Creations of the Creep (Development Submission Thread)

[Alistair]

Pray

Pray is a drug crafted by Transmutation, the first one developed by Alistair for the purpose of 'group bonding' activities within the Travelers. It's named after the pose made by a Transmuter in order to produce it - they place a mushroom, already a psychedelic drug, between the two palms of their hands and close their palms tightly, appearing as if praying to a God. Then, from within the core of their palms, the Transmuter will immerse the mushroom with ether and impart it with a number of Qualities from their Palette. The most common two imparted are smells, and tastes; it may smell like a rose, and taste like a bar of creamy white chocolate, adding to the allure in its consumption. Further traits can be added; levels of spice, texture, and further enhancements to the psychedelic, mind altering effects.

Pray is not a specific type of mushroom, but rather any mushroom-drug enhanced with Transmuter's Qualities. Since creation, the concept has begun to circulate around Quacia somewhat rapidly, with many more mage circles adopting this method and funneling the drug into the market. Considering it is often infused with the taste properties of highly gratifying foods, it's easy to consume in rapid amounts, and can therefore easily result in death.

*Credit to Blue for the name idea!

!	Message from: Tyrant
	Approved. And yeah, it's an amazingly Quacian name.

[Nasod]

Ode to the Scarlet Beast

Head the Scarlet Beast.
On heretics, it shall feast.
If it happens to appear.
Their heresies shall disappear.
Stay faithful and don't think twice,
Unless you wish the beast to take your life,
So beware the Scarlet Beast,
On heretics, it will feast.

!	Message from: Tyrant
	Approved. Moved to Scarlet Belief page.

[Nasod]

蛇 The Scarlet Beast 蛇

蛇 What started as a legend soon became a tool for the Theocratum to use. On Vhalar 26th an agent of the Theocratum dispatched a heretic and displayed her corpse for all to see. From this event, the legend, and superstition of the Scarlet Beast was born.

From that trial, the faithful have been ever mindful of their actions and devotion. Though a legend, a deterrent, a fervent warning, the Scarlet beast has etched itself into the hearts and souls of the faithful. They say the beast is the physical embodiment of the Wounded God. That upon seeing the influx of heresy, it sent an agent to enact its will. They say the beast is always watching, no matter what, relaying what it sees back to the Wounded God. They say it leaves a claw mark as a warning to those it plans on visiting. 蛇

[Alistair]

Kekoa Kahele

Name: Kekoa Kahele (formerly Kekoa Burhan)
Age: 28
Race: Human/Biqaj
Organization: The Seekers (Formerly), The Travelers
Skills:
Magic
Hone: 60 (Lucis)
Sovereign: 40
Mundane
Alchemy: 60
Chemistry: 55
Unarmed Combat: 50
Strength: 40
Endurance: 30

Biography: Though born into privilege, Kekoa was never a plain child, nor one with common interests. His life began with solitude, one that gripped his parents who feared for what illness might plague his mind. He was, not long after he could first speak, forever locked within the tedious grip of Psychologists, or whatever provisional aspect of such a profession existed at the time in the Seminary of Gawyne. There was every intention - every desire by his esteemed Noble House - to accept him. Even though he was just... a distant cousin, and would never inherit more than a small township or a village, he was one of theirs to be married off or utilized as an instrument of their prestige.

Not far into his life, though, he learned with perfect clarity what was wrong with him. The issue that had sapped his mother's will for arcs, and had confined him to the seat of an outsider. It was a distant, unsettling vice that produced only scorn for the Mundane, and allured his mind to the Magical. Quickly, he drew away from the overbearing of court rituals and the tournaments of the common man; at the first light of the first spark before him, he knew who he was, and what he wanted to be.

And so, he joined the Seekers. For a long time, he was content within their studies... and he learned what he could from their careful, auspicious methods. For a long time, he balanced his life as a Rynmere Noble and as a member of the Academy Sect of the Seekers. A state-authorized magister, he was given all the privileges that he could wield, so long as he kept his abilities confined to the shadowy circles through which he walked. And then, in Arc 717, he was sent to Quacia to study with the best of the best; to join his peers for an arc of enlightenment, during which time he would become a true master.

And then, not long after, every mage in the Rynmere Sect was either forced to flee, or killed. He was stripped of his nobility, all acceptance of magisters within the Kingdom revoked. On that day, he left the Seekers and decided to pursue his own path.

!	Message from: Tyrant
	Assuming this is a faction NPC, in which case, this is Accepted.

[Kaelrik]

Name: Gravemind
Quick Facts: Intelligent, Necromancer, Poisonous
Height: Varies.
Width: Varies.
Meta-Location Found: Quacia
Occurrence: Rare

Info: The enigmatic Gravemind is among the more monstrous and terrifying manifestations of the Creep. An amalgamation of fungal brain matter that seems to be stitched together with vines, bones, and the imitation of sinew, the Gravemind is horrifying and disturbing for even the most stalwart soldier. Its vile appearance however, is the least of anyone’s worries in the event one suffers the misfortune of encountering it. Tethered to the ends of innumerable tendrils snaking their way out from its bulbous head are dozens of undead. This slow moving mass of walking death, it seems, commands a small amount of power over the undead.

Habitat: Creep infested forest.

Temperament: Patient. Intelligent. Violent.

Abilities:
Deathmarch- Writhing around what appears to be its brain matter are dozens upon dozens of tendrils. The tendrils are spiked, with paralytic barbs on the ends. Touching these tendrils has the similar effect of a jellyfish sting. A fully realized Gravemind typically has a large number of undead tethered to the end of those tentacles. The Gravemind attaches one of its tendrils to the base of the skull of whatever unfortunate creature crosses its path. From there, it infects the victim and overtakes its nervous system resulting in the creation of one of its undead attendants. The victim then suffers a slow doom where they lose all control of themselves while still maintaining awareness until death.

Mindmeld- The Gravemind is incapable of independent speech, possessing no apparent anatomy imbuing it with such a trait. However, in the case of a very recently acquired person, the Gravemind can attach one of its tendrils to the victim’s skull and speak through that individual. Additionally, upon invading a victim’s brain, the Gravemind gains knowledge of the victim’s skills, abilities and life experiences. While not possessing the ability to utilize all of this knowledge, every Gravemind is a walking library of the experiences of its victims.

Siphon- As the name implies, the Gravemind can siphon energy and sustenance from both its environment and its victims. This requires the utilization of its tendrils as tethers to that which it is siphoning from.

Toxic Tendrils- On the ends of every one of its tendrils is a barb through which the Gravemind can emit various toxins. These range from paralytic to corrosive to blood poison.

!	Message from: Tyrant
	Approved. I could certainly envision a few of these hanging around Creephearts, and sucking the memories and talents out of kidnapped victims, and possibly even teaching those skills to other Creepborne atrocities.

[Kaelrik]

Name: Brinemother D’sheila
Titles: Sea-Witch, Saltmistress, She of the Wandering Mist, The Many-Eyed Mistress
Quick Facts: Aquatic, Supremely Intelligent, Cunning
Appearance: A humanoid woman. Beautiful or terrifying varies on the stories told about her.
Meta-Location Found: Quacian coast
Status: Legendary

“If you desire it, she can give it to you…for a price.”

Many are the stories of the Brinemother. She is a figure that has existed on the edges of Quacian myth for centuries. Her exact origins are not entirely clear but the single unifying constant is that she is a sorceress of great power that is not to be trifled with. Throughout the centuries, sailors, nobles, and commoners have gone out into the seas in search of her. Some never return. Most never find her. The few that do are forever changed by the encounter and rarely for the better. But one thing is certain: D’sheila has it within her power to bestow upon those who meet her, great boons. Often this comes in the form of a trinket, an article of clothing or some object imbued with a power that assists the person with their desired goal. Exactly what the price for these objects is, only those who bargain with her know. But what everyone knows is that eventually, D’sheila will come to collect and she always gets her dues.

Habitat: The stories speak of the Hungering Isle, the home of D’sheila the Brinemother. It is said that when a thick fog descends upon the sea, then can her island be found. Those brave enough can enter the mists and test their luck. If one can navigate through the dense fog they might happen upon her island and somewhere on it is located her lair. Accounts of her home vary. Some speak of a cottage. Others speak of a grotto deep within a sea-cave. Some even speak of a tower. One would only know if they manage to find it for themselves.

Known Abilities:
Brinelings- D’sheila can summon creatures from the Deeps. These are often referred to as her “brinelines”. Ravenous, horrifying and utterly hostile, the stories of them depict them in numerous forms with the only constant being that they are beasts completely subservient to her will.

Lady of the Mists- D’sheila is always accompanied by a dense fog in every story that speaks of her. It is heavily implied that she has power over these mists. Stories tell of her being able to thicken, thin, summon and disperse them at will. It is rumored that the souls of those who either displeased her or got lost in them linger within the fog and that she can summon them on a whim.

Giver of Gifts- Those fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to make a bargain with D’sheila are granted a boon. The form these boons take is always that of a physical object that she gifts to the petitioner. Its exact powers vary from story to story depending on what the petitioner desires, but they are always two-sided. Capable of bringing great victory or great ruin, every story told about D’sheila implies that the gifts she grants can make a man or destroy them. No matter the outcome though, those who are touched by her gifts are forever changed by them…for better or worse.

!	Message from: Tyrant
	Accepted. It seems that this is more of a mythos than an actual character, and it provides a nice reason for any Quacians to adventure near the sea if they felt like it. Besides, we needed a witch to fit the gothic motif.

[Rakvald]

Name: Crimson Arthraiths

Quick Facts: Although the Quacians have need of the food provided by the Plenty, often enough in the midst of debauchery, devotion, or political intrigues, they can take their food sources for granted. Their lack of interest in this part can work against them. One of the largest threats to the food supply coming from the Plenty, besides the ever present encroachment of the Creep, disease, and scarcity, are the Crimson Arthraiths.
Height: 2'-3'
Width: 1'-2'
Length: 4'
Weight: 40-60 lbs.
Native to: The Caverns beneath Quacia, and certain parts of the Plenty.
Locations: The Plenty, in Quacia.


Appearance: Their carapace is crimson red, lined with brown and sometimes speckled. Their appearance from one individual to the other can vary, but most wouldn't be able to tell where one began and the other ended, as these semi-sentient insectmen tend to work as a collective. Certain Quacians who harbor derision toward the Theorcracy have taken to calling these bugs Monks, because their coloring recalls to mind the Red motifs of the Scarlet Belief. They have six eyes, with two larger ones on either side of their head. Their carapace is divided into four distinct sections, a head, abdomen, thorax, and tail. The tail is the largest part of their body. A pair of antennae spring from the temples of their heads, and it's theorized by some they use this to communicate with each other.

Habitat: Primarily subterranean, the Arthraiths stay well hidden beneath the Plenty of Quacia, and are deathly afraid of the Creep. None of these creatures are found anywhere near the Creep, and they get thrown into a mass frenzy of fear if they encounter any form of plant matter, living or dead. It's presumed they also harbor some sort of generational memory that has left an impression on them of the Creep, or perhaps it's some other cause that results in their abject terror when it comes to the Plant kingdom.

Lifespan and Development: They begin in egg form which lasts a season, and proceed to larval lasting a cycle, and finally their adult form which has a life expectancy of no more than four years. Many of the Arthraiths die as they have been known to cannibalize their weaker members, if they aren't killed by residents of the Plenty.

Diet: They prefer meat, and often prey on livestock, swarming the poor beasts and eating them alive.

Temperament: They are mostly dangerous to four legged beasts and will tend to ignore bipeds or less meaty stronger quarry. When backed into a corner, they will fight much as they hunt, swarming with their sickle arms and pincer mouths.

Abilities: It's not known whether their eyes can see in the dark, but they seem to make their way around the caverns fine. They have untrained-level combat capabilities, and are mostly a nuisance to farmers and their livestock. Only minimally dangerous when in swarms of twelve or more against armed opponents.

Credit: Rakvald

!	Message from: Tyrant
	Definitely Approved. We've needed more strange vermin to plague the area, and finally we have a contender that threatens to take the place of the common rat. I really do like this write-up, and look forward to seeing these nuisances used.