[✓] [Creature Lore] - Forsaken Chimera

[Royal Peasant 444]

Forsaken Chimera

Spoiler

 

Chimera’s have no set appearance, for they are not creatures that are naturally born into the world, but instead abominations that are formed from abusing and twisting flesh mending beyond the limits of what the living flesh can take. There are so many different types of these creatures that can be born into the world, from what was once one of the humanoid races twisted into an abomination of rage and hatred, to creatures that are fused creatures of monsters. What is known is that these creatures are incapable of breeding, and once they have breached the realm of no return their very bodies themselves begin to deteriorate quickly, giving them only a couple of years before they too will perish and simply fall apart at the seams one day.
 

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History

The history of the Chimera is a complicated one, born first from a tale, or perhaps a fairy tale within tomes that spoke of a woman with a head of a lion, the wings of an eagle and the tail of a serpent. And the immortality that such an entity was able to bring. It had only been a folk lore of course, no basis besides tales and bard song. Yet to the mind of a Necromancer that had reached the peak of their maddened craft it turned into inspiration. Wings of a giant eagle found itself grafted into the back of a woman who desired to have that immortality for themselves. A serpent with deadly venom attached to their spine, somehow still alive and functional. And then finally they moved their head and exchanged it with a lions. Now this should have instantly killed the woman, yet, through some mystery, they had managed to place their mind within the lions head as they fused them together.

But it wasn’t immortality that they found with this success. But rapid decay, rot, and a body that was falling away at the seams as a hatred and rage from the monstrous flesh that had fallen upon them had taken over.

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Physical Appearance

As stated already the Chimera doesn’t truly have a ‘base’ origin, just tying itself to the creative madness of those that created them. Some have the base flesh of a humanoid to act as the origin where the grafts and the melding of tissue and flesh had been fused upon it. While others have the base of a monster that was captured alive for them to experiment on. A gryphon could find the hide of a drake fused to its flesh to give it armoured scales, the throat of a venomous great serpent that causes it to breathe out an acidic breathe that burns its own maw, and have its talons replaced with paws with razor sharp claws. They would be an excuse coursing with pain, anguish, and madness, falling to pieces while their mind lingers and trapped them within their torment.

With that in mind the threat level of one Chimera can vastly change from one abomination to another. At times it may simply be easier to allow the rot of their flesh to take them instead of reaching out to deal with them, especially if a Necromancer sacrificed their own life to bring something truly monstrous into this world. Like a creature made through the bones of a dragon. The impossibility of it may be high, but not impossible, and there have been horror stories of these creatures taking to the world with armies of their creatures following their path against the land.

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Mental Characteristics

The mentality of the Chimera can depend on the source and head of the creature. Should the head be that of a beast, unless some unknown craft is done to transfer the brain and mind of another creature into that vessel, the intelligence of the Chimera will match that of the beast but driven into a frenzied state. Similarly if the head was that of a man, they would have the sharp intelligence of that of a man, but driven by a sadistic cruelty that would have them taking pleasure in the suffering of others and being unable to comprehend the rights and wrongs of the world.

The desires, and passions of the intelligent Chimera still remain, as do their memories when they are driven into this frenzied state. Deteriorating and rotting. Those that had passions of love could find themselves hunting the individual they cared about so greatly, tormenting, and torturing them and all they cared for in their final years of existence. Along with savouring the fear and pain of everything and everyone they can get their hands on. That is - if the flesh that they had grafted too doesn’t take over with its own instincts. The flesh of a sea serpent could consume the chosen Chimera with a sense of hunger that has them feasting on all that they can get ahold of even as their body is unable to keep it all down. Yet it won’t stop them from biting down.

With all that said, the mind of a Chimera, can be intelligent, can be cruel, but almost always is unique to the individual Chimera and the body and mind that created them. A saint can be turned into the cruellest entity in the world when driven by the desire of the ‘greater good’ after all.
 

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Lifespan and Development

The lifespan of a Chimera will only be able to survive for several years. Two at a limit, though there have been cases where they have been able to prolong their existence to the most of four years in this state. Either through a regenerative property or replacing their dying flesh with that of others. Somehow inheriting a limited span of their own creators' magic when it comes to their own flesh. With that said they do not develop any further since creation. Even if they are able to mend and attach flesh to where it has begun to fail and fall from their form it is only a temporary measure and doesn’t add anymore strength to the strength that they already have on the final completion of their form.

A Chimera has also been documented as being unable to sire anymore once the magic has been infused with them. Most would consider this a blessing considering the twisted nature of the creatures that there will be no risk of aberrations being born.
 

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Territory and Grouping

Chimera’s do not work together with their own beings, while they seem to be able to recognize creatures born from the same magic and have less hostility towards them than they do everyone else. It is not usually to the point where they will permit the others existence before them. Though on the rare instance where two Chimera are documented to see each other, there have been chases where they just ignore the presence of the other and go on their own way. Showing themselves to be for the most part solo hunters.

This however is not always true. For the Chimera’s that have managed to successfully kill their own creators will find themselves able to direct, and guide the puppets their former master had once controlled. Allowing the Chimera to have their own horde to direct, drive, and push. Increasing the danger that the Chimera falls under by several degrees of threat. When a Chimera of this nature is scouted it's usually a high alert situation for the nearby nation to call to arms to deal with it. Or risk their home and surrounding denizens being ravaged to ruin. 
 

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Spoiler

Redlines:
Staff Event only.
Once a Chimera is dead it will be possible to gather some parts of their body as a trophy, but they will deteriorate, weak, and more often than not rotten. Even dragon bones will crumple. They will exist for trophy and momento purposes only. However there may be treasure, and rewards within the stomach of the Chimera to be found. It will be up to the ST running the event to determine what remains inside of its guts, but it should be realistic to the creature.

A necromancer will not be able to create a Chimera of their own in this manner. This is purely an event only creation.

Should a Chimera have undead puppets following it through an event they will only be lesser creations and without intelligence of their own. Limited to two large undead, or ten smaller ones. [For example, two animated Troll corpses, to ten skeletons.] 

Encounters with this creature should be winnable, with plenty of weak spots of rotting flesh to target and limbs to sever from the body. But still a challenge. Consider the players within the event and try to match the creature, and any of the followers is leading to give them a challenge.

The creature can be in an event with other creatures, but it will be hostile with everything. Consider them similar to the ‘Pickle’ in monster hunter if they're going to be pulled into an event.

Once the creature, and any puppets it controls are dead any lingering mana will dissipate from it, there will be no blight or sickness outside of the rot and decay they have left.

Druids will only find a barricade of anguish and pain in animals that have been turned into a Chimera, no attempt to beast speak with them will be an aid. Purging will only have an effect of weakening the beastial parts of the creature, but not killing it.

Necromancers will not be able to gain control of a Chimera, but they may be able to stun them for a single turn to make them easier to be dealt with. But it will only work once in the event. The same is the case for its puppets.

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Spoiler

OOC: This is an old write up I made for another server that never reached play time. I’ve done some revision to make it fitting for lotc and hope it might seem like a fun creature to encounter and face. I’m happily open for feedback and for edits if anyone has them. And yes, there is no way this creature is tamable.

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[squakhawk 7302]

This Lore has been accepted. Moved to Implemented Lore, it will be sorted to it's appropriate category soon. Please note that if this is playable lore, such as a magic or CA, you will need to write a guide for this piece. You will be contacted regarding the guide (or implementation if it isn’t needed) shortly.