Monsters

Mankind is beset on all sides with monsters. Not just demons of self which all must face, but true monstrosities lurking in the shadows, undermining the progress of civilizations, and tearing the unwary to pieces in their savage rage. They stalk the shadowy forests, lurk along the roadside, slink through sewers and catacombs. Stalwart guards stand at city gates, halberds at the ready, watching for their inevitable attack. Heroes venture to dark corners of the worlds to seek and slay them. But despite all efforts made to drive back the darkness, monsters remain an unfortunate reality of life on The Sphere - one Man will always contend with.

Monsters come from many places, their origins as fascinating as they are horrifying. Scholars who study such macabre things classify these creatures into ten categories based on their origins and habits (and monstrologists of course classify and sub-classify the various grotesque species into species, phylum, genus, etc.). Despite the grim nature of such a topic, any adventurer, traveler, or soldier can tell you the value in studying such things. Presented here for your advisement and curiosity are The Sphere's many monsters, myths, and oddities.

Aberrant

Creatures from Outside, nameless horrors and sanity-shattering beings created or touched by the Elder Gods. Aberrants are nightmarish creatures of alien mind and slithering, four-dimensional appendages who don't fit with this plane of reality. The rules of this universe do not apply to them; space and sanity bend where they walk.

Normally, those Outside cannot enter The Sphere, try as they might. However, during the events leading to The Collapse, the Raksha and their ilk were able to penetrate the defenses keeping them at bay and invaded this reality. Though the gods eventually drove them back and repaired the breach (nine of the Celestials sacrificing their lives to do so), many still linger on this side of the wall, sleeping beneath ancient seas and mountains, their tentacles slithering into mortal minds.

Those who hear the whispers of the Outer Ones eventually go mad, forming obscure cults of like-minded worshipers who enact dark, depraved rituals to awaken the Sleepers and invite Aberrant horrors in from Outside.

Accursed

Those who offend the gods, commit heinous sins, break ancient taboos, or dabble in magics they cannot comprehend (let alone control) often find themselves cursed. Such curses go beyond simple misfortune, twisting the body and mind of the victim into a hellish freak or, more accurately, giving such individuals an outward manifestation of the true monster within.

The Accursed may walk in mortal guise most of the time, their affliction brought out under specific conditions like a full moon or the equinox. Others may be cursed for the remainder of their miserable lives or afflicted with a form of immortality that ends as the curse abates. Whatever form they take, the Accursed are wretched, tragic creatures who would be easy to pity if not for the ghastly nature of their sins.

The Accursed are prone to certain obscure weaknesses and conventions they cannot break from; obsessive compulsive behaviors, restrictions on when and where they can travel, a prohibition on killing those who answer their riddle, and so on. Those with the knowledge to do so many even attempt to end the curse, freeing the victim from their suffering. Of course, breaking the curse that afflicts them usually ends the life of the Accursed, a mercy many would eagerly accept. It is typically easier to break the curse than it is to destroy the afflicted, and in many cases breaking the curse is the only way to defeat the monster.

construct

Mankind was created with the instinct to create. Perhaps this is an echo of the divine spark within, the inheritance from the creative gods who formed him. But sometimes, this instinct goes awry. Sometimes Man, in his flawed mortal state, creates something which ought not be. Those creations that go wrong, that develop a malicious sentience of their own are known as Constructs.

Constructs are strong and durable creatures, suffering none of the mortal frailties that restrain Mankind. They are tireless and immortal, driven the dark desires of whatever soul was placed inside of them. Some obsessively guard a person or location, resulting in complete isolation and gradual ruin. Some protect their creator by destroying everything else. Some become so overwhelmed by the onset of sentience that they simply go mad. Whatever their modus operadi, most Constructs are monsters only because they have misinterpreted (or interpreted far too literally) the wishes of their creator. Some Constructs, however, do not misinterpret their commands. Some are merely stark reflects of the twisted desires within their creator. These Constructs enact the sinister will of their masters with ruthless efficiency, carrying out the cruel machinations of their architect long after his demise.

A Construct can be made of anything; stone, diamonds, clockwork, flesh...the only qualifier that sets Constructs apart from other monsters is that they are created (often synthetic) beings who would not otherwise exist but for the wiles of their maker and the Mysterious spark that gives them life.

dragon

Dragons are a race of beings as old as The Sphere itself. At the dawn of Creation, the gods created stewards to watch over Mankind, not for the protection of mortals, but for the gods' own sake. The Celestials feared (perhaps rightly) that if Mankind were ever to attain the power to do so, they would overthrow the gods and take control of the heavens, just as the Celestials had once rebelled against their own masters and stolen their power. Dragons were created to ensure that Mankind never reached such a pinnacle.

Each species of dragon interprets this charge differently. Some are benevolent guardians, aiming to guide Mankind along a path of peaceful enlightenment which values harmony with the gods. Others are tyrants and destroyers who seek to keep the light of progress from Mankind and would see him wallow in the dirt rather than ascend to the heavens.

The gods created hundreds of Dragons to watch over creation. Now, 1000 years into the Fourth Era, there are but seven True Dragons remaining. All species and sub-species of dragon are children of the seven True Dragons and each subsequent generation of dragonkind grows further from its progenitor in power and intelligence. The youngest generation of dragons are little more than highly intelligent animals, incapable of speech or magic. No matter their age or intelligence, many dragons pose a great threat to Mankind and are among the more formidable monsters a hero may face.

Giant

According to legend, Mankind was not the first sentient being the gods created. Apocryphal tales tell of enormous, twisted creatures the gods fashioned as they learned their craft. These deviant mutations were cast from the gods' sight and forced to live in wild places, envious of Man's place in the sun. In the wild hills and mountains, the giants still roam. Hungry. Angry. Strong.

Most monstrologists classify giants according to their size. Hill Giants are the smallest (up to 10 meters or ~30 feet) , followed by Mountain Giants (up to 20 meters or ~65 feet), and finally Sky Giants (up to 30 meters or (100 feet). There are rarer and larger species of giants known as Titans, but these beings differ from their kin in many significant ways, most notably their intelligence and proclivity for magic. Thankfully, such creatures are so rare that many scholars do not believe they exist at all.

Giants are tribal folk, living in small, primitive communities. Their settlements are isolated and nomadic, following whatever herd of animals they hunt to feed their massive appetites. Pioneers and travelers in such wild places must beware the foul gaze of these giants, for though they are reticent and xenophobic, they will not hesitate to crush any perceived threat with extreme malice.

Godling

The Celestials charged a host of lesser spirits with the upkeep and stewardship of Creation, appointing them over the fields, forests, seas, mountains, and natural features of the many worlds in a vast heavenly bureaucracy. The courts of these spirits are largely self-governing, the most powerful among them holding sway over vast swaths of land wherein lower spirits govern the trees, rocks, and rivers within their lord or lady's dominion.

Mortals who live within the domain of a powerful Medicon often pay tribute to the petty gods, offering prayers and sacrifices for rain, plentiful crops, and protection from disease or natural disasters. Some are benevolent rulers while others could care less for their mortal constituents. Some malicious spirits despise mortals and enjoy watching them suffer. Whatever their station, godlings are fickle, powerful, and immortal, playing intricate games of intrigue across the centuries. Mortals are little more than pawns in these games and more often than not, trouble with a godling comes from crossing their path at the wrong place and time.

Hominid

The Golden Age ended in fire and blood as shadows consumed the sun and aberrant beings walked abroad. In these dark days, civilization broken into disparate tribes of nomads, scavenging what they could from the ruin. Many of these tribes gave themselves to dark masters and were corrupted in body and mind, twisted into monsters. These races of Man-like abominations still linger today and are known as Hominids.

Very rarely will one find a lone Hominid. Most are social creatures, living in small clans as small as ten and as large as a few hundred. They are prone to chaos and anarchy, thus the size of a tribe is directly proportional to the strength of its chief and his ability to maintain a semblance of order. This is most often accomplished by turning the aggression of the clan outward, to nearby villages and farms where the Hominids can slake their bloodthirst on any prey they find.

​Hominids are invariably grotesque and savage. They are bloodthirsty monsters who raid and kill in the name of Oblivion. Unlike barbaric mortals or tribes of hostile natives on the frontier, there is no possibility of making peace with Hominids. They are mindless in their cruelty, holding no empathy or emotion apart from fathomless rage.

Infernal

Just as a host of godlings serve the Celestials within Creation, the Raksha are served by a terrifying host of infernal spirits called Daemons. Driven by the whispers of the Outer Ones, Daemons torment Mankind from the shadows, killing and corrupting without reserve. They exist within the Unworld but can take possession of a Mortal or animal host by overpowering their will, twisting the body into a nightmarish shape that reflects the Daemon within.

There are three types of Daemon and though each one's approach is different, their goal is the same: destruction. Furies are bloodthirsty monsters who kill and devour in a rampage of wanton destruction. Sithia are subtle corruptors, puppet-masters associated with the many sins who tempt Mortals and sicken society. Eloi appear as angels of light, granting wishes and blessings to Mortals...with great cost and consequences that set events in motion which threaten to undo entire nations.

Daemons are especially sensitive to magic and drawn to any use of The Mystery. The reality of Daemons and their attraction to magic makes any use of The Mystery a two-edged sword, one which has seen many taboos and restrictions placed upon the use of magic and the status of mages as social pariahs.

Lusus Naturae

Once, Creation was pure and whole. In the First Era, Man and nature lived in relative harmony. But as civilization, technology, and magic grew, so too did Man's disconnection with his environment until the harmony of the world was thrown out of balance completely during The Collapse. Lusus Naturae are the result of that imbalance. They are freaks of nature, mutant creatures driven by hunger, rage, and madness.

Lusus Naturae are often enormous, perverted versions of a natural creature. Wolves with eyes covering their bodies, peeking out between locks of matted black fur. A serpent with seven heads and scales that scintillate in a hypnotic rainbow. Creatures from a bygone era whose immortal fossils arise from stone, animated by dark magic.

The circumstances that create a Lusus are all different, but ultimately the result of nature's imbalance. Sometimes this is because of the taint of Outside forces. Other times, it is the result of magic gone awry. Whatever the case, the resulting Lusus bear a hatred for Mankind and an intelligence greater than their animal seeming would indicate. Their minds and fangs turn towards destructive ends, both for themselves and the Mortals they loathe.

Undead

When a Mortal dies, the two portions of their soul are separated. The rational mind (the Lu) ascends to Setharkis upon the next full moon while the animal mind (the Mon) rests with the body. In most cases, this occurs without any complications. But sometimes the Lu or Mon becomes trapped, captured, or somehow placed in a state between life and death. Such a being is called Undead, for they are neither dead nor fully alive.

Many things can cause a spirit to become trapped between life and death; powerful emotional anchors, an unresolved destiny, or a particularly shocking or horrific death can trap a soul in the Unworld. If it is unable to resolve its anchors and ascend, such a soul will eventually go mad and become a Wraith, a violent and insane ghost trapped in eternal torment.

If a corpse is not given a proper burial, is disturbed or angered during its rest, or affected by dark, forbidden Mysteries like necromancy, it may arise once again, a violent corpse driven by primal rage, instinct, and hunger. Such creatures known no fear and bear no memories of who they once were (for the Lu, the seat of logic and memory has departed). They are a dreadful and terrifying sight, one that has led every culture across The Sphere to adopt and strictly enforce ritual burial procedures so that the dead remain at rest.