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Found 21 results

  1. Voidal Horrors This is a reclarification lore submission to truly outline the ambiguous and alien beings known as Voidal Horrors. These horrendous and arcane creatures originate from the void with almost no explanation for their creation, their various purposes or why they are the way they are. This mystery will likely remain such for a long time. However we can still understand what these creatures are. To note: Voidal Horrors overall are an almost purely event Race. Either playable by ET or used in events. You cannot run around roleplaying as a Voidal Horror. Disclaimer - The following is updated lore, editted into this post for clarification on the origin of voidal horrors: What is a Voidal Horror? Voidal Horror is the general term for any twisted and morphed creature, birthed and residing in the Void. They live and reside in the Void, wandering, warring, learning and otherwise doing whatever it is they please. They are a strange and incomprehensible form of being, having been twisted, scarred and morphed by the void into impossible beings of the abyss. Each more vastly different than the last, Voidal Horror’s are as infinitely different as the void from which they originate from, their traits and powers and physiology all alien. However, despite this, there are obvious similarities between all of them, not to mention the obvious similarities between various groups of them, allowing us to more or less generalise them and place them into vague categories. Classifications & Hierarchy Voidal Horrors are as chaotic as the void they originate from, their purpose very odd and alien and always different from another. However, despite these creatures having no form of social structure or civilization, there is a faint semblance of a pecking order amongst the horrors, much like there is in the animal kingdom. Lesser Horrors Greater Horrors Arch-Horrors Simply out of fear from one another, the Lesser horrors do not come between the Greater horrors and the greater horrors respect the wishes of the Arch-Horrors. It is out of a sense for survival, not a desire for order. Aside from this, there are certain similarities between the types of horrors that can bring some form of order amongst the chaos. The various horrors do not necessarily align alongside their type and they merely wander aimlessly in the void, seeking ways to complete their ambiguous and alien goals, should they even have any. Classifications Horrors Example of a possible Horror Voidal Horrors are the most well known form of void-based creature. They are generally far more sentient than their counterparts, very intelligent and analytical (if at all strange), oddly enough oftentimes having the ability to speak common. They are inquisitive and curious, though are as devious as any demon. They sometimes have the capability to wield magic, some magics that are completely alien to the descendant races, some that have not even been discovered yet. They are not necessarily violent or particularly strong, however their various features and differences may make them so. They are usually no bigger than your average man, taking on what could be considered humanoid forms. However, the differences between voidal horrors are vast. For example, the most famous voidal horror, Achan-Chatla, took on a human-like tentacley form, whereas others will look entirely different. However the basic premise is that all voidal horrors take on a humanoid form, regardless of the vast and chaotic differences between them. tl;dr Sentient, humanoid, people-like, very strange, magic-sensitive, huge variation in physical appearance, usually a fleshy form. Terrors Example of a possible Terror Voidal Terrors are the vicious and savage cousins of their Horror counterparts. They are generally mindless and animalistic, their forms reflecting such. They operate almost solely on an animal-like influence, almost immediately acting violently when come into contact with, be it within the Void and their voidal kin or with any living being in the world of the living. They cannot be reasoned with and they cannot communicate, they are mindless beasts with no capabilities or functions other than to slaughter and feed. They can come in various sizes, from the size of a small cat to the size of an elephant, with varying physical strength and traits. They are often found with numerous spines, spikes, fins or horns covering their bodies and heads, multiple eyes, more often than not moving around on four or more legs as opposed to two, however it is not unheard of. Like their voidal horror counterparts, they take on a fleshy appearance, oftentimes with a hardened exoskeleton (sometimes taking on a magical/elemental exoskeleton, such as the volcanic voidal terror of Adrallan, who’s exoskeleton was made of volcanic rock and consistently evoked fire). tl;dr Animalistic, savage, vicious, mindless creatures, can be large, no magic/intelligence/communication, feral beasts, fleshy forms, hardened exoskeleton, sometimes elemental exoskeleton. Abominations Example of a possible Abomination Voidal Abominations are the most alien out of all the voidal kin. They often come in elemental, primordial or ethereal forms, sometimes taking on humanoid shapes, other times no. They will often appear to be the embodiment of an element, an invokable element or sometimes even another force within the universe. These abominations are quite intelligent and often times can be quite tricksy. Most of them retain the ability to speak common, others have the ability to find ways to speak common. Most often than not, they are adept in the art of the arcane, their powers often strange and different to what the descendants are capable of doing, however boast an expansive arsenal of arcane power. Their bodies are vastly different from that of their kin, their fleshy forms taking on very strange and elemental forms. They are not necessarily physically strong, but their physical capabilities vary between each one. The Voidal Abominations are the most different out of all their voidal kin, even amongst one another, their differences are ridiculously stark. tl;dr Elemental, intelligent, primordial forms, magic-sensitive, physical appearances vastly different, physical strengths fairly low (varies). Behemoths Example of a possible Behemoth Voidal Behemoths are the kings of the void, the titanic voidal beasts that reside within the endless abyss. Behemoths are colossal beasts with savage appearances and incomprehensible minds, usually with an unbreakable fixation on a certain aspect of existence. For example, the “Mana-hunter” as described by Avar Telos the void wraith, it’s entire existence revolves around the draining and absorbing of all the mana around it. Behemoths, despite their savage appearance and brutal mindset, are rather intelligent and devious, though despite this they cannot be reasoned with. Their minds too focused on achieving their desires, their ambitions, it driving their every action until it is completed. Some behemoths do have some semblance of magical ability, generally that of standard arcane magics, sometimes having access to more strange and unfathomable powers. Their physical strength however is monstrous, usually being, at the very least, the size of house, some growing larger than that. Their appearance and forms are fleshy but hardened, more often than not covered in a hardened exoskeleton much like Voidal Terrors. Their physical appearances vary massively, however much resembling their lesser terror kin. tl;dr Colossal beasts, intelligent, irrational, fixate on singular aspect of existence, magically adept, physically strong, terrifying. Physiology Diet Voidal horrors do not rely on a diet to absorb nutrients but seem to have the desire to eat anyway. Their diets are extremely strange, more often than not preferring raw meats, fish and insects, however none are aware as to why. Blood All Horrors, regardless of their classification, all bleed the same way. They bleed an odd form of ichor, similar to that of the Itharel in concept but far different. Their blood is a strange pink, bismuth looking form of blood and is rich in genus (the energy of creation and catalyst of all magical energy), serving as nothing but a vessel for their mana, their power. Their blood is extremely volatile when used in rituals, for example with blood magic or contract magic, however does not preserve. Due to its volatility, it cannot be collected nor contained, dissipating and evaporating into the void within hours of it spilling. Life Unlike the descendants, voidal horror’s lives are entirely magical and based around the arcane. Strangely, they do not contain any life force and do not require it in order to sustain their bodies. They do however require mana in order to sustain themselves. Their mana pool being far larger than that of a descendant, voidal horrors tap into this pool, manipulate it’s energy in order to live. Body Voidal Horror’s bodies are all majorly different, as stated above, however there are some similarities between them all. Their bones are brittle but light, their skin rough and tough, their flesh strangely dry. They do not have organs like the rest of us, nor do they have the need to breath. However, at the centre of all voidal horrors is their “heart of horrors”, a singular orb, their lifesource and power battery. When voidal horrors absorb mana, it is transferred to the orb, acting as a battery for the being. Should the heart be destroyed or pierced, the voidal horror will immediately die. A voidal horror can be killed by normal means, enough damage and they will perish, however this is the quickest way. Power The majority of all voidal horrors have access to a wide range of arcane magical abilities, some of which seem entirely foreign to the descendants. Unlike the descendants, they are quick to adapt and learn new magics, evolving their abilities with uncanny ease. Some are far more powerful than others, thus creating a pseudo pecking order amongst them, outlined above. Generally, horrors take to their abilities very naturally, manipulating the void as if it were an extension of themselves. They generally are drawn towards magical schools that appeal to them, rather than choose them out of practicality, the magics and powers available to them more like a fingerprint than a tool. Death In death, voidal horrors don’t leave behind a mangled corpse like creatures of the earth. Much like an evoked element or a conjured being, voidal horrors will always return to the void. Their deaths are mildly explosive, releasing a burst of energy before dissipating and evaporating, their essence and energy returning to the void.
  2. (By aeryael, at Deviantart.com) The Mud Maiden The Mud Maiden is a woman made of mud, with a peculiar red orb in the middle of it's chest. It's sentient, but can not talk, and does not attack anyone, not even when defending herself. Destroying her is quite hard, but as well no one would have a reason to destroy her, she does no harm to anyone. It is said that the only way to destroy her is to destroy the habitat she lives on, but that only makes her move. Swords would only cut mud, arrows would pierce mud, and the though of heating it up with fire magic and breaking it afterwards, would not stop her from returning after rain would fall. Even the orb in her chest is made of mud, this is, until she presents it to someone. She will do this to someone she falls in love with and her life will end. the orb will become hard like a glass ball. Breaking it, and it turns back to mud, to create a new Mud Maiden somewhere. Her looks change each time a new Mud Maiden is created, but she always looks like a woman made entirerly of mud, with the exception of the red orb in her chest. ___________________________________________________________________ (by Haburba, Devianart.com) Dry Octapus Living along the dried up cave ponds and streams lives the Dry Octapus. These beings, looking almost sentient like, sometimes mistaken by cursed people, are fully animals. Octapus which adapted at living away from water scources, they become longer, their heads gaining sharp teeth, and their tentacles spreading more along their bodies. These beings, like many octapus, hide and await for their preys to come close. When they do, they grab the animal or person with their tentacles, and grip their teeth into the flesh. They don't eat the flesh, they drink the blood, all of it. In the end, the animal or person becomes like a dried up person, without moisture in their skin or body. Dry Octapus hideouts are filled with dried up animals and people, with their skin seeming to be touching the bone directly, without rotting. These beings regrow their tentacles if they are cut, but the head is a weakness. Cut it off, and it gets killed.
  3. Enjoy some fife music while you're at it, folks~ The sound of fifes pervaded the night air, the drums thumpety-thumping in the dark forest. A mighty bonfire had been built that evening, for tonight the Adunians of this particular region were having their harvest celebration. Thanking their triumvirate of gods for the bountiful summer, they danced and sang and made merry... knowing that the harsh northern winter would soon be upon them. The fire blazed ravenously, casting the joyous Adunians and the trees all around in a bright orange light. The major clans of the region were all in attendance. Campbell, Brae, Armas, and innumerable others, their tartans a rainbow of plaid pageantry. Tonight, however, was not a time for clans. Tonight was a night that all inter-clan rivalries were put on hold, and they were all simply one big, happy group. Little did they know that there was something else watching that fire. Now and then a bright pair of shockingly green eyes gleamed from the leaves above, flashing slightly and then disappearing... only to appear again in another canopy. Mildly inebriated and focused on their drunken cavorting (as Adunians so often are), the feast-goers did not see them. Nor did they hear the quiet fluttering that accompanied each such transition. All good things must come to an end (even Adunian parties, regrettably), and the romp ‘round the bonfire drew to an inevitable close. Here and there people settled down to sleep in the soft grass, sheltered by the wide interlacing canopies of the trees above. Many had come from far away, and none were in any condition to travel. Illuminated only by the half-light of the dying embers, the simple folk settled down (some even set up impromptu bedrolls, but most were too lazy). One by one, they drifted off to sleep, until the forest was silent but for the steady breathing of the resting masses. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eddie Dunharrow woke abruptly, feeling a muscley elbow jab him in the side. His bleary eyes opened with difficulty and came to rest on his little brother Mickey. Mickey was at least twice the size of his older brother, but age is age. “Geh, gerrofme... yer such a feckin’-” he mumbled sleepily, expecting some sort of prank. He prepared his lungs for a yell, only to trail off once he saw his brother’s expression, which happened to be one of utter bewilderment. “Oi there, Mick, what’s goin’ on?” he muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Quiet, Ed.” the younger Dunharrow growled deeply, staring at a spot by Eddie’s feet. “We’ve got company.” It was then that the first Adunian noticed a diminutive figure standing a few feet away from his boots. Gazing back at him with brightly glowing eyes was a being unlike any he had ever seen. Too short and well-proportioned to be a Dwarf, a bit too tall to be a Halfling… and those ears… they were unlike any attributed to mortal races. They stuck out like branches on a tree, at least a foot and a half long. “Awake, I see!” the little man chuckled merrily, hands on hips. His voice was oddly soothing, and vaguely similar to tinkling bells, “Took you long enough!” Eddie and Mickey simply stared. Unfazed, the creature continued to smile wolfishly for a moment. “This your hat, lad?” came a question, accompanied by a poke at Eddie’s cap. “Not much one for caps myself. I’ve got my ears to consider, dreadful long things.” “Hat...” Eddie said, feeling stupider by the minute. The creature again appeared unfazed by this, however, smiling and hopping around as before. It’s ears really were rather long, thought Eddie, and the creature seemed to have a pretty high level of control over them. “D’you like my hat, fellers?” the little being asked, and suddenly there was one on its head (though when interviewed the brothers couldn’t rightly say where it had come from.) “I’m mighty partial to a bit o’ green on my person, you see, and the hat’s the thing.” And green it was: a tall, slightly misshapen stovepipe that clashed horribly with his fiery auburn hair and caused his ears to stick out almost horizontally. “W-What are yeh?” Eddie asked, still propped up on his elbows and debating whether or not this was a dream. His hung over mind was only just beginning to function, you see… though not quite fast enough to keep up with the energetic creature. “Who, me?” came the response. The green-hatted fellow gave another short, tinkly laugh and did a cartwheel, hands barely touching the ground. His movements seemed… too graceful, somehow, as if he wasn’t quite real. Every hop and skip seemed to take him higher than humanly (halflingly?) possible, and he always landed without a sound. Now and again he would click the heels of his shiny buckled shoes and somersault. “Depends who’s asking.” he continued, “To the orcs I am ‘lil’ twiggeh’... such odd folk. They always want to eat me, for some reason. To the Adunians, though…” here he paused, eyes twinkling, “I’m one of the Draiochta, the faerie-folk. A leprechaun, if you will.” What happened next requires some explanation. To any person not acquainted with the customs and traditions of Adunia, the word ‘draiochta’ has little to no meaning. Indeed, even the word leprechaun is rarely used, for most of Anthos has no experience with these creatures. Therefore if you will bear with me, dear reader, we shall take a step back from the experiences of the Dunharrow brothers that night. Let us delve into history for a brief moment. For many many years, the Adunian peoples of a certain area have been telling tales of a group of small creatures (of changing names, sizes, and appearances) known for obnoxious trickery and an inhuman deftness of mind. In most of these stories, the draiochta (the ancient word for such beings) outwitted the dull, helped the worthy, and tricked the wicked… all fairly innocuous pursuits. In some, however, a wicked faerie would steal infants from the cradle by night, grease the stairs of old folks’ homes, and commit other acts of a reprehensible nature. Draiochta, the old and wise taught, were unpredictable. Mickey and Eddie did not have an infant or cradle, but they were rather dull, and mildly wicked too. In addition, they were hugely superstitious. What occurred during the aftermath of the Equinox celebration that year was shrouded in mystery, and known in full only to three people. Two were still rather drunk, as you might imagine, and one is a magical being not well suited to taking interviews. The simple truth of it was, Eddie and Mickey screamed like little girls and ran. Tripping over each other in their haste to escape, the two brothers tumbled through the dark forest without a backwards glance. As they feverishly tried to escape, they began to realize that the place they had woken up in was not, in fact, Adunia. The trees were too tall... the pine needles underfoot were foreign. Somehow, they had traveled hundreds of miles without knowing it! Back in their waking-spot, the draiochta was doubled over, laughing. It had been many years, you see, since he had had so much fun with mortals. He wasn’t a bad little chap, really… just a little tricksy, and very bored. As you can imagine, there is only so much an unchanging, immortal faerie can do with their time, and it was rare these days not to be shot at or ‘collected’ by seekers of magic. These lads seemed more frightened than violent, so with a snap of his little fingers the faerie dispersed in a cloud of golden-yellow butterflies and followed. “Bah, Ed, we’re lost.” Mickey groaned, breathing hard. They had just traversed what felt like miles of pine forest, and the night showed no sign of abetting. The younger (albeit larger) brother had not wanted to speak first, but he was getting tired of their crazed flight. “We’re fine.” the second grumbled, joining him on the ridge. “He lost us, I think.” As if on cue, there was a sound akin to a snap of fingers from above. A glance confirmed it: the draiochta was now sitting on one of the lower branches of the tree, regarding his nails. “Lovely night, innit boys?” This time, the leprechaun did not follow the brothers as they ran off, for even a faerie knows where to draw the line. Even so, when the Dunharrows arrived at the gates of Abresi (for that is where the trickster had put them) they were met with laughter. Considering their disheveled, frantic appearance, I don’t think we can blame the gateguard. Naturally their stories went unheeded as well... After all, what sane person would believe in a leprechaun? Eddie and Mickey were adamant at first, but even they had to admit that it was an outlandish story. In time, the Dunharrow brothers stopped telling their tale. One day Eddie turned on his bar-stool and muttered, “T’was a bad dream, nothin’ more, Mick.” and the latter nodded and quaffed his ale. A dream is all it could have been. A very realistic, odd, and detailed dream that they had both shared on the same exact night. The Draiochta Small, human-shaped faeries who spread merriment and joy with (usually) harmless magical pranks. Appearance: Though not very different from halflings at first glance, their massive pointy ears set them apart. They often dress in shades of green, and almost always have fiery auburn hair (though flaxen-haired draiochta have been recorded.) Light skin and melodic voices. Abilities: To a casual observer, the draiochta seem like all-powerful beings, able to create miracles with a snap of their fingers. While seemingly true, this type of faerie has a set of limitations. They can disperse into a cloud of golden butterflies and reform at will in another place. This is not teleportation, the collective flock of butterflies must travel the entire distance. They can cause small bits of mischief to happen at will, usually accompanied by a snap of fingers or a click of heels. This is not a miraculous power, in fact, it barely out-does the Domestic Magic we have today. Things outlined in the above story (pulling a hat out of thin air, tying and untying shoelaces, temporarily modifying appearances) are a fairly decent guideline. They can NOT use these abilities in a fight. It is unknown if this is an ancient rule or a simple dislike for combat in general, but draiochta will go out of their way to avoid fighting. They will use their magic to escape attack, but cannot and will not use it to harm people directly. But why, Great? Why bring these into Anthos? Simple. We’re so centered on combat and wars and political intrigue that we’ve lost sight of our true goal in LoTC. (For those who’ve forgotten, that’s: “have fun”) The Halflings have the right of it, I think…. so: I’ve put a pair of large ears on a halfling, given it tricksy magic, and tacked on an Adunian undertone. Voila, you have a leprechaun, and a lovely new Event Team creature to boot. Is this a new race? No, no, no. Good heavens, no. As a matter of fact, I had no concrete plans for this creature… It could possibly end up similar to the Frost Witches or the Dread Knights (if a bit friendlier), but it can also just be a fun little ET perk. To be honest, I don’t mind it either way… the latter would probably be less of a hassle. The name sounds Gaelic… That’s because it is! The word ‘Draiocht’ can basically mean ‘related to magic’, so upon finishing the lore I thought it was fitting. It’s always up for changing, I do love suggestions. Why did you write a story? That’s not the usual style for lore! Tish, tosh, and piddle. It felt right. That being said... I hope you enjoyed the read! Give feedback, tell me what you think! As I said above, I do love suggestions.
  4. [[I’m making this thread rather than posting it on the creature thread because I intend on performing a series of events regarding the creatures.]] The following are the accounts of the Black Craft Worm found in Vailor, recorded by Uldrivt of Laurelin. Whilst meandering through Aeroch’Nor I came across a small gathering of villagefolk who publicly mourned the disappearance of two youngsters and their mother. They claimed that upon their victory over the Shrek and his Orcs they had began a celebration. In their hype the children had ran off into the moors outside the walls to play wherein their mother followed after learning of their linen-ruining adventure. The villagers wrapped up their story with an ominous quiet the moment I had asked them why they hadn’t been searching for them that very moment. And to my dismay, I had received an even shorter story that was even more disturbing. “We don’t go into the swamp at night, and it’s always night,” said a boy of meager stature. We all silently glanced up to the ash-clotted sky and gave a unanimous frown. As the mildly adventurous, albeit scholarly type I am, I had awaited their dispersal and promptly hiked into those fetid depths out back with my journal and pen in my satchel -- and might I add a fair share of luck, too -- and some defensive tools. I probably shouldn’t have, however had I not then I’d be lacking this entry altogether. After a slow trudge through the sooty hell of dark water and mud, I came to a declining hill that sloped down into a murky valley, pockets of stagnant water splattering the view with their dank odor taking to the air with an accompanying glaze of mist. Although having made a decent way into the swamp, the fields outside Aeroch’Nor were still in sight. And with that sight came a galloping doe and two fawns. I have to admit I was a bit worn of from the march and decided to rest, watching the three make their way towards the swamp through a trail of swept tallgrass. In their swift prancing it took no time for them to dip into the fog and disappear, one by one consumed by the wall of white that permeated the waters and all went quiet. Moments passed before I heard a few splashes of water; ‘shpshp-shpshp’, one deer. ‘Shpshp-shpshp’, two deer. And that was it. There were a few more noises of hooves dislodging from deep mud, and then more splashes. ‘Shpshp-shp…’ It went short. With my eyes locked on the exiting edge of the cloud, nothing came. I rocked up to a stand while jotting down notes, intrigued by the deer’s apparent disappearance. I figured it best to wait and observe, and as fate -- or Eshtael -- may have it, it began to rain. With the downpour so too came down with the fog and the white blots fell. At the time I was quite absorbed with what may show itself from the mysterious, pearly mist but was horrified with the results and later even more absorbed. From the clearing stretch of swampland below, disrupted and ‘cleaned’ by the deluge, showed something I’m still not sure I’d like to see again. In one pond laid a fallen doe, its legs twisted in terrible directions with protruding bones and ripped, bleeding muscles. Just a few paces down the way were the two fawns, each bloodied and contorted in awful ways. Hunched over the two fawns stood a gnarled shape, a frame composed of humanoid bones strewn with waterlogged flesh and muddy vines. Putrefied parts of other critters were mashed into the collection, including deer antlers and a crushed sheep skull. The creature’s posture was the most disturbing of all; its limbs were majorly limp, although thick, pale tentacle arms of flesh wrapped around the body, directing the motion of its extremities. Whatever central mass controlled the beast was obscured within the ribcage, as all of its vile tendrils fed out from it. Nonetheless, for such a visually unsettling and weak-seeming being, its movement was vicious and cruel. The monstrosity dove onto the nearest fawn, the beast’s chest flaring open to reveal a grizzly display of tentacles and teeth. It clashed with the body to submerged it into the waters. Moments after its dive, two new figures popped out from the waters, each dredging themselves out from the mud and murky pits. With dripping bodies they hurled themselves onto the mangled deer, sinking them into the deep. While captivated with the strange creatures’ antics I hadn’t noticed the faint footsteps behind me, only taking to a sudden stand after a very low hiss. I leaped up from my seated position and span, tugging my sword from my side in turn. In place of where I sat laid a thick, sharp thigh bone of a troll. It was attached to a pearly, drenched skeleton made out an assortment of animals and swamp vegetation. I stared at it, sword held high and ready to strike, whilst the sluggish being retracted its limb. A pale tentacle caused the motion, it wound around the skeletal arm with a manner of might. Having not wanting to risk damage to myself, I sharply brought my blade down upon the arm of the slow beast. It wasn’t much of a challenge to cleave off the limb, rending it from its socket as with the tendril which controlled it. A shrill scream erupted deep from within the chest cavity of the monstrosity and it whipped around, shambling down the hill and making a quick path towards the nearest deep pond. It dove in without grace and disappeared into the water. I was stunned at the lack of determination by the creature. Maybe it was part of its behavior? Potentially it was an animal that set traps or ambushed rather than battled. Nonetheless it was gone without great effort, its sundry arm of marrow ditched at my feet. I was in disbelief; not for finding such a rancid-wreathed beast in a swamp, it is expected, but for the nature of its being. This was no feat of Necromancy but some form of parasite that rode a carriage of its kills. Had these creatures never been encountered before? Native to Vailor and unforeseen? I must find more about this Black Craft Worm and hopefully with my life intact. Habitat: Near mucky mires, miserable moors, muddy meadows, and marooned monadnocks. (In other words they live in the watery world of prose -- praise alliteration! I’m so funny please laugh.) Description: A mass of three (larva) or five (adult) thick, fleshy, muscular tentacles that merge together at a single multi purposed orifice which resembles a crab’s mouth and a spider’s underbelly. The transformation from three to five arms is a form of metamorphosis taken place in the pupa stage; the auctor entombs itself inside a fresh corpse, submerges it into water where it sticks itself down with mud, and secretes a pasty gel from its mouth that hardens into a shell which protects it while evolving. The auctor is capable of expelling a series of other substances, including: -a glue-like adhesive which it uses to bind together its carriages -a venom that will progressively paralyze its victim -a pale mist which closely resembles fog, however it lingers longer and feels heavier Its life cycle and behavior proceed as follows: -The auctor hatches from a thin-skinned egg among a potential brood of one to four, each egg laid within its own corpse. -The auctor feeds off of the corpse and continues to eat at least two more, being provided bodies by its mother. -Once fully fed, the auctor ventures out of the water for the first time with its own carriage and finds a fresh body to inhabit. -After locating a corpse to hijack, the auctor brings it into the water and sinks it. It sticks the body down with mud and crawls into its center to pupate. -The auctor sheds its shell and host to reveal its adult form. -It proceeds to devour more corpses and once of appropriate size and age the auctor creates a valley of cadavers underwater and lays eggs in the bodies it has collected. -The known lifespan of adult auctors is around 100 years at the very most. Author: Zarsies LM Approval Required: Yes
  5. Bryophites What is a Bryophite?: A bryophite, in basic terms, is a “plant person”. They are a type of character that has encountered what is called Verridian Moss, a parasitic type of moss that turns them into what they are today. They are replaced by the moss and mode entirely out of plant material, from their skin to the organs the moss decided to recreate, everything is crafted genetically from some sort of material that count be found in a plant around the world of LOTC. Often among them are things such as crawling ivy going down their leafy arms, vines and leaves for hair, flowers on their shoulders and collarbones, etc. Verridian Moss Why does the moss do what it does? All plants have adapted to certain strategies to get through life. For a specific moss, it started with making more endurant spores, and having little specks of gold, as well as being cushy to spread spores by getting an animal to sit on some the appealing moss and spread spores via them walking. Sentient creatures tended to care more about the texture of something they sat on, so by detecting nearby conscious beings to coordinate release of spores became optimal. Eventually the moss tried with spores that grew on people and produced spores, and, though it was not liked by the host, it was perfect. The moss got more aggressive progressively, until sitting would cause great puffs of spores which either caused avoidance or washing, which resulted in failure. Learning from its failure, the moss eventually developed sleeping powder, releasing vast amounts of spores once the victim was asleep. This, however, again resulted in failure, as hosts would die soon after as the spores either branched into vital organs or from nutrition deprivation. It was here that the moss gained such names as 'Nether's Bed'. Undaunted, the moss eventually figured that out, and solved the problem by much trial and error. Doing the unreasonable because it had to, the moss developed a way to not damage the body's system by, well, seeing to the bodily functions itself. After success and success it came to depend on this technique and refined it to perfection. What happens As the victim is asleep, the Verridian Moss releases waves of airborne spores that enter them via their respiratory system. Slowly, the parasite begins to destroy and replace the body from the inside out, a completely painless process. The body is rebuilt by the parasites being controlled by the Verridian Moss, slowly made into a new body, deeply resembling the previous. Scars, injuries, and illnesses are usually not re-made, destroyed and replaced with healthy substitutes. At times this can lead to bryophite “birthmarks” which are patches where the moss was left to it’s own because it needed to replace something with a new portion that was not a duplicate of the original. Things such as memories can be lost in the process, as the moss isn’t fully sentient, it does not understand the life of the victim and simply recreates that portion of the brain with as much of the original intact as possible. In most situations, a newly made bryophite will forget what names go with what faces, the names of towns, sometimes even their own names. The easier something is to forget, the more likely it is to be left behind. Old memories will be more likely to be completely forgotten, for instance, if a 200 year old elf is changed, they are very likely to forget anything above 60-70 years ago. Depending on the race of the victim, the way the body functions may be drastically changed. Humans, for example, are strict omnivores, they can eat just about anything. A human bryophite will find that they now have a distaste for most kinds of meat, and would rather eat things such as sugary meals, sweets, grains and fruit or vegetables. Many bryophites might also find the insatiable thirst, for sugar water. They now breathe, not oxygen, but carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen, just like a normal plant. Many of the victim’s physical traits are changed, as well. ------------------------------------------- Bryophite Harvesting Some people have been cruel enough to capture and harvest from Bryophites. A body of Verridian Moss will re-generate almost 100% of the time [in rare occasions, the plants growing on the bryophite can indeed change or die off after harvesting] to the exact same plant material, this makes them easy to harvest from, as they grow all season, can live almost anywhere, and have been known to render better, fresher, stronger, and slower spoiling items. It is not unheard of to find bryophites enslaved or imprisoned by underground markets, bandit groups or slavers who wish to use them for the items they may or may not have an advantage for. This list below contains things commonly sought for and why they are sought for.[things that are asterisked (*) will apply to all Bryophites, those without one only apply to certain Bryophites who are made up of or produce that material] Bryophites producing normal plant life: At times, it has been known for the bryophite kind, being comprised of plant materials, to sprout average plant life in accordance with the materials that make their bodies. This does not mean the plants that grow on the bryophytes bodies are like limbs, they are simply, plants. If they grow vines for hair, they cannot move their hair like snakes or arms, it’s just normal, everyday vines. Alchemical ingredients: If the Bryophite's body grows an alchemical plant ingredient in an easily accessible place (say, their skin, that will occasionally grow leaves), some alchemists will take advantage of this and use them like a tree for the plant. This is especially the case when the ingredient is either strong or a pain to find. Bryophitian ingredients tend to be more pure and, when doing recipes that require perfect balance or are going close to shattering equivalent exchange, they can be very helpful, giving you an edge. Herbs: Some Bryophites can find themselves sprouting common or even in some cases uncommon or rare herbs. Things like herbs used for cooking, or even healing, have been know to grow on the shoulders and collarbones of a few curious Bryophites. It is unknown what determines the kind of herb that a Bryophite may sprout, or even if it will happen at all, but it is known that the herbs when harvested tend to be higher quality than what one can get from your average garden, giving it high demand. Valuable Plants: Some of the more common but valuable plant materials that have been found to grow on Bryophites consisted of things such as Violets, or Lavender flowers, used in the expensive purple dyes that most nobles tend to keep for themselves. Dyes being the most commonly used of the valuable plants, there have been others such as fiber like materials in their hair that were often used to craft ropes and twines. Unfortunately, it is not unheard of to find female Bryophites whose hair had been cut for this very reason, as the fibers were more plentiful in this fashion, than harvesting actual fiber plants. Incense Plants: There have been a few cases where Bryophites have been found growing certain herbs or plants that give off pleasing aromatic effects. A few different categories were made at one point, to describe these odd mixtures that at times will appear amongst the few. These plants have been known to smell inexplicably better, people saying that although it smells the same, it feels (and even the orcs would struggle for the right word) "more pure" (as most say) or “BETTER-ER-ER-ER” (as most orcs said). The Harvest: This type of incense is when a Bryophite grows the sorts of herbs that give off the aroma of the fall, pumpkin spices and the leaves of maple trees, these Bryophites are often sought after in the fall and winter seasons, though their incense continue to grow throughout the season. The Frost: These Bryophite can be a curious mixture of things at times, from the clean and harsh mint herbs to the cool and sweet smell of winter grass, their incense is sought after in the winter and spring seasons. These incense are used a lot at times by taverns and other places with large gatherings, due to the fact that this particular type is the strongest smelling, and able to put strong odors at bay. The Sweet: The sweet Bryophite, more often seen amongst the females, are a spring time category. They are the ones who grow things like sweet smelling flowers, honeysuckles, herbs that give off a calming sense. They are often sought after in spring and summer, and at times in the winter from those who dislike the season and try to replicate the warmth of spring in their homes. Poison Ingredients: Some Bryophites have been found with deadly plants or ingredients that grow on them. This is extremely useful for poison brewers, as they can make the same poison again and again. As with other plants, these plants will reproduce and care for themselves [as long as the bryophite is healthy] and stay in optimum health, without needing the knowledge of the care for the plant itself to keep it alive. *Bryophite Blood: Some have tried injecting rats with Bryophite sap blood to see if it is contagious. Bryophite blood is full of nutrients, more so than normal blood. When injected (in moderated amounts) it acts almost like a caffeine shot, however, if too much is injected, the animal or person will die from an overdosage of the nutrients and vitamins found in bryophite blood, do to the fact that bryophites are built to harbor the nutrients, while other races are not. Bryophite blood has proved to be "DEE-LISH-SHUSH" (~Anonymous Orc who was halfway through a cup of it, slobbering it down) to Orcs, but other races find it "not pleasant tasting, but then again, not bad" (~Anonymous High Elf, coughing and spitting it out when we told him that he was drinking blood). Fruit Bearing Some Bryophites have been known to bear fruit. This is NOT very big, usually the fruit is only about as big as a grape. No, the fruit does not shrink, any fruit much bigger than a grape just doesn't grow. A Bryophite eating it's own fruit has no benefit whatsoever, as their body put its own energy into the fruit in the first place. The net gain is zero. -On that topic, you cannot ‘plant’ a seed on a bryophite, or germinate a bryophite with a plant's pollen. Bryophites plants that grow on them grow because of how the bryophite developed during the transformation process. If you for instance make a bryophite eat grape seeds, it would be the same if a human had eaten them. At times it has been known for bryophites to “bloom late”, where when they hadn’t anything growing on them before, it would turn up after a year or so, but once something begins to grow on a bryophite, it will always grow and reproduce in moderation. Just as so, you cannot stop the product from being grown, it’s part of the Bryophite’s genetic makeup, remove it and cut it as you will, you will only make the Bryophite sick from lack of nutrition, as it is being put into the fruit and removed, and possibly kill it if you try much harder such as attempting to "dig it out from the root". Clarification on Magic In the original lore I stated,"During the Replacement, the Verridian Moss can’t replicate some parts of the brain as well as other sections of the body. While not stupid or even simple minded, Bryophites are not genius. This results in most Bryophite having a hard time becoming a scholar, enchanter or alchemist unless it was already learned before hand.” As clarification, Bryophites can learn most Deity magic, it's just difficult for them to learn things which take large amounts of understanding, or large amounts of new knowledge. Now, bryophites do have the capacity to learn dark magics like necromancy, however it's not very smart to do. Being a creature made the way they are, the practice of dark magics like that would simply cause them to be sickened, and die. Evocation magics, which already in the long run have negative effects on normal beings, are more harmful towards Bryophites, as their magical defenses are lower than other creatures. On a non magical level, for instance, a bryophite who was a skilled carpenter as a human, would most likely not be able to learn another profession like traditional medicine that has nothing to do with carpentry. Their new brain just can't handle that kind of high function. Bryophites as Druids As their bodies are plants, they have a slightly easier time connecting with nature than other simpler races. They have an easier time learning druidism, but can't become any stronger than other druids simply due to being a bryophite, because of their nature from the previous race they had belonged to. Bryophite Roleplay: There are one or two things that weren’t clarified in the original post for bryophite lore. Just a few pointers here to be sure when the character is made, the players know how to keep up with the other bryophites and not get things mixed up: The word Bryophite does not exist in character, all bryophites are left without a name for their race, they have no idea what they are, or what may become of them. The race is rare, and the name ‘Bryophite’ is strictly an OOC name for the race itself. Bryophites are usually, commonly known as “plant people”, many other creative names have been discovered as well, use them as you will. Bryophites cannot control the plants that grow on them like arms, anything that grows on them will act naturally, and must be a plant currently existing in the world of LOTC in character. Bryophites look exactly the way they did before they were transformed, imagine looking into a green tinted mirror, now you are a Bryophite. The only differences is material, you can have long brown hair and then have it transformed into long dark green vines, but it still has the same shape. You won’t have extra limbs, you won’t be disfigured, you won’t be missing parts. Bryophites generally do not possess any “new” or extra supernatural abilities, there are a few things certain types of bryophites can do in accordance with the plants growing on them, with the exception of the instinctual mega-painkiller that every bryophite can perform. You can’t control the plants around you, unless you are a druid. ============================ Behavioural changes: Let’s say, a sweet little girl gets changed into a bryophite. She will still be a sweet little girl, however, whether she liked staying inside all the time or not, she will feel more at home outside, in nature. If a human who lives in a large city with more stone than grass is changed into a bryophite, it’s very likely they will simply no longer feel at home in this place, and would prefer to move somewhere near a large forest. When changed, alignment is always kept. Fear of fire is a constant amongst all bryophites, it’s a natural instinct, just as cats don’t like water, they do not like fire. One thing that is common amongst them is the sudden loss of understanding how or why many things happen in social environments. As the Verridian Moss does not have the capability to understand everything about their host’s ways of living, mistakes are made. It is not uncommon to see that at times they have difficulty picking up on emotional cues, sensing dangerous situations like how the man in the cloak in the corner could be a murderer. Common sense amongst the bryophites has to be re-learned, as the parasite is still inside them, controlling them. Should a magi of the mind inspect the subconscious of one them, they would find that there is an extension, another section off the side of the mind there, like a small headquarters, learning and controlling by instinct and hormonal control as the body and mind work on their own. Many of them as well, are found to be clumsy. Whether they were skilled in balance or not before, it is apparent now that it has been affected, and most likely decreased and needs to be re-trained. ============================================ Advantages and Disadvantages Bryophites are completely infertile, and incapable of carrying living children, or becoming pregnant. Bryophites reproduce through a process unknown to them, in which once whilst in the flowering season, a bryophite will be suddenly and strongly urged to take a walk in the forest. While there, the parasites -still- in them will once again put the body to sleep, preferably on the base of a tree or rock, and then spores will be released through the body’s skin and hair onto the surface, creating new Verridian Moss. Bryophites have the ability to produce a “mega-painkiller”. Should they be gravely injured, the body automatically begins production of a natural pain killer that will numb the injured area. This however is not to be used as an excuse to “feel no pain”, the conscious mind has no control over this, it is an instinct. As well, the pain-killer acts much like morphine, or demerol. The person will be extremely disoriented, hallucinations are common, as well as slur of speech. Bryophites, though incapable of photosynthesis, do in fact need sunlight. The body takes energy from sunlight, nulling the need for sleep. Should a bryophite be without sunlight, then it would be basically the same as being without sleep. They become tired, and cannot last longer than three consecutive days without sunlight. They can survive on a minimum of 4 hours of strong sunlight a day. Bryos need twice as much water as their previous race, needing to water the copious plant materials their bodies are made of, and at times the smaller plants growing on them. Bryos are more prone to being affected by temperature change, preferring the climate of the plants they most resemble, and tending to get sick in climates that do not correspond with their own body’s needs. ----------------------- A quick recap: Bryophites don’t know the word Bryophite [Think of it like a child that has lived it’s life only around other children and has never seen an adult before in it’s entire existence. It does not know what they are or why, would it automatically know they are an “Adult” ? Or would they say “Big person”?... ] Memories are likely to be lost Cannot become pregnant or make others pregnant They do not sleep, but meditate in sunlight “Mega-painkiller” - instinctual, and disorienting like a high power drug Harvestable, within reason Body parts are not replaced with full plants, but made from plant material [AKA: from eyeballs and legs to fingernails, it stays as a leg, eyeball, or fingernail, etc.] No natural affinity for druidism, simply easier for them to learn, but no easier for them to perform. Distaste towards meat, thirst for sugar water, big sweet tooth Bryophites need twice as much water as their previous race More vulnerable to temperature change [Flammable and freezable!] Difficulty with emotional cues, common sense, balance, all need to be re-trained. [-Every- new bryophite is a clutz.] Breathe carbon dioxide, exhale oxygen. Things to Note: Because of the link between the moss’s semi-conscience and the person’s conscience, in times of great emotion or feeling the body might respond, this response is sometimes logical to the situation, and sometimes just weird. [Examples:(all Bryophite body reactions are different between people, each person's body might respond differently, but this one thing is always consistent, reacting the same way to the same emotion. These are examples) see strength number three; if a Bryophite is very happy or pleased, the moss might start to grow along the skirts of their clothes; if a Bryophite is sad, the moss might begin to release water droplets into their hair, making it look like their hair is crying] ALL races can become a Bryophite. If interrupted it the middle of Replacing after the moss has formed a cocoon (say by someone cutting the moss open) the person will be in a coma, and the moss will be attached to them and will keep growing until the process is complete, you cannot be saved from being a Bryophite once the cocoon is formed. If shown a silhouette of before and after being Replaced, a person could not tell a difference. Bryophite bodies are exact copies with plant material. The moss is sensitive to changes in color though, so a Kharajyr Bryophite will have the same markings, but the coloration would be off, and its fur would be of a given plant material. Everything is changed, down to bodily fluids too. Bryophite blood is full of literal plant blood cells, that replicate regular human cells. When oxygenated, their blood is yellowish-green, when deoxygenated, it is a dark green. Saliva is like the liquid found in a pitcher plant. During the process of Replacing, the moss ignores physical objects like clothes or weapons. Bryophite can NOT control their body to grow or change at will.(e.g. a Bryophite can not grow his arm to reach or shoot roots from his hand) Verridian Moss is one of the only plants not able to be controlled by any form of magic. (e.g. a sorcerer can NOT manipulate a Bryophite’s body or control it) Bryophites also usually have natural liking to plants. It is rare to find a lumberjack Bryophite, yet not unheard of. (See weakness 6) During the Replacement, the Verridian Moss can’t replicate some parts of the brain as well as other sections of the body. While not stupid or even simple minded, Bryophites are not genius. This results in most Bryophite having a hard time becoming a scholar, enchanter or alchemist unless it was already learned before hand. (See weakness 6) Personality: This is extremely varying, as they are virtually the same personality type as they were before being Replaced. However, their motto/goal/guideline given to them be the moss is definitely a definer of their personality. They find it extremely hard, if not impossible, to give up that view or goal in a situation, and its presence is inextinguishable. This trait also doesn’t necessarily govern everything they do, in situations where it can’t be applied, the Bryophite does not try to force it to be applied and govern his or her actions actions. Strengths: Because their bodies are made out of plants, they can regenerate 1.5 times faster than normal humans and can regrow whole body parts that are as strong as the ones that they lost. That is, providing that they don’t bleed out initially. Plant bodies don’t die from age, however, if the life force of the person runs out, they will die. This means that Bryophites usually will live only to about 100-110 years longer than their previous race’s life expectancy rate. In events of damage to the body, the Verridian Moss will sometimes emit small doses of the same sleeping powder that it used during the Replace stage. This results in two things: relief from pain and a soothing aura around them(which might help if someone was angry)(see things to note one) They don’t get sunburn. Weaknesses: Fire, as they are made of plants. Generally outcasted or make people feel uncomfortable because they are different. Because they are made out of plants, they are generally weaker than their former race. Will freeze to death faster than humans because their bodies are more susceptible to cold. Unless they were previously one before the Replacement, Bryophites aren’t scholars, enchanters, alchemists, or lumberjacks.(see things to note 11 and 12) What Does One Look Like? Description A Bryophite looks like it formerly did in shape, but everything is made plant material. This term is vague, because a huge variety of plants have been found in use, some Bryophite have been found with eyelashes of venus fly traps, others with roots for hair. Only thing that has never been seen is tree bark.(ie, don’t use tree bark) Some people have been known to go insane. The fact that their body has changed to a plant is too much for them to handle mentally. This Elf Bryophite has run off into the woods and lived alone. It is important to note that this insanity has no direct connection to body changing, the concept of being different for the rest of their life is what drives them mad. Want to be a Bryophite? There are a few steps/requirements: You must have an existing character You must read Lore You must roleplay the Replacement and take a screenshot of the roleplay, and post it in a comment to this thread before beginning to play the character. Descriptions of the new bryophite body must be included in the comment, to be sure that there are no misconceptions in what is allowed and not allowed. You must make and change your skin according to the Lore (after roleplaying) You must add that your character is a Bryophite in their bio (/persona bio) Once this is done, you have 1 IRL week to decide if the transformation is truly what you want. After that point, the change is permanent and you cannot go back. Thats it! You dont have to perma-kill the character, as they retain almost all of their memories (and therefore skills) and, since their bodies are copies, they retain the same buffs (race stays same).
  6. A plethora of people have sought an answer to death, a hope to avoid its unfortunate grasp. In search for such answers, many look to the Void, hoping it holds some great secret to unlocking true life, or immortality. Seeking a resolve to the frightening concepts that death brings. Alas, as both Janos and I search, we seem to come to the same unfortunate conclusion... As Mali’aheral death is of little consequence, however the topic is exceedingly interesting, and so we couldn't help but prod the topic. So we’ve come to a single conclusion; if one seeks immortality via the Void, they best look elsewhere, for one is better left dead, then no longer themselves. Voidal Wraiths, a subject Janos had been researching in the Fringe. He had asked for my assistance then, and thus we’ve been attempting to discover more about them. This details our findings, and what we know them to be. Often times they are adorned in plate and tattered cloth, these Wraiths seem to have little to no regard for those around them, almost machine-like in nature. They can speak, and surely comprehend us, their vocabulary masterful. However they show no compassion or sympathy for us either. Allow me to be clear, they’re not evil, nor hold malcontent for us… for anyone infact. Docile, and seeming to be pacifists, unless specifically provoked; I don’t believe these Voidal Wraiths can actually do anyone direct harm. Regardless of these Wraiths pacifism and neutral standings, they’re surely powerful beyond anyone's comprehension. Seemingly made from pure energy, Voidal Wraiths were once living beings, with flesh and bone. After speaking with it, it had noted its past, although vague. It explained there were others like him, others who were decimated, and churned into these floating distributions of energy. After inquiring what caused this, the Wraith presumed it was a massive surge of energy which has caused it. With further investigation, I may have learned how these Wraiths are created. Voidal Wraiths are emotionless, seeming more calculated and neutral, this is because their soul was changed and stripped of the personality it provides. Typically, souls cannot enter the Void, without being torn asunder and made into information, and energy. However, it seems there is a slim chance that when a massive magical reaction is made (maybe an explosion of magic, of some-sort), a soul can be transmuted. This transmutation will change the soul, making it applicable to the real world, but also the Void. The person in question then reforms into a magical, energy-like husk, which then lives its “life” as a Void Wraith. And thus is our conclusion; is immortality possible? Yes, but at what cost? Your humanity lost, ambitions gone. Doomed to forever wander our plane with no goal or purpose, truly hollowed. So this journal entry ends as it began, if one seeks immortality via the Void, they best look elsewhere, for one is better left dead, then no longer themselves. - Kalameet Izalith, journal entry: Voidal Wraiths ((So, another lore post! Void Wraith were an ET thing made a long time ago by Merrymoogle, I offered to write legit lore for them, and thus this was born! We have Itheral, we have Gravelords, but the Void doesn’t have a Wraith-like creature! This fixes that, answers the question of immortality, and does both of these things by offering a more so interesting roleplay idea, than a way of gaining power! Although, I’d like if Void Wraiths were played mainly by ET, to offer emphases on the event side of these Wraiths. To clarify; Void Wraiths have no ambitions or goals, aside from gathering knowledge. They’re passive, and generally non-violent. If they’re provoked, they might become violent, or simply phase away to avoid conflict. They can be killed, and Fi magic-ed. However, they’ll essentially explode/vanish, then reappear somewhere else hours later. Or killed, depending on what said person wants. Void Wraiths are literally my excuse to debunk immortality via the Void, and give such an idea a huge cost. Void Wraiths are very powerful when it comes to magic, but have little to no physical presents, as they’re just energy, cloth, and armor. This power is basically useless, as they aren’t violent, nor hold such intent. All they care about is learning, fiddling with enchantments, and other non-violent things. The means of becoming a Void Wraith essentially kills all aspiration of your character, so it makes it a hefty choice. This is how I imagined them to sound like… Starcraft may, or may not have served as inspiration as I wrote this! Regardless, I'm interested to hear what you all have to say about the idea. If you’ve questions, feel free to ask!)) I'd also like to ask, if this Lore is accepted: If a regular player would like to become a Void Wraith, they must first request and gain permission before doing so. Weather it's the LM's choice, or mine/moogles is up to the LM's if they so decide to accept this lore.
  7. Vourukh Translated to common from an Orcish log book. Anatomy The Vourukh (Voo-rook) would be classified as birds of prey, to those who would call them birds. ((In OOC contemporary terms, they would be described as theropod-esque as well as raptorial)). A normal venturer of Athera would mistake it for a dragon, however. Their thick, leathery skin, which very much resemble scales, are partially the cause of this misidentification. The hide is on average two centimeters thick, a quarter thicker around the underside and the talons, and a half thinner at the spot atop the head, where the skull joins to the spine. This thick skin protects the Vourukh from many perils, including the attacks of other animals. The beak is short and hooked, like many other raptors and the neck of the Vourukh is short and immensely powerful. This is beneficial as it allows the Vourukh to apply tremendous force, used for cracking and shattering bones. The beak of the Vourukh differs from other predatory birds though in that it is serrated. Towards the front end of the hooked beak, sharp and small serrations are spaced between larger, pointed ones, which are pointed back, so as to savagely tear the flesh of prey attempting to escape. These front serrations are used primarily for predation, and are frightfully effective. The serrations towards the base of the beak, however, are smaller and less pointed. Similar to mammalian molars, these back serrations are used for grinding and crushing. In the Vourukh’s case, it is the grinding and crushing of bones. On the beak are four nares, two larger ones closer to the eyes, and two smaller ones further down the beak. It is believed that the larger ones are solely for breathing while the smaller ones are solely for smelling. The eyes of the Vourukh are red, like their feathers, and the irises range from a deep amber to a golden yellow. The bones of the Vourukh are solid, very strong, and reinforced, comparable to that of sturdy mammals. This is not beneficial to the flight of the Vourukh, as it limits them from large migratory patterns. Otherwise, it allows the Vourukh to absorb heavier blows. As well, stronger and more lean muscles (compared to other birds) can develop without risk to the integrity of the bones. The Vourukh’s feet are anisodactyl, adapted to grip prey, but are also similar to basal theropods in structure in that the base of the feet are lifted from the ground, allowing for limited walking and running. The talons are unique in the fast rate that they grow. If left alone, the talons would grow too large and become cumbersome to the Vourukh. Because of this, the Vourukh whittle their talons down on rocks, which sharpens the talons as well. When outstretched, the wingspan of the Vourukh averages around five meters. The wings are very large and muscular, to keep the heavy body of the beasts afloat. To power these wings, the Vourukh have pectoral muscles comparable to that of an Uruk or an Olog. The wings themselves are separated into two parts that can fold in and downwards slightly. This allows the Vourukh to catch currents in the air with more ease and more efficiently ride them. As well, there are two long and curled talons near the first joint of the wings. These talons can bend in, and allow very limited grasping, and aid in walking on land. The Vourukh have nearly all of their body covered by feathers, except for their feet and their wing-talons. The plumage of the top of their wings tends to be dark colored, with white to gray intermediating in streaks, whileas the plumage of their bodies are white. It is exceptionally rare to find a white Vourukh though, as they stain themselves red in the blood of their prey. From below, the wings are near to invisible, while the body stands out. The tail feathers of the Vourukh are long, outspread, and rounded. Differences between make and female are few. The furcula of the female protrudes further and is thicker than the male's, and the female's tail feathers are narrower and more pointed. Behavior Vourukh, surprisingly, are social creatures. They arrange themselves into strict hierarchical groups--similar to a wolf pack--called flocks. The flocks are generally associated with locations, and are very territorial collectively and individually. A flock associated to a location is called the Vouruk’hai of that location. Within each flock, there are ranks, with the top being the Taasav (meaning warrior-father). The Taasav is usually an older Vourukh, and grows to become fairly larger than the rest in the flock. The Taasav is distinguishable by it’s darker-red to maroon feathers, and a thick black comb that grows upon its head. When the Taasav becomes old and frail, or even when it is strong and powerful, the most prominent Vourukh of the rank below, the Tumarz, can challenge it to a battle, which always results in the death of one of the Vourukh. Below the Taasav are the Tumarz, which grow larger than the normal Vourukh, and begin to sprout a black comb smaller than the Taasav’s. The Tumarz’ numbers are dependent on the size of the flock and the area the flock encompasses. Below the Tumarz, rank in the flock is based on the age of the Vourukh, with the fledglings being the lowest. The Vourukh, being predatory animals and scavengers, require large amounts of land. Because of this, they often separate into different camps. The leader of each camp is the Tumarz. These camps often have Vourukh of the same bloodline, and are similar to clans among the descendant races. Variations between different camps of Vourukh are minor, consisting of small variations in wing feather patterns. Despite having camps, the Vourukh have a main nest, which is where the Taasav resides. Vourukh often visit the nest individually to bring bones as tribute, and as a camp when they are called on. Every three years, before the hottest of the hot season occurs, the camps all return to the nest to breed. The eggs are laid and hatched by the peak of the hot season, and by the time the cold season begins to set in, the fledglings are able to fly the distance to their camps. If they fail to make the journey, they are left to die. This is generally detrimental to the population as a whole, since each mate produces no more than two eggs per three-year cycle, but it ensures the population is strong. Conflict does occur between Vourukh, often caused by food or space within a camp. These conflicts normally do not result in death or serious maiming, and when they do, the Tumarz will often punish the offender. Vourukh form mating pairs for life, and mates are often seen together constantly. Therefore, when conflict caused by transgression of a mate-bond occurs, it almost always results in the death of the offender with no intervention by the Tumarz. Conflict also occurs between camps, though rarely. When it does it is because of issues regarding land. If the issue is not resolved by a non-fatal fight between the Tumarz, or it is not mediated by the Taasav of the flock, it may escalate into a war. A camp war has only been recorded once before, and it escalated large enough to envelope the surrounding camps and the nest in a civil war. It ended with the deaths of a substantial portion of the flock, the abandonment of two camps, and the ascension of a new Taasav. Conflict between different flocks is common as well. If the flocks are located near each other, war will more than likely occur. If not near to each other, a camp from one flock may still be called upon by the Taasav to fly onto the other flocks camps, in a sort of raid. Abandoned nests and camps, and substantial differences in wing markings within a flock suggests that as a consequence of flock war, the defeated flock assimilates with the victor. The nest of the defeated flock is dismantled and is used to build upon the victor’s nest. Conflict with other races is yet to be recorded. Most flocks have not been in direct contact with a descendant race. From the understanding of Vourukh territorial behavior, it is assumed that conflict would occur if they felt threatened. On occasion, solitary and nomadic Vourukh are seen flying outside of flock territory. Physiologically they are smaller and none grow a comb. These Vourukh generally have no distinguishable wing markings. They fly in mate-pairs, and occasionally with the young. It is believed that they breed on a two-year cycle, and that the young are given more substantial care. It is common to find a nomadic Vourukh in conflict with a flock, and almost always the flock Vourukh will kill the nomadic one. Occasionally, a nomadic Vourukh may join a flock by proving itself in battle. These foundling Vourukh are easy to spot as they have no wing markings while their adopted flock-kin do. During the hunt, the Vourukh may assault creatures as large and larger than it with little fear of self-harm. On larger prey, they descend quickly upon it and beat it with their massive wings to disorient the creature, then they plunge their talons into it to bleed it before they return to the sky and follow the quarry. When the prey is sufficiently weakened, the Vourukh dives down once more and finishes the creature by biting out its eyes, its jugular, or breaking its neck with its powerful beak. If the corpse is too large to fly back to the camp, then the Vourukh will peel away the flesh and return to the camp with only the ribs, leaving the rest of the body to be brought back over the next few days. If hunting prey slightly smaller than it, the Vourukh will swoop in and grab the creature from the legs, while beating it with its wings to disorient it. It will then lift it in the air to a substantial height then drop it to its death, before flying the corpse back to the nest to salvage. Small prey, such as rats or Kha kittens, are usually left alone unless the Vourukh eats it as a snack while en route to a destination. Combat between two Vourukh is a sight to be seen. If non-fatal, the Vourukh lock on to each other mid-air and beat the other with their wings to fatigue them as they spiral towards the ground. This continues until one can no longer fight, or until one plummets into the ground. Fatal combat between two is much more glorious. They lock onto the other with their wing-talons, and bite and claw with their beak and feet. They often aim for the neck to bleed the opponent, or for the wing to cripple them and drop them to the ground. These skirmishes occur for hours often between flocks, with the Vourukh disengaging and re-engaging in waves. Rarely does one side retreat, unless their Tumarz is killed. The dead are left to decompose, and are only reclaimed when they become skeletons. The diet of the Vourukh is almost entirely bone marrow. The bones are ground up with the flat serrations of the beak or sometimes consumed as shards. The meat is rarely eaten by adult Vourukh, and instead it is reserved for the fledglings that cannot crush the bones yet. The mother Vourukh may crush up the bones and swallow to regurgitate the bone and the vile for the fledglings to consume. This vile possesses the qualities of fire, or a strong acid, in that it burns and melts, and can disfigure. The fledglings and the Vourukh are immune to the vile though. The same vile may be produced and sprayed by a Vourukh upon an assailant, causing grievous bodily harm. The call of the Vourukh is a rare one, as they seem to be silent creatures while prowling the sky. While communicating among themselves, the Vourukh produce many different sounding guttural chirps. Before and during a battle, the Vourukh let loose shrill and terrifying screeches to disorient the enemy. These same screeches may be used to do the same to prey. Many of the Vourukh are capable of voicing a screech so offensive that an Orc would be brought to its knees in pain. While skirting the edge of their territory, one may hear the differing caws of the Vourukh. The reason for these caws are not entirely known. The recorded flocks occur solely in the margins of the natural world, where adversity reigns. Deserts, mountainous areas, the canyon, and open plains tend to be where flocks occur. Forested areas are home only to pairs of nomadic Vourukh. Nests tend to occur at high elevations for both flocks and nomads, and are littered with bone shards and decorated with bones and the feathers of previous Vourukh. A nest can be identified from a distance by the putrid smell of decay. TL;DR/OOC Giant vulture/therapod-like predatory birds. Like bearded vulture. Strict, advanced hierarchical flock systems as well as solitary nomad-pairs. Sharp talons, beak, and wing-talons. Strong wings. Spit very erosive acid. Paint themselves red with blood. Very territorial and combative. Carry corpses as big as themselves, can kill bigger. Rarely found alone. Mate for life. Tough for hatchlings to survive. Breed every 3 years for flock, 2 years for nomad Flock=bigger nomad=smaller Flocks occasionally war, camps within flocks may have civil war. Advanced inter-species communication with chirps. Loud and shrill screech can disorient and cause pain to whatever hears. Live in camps, mate at nest. Many camps per flock, one nest. Names are in Orcish because they were discovered and documented by an orc, other races can have different names :) Cannot be ridden. Enjoy the hunt and combat. Cannot be made subservient, only befriended, by proving oneself worthy of friendship Can be communicated with by Druids. These are NOT a playable race or creature. The only exception to this is ET played for roleplay and events.
  8. The Blood Omen, a very sinister creature, a creature that is said to bring death and destruction. A winged beast that foretells disaster. An Omen of Blood & Death... One of the more popular strings of the legend, was the sighting in Kingston. One of the citizens reported seeing an "odd creature" perched on the top of the walls near the gatehouse late at night. The creature just sat there, motionless, seeming to just be staring straight into the quiet, sleeping city. The red, glowing eyes just... staying there... staring. The witness, a gardener, tried telling the guard about what she saw the very next morning, but he just retorted with "You just saw an owl, go get some rest...". A few days later, Kingston was raided by the Orcs, and turned into what was Gronkston, A Blood Omen is a large, winged creature that is rarely ever seen. In the dark, the only thing that can be seen is its sinister, red eyes that seem to illuminate the dark slightly. But because of this trait, people just shrug it off as an owl. There is no "official" name for this creature, but it has been nicknamed the "Blood Omen" because of what course of events seem to follow its strange sightings... The disasters. A large, "owl-like" winged creature. It has feathers all around its body, just like any bird. The Blood Omen has legs like a human, but talons like an owl. In almost every single sighting, it is seen perched on top of something, much like a gargoyle would. Probably its most distinct feature though, is the red eyes. This creature lives in usually heavily forested, and/or slightly hilly terrain. The hilly terrain is perfect for being able to fly around, and spot out any potential prey. Although the population of this creature is unknown, and for all anybody knows there is only one. Very little is known about its eating patterns, or how long it can go without food. But it tends to tear up its prey, and leave a lot behind. The Blood Omen feasts on many species, from things as little as rabbits, to something as big as a strong, fully grown buck. The legend that follows the Blood Omen is what gives it its name. The Blood Omen, which basically means a fore-teller of disaster and destruction. The only time it is ever spotted, is before some sort of large-scale disaster. Days before a genocide, a large arson, an assassination, or a war outbreak, it'll just be sitting there, watching the area. If somebody gets too close, it'll just turn and fly of at an amazing speed, never to be seen until the next disaster. Very little, to nothing is known for why this creature even exists. Even less is known for how it knows what is going to happen in the future. I was thinking this creature would be a good use for RP. Maybe for those Broadcast messages (E.X. "A large, winged creature can be seen circling around Petrus in the air.") or for maybe even more sinister, horror-ish Roleplay. So ultimately for ET use. If you have any questions, comments, or etc. please ask them in the comments. We can also use this area for a Q/A if needed.
  9. LM Edit: Permission from a Lore Master required before playing one. (Please note, these are playable characters) What Are They?: Blobs: Blobs are generally very docile creatures, they are found in hot, dry environments where they are able to thrive. They take up the color of their environment, including the temperature causing them to be shades of orange, red, and yellow. They are liquid in appearance and are not a single organism, but a large system of organisms who work together to achieve the appearance of one. There is no single brain, each individual organism works together as one. Oozes: Oozes are generally very territorial, they prefer to live in harsh environments such as tundra and polar regions. They thrive in the cold unlike their related species the Blob, but are weak in hot areas where they can not survive. They too change color based on the environment from an icy blue, a violet, and a light brown, this also depends on the environment that they live in. They too are a group of organisms living together. Appearance: Blobs: Blobs can take many forms, more often than not they are found in a blob like form, they have the appearance of a large blob of liquid however they are able to expand their body creating tendrils and intaking air to appear larger. Because of their environment their color usually ranges from red to yellow of any shade. They are covered in an outer dry layer of skin which protects them from the intense heat, it is rough to the touch and is very thick and tough to break. Most massive ones can reach 2 meters across, however due to the generally hot environments they live in they come in sizes of about half of that, the average size being 70 centimeters. Ooze: Oozes are also in the form of a semi-liquid. They are generally found high in the mountains and can also be found frozen under ice. They are sometimes mistaken for ice or snow drifts because of their color and their shape. They range from blue to indigo and are much larger than their cousins their average size being 2 meters. They can be up to 5 meters wide at largest, however face many complications at this size (speed, food, etc.) Special Powers: Blobs and Oozes both have the power to regenerate themselves after being cut apart. This is due to them not being a whole body, but instead they are billions of cells working together in unison. They can take on the general shape of any creature or person, however lack the support to keep themselves upright, it is documented that some crafty ones have made mock bone structures out of sticks to do so, they are tricky creatures and despite that they are made of slime they have fooled many people into thinking they are human, they have fooled Billy Bob 5 times already. Blobs: Blobs and Oozes are relatively the same, however the most notable and only power they possess that is different is their ability to withstand heat, while being weak to the cold, freezing air of Oozes. They possess a protective outer layer that Oozes lack, allowing them to survive in harsh, desert environments. Oozes: Oozes live in the cold, harsh environments. Their body naturally creates acid to aid them in the digestion of their food, they prey off of small animals and plants that grow in their environment. The acid is strong enough to digest metal and flesh, and caution is advised when travelling in the cold alone. They lack a protective outer layer, leaving their soft, fleshy interior exposed. Behavior: Oozes prefer to spend their days in solitude they often keep to themselves, however it is not common for them to let someone disturb them and live to tell the tale. They make homes in the permafrost and caves in the mountains of their land, and it is not uncommon to hear of them coming into cities when winter arrives. They are very territorial creatures however lack the intelligence to recognize faces and voices, therefore making it impossible to have as a companion. They are herbivores, however they are able to survive off of meat if there are no vegetation available. They prefer the taste of Halfling flesh, and often times their burrows of sorts are filled with bones of various creatures. Once they start attacking, they will usually do so until the death and it is said that even large hunting parties have disappeared, only to be recovered as pained faces and bones buried beneath the ice, their flesh ripped from their bodies painfully Blobs are not very territorial, and while Oozes lack the intelligence to recognize faces, Blobs have been know to make friends with weary travellers and caravan merchants. They are devious creatures and often times have been known to lead people to their death through the desert. They are very resilient creatures, needing little food and water to survive. What little food they need, they are able to synthesize for themselves, allowing them to survive in harsh, hot climates for years without the contact of anything. How to Defeat One: Blobs: Blobs, although mostly water are able to survive, and thrive in very hot climates. They are resilient to heat and if one wanted to kill them, they would want to expose them to below freezing temperatures. Ooze: Oozes are susceptible to heat and fire, they often live in the snowy tundra and high in the mountains where it is not uncommon that due to their large size they are sometimes mistaken as snow drifts and while unlikely, frozen beneath the ice. To kill one, they would need to be set on fire, or lured into a hotter area.
  10. "He was a Jack-in-the-box. Sunset up, sunrise down. And repeat, forever and forever. He was a thing in a box in a cold deep cellar. He was a container for red wines. There was no label on him, but there were little drops of red liquor upon his sleeping lips. He was the contents of a mahogany box, in a cellar of webs and upside-down things hooked to the ceilings. He lived in a land of dripping midnight waters and soft grey web. He was a white hand, a rouged mouth, a glass eye, a set of white teeth and a cold heart. He was a pedestrian who walked the nights. He was a sleeper with original ideas as to hours. He was a leaf, a pelt, a flame, a wing." -D Everett Evans par·a·site /ˈparəˌsīt/ Noun An organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense. Those that dine in red. Leeches. Parasites. Those are only but some of the names these ancient creatures have gone by. Legends, myths, and stories past down from generations have told the tale of these beings, exaggerating them to lengths only man could do. "Officially" regarded as "The Imp Parasite", it is a creature as old as the land itself. Known by this name to to it's parasitical qualities and relative small size. The Imp Parasite acts much like any other parasite, or even leech, seeking out a host at creation. Once found, it will attach itself to this host and feed in intervals between three days to two weeks, depending on the amount fed. Usually it will seek out a spot close to a major artery or vein and send probes directly into the bloodstream, along with several other "roots" into much more sensitive areas. When fully attached it will resemble a tattoo upon your body, having probes in the blood stream, and in several areas of the brain, including the Thalamus Gland. Burrowing into the skin, the resemble markings upon the body. Depending on the parasite itself, it will appear differently. Often times wrapping around the body part of the host, some people have noted that they resemble Dragons on the skin, which lead to the term "Skin Dragon". When fully fed, it will have a reddish hue, though are naturally black in color. To the average eye they would resemble nothing more than black ink upon the skin, though with a closer inspection and a trained eye, it is evident that it is a entity on its own. Slightly bulging from the skin. Because of this fact, the more shy hosts of this parasite often wear long sleeve shirts, or a brace to cover the leach. The Imp Parasite is unique in regards to all parasites in several areas. One major difference between it and many other parasites is that it fully attaches itself to all parts of it's host. Burrowing into the skin makes it nigh impossible to remove in it of itself, though after it has rooted into the bloodstream you cannot forcefully remove it without killing the host. Sending other probes out, it attaches itself to every part of the body, from brain to many organs. Sending specific probes to the parts of the brain that cause emotion, thought, and the five senses, it connects to the host. What the host sees, it sees. What the host feels, it feels. Thus because of this, if the host dies the parasite will likely die as well. The bloodstream roots are hollow. These are used to feed off of the hosts blood should it not receive enough blood from the host feeding it. Other roots attach through pores in the skin which become reactive to blood. Due to the above, the parasite acts much like a magnet when the skin comes in contact with blood. It will move underneath the skin and absorb the blood through pores in the skin. Attaching to the Thalamus Gland among other glands provides it a interesting capability. Able to draw hormones and bodily growth to a near halt it can extend the life span of the host by absurd amounts. Reactivating dormant glands it can also provide near immunity to most common illnesses, kicking the immune system into overdrive. As stated earlier, the parasite will send specific roots to the brain. This is to allow the parasite to mimic the feelings of the host. While on it's own, the parasite is about as intelligent as a rock. Able only to feed and crawl. Once attached to the host it becomes much more sentient, able to mimic the hosts intelligence. A unique, almost magical, feature about the Imp Parasite is it's ability to bond with the host. A process unique solely to the Imp Parasite. After the Parasite is fully attached and rooted to the host, it will shuffle through many things within the hosts mind. From emotions, to thoughts, to memories and more, the Parasite will take in all the knowledge. After a few weeks of bonding, it will know and feel everything the host knows and feels. One of the most acclaimed and interesting things about the parasite is its ability to adapt. After bonding is complete, it will have learned the languages of the host. Using this, it can submit its own will into the hosts mind in a form of mental communication through the parasites roots. Alone, the parasite has no intelligence, though once fully bonded it becomes one with the host, yet retaining its own will. It will often implant ideas in the hosts mind, carrying out entire conversations with the host. Some hosts in the past have found this to be maddening, yet others see it as a advantage. A truly separate entity helping guide them. Some crumple and fall, some rise and fly. Regardless, there will always be its voice at the back of your mind whispering "feed". The history of the Imp Parasite varies from culture to culture. No hard facts have been recorded on these creatures, though have maintained a spotlight in the world of legends and myths for eons. The Humans regard the hosts of the creatures as monstrosities. Barbaric, unable to think or act like a normal man, cruel and entirely evil. They believe them to be direct spawn of Iblees himself, sent to the world to enact disgusting punishment. They are depicted at times as winged beasts whom eat the flesh of men and swallow blood. They are thought to enjoy killing and fighting, living off the pain of the world. They are thought to contain massive strength relateable only to the gods themselves. Impossible dexterity with the ability to dodge any blow thrown at it. It is easy to see why the Human folk are most terrified of these potential creatures. Though this is not always the case... History has shown that at times, Humans have actively sought out the affliction of these creatures. Noble men, warriors, knights dedicated entirely to their nation have sought the affliction of the Imp Parasite. Some ponder why, but to them it is simple. The benefits outweigh the negatives. To them the idea of an infinite lifespan is worth giving up their Humanity. To feed the parasite on the field of battle and achieve a longer life span. A crude depiction of the way the hosts are rumored to be in regards to Human culture. In retrospect, the Dwarves and Orcs of the world have seemed to lost interest in the countless rumors and legends. They hold no depictions or beliefs on the creatures, believing them to be mostly made up. This is thought to be caused by the lack of activity in those areas. The hosts of Imp Parasites are most commonly Humans, though it is not uncommon for another race to become victim. The Elven viewpoint is the closest, though not entirely accurate either. The Elves have long regarded the hosts of the creatures as ordinary citizens masking a terrible secret. They do not see them as demons or even as spawn of Iblees, for they have taken a step back in order to observe them in a different light. They see the affliction as a logical disease, though just as the others they have no idea that it is in fact a organism in it of itself causing the affliction. The past has shown that even to this day, these creatures have gone without hard observation. The few that are afflicted with the creature are often killed off before they can even report the creature. Many men end their life after being afflicted with the parasite, while others are actively hunted down as unholy spawn and slaughtered. It is this slaughtering that led to the near extinction of the species. They only lived due to their unique structure. After fully bonding with its host and after a undetermined time, the Parasite has the potential to breed with itself, asexual reproduction. Originally native to Aegis, they had made a crossing through the ships to the new lands, each and every time. Every few years a crusade is sent out against the creatures and the hosts, though there was always a few hosts whom slipped through the cracks. Only one host made it from Aegis to Asulon, though this host had adopted a insane mindset. She saw herself as a mother to the creatures, allowing them to breed on her at a wild amount. Once at Asulon she had many of the parasites on her, needing to feed every day. That was to be her end alas, she was unable to feed them all and they soon betrayed her love, sucking her dry. From there, many other hosts were taken. After another purge of the creatures, there was only as many as five of them whom made there way from Asulon to Anthos. Some may ponder what could possibly be a benefit of having this creature choose you as its host. Some disagree that the benefits are even worth the drawbacks. I digress; The Imp Parasite is unique in it's want and need to keep its host alive as long as possible. Through a series of unique functions it reactivates previously dormant glands, including the Thalamus Gland in the brain. Doing this process is very tricky, though once complete will draw the hosts aging to a near standstill. This is done by decreasing hormone flow and rate of growth by bodily functions, though even then it cannot be fully explained in science. Tis a double edged sword though, for it can strike as a negative as well. Another unique function of the Imp Parasite is its ability to neutralize and destroy most illnesses and harmful substances from the body. By kicking the immune system into over drive, it is unlikely for the host to succumb to any illnesses a normal man might. This is often sought out by those with a incurable illness, hoping one day to be free of it. There are many a drawback that plague this unique parasite. Due to its unique process of "bonding", the Imp Parasite is impossible to remove by force. Sending roots deep into vital organs, arteries, and veins, as well as by burrowing into the skin, the only option to remove the parasite is if it wishes for removal itself. There have been cases where one man passes it on to another, hoping to free himself of the curse. Potential of death. This is likely the biggest drawback to this parasite. Should the host refuse to cooperate with the needs of the parasite, he will be drained to death. While the parasite seeks to keep the host alive as long as possible, it needs to feed at least every two weeks. Should this not happen it will go to the Host and begin sucking him dry of blood. It is a slow, painful, excruciating process as the parasite tries to keep the host alive as long as it can. Increasing the hosts heart-rate allows for faster pumping of blood, which the parasite greedily takes. Potential for insanity. Imagine a having your normal life stripped away from you and being placed under constant need to slaughter a man in order to keep yourself alive. Imagine a voice in the back of your head constantly pressing you, pushing you, seducing you to the hunt. Feed... Feed... It is not hard to understand why people whom have succumbed to the parasite have been driven to madness. Possible public annexation. Should anyone find out about the parasite attached to you, it is not unlikely that you will be shunned and exiled from society. Hosts in the past have gone to great measures to hide the nature of the beast attached to them. To some, losing social standing is the worst of all things in life. Those who seek the beast for immortality or oft dissuaded by this ever looming drawback. Constant and endless need to feed. As long as the beast remains upon your flesh, rooted to your body and mind, entranced into your soul, you must fulfill its will. It does not due this through manipulation, though it does it by force. Should you shun the needs of the beast, it would kill you. Drain every ounce of your blood in a slow painful death, lasting up to three days. The need to feed can be between three days and two weeks, depending on how much the parasite is fed at the time. This is a difficult process OOCly. In order to root out any bad flavors there would need to be a screening process like the ice witches. The problem with a process like this is that it adds a application to the process, which does not entirely appeal to me. As creator of the lore I will of course be role playing as the current host, but I do not want to make this a power trip. I want to do this in a mature way that screens out any bad seeds while maintains a "normality" of sorts. The process, if the lore is accepted, will be run through me and any others I can come to trust. Again I do not want this to turn into a power trip on my part so I will relinquish power to a higher person should things go awry. I will likely make a small application in order to prove knowledge on the subject followed by intense IC and OOC screening of the applicant. A villain app would of course be needed to role play this. This is going to be by far the most difficult section of the lore post, and the reasons why are entirely evident. The majority of the perceived population of LoTC scorns vampirism in any state, even this state which is vastly different than the normal. Some people will always dislike a idea simply because of where it stems from, but here I will try to reach out to those people and explain the infallible differences between this, and normal vampirism. Vampire mythos, legends and lore has been with us for hundreds of years. The idea of something in the night that wishes to feast upon Humans, something above the Humans in the food-chain appeals to some people. The term "Vampire" was not even used frequently until the 18th century, and was not any where near as popular compared to now. The most revolutionary turn of "Vampires" came about when Dracula was released. Dracula Humanized vampires, yet still let them inspire fear in the readers, and later audience. That's a brief look at the past of Vampire myths in real life. Comparing the lore I have created now to normal vampirism is relatively easy really. They both need blood (each with different reasons) . They both become un-aging. They are both Humanized greatly. Though the line stops there. Similarities come to a close. My attempt at bringing this lore onto the server is not to create a invulnerable enemy, a man who cannot die. The reason is so much different. I am fascinated by early literature works on Vampirism and always have been. The most romantic of the "Creatures of the night" Vampires inspire creativity in villainy in a way that just isn't matched by anything I have seen. The seductive need of blood, the tragic story of a disease, the conflicting morals. These all tie perfectly into what I see as a great role playing experience. This is not a Twilight homage. This is not a Dracula knock off. This is not a fan boy post the hopes to become a "Vampire" in order to kill everyone and suck blood. This is my attempt at officially bringing in a new diversity. Diversifying the current villainy. Giving a new definition to the cannibalism villainy. And to create shocking role play stories that are unmatched by anything else. It is evident that there will always be those who scorn an idea because of where its roots lie. My lore's roots lie in Vampirism, and with that will come hate. What I hope is that people will take a step back, read the lore not as a protester of vampirism, but as a player of LoTC. If you truly believe this would do more harm than good, then I would love to hear why. Only constructive criticism can make an idea better. In closing, I know that this may not be well received. I know that this could upset some people. I do not create this as a way to anger people, I create this in order to establish better role play. Part of this is entirely selfish. I have not had a true purpose on the server in some time, and aim to have this accepted to give me a chance at role playing, but that is not all it is. Anyone who has been amazed by the possibility and diversity of this type of role play will feel where I come from. Sometimes the best of ideas do not succeed at first, but I am willing to work with any and all advice given to insure that this is given a chance. This side note is directed at any of the staff or lore masters whom peruse this lore. I have been on this server for some time and have seen countless time lore for generic vampirism shut down. The prospect of becoming a invulnerable hunter of the night amuses many people and so I can see why those are denied. I aim to break the sterotype and create a brand of more realistic, more interesting and neutral role play. This is not an attempt at powergaming in anyway. Try not to read this as a attempt to replicate vampirism into LoTC, for it is so much more than that. Questions asked and answered~ . In this case, though, does it retain whatever intelligence and maturity it gained from its previous host? There is no simple answer to your question. That is clear. It is both a yes, and a no. The Imp Parasite is entirely unique in it's ability to bond with a host, through this bonding the parasite acquires intelligence by reaching through the hosts memories and thoughts. After the bonding process is completed the parasite will be fully sentient and have a unique identity as you said. The confusing part is what comes after. Should a parasite detach itself from a host, it will temporarily lapse in most sentience. It will be able to do simple actions, crawl and attach itself to a new host, but not much more. In this state it is not really intelligent, it goes back to a near lack of sentience. But, once it finds a new host and attaches to him, it will redo the bonding process. After this bonding process is set up and it regains sentience and intelligence, it could recall events, memories, and feelings it and it's former host had. Usually they forgo this process as it is quite pointless to them, though it is there. They retain memory just as most creatures, if not better, but ONLY whilst bonded to a host. When not bonded they lack intelligence. A grand question though I would have to say that they do not have a advanced recovery rate, at least not directly. As stated in the lore they are granted a incredibly advanced immune system so they are impervious to most diseases. The parasite also awakens shut down glands to slow hormonal growth. I cant really see any advanced healing in these strengths, though anything that revolves around disease or poison would be highly ineffective. I love the questions you are asking. Finally allows me to stretch my fingers and provide some in depth responses on the problems you see. I will try my hardest to answer them! Starting with your first concern. Your belief is that all the negatives are optional and that this is a free excuse at eternal life. From the beginning I want to state that that is not the intention nor what I was going for. Breaking it down should help sort this confusion. From the beginning the parasite begins bonding with a host. This in it of itself is a huge setback because due to this it is a permanent curse for the host to have. You cannot rid yourself of the beast physically or by force without killing yourself in the process. There is a work around, though even then it is no simple task to get the beast off of yourself. Not only would you have to beg for the beast to comply with your mindset and even think about getting another host, you would also have to find a willing sacrifice to take the curse. This is a long process mind you, it is not a simply work around. Following up there is of course the major negative. You will HAVE to feed at least every 2-3 days. This is not optional, this is a must. There is no questions to it. If you do not feed, the parasite will bleed you dry. That in every way is a negative. You cant really imply that having to kill every 2-3 days isn't a negative. I get this feeling that the mindset you carry on the lore will make it seem what it isn't. While you see "Excuses" I strive to make them sound reasons. This isn't about an excuse to be able to murder people or a free get out of death card. There isn't much I can say in regards to that mindset really. This is of course a way for me to be able to role play a unique character and bring about a different style of role playing while allowing others who care for this kind of role play to follow. Should you see that as an "Excuse" there isn't much for me to debate about. All lore is just a excuse to do the incredible with that mindset. Evocation lore an excuse to use magic, Necromancy an excuse to work with dark arts and so on. The other negatives are what you could say "Optional". They are a way to further create a unique character. I will not force someone who is role playing this into insanity for some peoples wills are hard to break, but there will always be the looming voice of the parasite in your head. I will not force people to, at the start of getting the parasite, annex their characters publicly. This is something that can and likely will happen in role play. I leave these optional to allow players who wish to rp this more freedom. Even so, the other 3 negatives are firm and not optional. Moving on to the next concern. Why would the parasite ever kill someone? Well as you know parasites are creatures that will often suck the host dry and then move on. That is the nature of a parasite. This parasite is unique in it's ability to gain conscious intelligence once bonded with the host, but even then it still has primordial thoughts of survival in its mind. If it is not fed it is not a matter of hate or anger that it will begin sucking the host dry, it is simply in their nature. They require blood to live, that is why they even bother attaching to hosts. Sure they could enter a coma and live in a damp dark cave for a hundred years, but that is not what their instincts wish. To repeat, they gain intelligence when bonded with a host, but not so much to know the full consequences of killing their host. Keep in mind that these are not passionate creatures. They will bond with you, but not like your dog. They will use you until you cant be used, drain you of whatever is useful, and move on. It would be useful to keep in mind that once the Imp parasite drains it's host dry it does not, /not/, die. By draining the host they themselves are not affected as they will slowly pull their roots from the hosts body and detach. They will have 3 days to search for another host before needing to shut their bodies down. The difference between the parasite killing the host and someone else killing him is obvious. Say the host takes an arrow to the head dying instantly, this will sever the bonding process too abruptly in turn killing the parasite. On the flip side when the parasite drains the host it goes at its own pace and has time to pull the roots out. I hope this helped! If there are any more concerns I would love to hear them, and thank you for breaking apart some of the lore so I could further explain my intentions. Hehe, yea you could say I am excited. I am in love with this idea and really have a passion for it. Until it is reviewed I cant really bring myself to any other rp so for now I am just biding time.Here goes answering the questions! The human body holds an estimated 4.7-5 liters of blood on average. The minimum you would need to feed the parasite would be about 5 liters of blood every 2-3 days. Keep in mind this is the minimum. Theoretically I could see a doctor trying to treat this by taking blood donations or something of that sort. It would not be impossible to quench the beasts hunger non violently, though the easiest solution is the taking of a human life every 2-3 days. Depending on how much blood you feed it, it can last up to 2 weeks without having to feed again. It would be a very quick process as the parasite consumes the blood in large quantities at a time. It has adapted itself in order to drain the prey as quickly as possible. I would say it would take 5 minutes maximum to fully drain the blood of a fully grown human male. This is of course with direct contact with the blood. It would likely be done via slitting the throat or another major artery area. Your worries are entirely understood and actually a great point. I will try to address this problem in depth as it could be a possible downfall of this lore. You are right. Many people could become as passionate as myself about this lore and flock to it in a attempt at being afflicted. This would be a major problem, though I hope to weed through many of the people through a in depth screening process both ooc and IC. As I stated I do not want to turn into a tyrannical leader with a power trip (in OOC), so I will be both strict but fair. Those that do make it through the process will be those who have a true passion oocly for this idea. Should you wish to be accepted I will likely wish for it to be your main character. I want this to become a predominant force in the world of Anthos while not growing too outrageous with numbers. A small tight knit group of people who will try their hardest to provide intense, passionate and acceptable role play. This alone should weed out many of the people oocly seeking a simple thrill. I will not be a hard cap on the number of afflicted at a time until I get an evaluation of how many people actually want to role play this. Many people find it interesting, but not everyone will want to make it their main role play. Should worse come to worse I will likely make a cap of passionate roleplayers numbering under 10. Though again keep in mind that not everyone will fear this affliction. While the majority will be unwilling victims turned villains of sorts, some people (like my character) will have actively searched for it for years. I can see this as a potentially serious problem so if it is accepted I will be sure to monitor it tightly. Here goes answering you're burning questions! Let's start with Benboboy and go from there! How does the parasite survive outside the body before it has taken a host? Alright so. A Imp Parasite will never be "born" outside of a host. As I touched up on lightly in the lore, the only way for a Imp Parasite to reproduce is by asexually reproducing on a host after going through the bonding process. If enough blood is fed to the parasite and it deems safe to breed, it will reproduce upon the host. One it reproduces, the host will then have to feed and bond with the new parasite as well. How does it breed? Answered above ^^ Would it be possible for it to survive without a host if it were given blood to feed on? Yes! Entirely. Something I did not touch up on about the parasite is it's unique ability to press itself into a coma like state. What this does is conserve every ounce of blood from its previous encounter. By shutting itself down effectively, it can live on it's own for years without dying, though in turn it loses most of it's bodily functions. It would only awaken upon the scent of blood from the descendant races. Once upon these nasty creatures feasted upon the blood of animals, though they adapted and evolved. Their bodies reject the blood of animals, only feeding upon blood from the descendant races. Should you give it blood every so often it could easily live without a host, though it would remain almost with no intellect at all. Next! People might be motivated to get the parasite for unlimited life rather than to create good RP. Maybe change it to 'adds 50 years at most' or something, rather than limitless life. Other than that, I like the idea. Alright, so. You have the opinion that adding much age to the hosts lifespan could be considered "Over powered" though I have an entirely logical rebuttal! The Imp Parasite is unique with its want and need to keep the host alive as long as possible. As I explained earlier, it awakens inactive glands in order to slow aging process to a minimum. You think it a bad thing that people might seek out this unique role play experience simply for unlimited life, but I do not see it like that. That is the only benefit it truly has (other than improved immune system). By creating a screening process I can easily remove any one who wants to oocly abuse the system, while retaining the same appeal passed down through the history of the parasite. As I stated in the lore, many a man has sought out the embrace of this creature simply to add lifespan to their dying years! It is a crucial part of the role play. So, nothing except the dragon tattoo would be different about the host? Great question! While I did not yet fully touch up on this, let me explain here. The mark the parasite leaves upon the body is surely a different look, though of course there are other things. Should you not feed for some time, the beast will begin to take from you. This will cause paling of the skin and can lead to death. Another change is the fact that your personality, acts, and more would be much different. The slowing of hormones and general aging combined with the constant nagging of the beast, the need to kill fellow humans and more would lead to a drastically different man! If you get one Imp Para., would it have its children/child on you? And if so, would you earn another dragon tattoos/tattoo that grows as the children/child grows? Or would they go look for another host? Alright, so. As stated in the lore, the Parasite does indeed breed on you! After breeding it will find out a sufficient spot on the body to latch onto. This would add another "tattoo" looking mark on your body, yes. The only way a parasite would breed is if it deems you a good host. They hold no feelings for their young. A quite major factor I did not touch up on was the ability to cooperate with the parasite, in order to remove it. Should you have the parasite breed on you, you could try to reason with it after the bonding process, offering up another host. Should it deem you to be truthful, it will unroot and attach to the new host. Hope this helped!
  11. Mimics Seeing all this monster lore and stuff coming around I thought that we should add an age old monster from DnD to the adventure of LOTC, to be a thorn in your side whenever you're off treasure hunting :P. What is a Mimic? ((by ~MichaelJaecks)) A Mimic, or sometimes known as the bane of adventurers, is a creature that can adapt itself to any surrounding, able to change on a whim and blend in. The reason why they are named the bane of adventurers is due to the fact of "what" exactly they try to blend in as. They take the form of chests, doors, walls, floors, objects of interest, cupboards, and sometimes... even stairs... The Mimic is a predatory doppelganger, disguising itself in order to lure would be fortune seekers to their doom. Residing usually in ancient ruins, burial chambers, tombs and other deep dark places in the world. How Does it Mimic objects? Usually, a mimic when migrating to a new hunting ground will seek out the most interesting objects in their new home. Chests are usually a predominant choice of mimics, due to the compelling nature of treasure usually found within such objects. When a Mimic has found what it would like to become, it will remove the original object, usually by consuming it. As to remove suspicion from itself once adventurers enter its home. Because of this , it is not uncommon to find treasures within slain Mimics. How Does it React to Adventurers? When adventurers enter the chamber of a mimic, the creature will start to slowly secrete a sticky adhesive that will cause any who touch the mimic to become stuck to it. Once the realization comes to those caught in the trap, and start to try and pull away, the Mimic will strike. The shape of the object will slowly start to almost "melt" in some cases. Becoming globule in form, warped from the original state. Tendrils will start to come out of the object, forming into fists, keeping the victim stuck in place, it will try to beat and pull the adventurer with these tendrils, usually to either knock out or kill the adventurer, so that it may pull them into the awaiting maw which usually forms where the opening of the object would be in order to consume the victim. What Does a Mimic Look Like When not Mimicking an Object? It is not truly known, what the true shape or form of a mimic is... all that is known is that they usually take the form of a globule slime or gloop with a horrifying maw. Tendrils and fake limbs flailing all over the place. This is the weakest state a mimic can be in, which is why Mimics will try to not move if they can help it, as moving will result in the deterioration of their mimicked object and make them easier to kill. Where Did they come from? Some believe that the mimic is a close relative of the "Slime", at some point off shooting from Slimes to create a new creature, forming a mouth and the ability to change shape and colour. Over time becoming the predator that it is today. Are there different kinds of Mimics? Indeed there are, mimics grow in size over time, older mimics will be much larger and capable of swallowing prey whole, whilst others could only be capable of biting people. These are the different kinds of mimics: Handheld mimics: These mimics can take the form of small objects, such as swords, small caskets, trinket boxes etc. They're baby mimics, and are of little worry. Chest/Door/Cupboard mimics: These are the usual and most common mimics found in our world, they are capable of swallowing a whole man if given the chance and are more than a match for a couple of adventurers. Great mimics: The most feared of all mimics, great mimics are ancient creatures, capable of taking the form of objects of tremendous size, such as houses, stairwells, ancient tunnels and more. They are so large that people can actually walk inside them and feel completely at home. Most great mimics sleep for hundreds of years at a time, only awakening when they need to feed once more. It is theorized that some who mysteriously go missing inside their own homes and down mines could be due to an untimely end inside a great mimic. Do They Only Eat Things? Not always, some mimics may choose to toy with their food, some are mischievous in nature, and will sometimes cause havoc not out of a need to feed, but simply because they can. Scaring people by becoming chairs in their own homes etc. Weaknesses? The weaknesses of mimics is that sometimes the objects they mimic can sometimes have... differences that could be considered strange. Sometimes, a more eager mimic will move closer to adventurers when they're not looking, though more experienced mimics may wait and bide their time... Groups of adventurers are the weakness of mimics, due to the fact that once one has fallen for the trap, all other party members will quickly realize the truth, and will have a better time at attacking it, due to the fact that they will not be restrained by the monster via the adhesives secreted. Cannot stand sunlight or bright lights and will actively retreat from it or else stop the source of it. But will release any it has trapped via the sticky adhesive. Has an extreme distaste for water, as it breaks up the creature's body and turns it back into a globule gloop of mess. Aurum. Strengths? Can perfectly mimic wood and stone, however metals and gemstones etc are more difficult to mimic. Mimics are immune to golden weapons, any attempt to use one against it will result in the weapon doing no damage, or otherwise break the weapon. It is immune to fire, magical or otherwise. Who would Play These Mimics? Where Can I Find Them? Mimics would most likely be event creatures found in dungeons etc. Played by ET or GM members. Player played Mimics I would presume would require permission. Cans and Can'ts Cannot take the form of living objects, trees, people animals etc. Only inanimate objects. It can take the form of any form of inanimate object, though the size of the mimic matters when choosing what object to become. A mimic sword would be a smaller mimic overall compared to a mimic door or chest.
  12. Trolls What on earth is a troll? Is it a particularly annoying internet user or is it a fantasy creature known to inhabit countless fictional worlds? I’m not sure about you, but I myself prefer the latter. If you are interested in hearing more about re-incorporating these nasty yet fantastical creatures into the world of Lord of the Craft, please read further. How to Identify a Troll Physical Characteristics It is a well known fact that Trolls are giant creatures. They are taller and wider than Orcs, and can grow up to twelve feet tall, and weigh up to eight-hundred pounds. Because of this, it is a challenge for Trolls to be sneaky, so let it be known that only the laziest can be snuck up on by a troll! They have sturdy feet and stout legs, and have mostly fat upper bodies. To help aid you in visualising their size, think of a massive, fat Orc. Trolls have brown skin, but at times it may appear as green, because moss often grows on their body while they are at rest. Their skin often grows thick patches of hair, but they are otherwise bald. The skin of a Troll is rough and thick, and in turn hard to pierce through, and is capable of bearing cold temperatures. Their skin is also often dry and flaky, so Trolls are known to be scratching at their skin often. Trolls have ugly faces in the views of men, often having bulbous noses, ears that stick out, crooked teeth, and bushy eyebrows. Female Trolls will sometimes try to cover up their homeliness with mud, which is their form of “makeup”. Male Trolls also feature tusks, though it takes many years for these to grow and for the most part, only elderly Trolls will have these. Trolls have great big hands meant for grabbing and squishing, something they like to do to their prey. Their feet are also large, and are meant to stomp and smash. Signs That a Troll was Nearby Trolls often live near caves, as they must reside to those at night. You can most often tell that a Troll Cave is inhabited by its smell; rot! They care little for hygiene, and their stomachs and noses can handle the stink of death. They leave the dead remains of their prey (after the prey has been eaten, of course) in their caves and keep their bones as tokens and collectibles. So, if you ever find a cave that stinks of death, stay out, for there is a Troll inside. Trolls also leave footprints where they walk, big and heavy footprints. These are no challenge to identify; they resemble a giant human’s feet. Some may be missing toes, but all in all, if you run across a giant footprint in the mud, then it was probably a Troll. Trolls will also make fires at night to cook their meals, and do not bother to clean the remnants of these fires up after morning breaks. If you come across a giant fire pit with coals that are still hot, then you ought to run, for there was most likely a Troll camp here. Be wary around these, for a Troll is nearby! Another sign that a Troll is nearby might be a lack of sheep around your local farm. They sure do love Roast Mutton, and will make a habit of stealing these bovines from farms. If sheep are missing without any explanation, keep an eye out for Trolls. Behavior Trolls live in numbers of 1-3; if it were any less, Trolls would not exist, and any more, Trolls would die out in battles and fights with each other. They are an argumentative creature, and often pick brawls with each other over the simplest things (like who is stronger, what color the night sky is, whose lamb chop is bigger, etc.). They, for the most part, will not kill each other on purpose, though. Trolls are quick to anger, and are known to smash and stomp people when they are upset. It is wise to keep out of the way of an angry Troll. Trolls cannot handle daylight. It is said that being in sunlight will turn a Troll into stone, which is in fact true. Cursed by an Ancient Artifact in the Old Days, their ability to live in the sun has been lost! It is a sad fate, but Trolls have trudged through this and live in the night. However, if a Troll is turned into stone in daylight, they turn back to their normal forms once night falls. During the day, they will live inside of their caves and in the shadows, often either sleeping, eating, counting their gold, arguing with each other, or staring blankly at the rock walls around them. At night, they will search for food, and once food is found, they will build a great fire. At this fire, they will tell stories, cook their food, and of course, argue. Trolls can live for many, many years, but usually die beforehand. No Troll has ever lived past the age of eight-hundred. Trolls wear clothes sometimes, depending on if they like the look of it or not. They despise fancy clothes, and instead wear articles that are more along the lines of rags. The Trolls who do wear clothes are usually the younger, more rebellious ones. It is a fallacy that Trolls live under bridges - unless these bridges have caves under them. There was once a great Whitewash Orc who sat under a bridge, collecting tolls from unlucky travellers, and was falsely called a Troll. This legend is well known, but few know that Trolls don’t live under bridges - unless they have caves under them! Trolls will choose a mate for life, and do not choose another partner unless their mate has died. Cheating on a spouse has never happened, and never will happen, in the Troll community. Stupidity Let it be known that Trolls are not held in high regards for their intelligence. They are extremely stupid, though they do have the capacity to understand and speak in the tongues of humans. A Troll can barely handle the thought of math, they cannot read (and instead draw pictures in mud and rocks), and they have trouble answering riddles. Because of this stupidity, Trolls can be tricked and deceived rather easily. Do not rely solely on tricking Trolls, though, for their size and strength is still to reckon with! Troll History The Origins of Trolls In the first days that the world brought life to the realm of Anthos, a creature was born into existence. It was not beautiful, nor gentle, nor even very kind, but it was born with a sole purpose; to survive. This creature that was brought to Anthos was called the Troll. Now, being some of the only humanoids in Anthos at this time, the Trolls were some of the first to light fires and use tools like sticks and clubs. Due to their simple minds, the Trolls were not builders; they tended to pillage and steal food and tools from other Trolls, rather than create things for themselves. Few know why Trolls cannot bear to live in sunlight, though the true answer to that is often guessed and speculated. Legends may grow of the Troll's Curse, but those are yet to be made! After realizing their curse, Trolls chose to live in caves and to find rest in dark forests. They stuck together in groups, and inhabited the forested regions of Anthos and especially the area of land that is now called Malinor. For the most part, Trolls have been nomadic, roaming the dark forests that they call home in search of food like deer, bears, and other large animals. They can, however, live in any place that has a cave and a steady supply of food and water nearby. Because of this, you can find them nearly anywhere in Anthos, yet they do not live in the hot desert regions of the land. Trolls Today Since the races of Aegis and Asulon have migrated to Anthos, the lifestyle of Trolls has had to change. Instead of being the top predators that they once were, they now are generally reclusive and try to hide from civilization as a whole. There are not many Trolls that live now, probably under thirty in all... It may not be too long before the Troll population dies out, but that, only the future can tell. From the newly migrated humanoid races of Anthos, Trolls have learned to speak, and are capable of holding conversations. They are, as recently explained, very stupid. Not many people like talking to Trolls. A Wrap Up of Trolls Strengths: Large, strong Long lived (800 years old) Have the ability to speak Thick skin, can handle cold well Weaknesses: Very stupid Cannot live in sunlight (however, will turn back to their normal forms once night falls again) Do not have many friends Ugly Are easily prone to anger Becoming Trolls If this lore is accepted, then I will have a talk with the Administrator team about how many people can play (it will most definitely not be a high number) Trolls. Alrighty, and now we come to a close. Thanks for taking the time to read this! If you have any further questions, concerns, feedback, or support, you can feel free to post below (after you look at this here picture!). LM Edit: Update on Troll lore:
  13. Ollphéist Craiceann The Flesh Worm - Introduction. A large, slimy, snake-like worm that hails deep from the Frozen Hearts of the North. The Ollphéist, or more commonly known as, the Flesh Worm, is a legless, armless, eyeless cold-blooded beast. It dwells within large, moist caves deep within the Earth, surviving off of underground critters, small mammals, and off of florescent fungus and minerals in the North. Adaptation and Survival. How it survives is, of course, through eating. Whenever it finds something small (perhaps a rabbit has accidentally burrowed into one of its tunnels?) dwelling its tunnels, it hunts off of reverberations in the tunnel. It forms a ribbed tunnel, with grooves in it so it might squirm about between them, its skin acting like a writhing muscle in order to propel itself forward, or backward, or to turn as it needs. It would proceed to hunt said creature through its movements, and with its maw (a folding, four segmented, tooth lined mouth), consume it whole. Its skin, is this worms most marvelous tool. It acts as, again, its primary mode of movement, but as well as a secondary way to obtain food. Occasionally said worms will find themselves in caverns, which allow for exponential growth. Caverns often held bio-luminescent fungi or luminescent quartz. The feint lighting and the space would allow the worm to both widen and to grow in length. The worm's skin basically conducts photosynthesis, like plants do. It forms food from the light from the fungi and crystals. Reproduction. The worms are asexual, allowing them to produce a clutch of eggs, which are roughly a foot tall and slender. They're usually a deep yellow, and are incredibly hard, like rocks. A pickaxe can be used to destroy them, as well as a war hammer, or any blunt smashing weapon. Swords can break on them, in retrospect. These clutches usually vary in number depending on the size of the worm, and are almost always, laid in the cavern. They take roughly one year to mature inside of the egg and hatch, producing larva, roughly two feet long, with a four inch radius. A fully matured Flesh Worm will stop growing (without lighting) at five feet long, roughly, with a foot radius. With lighting, their length explodes, while their radius gradually increases. Their insides however never grow- they will always remain roughly four to six inches in radius, meaning that a larva is incredibly easy to kill- you could burst one like a balloon. However, one that has been growing, could have up to an extra two feet of fat and skin, making them neigh impervious to nothing short of magic, cavalry, or siege weapons. Have no fear though, no worm has gotten so large in millenniums, and they're more fabled then real. Contrary to popular belief, the worms do not lay eggs in the corpses of children. They are called Flesh Worms due to the interesting characteristics of their skin, which were stated before. Relevance and Variants. In legend, these Worms were used as a Children's story to ward children the dangers of going into the Night or the Dark Forests. It was believed these worms were nocturnal, however, its more realized they rarely sleep, and rather hibernate until sensing disturbances in their tunnels. Additionally, it is known that in the North, a variant of Worm, not too distant to its cousin, dwelling under forests rather then plains. Its believed it used the tree branches to detect when larger creatures were wandering too far off and could get bigger game this way. Northern Worms were, naturally, more hostile and found humans to be easier pray than their Adunian Cousins. An overview goes as follows. Northern Worms - Hostile, usually just smaller than their Adunian Cousins (they relied more on meat then light, and as such, didn't become as big as frequently). They would kill small dogs especially, children, and if some could, adults. Parties would occasionally gather and hunt for caverns to slay the Worms and destroy the clutches. Adunian Worms - Hostile, but only to things that entered their tunnels (miners would have the biggest problems with these things, as well as adventurers and explorers). They were commonly incredibly large, but were lesser seen, lesser heard, and not a large worry of many's life.
  14. Giant Crabs Description: They appear to be Giant Crabs, go figure. They are about 15 meters long and 9 meters tall, with a thick carapace covered in spiky growths. Their pincers are strong enough to open up armored men as if they were tin-cans, and hard enough to deflect even heavy siege equipment. It's only true weakness is it's underside, which is less armored than the rest of its body. Age: Judging by the many many years these things have been trapped in Anthos, They just don't die until killed. Mating Cycle: None. If one of these behemoths managed to meet another, they'd just start killing each-other. Creation: Giant crabs are the by product of a rather insane alchemist, who decided to make an army of crustaceans. They were made to be big and merciless, with an unnatural desire to kill anything that moves. The army of crabs quickly killed and ate their creator, and proceeded to Ravage all of Anthos. They were eventually put down (mostly by each other because giant crabs kill anything that moves), but a small handful went unaccounted for, becoming trapped in old ruins, subterranean lakes, or forgotten caves. Taming: Those who try to tame the giant crab will fail. It is a beast made to kill, and unless you can convince it you're a rock, it will crush and eat you. Uses: Good for eating delvers of ruins, and their massive carapaces make good centerpieces for massive tables... or roofing for small houses. Due to the thickness of the crab's carapace, armor made of its body would be weaker than the crab's own resilient body, ultimately amounting to being only slightly more durable than leather armor.
  15. Pleskana Description: The Pleskana is a large reptilian sea creature that resides on the shores of Yamamoto and across Furnestock, it was discovered by fishermen applying their trade across the shoreline of Yamamoto and Shattenburg. They have the body of what could be seen as a large turtle without a shell complete with four flippers and a tail not to discount their large neck. Their scales are usually a shade of blue and are usually patterned to act either as camouflage or to attract a mate for the male Pleskana. They feed on a diet of fish and sharks, usually animals slower than themselves, as well as pebbles to help grind down food in their digestive system. The size of the Pleskana varies, at birth they can be from 2-2.5 metres long from neck to tail, but as they grow to an adult they range between 10-15 metres from neck to tail. Their behaviour is varied around sentient races, they have the ability to sense when a creature has ill intentions for them, when they sense danger they become violent, although if they are not inside the ocean their attacks are slow and quite limited, however in the ocean they are at their most dangerous. However with them sensing hostile intentions from other creatures they are docile when they don’t sense hostility, they tolerate the presence of other creatures near them as long as they keep a distance and don’t attack. While out of the water their scales hardens to protect them as their offensive capabilities while on land are severely limited, their scales hardens enough to keep them unharmed from arrow shots depending on where their hit but crossbows and spears can pierce their skin when enough force is applied. When a Pleskana bites down onto prey the teeth sink into its prey, the Pleskana having a huge bite force enough to crush most bones in a human body given the right amount of force. They are also incredibly hard to shake off as they have very strong jaws suited to stopping fast and large prey. Taming and domestication: The Pleskana cannot be tamed or domesticated, they are a purely wild creature, they will resist any attempts of capture and if in captivity they will die after a few days due their in adaptability to survive enclosed environments. Breeding: The Pleskana have a mating season once a year during springtime, males scales change in patterns to attempt to impress females, after the males have done the deed the female Pleskana will have a pregnancy that will last six months before a calf is born, oddly the Pleskana doesn't lay eggs like other reptilians, instead they give birth to their calf like a whale or a dolphin would. Lifespan: The average male Pleskana will live for thirty to thirty five years while in the wild and the average female Pleskana will live for fourty to fourty five years.
  16. ​ The Dark Ones The Dark Ones Also known as Minions of Darkness, Enderfellows, The Tall Ones, Dark Walkers Appearance The Dark Ones were originally believed to have been given moniker from their dark skin tone. The Dark Ones are bi-pedal and walk on upright. These creatures stand on average 9 to 11 feet tall. There have been reports of Dark Ones towering up to 15 feet tall. Their lanky appearance is only exacerbated by their long slender arms and legs. One of their most distinctive features is the unworldly purple glow that radiates from their eyes. Author's Note: DO NOT LOOK AT THEM IN THE EYES Origin Not much is known about the Origins of the Dark Ones of where they came. Early reports of Dark One sightings have been found as early as the middle ages of Aegis. Many attempts have been made to study them but very few have provided any useful information. Theories suggest they are being from another world just here “visiting”. Many incidents have been reported in the past years of encounters with Dark Ones while only a few times they have been encountered in groups. Abilities One of the first recorded descriptions of Dark Ones from middle ages of Aegis was described by a tracker named Crowley Falos, “I witnessed a drunken farmer and his brother attempt to subdue one of these dark creatures north of Winterfell. The farmer hurled a hatchet at the tall silhouette. I watched in horror as the dark creature vanished into thin air as the hatchet hit a tree. The creature re-appeared behind the drunken farmer and his brother. I have never seen a creature take life so easily. The two men were dead before they could even turn around.” The Dark One’s mastery of teleportation could hold answers to why there are here as well. So far no being has been captured alive for study. Although relics found on Dark One corpses have been known to hold magical properties. Behavior The Dark Ones show signs of intelligence and communication. Researchers dedicated to studying the behavior of the Dark Ones noted many interesting observations. The Dark Ones seem to be here more on some sort of academic quest. In a research paper by Balthazar Windheart, it was noted that “many of the Dark Ones have been sampling mineral specimens from our world.” The Dark Ones are not overtly hostile to beings of our world. However, Dark Ones have been known to react ultra-violently when a person looks directly at them. Recent revelations through the magic world have come up with theories of the Dark One's hostility. The Dark One's sight does not only just see visible light. They see light and void energy in the world. Dark Ones can walk toward void rifts that teleport them out of harms way, these rifts are theorized to be sporadic and open and close rapidly. A less pleasant side effect of them seeing void energy is the horrific way they see people. The energies of the departed cling to those who took their lives. Many Dark Ones see a amalgamation of all the things the person has killed. This results in the Dark Ones seeing most people as humanoid chopped up pieces of flesh and bone. One major instance of Dark One aggressive behavior was known as the “Invasion Incident” by locals of Hanseti. (more noted Below) The Invasion Incident On a sunny winter morning in Hanseti the sounds of machinery were heard rumbling through the mountain below VonSchlichtenCo Research Facility. The workers uncovered a strange yellow rock. The team carefully excavated the foreign material and moved it to a lab. Within an hour, a strange rift was reported at the location of the stone. Soon hundreds of Dark Ones were pouring out of it, attacking the staff of the workshop. Survivors attempted to flee to the surface but were trapped by the Dark Ones. The Teutonic Order lead by Hochmeister Mirtok responded to a distress signal on the mountain and dispatched a sizable force. His men were able to battle the invaders and clear a way for the surviving staff of the workshop. The Invader’s pushed back even harder, soon encircling the survivors and Teutons in the facility’s library The Master Wizard Ambros, seeking to collect a debt from Saul VonSchlichten, happened to also arrive on the scene. The combined strength of the engineers, the Teuton army and the wizard were still not enough to drive back the invaders. The motley crew blasted a way out of the facility and escaped. They would rally and army later only to find the rift had collapsed and the facility abandoned. *Notes from the Invasion* Culture Only one instance of a gathering of Dark Ones has been witnessed in the modern era. From that, researchers inferred cultural observations. Dark Ones use light vocalizations to try to communicate. It is believed they use telepathy as their primary from as communication. Leadership It was initially theorized that the Dark Ones all acted independently . This was the generally accepted theory for centuries. The Invasion Incident in Hanseti changed those perceptions. Survivors of the initial rift claim they saw a Dark One dressed in flowing violet robes emerge from the rift. The other Dark Ones seemed to react to his movements and vocalizations as commands. When the Teuton’s returned to the facility shortly after, he along with his followers, were missing An Artist's rendition of the Robed Dark One It is unknown if the Dark Ones all follow a central leader or are fractured into sects much like the beings of Anthos Rumors have circulated among soldiers and adventurers of Anthos of a creature matching the description of the one commanding the Dark Ones in Hanseti. None of these could be confirmed. New Information infers the robed dark one is a leader referred to as "The Darkness" What is little information we do have about “The Darkness” comes from people who have encountered his disciples and those who claim to have spoken to him. The only information recorded lies in the tome of wisdom or from tales spun by adventurers claiming to have encountered him. [From the Tome of Wisdom: The Darkness] A Luskan Sage's Sketch of the Darkness The forces of Hochmeister Mirtok engaged the Dark Ones, battling room to room in the facility. They eventually located the trapped Engineers and attempted to fight off the invasion. However, the combinedmight of the Sariants and Engineers was not enough. Losses were mounting high while more Dark Ones entered the battle. What the Darkness did not expect was to have Master Wizard Ambros appear, and for such petty reason. The Head Engineer had owed the wizard a large sum of minas from a Salvus potion store. This lapse in The Engineer’s judgment would be the end of the Darkness’s campaign. When the wizard was inadvertently pulled into the battle against the Dark ones, the battle seemed already lost. The mighty wizard, with all his might, attempted to send back the beasts from where they came. A flash of arcane light filled the library where the survivors were fighting. The work of the master wizard seemed ineffective. The Hochmeister ordered a full retreat to return with tenfold the force. What was not known to the brave survivors were the events unfolding at the Planar rift many levels below them. The Darkness was addressing his trusted Lieutenants in the lowest level of the Engineer’s Facility, keeping a watchful eye on the rift to his homeworld. Then a bright arcane flash permeated the lowest reaches of the facility. Instantly, the planar rift started to react violently and close. The Darkness rushed up to the closing rift, seeing his dreams, his home, his destiny, all shrink and disappear before him. In a final attempt, the Darkness channeled all his arcane energies to stabilize the portal. His efforts only slowed down the decay of the rift, the door to his home grew smaller and smaller. His lieutenants watched on in horror. In a final act of desperation, the Darkness walked into the unstable rift. The portal began to grow once more… but in a cruel twist of fate the rift collapsed around The Darkness, destroying him mid-cast. This massive change in arcane energy caused an enormous explosion in the lower level that killed all his waiting lieutenants. With the portal collapsed, and leaderless, the remaining Dark Ones soon splintered. Many, knowing they could not return home, fell into deep despair and began to wander all across Anthos. All that was left of the Darkness was a large white stone left where he once stood.... (( Another Writeup http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/90085-the-storming-of-vonhill )) Servants of Darkness Servants of Darkness are a vile amalgamation of the Darkness’s power and the twisted minds of those who follow him. The Darkness is thought to have between 6 and 12 servants under his command at any time. No common connection has been found between known Servants, both dead and alive. It is not known how the darkness communicates to and influence his followers. From experience, hunters of the Darkness have theorized he uses the Servants of Darkness as surrogates to accomplish his tasks. Known Servants of Darkness Malindrian Aldarrin - A young elven apprentice necromancer who served as the Darkness’s most junior and least trusted agent. Killed by a regiment of Sariants underneath the old VonSchlichtenCo Estate. Abbot Heinrick – [rhcrow] Once a good man and a pinnacle of light. His soul was twisted after years of plague and the destruction of the society he grew up with. He now serves the Darkness as the caretaker of his ancient Monastic Order where he clings to his former life among his monks. Reinhardt VonSchlichten - [bhamlaxy420] Captain Sleighter - [APtrotta] Undiscovered Servants ??? - ??? ??? - ??? ??? - ???
  17. ((This is for the purpose of creating a more difficult to kill Drake that will not simply go down in one event, and actually provide some fear behind the concept of a Drake as well as develop a better backstory behind a Drake attack next to the fact that it is a Dragon like attack. This is not a main antagonist, this is simply a Drake like creature with a Character behind it)) Gudour, The Night Terror There are many Dragons, and Drakes and even Dragaar that populate our world, but there are some so fearsome and terrible in their wrath, and carnage that they have ascended even from the ranks of the mythic Drake to become living, dreaded legends. One such Drake is Gudour, The Night Terror: Gudour, is a Legendary creature among mortals, a Great Lightning Drake of unsurpassed rage, malice and greed, covered in thick, blue-ish black scales this once proud Dragaar has now succumbed to its’ own greed, gems encrust its’ scaly hide as gold has become embedded in its’ very scales from greed, only adding to its’ thick hide a stronger substance harder to pierce than any normal Drake. By far, he has grown larger than those of his kin in his time, and with his size, so does his appetite grow. So vast was his want of gold and gems that he drew himself too thin and was forced to sleep for hundreds of years at a time. Once slumbering within the caves and crevices nearing the Southern Wilderness, he slumbered there for many years on end without pause, until one day, an Explorer, quite possibly a Monk Wanderer came across his abode. His abode, a great cavern, it was, with the smell of wet moss lining the walls. Walking the hall like caverns the Wanderer came, the smell of the cavern turning more foul as he descended into it. Until finally, he looked apon the shine of gemstones and gold as he entered an enormous cavern. To his amazement, treasures and gems as far as he could see into the darkness of the cavern could be seen. His own temptation getting the better of him, the wanderer grabbed fistfuls of gold from the pile and stuck it into his pocket. Taking as much as he could as his greed got the better of him. Finally, the wanderer, satisfied of his fill and finding, tread back the way he went, making sure to return next time to gather more of this treasure. Feeling quite pleased with himself of his finding, and that he was going to be, a very, very rich man by the end of this. However... His actions by far, had not gone, unnoticed. From the piles of treasure, watched, two, Large red eyes. Peering as the man grovelled at the gold, clambering and cheering as he fisted his pockets with its' treasure. Enraged, was Gudour, that this vermin would enter his lair, and steal from his very plate. For not only was Gudour one for acts of sheer rage, but he was also greedy, wanting. Wishing for the touch of gold, as it calmed him almost, soothing his lust for carnage. That night, the wanderer returned to his cottage within the woods, happily clapping to himself as he looked at all the gold and gems sprawled around his abode. Making supper for himself, he sat by the rosy fire, feeling very smug of himself. As the night drew on, he fell asleep by the fireside. Falling into sweet dreams of triumph and riches. But, in the middle of the night, he was swiftly awoken. The room was dark, the fires had gone out. His thatched roof creaked and cracked in the winds, and the sounds of snapping trees could be heard as though a hurricane was passing overhead. The gold and gems within his cottage shimmered and vibrated again and again, as something seemingly huge passed overhead. Terrified at what was happening, the wanderer hid under the table, frightened of what was to happen next. Before too long, he heard a crack, and a thump, the ground vibrated harshly as the winds died down. Still quivering in fear, he waited a while longer still, noticing that nothing had happened at all, not a sound, not a whisper. He slowly got up from his hands and knees, looking around the now cold and ruined cottage, the thatched roof was all but gone, leaving but timbers in their wake. Looking around more so, his hairs apon his chin and neck suddenly sprang up, as he heard the sound of heavy breathing. Turning, to see what it was, seeing nothing at first he was relieved, until he spied a dark shape above his cottage, the vigil of a head, a vast head, breathing heavily at him. Startled, he tried to run, but fell backwards apon the gold lying about his room, trying to get up, he turned to see the maw of the beast opening above him. A bright light glowing from within its’ mouth. He tried to scream, but his shrill cry was cut short in the dead of light, as an arc of a thunderbolt spat from the creature’s maw, setting him, and the cottage ablaze, obliterating him in an instant. Gudour, earnt his namesake that night, the night Terror, for such wanton destruction, and it did not end there, no... the wanderer had not only doomed himself, but many others as well, for he woke a sleeping giant, a giant that wished to feed once more, to horde once more. Gudour spied that there were many other vermin as well, with their castles and towns, and he knew that now, was his time once more. Since then, Gudour has been a plague from the south, the huge lightning Drake in the night, for that is when he strikes, for vermin are most vulnerable then. Wishing to find and horde gold back to his lair in the south, swallowing entire treasuries whole in its’ lust and storing it within the belly, of what that is the beast. Wishing not to talk with the vermin that lust for his gold, Jealously guarding his cavern from those who would otherwise wish to loot it, and gathering more once the sun goes down once again. “Weary be those who covet wealth above other aspects of life, for where greed thrives, Gudour will not be far behind...”. ((This lore is for use in events in future if accepted by whoever does the Dragon Events Thankyou for reading, I hope you will leave feedback :D))
  18. Dragonkin Lore Written and recorded by Aruzond, Warden of the North There are two species of dragonkin known to have descended from Dragur, though corrupted and defiled forms of both have formerly existed. Dragur, the Daemon of Knowledge, oftentimes appears as a dragon in his true form. Dragur’s chief descendants, the Dragaar, are sentient “greater dragons” that seek to collect and share knowledge with mortals. They can conceal themselves under the guise of mortals and other creatures, though it is a rare occasion to meet a Dragaar in person. Dragons, on the other hand, are more common -- though proportionately rare compared to other living beings -- than greater dragons. They are generally referred to as dragons, though the proper classification is “lesser dragon.” They are non sentient, and are commonly viewed as natural predators that roam our world. However, like all living beings, they are susceptible to taint and corruption. Though a rare occasion, dragons have been known to alter their very nature into a twisted, foul portrayal consumed by hatred and rage for the mortal races. The outcome of this calamity is referred to as a drake. Little is known about the purpose of the dragonkin as a whole, except that each species’ intentions vary greatly. Dragon The dragon (or lesser dragon) species is beastlike in nature, and generally accepted to be non sentient. Though they cannot process thought or comprehend concepts, they are highly intelligent in regards to instinct. The lesser dragon was once a rare sight to mortals, but they have appeared to exist in greater numbers in Anthos. Particularly, dragons roam the frozen wastelands of the North. Though they live in other regions of Anthos, the frigid North is home to many deep caves and caverns, which they prefer for nesting purposes. The region is cold, secluded, and tribesmen allow the food supply to remain steady. Dragons may roam the land of Anthos in search of cattle or mortals if they grow tired of pork flesh, and they continue to hunt until they are satisfied. Although lesser dragons have been frequently encountered in recent times, their numbers are slowly dwindling as they have begun to retreat to the deep, cold North. Drake “Do not underestimate the allure of darkness, mortal. Your kind has yet to discover that even the purest of souls are drawn to it.” -Aruzond. Through the malevolent desires of twisted corruption, the dragon has the potential to unwillingly alter its very existence. When a dragon degrades into a drake, its body decays into a shadowy skeleton of its former self. The scales of a drake turn black as midnight, and their fangs cloak themselves in putrefying poison. While a drake does not develop sentience, its desires can be manipulated to follow any malignant alignment. Drakes forfeit any connection to their former selves, and their lust for eternal damnation of life causes them to instill fear into those who would oppose it. The drake is slightly smaller in size compared to a dragon, but what it lacks in size and physical strength is compensated by maneuverability and lethality. It is rare to encounter an evil powerful enough to twist and taint the mind of the mighty dragon, but these influences communicate through our world more readily than we may often realize. Dragaar Bestowed with the gift of immortality and sentience, the Dragaar exist chiefly to seek and gather knowledge. Each Dragaar is assigned the role of gathering a distinct aspect of knowledge, and this role defines their characteristics and demeanor. However, they do not solely desire knowledge and wisdom. The greater dragons, or Dragaar, act as ever watching wardens over the mortal races. However, most prefer to live in seclusion in deep thought and meditation, only to emerge when the races call upon them in their time of need. The Dragaar can and often disguise themselves under the guise of a mortal or creature. This is their preferred method of watching over mortals, as it is both subtle and inconspicuous. There are only two Dragaar that have revealed themselves to the mortal races, and the decision to do so was not lightly concluded. Though the Dragaar seek to protect the mortal races, they often decide to do so by living in secrecy. Many discern that if they chose to associate themselves with mortal affairs too frequently, dire consequences would arise. The primary concern held by Dragaar, in regards to involvement in the matters of mortals, is that the races would eventually resort to relying on them to protect mortals from any form of evil. However, the greater dragons aspire to teach the mortal races self-preservation, without them depending on the intervention of immortals. Drakaar To attempt to bend the will of a Dragaar would be all for naught, and thus what can cause a Dragaar to devolve itself into a twisted abomination of hatred is unknown. The ancient ancestors of the four mortal races once believed that the choice for this horrendous transformation to occur was their own, though the aftermath of such a decision would contradict their entrusted duty. The greater dragon itself is a terrifying opponent, but a Dragaar that feels no remorse and fears no consequence? That is the true fear of corruption; the perversion of the mind and distortion of one’s morality is a dreadful circumstance. In past times, the outcome of such an event would often be referred to as a “greater drake.” It is the combination of a Dragaar’s sentience and a drake’s all-consuming hatred. The likelihood of a Dragaar devolving into a being tormented by rage is next to none, as most would, in their right mind, turn themselves into stone to prevent the conversion. The only verifiable event recorded of a Dragaar turning to stone is that of Velketzar. The Guardian Velketzar, consumed by self-condemnation and despair due to his failure, dramatically transformed into a stone statue to prevent the inevitable calamity. If a Dragaar were to fall under the hand of corruption, it would hold the power to politically corrupt nations with ease. Additionally, detecting and pursuing such a foe would be toilsome, all due to its shape shifting ability. Fortunately, deep meditation and concentration can inhibit this rare occurrence, along with immersing themselves in their aspect of knowledge.
  19. Apparitions ((Sultan, Devianart)) Formation Apparitions are formed when a large group of souls die in a particularly horrific way in a single location. Examples of this may be being burnt alive, sailors drowning on a sinking ship or simply a massacre. This however is not to say that all mass-deaths will cause the formation of an apparition. For an apparition to form a particularly dark soul or group of dark souls with their mind set on malevolent behavior must have perished with this large group of souls. Upon death this dark soul binds all the other souls together to form an evil manifestation known as an Apparition. Behavior Apparitions will fiercely defend the location of their mass-death. They often are capable of wielding various forms of magical powers including both the ability to push emotions such as dread, outrage and terror onto those present and the ability to telekinetically throw all maner of nearby objects at their targets. In some cases apparitions have been said to be capable of killing brave men outright with terror alone. Other abilities include seemingly chilling winds capable of putting out torches and horrendously loud shrieks. Apparitions have a natural aversion to both light and gold. Light itself overloads the senses of the apparition whereas gold appears to be capable of directly harming the apparition. Thus should one know of this they may be sealed within its pillar with a gold casing, or simply forming a ring of gold around the pillar. This knowledge is certainly not common amongst the Denizens of Anthos, however ancient civilizations of the landmass seem to have practiced it in many locations. A half-sealed pillar will result in a half as powerful apparition. Those who dare wander into their home will often find a stone pillar constructed of many rocks. These are often an indicator of the presence of an apparition as they live within these pillars while at rest. At first apparitions are slow to react to intruders, often only whispering to them to depart. Yet as time passes or should the sight of the death be destroyed or desecrated they will react in increasingly violent ways. Very few apparitions will wander past the immediate area of their death, but should it be destroyed and the apparition is left alive they may wander the world. Those who destroyed their tomb most likely being crushed by all manner of debris due to the spirits sheer outrage. These apparitions are said to be the most deadly as they may settle in populated areas playing tricks on people at first before slowly becoming more and more malevolent with each passing day. Eventually beginning to kill the populace. ((Nerdiekween, Devianart)) Expulsion Apparitions may not be influenced by mundane means, and many magic types will also be incapable of interacting with these strange creatures. They however, as stated before, have an aversion to gold and light. This however does not mean they may be killed by such a method. An apparition may be contained in a ring of light or within a gold ring but it may not be killed by it. To fully rectify the problems an apparition poses it must either be sealed within its pillar, killed outright via magical means or forced to move on by other spirits. Clerical magic as well as shamans are said to be capable of such feats. The former being able to use their patrons light to dispel them the latter (should they be of the appropriate subtype) are capable of having other spirits tear them apart into their constituent spirits and thus dispel the apparition. That being said, apparitions are no weak foe and even expert magic users will be pushed to their very limits to defeat one. Other Apparitions gradually grow more powerful as they age. Thus the oldest of apparitions are far more powerful than their recently formed counterparts. An apparition of only fifty years being capable of only feats equal to that of a tier three magic user. Ancient onces being far more powerful and younger apparitions (5 years or less) being somewhat equal to a tier three magic user. That being said, when one can not harm that which fights them they are still capable of destroying foes which an equal mage would be easily destroyed by. Potential interactions with an apparition: Battle clerics & Shamans can 'kill' it. Shades & Necromancers can corrupt it to their cause. Illusionists can 'trick' it (by pretending to be malevolent, a shade or something similar) or drive it back with light. And fire mages and alterationists can drive it back with light. Others could try to call upon its power, but it would require many. Malevolent intent is enough in a large (Maybe 6+ group). Those with no magical power can seal it within its pillar with gold (Though it would take many people and likely many would die). The older the apparition in general the more difficult it would be to deceive or convince. Furthermore apparitions not defending their home are often weaker (unless they are wandering). Their magic seemingly losing its potency when they are away from their construct. OOC Intent This idea was born of a particular RP encounter the Arcane Delvers had with a spirit during the exploration of a tomb. I thought it would be interesting to have the event team play an apparition which haunts a particular town or city for a few days (before it moves on somewhere else), or perhaps have them studied IC by groups. Predominantly villainous groups will be capable of setting them on towns and cities to plague them, generating RP events and so forth. They could also serve as initiation tasks or punishments within occult and other organizations (i.e. Survive 5 minutes with this apparition). By no means are apparitions meant to be common and to have more than three of them wandering Anthos would be a stretch. Thus killing them is meant to be a particularly difficult feat. Apparitions would not be characters and would for the most part be played by GMs and event team members.
  20. Wildlife and Monsters of Anthos Upon arrival to Anthos, the would-be settlers of the new land were introduced to a slew of native creatures, the following is petty documentation of their findings. Orenian Wildlife Cockatrice Description: A rather comedic looking creature, the cockatrice is found to have the body and wings of a drake, with the head and legs of the common rooster. The creature is noted to stand as tall as a small hut, with the body length to match. Strangely enough, the beast maintains an uncomedic deep roar over the expected high-pitched squawk. Further inspection and interaction with the cockatrice has revealed a small pouch beneath the beak of the cockatrice. When enraged, the cockatrice inhales deeply, the pouch expanding and pulsating momentarily, before exhaling an ash-like smog. Should the smog come in contact with an individual, he/she will be cursed with a strange spell. This curse, now referred to as, “Stoning,” has been noted to thoroughly turn a victim to stone, with no known method of returning flesh to their cursed body. The beast has talons roughly as sharp as the common fighting blade, the strength expected of a massive beast, and the bodily scales maintain the quality of common iron. Habitat: The creature is found to reside within vast cave systems, and dense forests. Typically near civilization hubs, but remaining out of sight. Perhaps to feed on unsuspecting cattle, or lone travelers. Typically the Den, or nest, of a cockatrice is lined with various straw-like plants, or fibers and is dotted with the bones of victims. Harpy Description: A truly repulsing creature, they possess large claws protruding from their toes and fingers, as well as a sharp beak. They might be mistaken for an ugly woman if it weren’t for the two large wings sprouting from their backs and the sharp beak, Harpies also have a lethal screech, which appears in the dreams of those foolish enough to stumble upon their lair. If one were to walk through the poorer back alleys of Salvus, they would hear the orphans sing a popular melody, which is very related to this beast: "Harpy, Harpy see them fly, drop the children from the sky, when the younglings misbehave, escorts children to their grave. Never back-talk, never lie, or they'll drop you from the sky!" Habitat: Harpies prefer mountainous areas, full of rocky ledges where they can build nests and swoop down on unsuspecting travellers, the trench known as brigands pass once had a large nest of Harpies, until the White Rose moved in. Characteristics: Some find zombies repulsing, others find spiders more so, but the Harpy is doubtlessly the most disgusting of the lesser demons, they have humanoid legs and arms, though large raven-like wings sprout from their backs. There are different types of Harpies, which shall not be noted, a recurring trait seems to be kleptomania. Harpies possess a sort of oil that escapes their pores when going into combat, it is believed to be linked to the glands located beneath the beak. Malinor Wildlife “Valahii'ame” Leaf Apes Description: Strange Wolf-like creatures that reside among Malinor’s various trees. The creatures are often quite thin, have very short patchy hair and communicate in a series of high-pitched chortles and howls. The creatures are seen to move in large packs, moving between trees, jumping branch to branch, and have been noted to utilize crude tools. Habitat: Heavily forested lands of Malinor, though they live among the uninhabited forests, simply observing the roads for lone travelers or unfortunate prey. Characteristics: The Tiny creatures are extremely fast and aggressive. It’s extremely common for the creatures to attack the necks of it’s prey, aiming to either bleed or strangle it’s prey. Should this fail, it’s common for the creatures to bite and claw at exposed flesh. In the extremely unlikely event that the creatures find no other method to attack their opponents, they often attack with sticks or rocks in an attempt to disable prey. The teeth, claws, and “Tools,” used by these creatures are generally inefficient and are only a minor threat. Instead, their massive numbers compensate for their lackluster strength. Strangely enough, striking the creatures with common steel only causes blunted damage. For an unknown reason, common Iron or Steel do not penetrate or break the skin of these creatures. The creature is roughly the size of the standard dog, though considerably thinner, almost sickly in it’s nature. These creatures build Nests, made of various hides and leaves, typically producing litters of 8 or more young. Reproductive cycle lasts roughly 4 months. “Ihnsil Taliame” Spear Vine Description: These plants look to be the common Venus Fly-trap, though with roots clearly exposed and forming a bit of a bush around the central pod. The plant seems to have a will of it’s own and moves without clear motive, slowly wandering aimlessly about the forests of Malinor. Habitat: Densely forested areas within the borders of Malinor. The creatures are nomadic in nature, seeing them outside of Malinor, or around civilization is exceptionally common. Characteristics: The vines of the creature are abnormally thick and tough, they’ve been noted to impale an unarmored figure with ease. The prey fed to the central pod. When ingesting Food, the creature remains entirely inactive. Generally unresponsive to the exterior world, even when clearly attacked with efforts to claim it’s life. Upon closer inspection, the creature seems to be a collection of creatures, working within a hivemind environment, the central pod directing the creature entirely. The Central pod is surprisingly thin and frail, lack of effort to protect the mind of the oganism is. strange to say the least. Further observations would be needed to get a better understanding of the creature. The digestive acids of the central pod weaken considerably over time, suggesting the constant need to produce acid from the central pod. When left unhindered, the creature has been known to grow sizes rivaling that of the common tree. Dwarven Wildlife Due to the harsh Climates of the Dwarven lands, Native Wildlife is scarce. “Cave Leech” Description: Of all the unfortunate beasts to come across, this winged beast is the most horrid, putrid, and generally repulsive creature to meet within the depths of a cave. The creature looks remarkably like a naked bat with an extended neck and featureless face. Where a nose and eyes perhaps once stood, a large drooling maw now consumes the face of this beast. Due to it’s highly aggressive and repulsive nature, the creature is widely avoided and genuine investigation on a live subject is nearly impossible. The Creature is seen to walk upon 2 legs, with wings. Suggesting the ability to fly, but there have been no confirmed instances of such. Habitat: The Creature simply craves a massive darkspace. Due to preferences, the creature resides within the icy northern reaches, and is known to plague the cave systems of the Dwarven lands. Characteristics: The thick stretchy hide of the repulsive creature is a natural flame-retardant. The teeth of this creature have been known to cleave Iron as if paper, and removal of a limb when coming into contact with this creature is excessively common. This creature clings to the ceiling of vast cave systems, simply awaiting opportunity to fall onto it’s prey, typically aiming to behead immediately. Due to it’s nest, the high-pitched screech emitted from this creature’s maw is deafening, literally. Often resulting in loss of hearing for several days. Once dead, the creature is noted to drain the carcass of it’s victim. The creature is noted to be roughly the size of an adult Orc, with a wingspan of roughly 5 feet. Orcish Wildlife “Duhnah Skhelll” Sand Tortoise Description: The common Tortoise, though abnormally large and noted to be abnormally territorial. The Sand Tortoise, commonly referred to as the, “Duhnah Skhelll,” due to it’s ability to blend and camouflage within the harsh environment that is the, “War Uzg,” is a territorial and reclusive hunter. It’s favored method of hunting is a form of ambush. The Dune Shell creates a massive crater, and lays flat, only the upper portions of it’s head and shell fully exposed. Even when directly next to the creature, it’s shell and head are remarkably similar to that of it’s surroundings, genuinely appearing to be yet another sand dune, with a small cave mouth and various assorted rocks dotting it’s approach. When prey comes within reach, the creature lurches forth in a surprisingly fast motion, typically snapping at it’s prey’s legs in an attempt to disable effective escape. Once the prey is disabled, the Tortoise will often move to simply crush it’s unfortunate victim. It’s been noted for the Tortoise to simply walk over the victim, breaking bone and entirely disabling the creature. Once the prey is entirely disabled, the creature will move to swallow the victim whole, exhibiting the traits of a snake, unhinging it’s jaw and swallowing the prey slowly. Habitat: The Sand Tortoise is only found within the War Uzg lands of Anthos. It’s found in secluded lands, typically on the outskirts of settlements. It’s unclear of how the creature remains hydrated, as it is not seen consuming cacti, and prefers to avoid any bodies of water. Characteristics: The Creature is a staggering Size, roughly equivalent to a small gatehouse, or nobleman’s manor and it’s not uncommon for the creatures to be mistaken for mobile islands. The shell of the Sand Tortoise is noted to have qualities surpassing that of the finest steel, and is roughly as thicker than a grown man’s forearm. Preferred method of breaching remains unknown. However, upon discovery of a deceased Sand Tortoise, it’s noted that the shell has grown weak and brittle, making it entirely useless for combat adaptation, suggesting the shell is in some form an organic material, much like teeth. When the host dies, the shell dries out, the color diminishes and becomes weak and frail. The Jaw of the Sand Tortoise is known to bend and crack Iron, as if made of wood. Close fighting with the creature is not advised, avoidance is strongly suggested. The bodily scales of the Sand Tortoise are noted to maintain the quality of common Iron, and are quite dense. “Straadoth” Description: Straadoth’s are typically nocturnal in nature, they slither and slide across dunes, sometimes travelling in pairs. The beast emerges from it’s sleep at night, coughing up some bile and then slinking off into the night, the beast does this to mark safe spots and also mating places. Orcish hunters often looks for these beasts for the skin, which is very resistant to the elements, the teeth of the Straadoth are like needles, they are numerous but easily broken, meant for ripping the prey apart instead of chewing, the Straadoth has no claws, but instead humanoid hands which it can grip things with. The beast also possesses a dart-like tongue, which shoots out to impale its victims. But the Straadoth’s real asset is it’s tail, thick and long, which it uses to whip things with. The Straadoth is usually 4 feet tall and 12 feet long, with muscular limbs, the good thing about the Straadoth, is it can only see moving things, as it has no eyes and can feel the vibrations of footsteps through the sand, it can only survive in the sand as it constantly shifts and moves, if someone were to take the Straadoth away from it’s habitat, it would die. Excerpt from an explorer’s journal: “I saw the dunes rise, my wagon shook and a long hiss was heard, a red spike suddenly pierced through my cavern and blood soaked the wall, I looked out of the hatch to see both the drivers were dead, with large holes in their chests and most of their bones picked clean.” Habitat: Sandy biomes only, thick sandy dunes are where it functions, anything lesser would result in starvation, blindness and eventually death. Characteristics: The Straadoth takes whatever color of it’s environment is, making it excellent at blending in, it’s attack style is quick, vicious and brutal, with no care if it hurts itself in the process, it will shoot it’s tongue out at the opponent, grip his horse and throw it at him, whip him with the tail or create a large cloud of sand by smacking it’s tail repeatedly against the ground. Universal Wildlife Vodnik Description: The beast is humanoid in appearance, and is not to be mistaken with a zombie. Vodniks lurk around coastal towns and villages with deep lakes or rivers, they are revived bodies of men or women that have met their demise by drowning, what makes a Vodnik is actually the parasites that lurk in the water, they use the body as a host and grow.. Their hair is slimy and green, as is the ends of their arms and legs, they leave trails similar to a snail’s and make gurgled howls when it is a full moon, they possess a toxin which sedates their prey, which they then drag into the water to feast upon. Excerpt from a text on marine creatures: "These are scoundrels who ended their wicked lives in the water. Drowned alive or thrown into deep watery ravines, they turn into vengeful creatures which stalk the inhabitants of fishing settlements, dragging unsuspecting bathers off into the depths." Habitat: Deep lakes, Rivers, Coastal Sea and Ponds. Characteristics: The Vodnik is slow and weak, but in the water, the creature is at its best. It can swim at unbelievable speeds and hear the faintest of footsteps on the land, the beast also possesses a sedative in its saliva, which it uses to drown the prey. The Vodnik also possesses the ability to ignore bad injuries, one could cut off all it’s limbs and it would still try and attack its prey, it also doesn’t weaken when it bleeds, is poisoned or tossed off cliffs. The Vodnik, as agile and aware as it may be, is completely blind, it relies completely on feeling, smell and its hearing. The Vodnik is quite scrawny, like a decomposing corpse, though it possesses abnormally large claws and teeth like knives, which it has several sets of. Upon death, the Vodnik does something very odd, it hacks up it’s insides and the parasites that lived within crawl back into the water to find another host corpse, and create another Vodnik. “Winged Screamer” Giant Raven Description: A massive Raven. The reason for it’s mutation is unknown. Perhaps exposure to mana, or simple adjustment to the wildlife within Anthos. Much like all ravens, the creature is a Near Black, Dark Blue. It’s Beak and Talons a jet black. The creatures typically stand at 10 feet with a wing span exceeding 12 feet. Habitat: This creature is nomadic, typically living atop mountains for a mating cycle before moving on. Characteristics: The creatures Talons could easily render a bit of low quality Iron useless, though the creature prefers to simply scoop it’s prey before allowing it to plunge to the grounds below. The Beak of the Bird is capable of crack platemail, though only with repeated efforts. The Giant Raven emits a loud scream than can easily be heard for miles around, often said to echo throughout the lands, earning it the nickname, “Winged Screamer.” The Creature typically feeds on cattle or lone adventurers, preferring to make short work of it’s meals. When it’s nest is approached, the Raven goes into an enraged frenzy, attempting to knock it’s attack from the mountain, if not with it’s talons, the winds produced by the flap of it’s massive wings. ((On a side not, a separate page has been handed out to Ptah (Lore Master) which includes Counter measures/Weaknesses of the beasts, and how an ET/GM/Admin could RP out the monster. Please thank TgTemplar, Sode1 and other a few others for the time they put into the Lore, they deserve it. Please come to me if you're looking for the other info or if you wish to have an RP event scheduled.)) Warning: All of these creatures cannot be tamed by Magic or be tamed in general, attempts at control via magic and taming will result in failure, the creatures often turning on those making efforts.
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