Standing Man
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Name: Standing ManFauna Type: Named Beast
Mod Status: Guest Mod with Mod Input, Mod Input, or Mod Use only
Quick Facts: Tall, strong, telekinesis
Height: 14'10"
Width: 4'3"
Length: 1'
Weight: ~600 lbs
Meta-Location Found: The Standing Man wanders through Yaralon wilderness and could conceivably be found anywhere except for the city itself and Fool's Run
History: Although the true origin of the Standing Man is disputed, a few stories are passed of his creation. Likely all of them are not much more than rumor, but it is far more likely that each story has a bit of truth to it.
One cites that the Standing Man is the last surviving member of a species long passed, a species with considerable lifespans, hunted or extinguished by Yaralon's unforgiving ecosystem. The theory states that long ago, a reclusive pack of Standing Men existed in a separate region, but were forced out due to the creation of a settlement or overpopulation of a predatory species. They migrated to the Yaralon region where all but one met their eventual deaths.
Another cites that the Standing Man is not a member of a separate species, but instead a man of indeterminate species, twisted and muddled by unidentified magics, to the point of being unrecognizable. This, the theory explains, would give reasonable explanation to his stature, his reclusive activity, his bestial nature, and his peculiar abilities.
Finally, one story cites that the Standing Man was created at the time Idalos was. Born from the mud and the flora into an amalgamation of nature, the Standing Man is a creation with as much explanation for being as the ground it walks on. The story explains that perhaps if the Immortals and their creators had not inhabited Idalos, bringing forth the history as mortals come to understand it now, the dominant species of Idalos would be the Standing Man.
Although the stories of the Standing Man are common, and many believe in his existence, there are a great many more that would dismiss him as legend. No one has yet proven decisively whether or not the Standing Man truly exists beyond the walls of Yaralon.
Appearance: The Standing Man is a nearly impossibly tall bipedal creature, covered head to toe in matted, brown hair with no distinguishable face. Its feet, although perhaps appearing close to that of a human, leave tracks that much closer resemble that of an elephant's, or perhaps a bear's. From eyewitness reports, it has become common knowledge that the Standing Man's knees bend forward like a human's, that its torso cannot be distinguished from its hips, its arms hand down until the fingers reach approximately knee height, and its hands are larger than a typical human skull. Its head is a mound of fur, which obscures the creature's neck, should it possess one. No bodily details, such as muscle mass, genitals, or otherwise distinguishing features have ever been reported.
Habitat: Sightings of the Standing Man apparently have no limit to region. Rough estimate of all sightings suggests that it lives somewhere between 20 and 300 miles away from the city walls, but sightings have been reported in The Spines, Bastard's Grove, Maiden's Refuge, and The Crags. The only place in the Yaralon wilderness that the Standing Man has not been seen is Fool's Run, which it is theorized to avoid in order to evade detection.
Lifespan and Development: Nothing is decisively known about its birth, its development, or its death, seeing as its origins are widely disputed, its adolescence has not been observed, and its death has not yet apparently occurred.
Diet: Multiple people cite having seen the Standing Man consuming large, predatory birds, small to medium mammals, as well as much larger creatures. There are, however, also reports of it consuming marshland plants as well, suggesting that the Standing Man is likely omnivorous. As well as this, charred remains found in regions where the Standing Man is rumored to frequent also suggest that it has the ability to cook its food before consuming it.
Temperament: The Standing Man is excessively reclusive, particularly around sentient species such as humans. Most sightings of the Standing Man occur while the beast is running from the observer, however, there are a number few that report that, once they got close enough to the Standing Man, it charged at them, and they were just barely able to get away. Initially, the stories of a more aggressive Standing Man were thought of as being doctored, but they began to hold weight to them after a few parties had gone looking for the Standing Man and had not returned, however, upon search for said party, human remains were found scattered, suggesting that the Standing Man had consumed them.
Abilities: The Standing Man's physical stature allows its muscle groups to be developed past the point a typical being's muscle groups could, allowing the Standing Man to be generally better equipped to run faster and longer distances, climb higher and sustain itself by its arms for longer, physically challenge larger animals, and jump higher and longer distances. However, there is one ability that the Standing Man is rumored to possess, which explains its ability to catch large birds, as well as support the more magic-oriented theories of its origins. One of the few consistencies that every story shares is that the Standing Man reportedly possesses the ability to move objects up to one metric ton with its mind. This telekinesis, reportedly, is its main method of defense, as well as the main reason why it has evaded defeat or capture.
Credit: Astronomy