Naomi Kimishima (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chatwithdeath) wrote2015-01-09 11:06 pm
chatwithdeath) wrote2015-01-09 11:06 pm
Monster Syndrome: The Incomplete and Ongoing Study of Arrivals Turned Monsters in Ryslig
The beginning of these transformations dates back to the first arrival. From the moment we came into Ryslig during their Ocean Festival, we appear to have been marked. Scars of unexplained origin appear across our bodies and blood work reveals something foreign introduced to our systems. So far, the phenomena is believed to be the work of the supposed 'Fog God', one of three beings said to be here. While this god continues to torment us, there has yet been a response from the Day or Night Gods apparently praised in some parts of this Peninsula. However, there does appear to be an active fourth god here left off the record.
The discussion of gods though will be saved for other documents. At this time, little is known about them beyond the fact the Fog God seems to hold contempt to this fourth god. As it is now, on these papers, the purpose is to record the beings we are becoming.
These transformations - as they are - do not appear to occur immediately. Instead, it can take several weeks to a month, or however long it takes for the fog to return after its first show to the new inhabitants of this peninsula. Peculiar enough, for us who arrived first, there was a voice that rang through the fog and the natives fell unconscious. Since the fourth god has been trapped till now (unless he's dead. I assume otherwise since the Fog God seems like the type to celebrate if the knowledge I've learned of them is true), I doubt those words were spoken by him. Others speak of a bizarre projection in the theater, but again, we're trailing off. The point is, the first fog seems to be some initiation for new arrivals while the second batch of fog rolling in seems to trigger the first changes.
Transforming is not all at once, and while major changes can occur, minor can as well. Changes as well can be shared among a number of the species in the will proceeding, but the type is usually conclusive by the second or third round of changes. Also, transforming so far appears to be within the span of two to nearly six months. Again, as humans and the other terrestrial beings (I don't necessarily mean alien, but not everyone is from Earth to be exact) here now are different, the changes and time frame will be different as well. One more thing I must mention about this transformation is the eventual awakening of a hunger. This is no ordinary hunger either, but it is one that drives monsters to attack humans and consume them. Most appear to eat the flesh while other manners of sustenance from them such as blood or energy. How this is obtained often results in the death of the human obviously. An effort will have to be made to make sure the human populous is not wiped out entirely.
Now then, to the 'monsters' themselves. For the sake of anonymity, there will be no names included. As for myself - and as I have turned as well - I will note where I fall as one of the unfortunate many here.
Table of Contents
The discussion of gods though will be saved for other documents. At this time, little is known about them beyond the fact the Fog God seems to hold contempt to this fourth god. As it is now, on these papers, the purpose is to record the beings we are becoming.
These transformations - as they are - do not appear to occur immediately. Instead, it can take several weeks to a month, or however long it takes for the fog to return after its first show to the new inhabitants of this peninsula. Peculiar enough, for us who arrived first, there was a voice that rang through the fog and the natives fell unconscious. Since the fourth god has been trapped till now (unless he's dead. I assume otherwise since the Fog God seems like the type to celebrate if the knowledge I've learned of them is true), I doubt those words were spoken by him. Others speak of a bizarre projection in the theater, but again, we're trailing off. The point is, the first fog seems to be some initiation for new arrivals while the second batch of fog rolling in seems to trigger the first changes.
Transforming is not all at once, and while major changes can occur, minor can as well. Changes as well can be shared among a number of the species in the will proceeding, but the type is usually conclusive by the second or third round of changes. Also, transforming so far appears to be within the span of two to nearly six months. Again, as humans and the other terrestrial beings (I don't necessarily mean alien, but not everyone is from Earth to be exact) here now are different, the changes and time frame will be different as well. One more thing I must mention about this transformation is the eventual awakening of a hunger. This is no ordinary hunger either, but it is one that drives monsters to attack humans and consume them. Most appear to eat the flesh while other manners of sustenance from them such as blood or energy. How this is obtained often results in the death of the human obviously. An effort will have to be made to make sure the human populous is not wiped out entirely.
Now then, to the 'monsters' themselves. For the sake of anonymity, there will be no names included. As for myself - and as I have turned as well - I will note where I fall as one of the unfortunate many here.
Table of Contents
- Arachne
- Demon
- Faerie
- Gargoyle
- Goblin
- Harpy
- Kelpie
- Manticore
- Merperson
- Minotaur
- Naga
- Nymph
- Shade
- Troll
- Vampire
- Wendigo
- Werebear
- Werewolf
Arachne
Despite the tale, Arachnes appear not to be limited to only becoming a single arachnid, but potentially hybrids. As exhibited by one, they had a scorpion tail as well and were still able to produce webs albeit not from the normal spinneret. Another detail that appears to differ is the number of eyes. Either this one I studied has yet to grow them, or not all Arachnes have eight eyes. Also, the growth of a mandible may or may not occur.
Traits that are exhibited by Arachnes are the lower half becoming arachnid-like, the hands turning into claws, canines turning into fangs, the production of venom, and the production of web. With this venom seems to come an immunity to it. Further tests show this immunity is not actually limited to the Arachne's own venom, but other toxins. As another note, should there be a case of Arachnes having both fang and mandibles, one or the other may produce and inject venom, but not both.
Night vision has improved and we have the ability to pick up on vibrations through our legs not unlike spiders and their webs when prey is trapped. Quick and able to traverse vertical surfaces or those completely upside down, I've noticed a particular dislike to large bodies of water. Tanks are fine; shallow rivers and streams are fine; however, the lakes and ocean are out of the question.
Demon
Demons are scattered throughout Ryslig, or are rare to become. As I've only had one subject whom I've asked to keep me informed of their changes before, the information I have gathered has taken some time. However, they were willing to cooperate and I now have another subject to study should any more questions arise. Fortunately now, I have gained another, closer companion willing to divulge information as he continues going through his transformations.
As with many species on this list, they grow horns, large wings capable of flight, pointed ears, and claws. Unlike the others on this list, their eyes glow red as they use magic and their tails appear to be long, but not bulky. A recent conclusion is yes, they do have dark magic with allows them to consume a human's consciousness, or soul. In fact, they can sense the souls within their targets. Besides that, they're capable of teleporting, conjuring fire, and using the most recent victim they fed on as a puppet. Because of their ability to conjure fire, they are immune to being burned by it. However, like in numerous legends, demons cannot withstand salt. If trapped within a circle of salt, they are unable to use their magic to escape until the circle is destroyed. They have another weakness as well. It is apparently some form of magic that can reportedly trap and weaken them, but few humans seem to know it.
Faerie
Ryslig Faeries, though appearing as they do in many tales, take on a more insectoid appearance. The transformations they gain include, but not limited to: antennae, carapace, pointed ears, wings, claws, and experience a lengthening of the limbs. They may, also, grow a second mouth or second set of arms. There was one faerie I met time ago where their eyes and hair color matched; still, I'm not certain if this is an occurrence from transformations, or if this was their original appearance.
In terms of ability and feeding, Faeries drain energy from their victims by their faerie rings. Faerie rings are small circles of mushrooms not only for feeding, but teleportation should a second circle be located elsewhere. It would be wise for them to remember where they grow their circles to avoid any complications, or keep all emergency routes open to themselves. Besides faerie rings, they are also capable of manipulating their size, shrinking specifically. If there's anything personality-wise to note about them, that would be their apparent inability to easily lie. They may be capable of twisting the truth, but besides that, they could be the most honest monsters.
Gargoyle
Here, Gargoyles are very much alive and spew fire as opposed to water. As well, they appear immune to it; a subject in particular provided a heat source during the night as my exams continued by igniting themselves. They are very dragon-like in appearance with horns, fangs, claws, wings, talons, and scales with each being quite diverse. Many of them have spikes, but the numbers are said to vary.
With their ability of flight and keen eyesight, they are a hunting species, but only at night. During the day, if exposed to sunlight, they turn to stone. Again, the subject from before became one manner of semi-precious stone, but found another of their kind had awakened from a different manner of stone. So, as with form, even their stone appearance can differ.
Harpy
As expected with the avian hybrid, harpies have numerous feathers with their wings most prominent, sharp talons, and even talon claws (the curve of them was much more prominent than most of the other creatures with claws). The amount of plumage actually covering their body can vary from harpy to harpy leaving some to be almost completely covered while others have a few growing on various parts of their body, but the shoulders and elbows seem to be consistent, and this isn't including the hair with takes on a feathery texture. With most monsters on this list, their eyesight is impeccable, bettering their vision from the air to the ground should they fly. They may also grow pointed ears.
For instincts, Harpies are said to be capable of predicting weather patterns and are capable of summoning powerful winds. They will roost higher from the ground if possible and may make nests out of bed sheets or other available material. Some harpies are apparently capable of turning into a bird though this form is more vulnerable than their normal form. Finally, some share the ability of having an alluring voice to humans with results varying from monster to monster.
Goblin
What I did discover was Ryslig Goblins have clawed hands and discolored skin. In this instance, it was blue. However, I have been informed that other pigment possibilities are red and green. I wonder if they're limited between these two colors, or if others are possible. They exhibit a growth of small wings, but they were far from allowing flight. Magic does seem possible; in fact, Goblins can use more than one sort of elemental magic compared to other monsters and possibly other magic such as slipping into shadows. Beyond those, there's also the matter of sharp teeth, pointed ears, and various other physical traits such as the growth of spikes and shorter stature.
They're yet another species of monsters that feed on human energy which is fortunately manageable. They have fair eyesight at night, but they're weakened during the daytime. Be wary of Goblins for, unlike Faeries, they're prone to tricky similar to their mythical nature.
Kelpie
Kelpie here have the ability to retain a relatively human appearance according to study, but they do gain a tint to their skin, almost a sickly green pigment, and their body seems to become ill-proportioned. Other physical attributes gained are the teeth becoming sharper, but thin unlike normal fangs, the ears become pointed, and fingernails gaining a black tint. The hair as well seems to gain a different texture; however, touching the subject is out of the question unless sticking to them only pertains to their horse form which appears to be interchangeable at the will of the kelpie themselves (unless the fog is in). However, they suggest it's like that of seaweed. Also, they have noted growing taller since transforming.
The subject admits to having sharper senses; more so in water than on land. How they feed is close to their lore, but they do not feed on their victim's flesh; instead, they are yet another monster species that drains their victim's energy in the process of drowning them. Despite their need to lure people towards them, kelpie themselves appear more skittish in nature, closer to their horse counterparts. Try to avoid any sudden movements or sounds when around one.
Manticore
Despite extra features and an apparent resistance to heat, Manticores really are not unlike cats, and like cats, they can be very domestic or feral in behavior. Pointed, cat-like ears, sharp fangs replacing the teeth, the hands and feet gain claws and pads not unlike those of actual paws. Fur appears all over the body and can vary in length and patterns, and wings protrude from the back. Though often more bat-like, these wings can instead have feathers or be a hybrid between the two. All tails so far appear to be scorpion in nature, covered in barbs and sometimes bare. What is unique about the Manticore tail though is the fact there can be a singular tip, two, or three with the venom they produce again varied.
With their sharpened senses, they are also agile and capable of jumping a great distance without aid of their wings. Beyond this normal form, they can also turn into normal sized house cats or other wild cat. One ability that appears outside of the usual would be one subject having the ability to sing and lull victims into a trance. Despite physical appearance, Manticores have difficulty in cold temperatures and prefer to cluster around sources of heat during cold periods, mainly winter.
Merpeople
In Ryslig, Merpeople are capable of appearing human on land. However, their fins, gills, and webbing remain however easily able to disguise. Scales appear in various places over their body, but despite the appearance of scales and bioluminescent spots, they're not all necessarily fish. One subject became part mollusk, showing that Merpeople range further than fish species. Underwater, that's where they gain their more aquatic appearance, the legs becoming long tails, dividing into multiple tentacles, or other unrecorded creature's limbs. The gills open and more scales appear with some fins growing in length, and already sharpened senses improve.
Besides appearance, they require more water than the next monsters and can only go several days on land before having to return to water. As for how they feed, it appears they drown their victims, but do not consume the body, making them another category to drain their victim's energy. To help them hunt, some are capable of luring their victims to them by singing similar to a Siren's song. In water, cold water temperatures do not appear to be an issue nor do changes in water pressure; however, once out of water, they are susceptible to temperatures like that of any human.
Minotaur
In relation to the myth, Minotaur on the peninsula become a half-human, half-bull hybrid. Again, there is no single bovine species Minotaur become. In fact, they do not need to become part bovine at all as they can become Sus instead. They vary in appearance; size, coloration, horn shapes, and overall number of horns. Still, Minotaur all have at least a set of sharp horns and pointed, animal-like ears either bovine or sus. Instead of claws, the fingers darken and bulk up. Actually, a great deal of the upper body appears to gain muscle mass. Instead of typical thighs, calves, and feet, Minotaur have their respective animal's legs and hooves as well grow their tail.
With their transformation comes an abnormal acuteness to their surroundings - a natural ability to navigate any terrain they're placed in upon their heightened senses. Unfortunately, the downside for the Minotaur is a sensitivity to high-pitched sounds and otherwise. If a Minotaur displays increased aggression and is exposed to any sound irritant, they will rampage and it might not be in their hybrid form as this is yet another monster who can take on a full animal form. While bad, there is a plus side as a few Minotaur have shown an amazing proficiency in playing whatever instrument they pick up. As for dietary habits, Minotaur seems to have the most varied pallet with an increased consumption of vegetables upon the meat they choose to consume and the human flesh they must.
Naga
Unlike Gargoyles who come to be covered in scales, Naga have patches on their body closer to that of the Merperson which may potentially result in confusion between the three in early stages unless they gain other changes before. As well, the eyes also become yellow with slit pupils which too can be confused with a Gargoyles. Nagas will eventually grow claws, two long hypodermic fangs for injecting venom, heat senses, and a snake tail of varying length and coloration. They may also lose hair and grow smaller snakes from their head. Until the tail grows in, some Nagas might lose use of their legs and require assistance or other methods of transportation to get around. They may also find issues consuming food normally as time goes on and it may affect their ability to consume human flesh easily.
In my encounter, the poison was of no concern due to my own monstrous nature, but what was concerning was the condition of the Naga themselves. As part snake, they are apparently cold-blooded, seeking heat like any reptile would. For those reading who do not know this term, it refers to the body's ability to control temperature and metabolism. Cold-blooded animals require sources of heat to stay warm otherwise induce a hibernation state.
Nymph
In Ryslig, Nymphs appear to be attached, in general, to plants. Actually, the whole body appears to become a plant from the tips of the pointed ears down to the toes becoming roots; even the hair, and the pigmentation of the skin turns bright green. The eyes notably become an intense shade of green as well. As for the rest of the body, it becomes covered in plant life. With these growths, they can release toxins or hallucinogenics spores so err on the side of caution when around one. I'm highly concerned about them being around fire, but as with healthy plants, as long as they remain healthy and vibrant, they should be safe.
As in myth, they are connected to nature while managing to be unconnected. That is, they are not tied to any one component of nature, but all of it. Due to this, they have little difficulty navigating terrain covered heavily in foliage. This connection also means others should be more aware of their potential to become angered if any plants are harmed. When it comes time to feeding, Nymphs will use their roots to hold onto their victim and devour them, draining their insides and leaving them as severely emaciated corpse.
Shade
In Ryslig, the Shade is a unique being. They are alive in a matter of speaking, but dead in another sense. It doesn't seem as though they experience the same death that Vampires and Wendigos suffer themselves to become undead however. Instead, they just are, but such is the nature of a shadow.
There are a few changes for the Shade to undergo. The two most prominent would be turning into a shadow and the glowing eyes. Should they assume a human form, the glowing eyes remain and they become wrapped in a dark aura. In their shadow form, they can change shapes and pass through solid objects, even the ground - living beings should avoid walking through a Shade if possible. Also, they're capable of telekinesis to some extent, and a few come to possess the ability to levitate. They are one of the many here who feed on the human soul. Be aware though, like a shadow, sunlight effects them. The recommendation is for them to travel at night.
Troll
I will say trolls here are no more ugly than any other transformations here. The physical characteristics someone turning into a troll takes include thick, hard claws in the place of all nails (toenails included), pointed ears, numerous bumpy horns on their heads, thick skin, and rock-like protrusions over their body. Tails appear to be possible as well, but I still have to see how common this is. For this subject in particular I have to study, they have an extra set of eyes and seem capable of tracing heat signatures.
With their strength and earthy appearance, it isn't a surprise to find this subject capable of manipulating rocks with little difficulty. Oddly enough, they also have the ability of mimicry, disguising both themselves and their voice; a way to lure in prey no doubt when hungry. A word of caution beyond the mimicry: trolls have a unique ability to grow to about 6 m (20 ft) in height and enter a 'berserk' state. If they also express increased aggression, it's best to exercise caution around one. On a lighter note, trolls are sensitive to sunlight as well; it's best for them to restrict movements to nighttime, or within tunnels during the day.
Vampire
This isn't all too far from the Vampires that a number of arrivals have been turning into. While they will undergo possibly the least painful minor transformations such as eyes taking on a shade of red, nails turning into claws, pale skin, pointed ears, and growing fangs, Vampires are one of two creatures here that must undergo one of the most painful transformation to become undead. Most processes to maintain a living being cease, causing all subjects to experience death and leaving only the brain to function. Still, in order to maintain themselves, they do need to sustain themselves on blood.
Senses can strengthen and they prove to have an inhuman speed in some cases. As with the legends and stories, Vampires in Ryslig should do their best to avoid the sunlight and, oddly enough, silver.
Wendigo
On the peninsula, Wendigo are the other undead creature after the Vampire mentioned on the page before. They appear to be half-human, half-cervidae - that is, part of the family common to deer, elks, moose, caribou, and other false horned species. Their body expresses these characteristics through the growth of antlers, pointed ears shaped much like whatever cervidae they express, fur, thick mane, hooves in place of feet, and a tail. They grow claws and fangs much like other species, and can have an overall emaciated appearance with bones visible.
Wendigo experience a temporary death like Vampires and come back undead. As nearly insatiable creatures, this is dangerous to anyone who becomes their victim as they don't have to concern themselves with breathing. I've been told that their bite can be chilling which relates back to how they better thrive in cold temperatures. Opposing, they dislike and avoid fire and heat if at all possible. Oddly enough, they also appear to be unable to bear silver.
Werebear
My suspicions of the Werebear being akin to Werewolves has been confirmed; however, there are a number of distinct differences which I will get into later. As their are few who become Werebears, I only have two in which to study from at this time, one being further than the second who has most recently arrived. As with Werewolves, Werebears appear mostly human during the day save for distinct animal features including, but not limited to: fur mainly on the back, shoulders and arms; fangs; yellow eyes; and rounded, furred ears. At night, the individual transforms into their bear form and will not turn back until sunrise. They will suffer the same transformation fatigue and may want to wisely become nocturnal due to this. Also, they must be wary of silver.
While the Werewolf can be more agile, the Werebear has a significant increase in strength and size. They can be extremely aggressive and are well aware of their surroundings so it is advised to give a Werebear significant space during their transformations in the evening unless permitted inside their territory. Like the nature of their wild animal relation, they do hunt and consume flesh, and again, another warning to those who may be unaware. Bears can begin eating their catch before it is dead.
Werewolf
Again, Werewolves in Ryslig are not only limited to turning into wolves. One guest I was often in contact with was more fox-like than wolf, opening up the possibilities of what animals these Weres can become. Also, unlike their legend, evening transformations happen always at sunset and fade at sunrise. When human, Weres retain their animal ears, fur across various parts of their body, claws, padded feet, and yellow eyes.
While not entirely affected by the moon phases, Werewolves can be more aggressive during the Full Moon and act more on instinct. No matter when they transform, they experience fatigue the following morning and must recuperate. Due to this recuperation, they could easily become nocturnal.