figure. The beast bared its fangs and surged forward, bypassing the corpse with a single, majestic leap, toward the now exposed Coren.

 

The ‘ame rose to his feet and, in a single and fluid motion, drew its bow, nocked an arrow and took aim. The monster’s limbs rippled as it leapt up into the air and lunged Coren with a row of might fangs. Coren leaned to his right, forsook his armament, and narrowly escaped the monster’s maw; the sound of snapping bones echoed throughout the forest as Coren tumbled down on to the ground below.

 

The monster met Coren beneath with a snarl, saliva frothed at and beneath its lips as it stared at Coren much like an executioner to a bound slave.

 

The monstrous wolf greeting the crippled Coren with a piercing stare.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

Current Folklore

 

The myths behind sfriggae, or singularly sfriggat, hold much controversy throughout the realm, especially those ‘ames who are so closely associated with nature. During Orenian antiquity, sfriggae were thought to be the incarnate woes of children who were spirited away by bastard thieves and slavers; coincidentally Malin’s brood, to this day, remains adamant on this legend’s accuracy. Orcs, in comparison, believed the sfriggae to be the workings of deviants, Ixli’s bunch. And, the poor dweds who are so easily swayed by the thought of liquor and riches, haven’t noticed them at all. While most myths harbor a hint of truth, these do not. In truth, sfriggae are men and women, of all manner, who have fallen prey to a host of parasitic roots and vegetation. These plants, in reality, are the true sfriggae themselves, and those they so desperately cling on to are but mere, albeit extremely frail and sickly, descendents.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

“Undaunted, unnerved and unbound. We are those befallen of strength and weakness. We are those purloined of vision yet granted a thousand eyes. We are Sfriggae, ever watching and ever seeking.” A covey of sfriggae gathering together. Vailor, modern times.

 

Creation

 

Sfriggae are a number of greater plants that are capable of an imperfect merging with descendants, including the kharajyr and halfling kind. These plants are subject to numerous appearances yet remain identical in purpose, meaning while a sfriggae may take the appearance of roots it will harbor abilities identical to that of another under the guise of a blooming orchid. However, in order to access their abilities sfriggae, like a common tick or intestinal worm, must find itself a host. A a potential host, whether or not willing, must come into direct physical contact with a stray and wild sfriggat, fortunately for the common ‘ame these are as uncommon as female dweds, or be purposefully exposed and inoculated by a sfriggat who has found already found a host. The latter resulting in a strong bound between the newly birthed sfriggae and its maker. Once either of the two methods are accomplished, sfriggae will pierce the skin and take root in a person’s skeletal structure, an excruciatingly and sluggish process. The sfriggat will then siphon it’s host’s strength and render it frail, limited with the strength and vitality of an already sickly sorcerer.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

“It watched you? And then? . . . That’s it, then it spirited itself elsewhere and left behind this pagan idol.” Hadrian du Gevaudan conversing with a fellow. Athera, circa 1470s.

 

Behavior, Habits and Tendencies

 

Should a person be bound to a sfriggae, his or her mind will be forever warped and made anew in the image of a sfriggat. By nature, sfriggat believe in the altruistic and natural behavior of the realm. They believe this to be the realm’s will and, despite whatever obstacle it throws at them, think of it befitting them. So, in essence, their belief is that everything, including those malignant creatures and their fiendish deeds, is with a reason that will ultimately lead to a beneficial future. It is because of these beliefs that sfriggae will rarely act for or against others and will tend to merely observe. In addition, as a condition of their acceptance of their mortality and its ephemeral pleasures, sfriggae feel the need to record whatever they see or hear of. It is because of this habit that sfriggae are commonly found within scholarly establishments, at least whenever they are allowed entrance. Accordingly, the sfriggae, as historians and scholars, have a need to fill a void within themselves, perhaps a condition given rise to by their all-too human host. Sfriggae do so by planting memoirs or objects wherever they visit and will commonly gift children various boons and toys as a sort of legacy left to tell their story for those generations after them. Due to this, sfriggae often befriend the young and act as guardians, ironically contradicting their own beliefs of neutrality.

 

Additionally, this need to stake their own claim of history may lead to selfishness and pride. Sfriggae, while at least neutral, may develop a condescending outlook for others, including other sfriggae. Such selfishness will inevitably lead to a sfriggae’s self destruction into obsession and, eventually, hatred and violent loathing. It is because of this most sfriggae are bound to and made by others of their kind, resulting in a dynasty that each follow strict and instinctive mindsets and bonds. This bond is commonly referred to as a sort of hive mind that follows a hierarchy in liaison to the chain of succession and creation; also, because of a wild sfriggae’s inevitable descent into obsession, bound sfriggae commonly hunt and destroy those not within their lineage. As a result, there remains only a single lineage, namely the first and only lineage of the first recorded sfriggae, Coren.

 

Furthermore, should a host be separated from the sfriggat, for whatever reason, the host will reveal itself to be both mentally and physically crippled. Separation will render a host incapable of thinking for his or herself, detached from his or her social life and generally incontinent. Due to aforementioned symptoms, sfriggae have dubbed such hosts as the uninhibited. Uninhibited will remain such until their respective sfriggat returns.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

“I found one, too, it looked like a savage dressed in vines.” A pub owner entertaining regulars with tales of his youth. Fringe, date unknown.

 

Physiology

 

Despite being riddled with roots and vegetation, hosts will maintain humanoid semblances and are subject to the daily motions of the descendants; they've a need to eat, sleep, drink and, even, age. The sfriggat, the actual plant residing within them, however, will look much like invasive roots and other vegetation that jut out and envelop a host’s flesh. It is because of this invasive appearance that results in hosts being considered monsters, while in reality, they are almost entirely like any other descendant of their kind. Under duress or assault, these sfriggae will shield and protect their hosts from harm. They maintain a sphere of influence, with a circumference of about four feet the equivalent of a man wielding a sword, where sfriggae may extend and puppeteer limbs of thorn-riddled roots and vines. These limbs are subject to the physical properties of wood and whatever plant matter they are composed of; thus, sfriggae utilizing vine-like whips are unable to don the durability and hardiness of wood and vice versa.

 

The first sfriggat, Coren, amidst a field of brush.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

Separation

 

Separation may occur when the sfriggat is violently torn from its host, usually resulting in the host’s death. And because a host is still a normal descendant save their relationship with the parasitic sfriggae, they will be revived by the wilven monks. Upon revival, a host will undergo the uninhibited state. Fortunately, because the sfriggae root themselves within a host’s bones, traces of it are found within their blood. These traces may accumulate and eventually regrow into another sfriggae. The process of sfriggae revival may take anywhere between a seed week to an entire year, during this span of time, a host will remain as an uninhibited. Sfriggae revival will also come at the cost of the host’s strength and vitality, as they would siphon a great deal of sustenance from their hosts in order to mend themselves.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

* * *

 

Coren sat exhausted against a fallen tree with a struggling wolf standing before him. Even in its bloodied state, the wolf remained noble, almost pure, as it thrashed about in its death throes. In an act of primal defiance, the wolf lashed out at Coren with a lunge of its great paw and yet only met death at the tip of the hunter’s blade.

 

“You aren’t a tame wolf,” Coren retorted as he grabbed the wolf by its hide and hoisted it atop his shoulders. Just before he’d rise to his feet, the ‘ame felt a pang of pain pierce his left side. He came to an abrupt stop and his grip over his trophy loosened as he fell face-first on to the ground. Like the thrashing wolf, Coren writhed in pain as he felt something bore through his flesh and into his very being. It, too, ran across his skin and he felt it dig behind his eyes and, as if, into the back of his skull.

 

Roots and a myriad of vegetation enveloped him, his limbs began to give way as they grew wary and immobile as though another violently held them. Coren eventually became still as he laid in a puddle of his own blood.

 

-=O=-

 

---

 

 

Strengths

 

• Defensive Capabilities: Assaulting sfriggae within their sphere of influence is difficult and may result in the aggressor’s demise.

• Hive Mind: Sfriggae of the same lineage are able to share emotions with one another. This can only be put to use if two sfriggae are relatively close to one another; additionally, this ability is limited to generic emotions, restricting sfriggae to simple emotions such as anger and/ or happiness and so on and so forth.

 

Weaknesses

 

• Natural Weakness: Sfriggae are composed of various plant matter and are thus subject to its vast weaknesses, including fire.

• Host Frailty: Sfriggae must constantly siphon vitality from its host and, as a result, greatly sap their strength, making them weaker than your average mage or sorcerer. It is because the host’s weakness that sfriggae often puppeteer them about, with or without their consent.

• Lack of Flexibility, Speed and Agility: Because a host is essentially bound by a myriad of roots and other vegetation, they are greatly encumbered and lack the dexterity of most descendants.

• Vulnerability to the Mundane: While aurum fails to affect sfriggae, it may still pierce and cut through their roots and into the host’s flesh.

• Separation: If, for whatever reason, a sfriggat and its host are seperated the host is made incapable of thinking for itself, detached and generally incontinent.

 

Neutral

 

• Ability to Learn and Utilize Magic: Because a host is actually a normal descendant, it retains the ability to use all sorts of magic. However, because a host’s mind has been warped by the presence of a sfriggat, their ability to learn is greatly crippled and will result in a slower rate of mastery, usually taking an entire seed year to reach proficiency. Additionally, if separation occurs, a host will be unable to utilize their magical capabilities because of the listed weaknesses above. Voidal, deific and dark detriments still apply.

 

Red Lines

 

• The process of revival will take at least an entire seed week, until then a host will remain an uninhibited.

• Sfriggae are usually neutral creatures, they will prefer to neither help nor impede another, but will still act to defend themselves.

• Wild Sfriggae are event creatures only, as they are much more animalistic and primal.

 

Questions & Answers

[More to be Added]

 

Question: Can a person host more than one sfriggat?
Answer: Yes, but this will only add to more weaknesses than strength and will make a host so frail they are unable to lift even the lightest of weights without assistance.

 

[Dragonslayerelf 653]

This looks like Bryos. 2.0. It kinda has the same feel to it as that lore, with just slight changes. It does sound a little original, but we had these late Athera/Early Vailor. I'm not convinced, but it's still interesting. +1

Here's that lore, for the record.

And the new one.

[TavernLich 324]

Just now, Dragonslayerelf said:

This looks like Byps. 2.0. It kinda has the same feel to it as that lore, with just slight changes. It does sound a little original, but we had these late Athera/Early Vailor. I'm not convinced, but it's still interesting. +1

Bryophites didn't have a concrete purpose, though. Most of them wandered around and acted like normal people. These guys have actual strengths, weaknesses, goals and mental/ social changes.

[Matheus 525]

Would serve the server better than Bryos, imo. +1

[drfate786 1639]

This seems to be a direct copy of elder scrolls spriggats.

[GodEmperorFlam 3447]

Just now, drfate786 said:

This seems to be a direct copy of elder scrolls spriggats.

 

Spriggan* Also, spriggans are not just from elder scrolls, but hold root in real life folklore. In addition to that, spriggans from elder scrolls are much more restricted and different from these creatures, as they are generally bound to a grove and don't go wandering or have the capability to do things that these sfriggats can.

[TavernLich 324]

Just now, The Pink Lion said:

 

Spriggan* Also, spriggans are not just from elder scrolls, but hold root in real life folklore. In addition to that, spriggans from elder scrolls are much more restricted and different from these creatures, as they are generally bound to a grove and don't go wandering or have the capability to do things that these sfriggats can.

What this lad said!

[excited 10836]

Event creatures only please!!!!! (triggered)

Well written though. 

[Mephistophelian 972]

I thought this was a meme on the strigae.

 

That said, it seems really unnecessary. I don't see why we need another bryophyte-esque creature.

[Gone 868]

I want to play one now... +1 for parasitic plant! Very well done. 

 

Am curious though, if they're made of plants does this mean a druid could manipulate one? Or does the sfriggat mind resist?

[TavernLich 324]

Just now, Aelsioln said:

I want to play one now... +1 for parasitic plant! Very well done. 

 

Am curious though, if they're made of plants does this mean a druid could manipulate one? Or does the sfriggat mind resist?

The host's mind will triumph over any Druidic influences, thanks for the +1 :)

[Jistuma 1995]

I'm sorry to say that this lore has been Denied.

 

You may contact an LM for the reasons.

[Jistuma 1995]

This Lore has been denied. Topic moved to Denied Lore forum.