Humanity, too, has been changed. The changes are widespread, and the causes have been difficult to determine and impossible to reverse. These changes have caused more dread and anxiety among humanity than all the other monsters combined.
Zombies (aka shadows, echoes, hollows, or blanks) are those whose conscious minds seem somehow to have “burnt out.” Zombies will maintain basic instincts, behaviors, and powerful habits, but nothing complex. They are often seen wandering in groups, moving away from danger, towards food and warmth. They do react with some intelligence towards their environment, for example, taking shelter from rain. In green zones, zombies usually survive about four months, or until winter, whichever comes first. What turns people into zombies remains a total mystery, but the phenomenon is global and constant.
Ghouls are habitual cannibals that have fallen prey to a mysterious disease, warping their features, and rendering them obligate carnivores. Their jaws lengthen, forming a short muzzle, their backs hunch, and their eyes become highly sensitive too light, forcing a nocturnal lifestyle. The disease is passed from mother to child, with affected children having all the associated changes at birth. Such children are perfectly healthy, but must suckle on blood to survive until they can handle solid food. The most popular hypothesis is that the changes are caused by prions, much like kuru, but gathering enough samples to test it has proven difficult and dangerous.
Transplants are intelligent, well-educated, and rarely with a previous history of mental illness. Every so often, these sorts of people become possessed with a powerful new drive, pushing them to abandon any previous responsibilities and delve deeply into historical, archeological, or paleontological mysteries. This lasts from five to ten years, at the end of which their old personality returns, with no memory of what had happened or why. Its cause is unknown: it is associated with a distinct pattern of neurological changes, but they seem caused by the illness instead of vice-versa.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Giant Insects Brought to Heel by Clockwork and Spikes
On display now next to the grand pavilion, the greatest insects of our world, tamed for your use by our fine clockwork!
Our insects may be large, but they will not act against their programs, guaranteed. A permanent spike destroys the escape reflex and anchors the rest of the mechanism, the remaining spikes pithing the beast in accordance with their punch-card program or your on-the-spot instructions. As sections of its nervous system are disabled and reactivated it will carry out its instructions exactly.
The NYMPH! The nymph provides a smooth seat for its rider even as it strides upon the very water! Mirror striders possess a speed and ease boats can never attain. The perfect gift for an avid fisherman.
The WEAVER! The source of that fine, inexpensive spider-silk clothing you are wearing! Just like an auto-loom, a weaver can be programmed to create any number of patterns, and don't worry, as frightening as a giant spider can be, all ours are de-fanged and non-venomous.
The DREADNOUGHT! You can enjoy the height of opulence and look out on the countryside from a luxurious howdah! An elephant beetle makes a fine platform for sightseeing, picnicking, hunting, and for our military patrons, sharpshooting and even light artillery!
The DRAGON! You'll have the best of views, safe in the grasp of the legs of one of our great dragonflies! The glass dragonflies of the south are unparalleled in their aerial agility, coursing powerfully forward, darting to and fro, or hovering in place.
The CARAVAN! The steadfast companion of every merchant! The long, sturdy millstone millipedes are capable of carrying as much cargo as three wagons, but with no need for roads. Know that your valuable cargo is safe, for nothing with this many legs will trip!
Our insects may be large, but they will not act against their programs, guaranteed. A permanent spike destroys the escape reflex and anchors the rest of the mechanism, the remaining spikes pithing the beast in accordance with their punch-card program or your on-the-spot instructions. As sections of its nervous system are disabled and reactivated it will carry out its instructions exactly.
The NYMPH! The nymph provides a smooth seat for its rider even as it strides upon the very water! Mirror striders possess a speed and ease boats can never attain. The perfect gift for an avid fisherman.
The WEAVER! The source of that fine, inexpensive spider-silk clothing you are wearing! Just like an auto-loom, a weaver can be programmed to create any number of patterns, and don't worry, as frightening as a giant spider can be, all ours are de-fanged and non-venomous.
The DREADNOUGHT! You can enjoy the height of opulence and look out on the countryside from a luxurious howdah! An elephant beetle makes a fine platform for sightseeing, picnicking, hunting, and for our military patrons, sharpshooting and even light artillery!
The DRAGON! You'll have the best of views, safe in the grasp of the legs of one of our great dragonflies! The glass dragonflies of the south are unparalleled in their aerial agility, coursing powerfully forward, darting to and fro, or hovering in place.
The CARAVAN! The steadfast companion of every merchant! The long, sturdy millstone millipedes are capable of carrying as much cargo as three wagons, but with no need for roads. Know that your valuable cargo is safe, for nothing with this many legs will trip!
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Pharming Monsters
While many of the new creatures produced by the Mi-go mutagen are aggressive, and most are hazardous in at least some way, some are also useful. In particular, many produce useful biological compounds, including medicines. Humanity is not in any position to turn these down, however strange the source.
The parasite resembles a short centipede, with long stringy mandibles. It will latch itself to an appendage and then insert its mandibles, seeking major veins or arteries. While one mandible feeds on it's hosts blood supply, the other secretes a mixture of steroids. As a result host animals are stronger, more aggressive, and more fertile, but have shortened lifespans. The parasites have become sought after as sources of the steroids they secrete, as well as experimented with as a means of augmenting soldiers.
Ghost cows have moist, translucent, ghostly white skin. The moisture, which their skin continuously secrets, is actually an antiseptic and antibiotic. The skin is relatively weak, tearing easily, but the trade off is virtual immunity to infection, as well as resistance to many parasites and diseases. A collaboration of enterprising individuals across the world are attempting to capture, tame, and raise these cows as a source of antibiotics.
Numb worms are large, snakelike leeches. They hunt by sneaking up on a target if it is still, or, if desperate, leaping at it if it is moving. Once they bite into an animal, they inject it with an anticoagulant and an anesthetic while sucking out as much blood as possible. With the bitten area rapidly numbed, the animal with struggle less, lessening the risk of it injuring the worm. Unlike leeches, numb worms do not attach themselves for as long as possible, instead voluntarily detaching once full. The potential for numb worms to be farmed as a source of anesthetic is being explored.
The parasite resembles a short centipede, with long stringy mandibles. It will latch itself to an appendage and then insert its mandibles, seeking major veins or arteries. While one mandible feeds on it's hosts blood supply, the other secretes a mixture of steroids. As a result host animals are stronger, more aggressive, and more fertile, but have shortened lifespans. The parasites have become sought after as sources of the steroids they secrete, as well as experimented with as a means of augmenting soldiers.
Ghost cows have moist, translucent, ghostly white skin. The moisture, which their skin continuously secrets, is actually an antiseptic and antibiotic. The skin is relatively weak, tearing easily, but the trade off is virtual immunity to infection, as well as resistance to many parasites and diseases. A collaboration of enterprising individuals across the world are attempting to capture, tame, and raise these cows as a source of antibiotics.
Numb worms are large, snakelike leeches. They hunt by sneaking up on a target if it is still, or, if desperate, leaping at it if it is moving. Once they bite into an animal, they inject it with an anticoagulant and an anesthetic while sucking out as much blood as possible. With the bitten area rapidly numbed, the animal with struggle less, lessening the risk of it injuring the worm. Unlike leeches, numb worms do not attach themselves for as long as possible, instead voluntarily detaching once full. The potential for numb worms to be farmed as a source of anesthetic is being explored.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Biograph
Cursed the ground where dead thoughts live new and oddly bodied, and evil the mind that is held by no head. Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes. For it is of old rumour that the soul of the devil-bought hastes not from his charnel clay, but fats and instructs the very worm that gnaws...
HP Lovecraft, The FestivalThe mind of a wizard is a restless, living thing. It is not the same mind as its body was born with, but is given to the wizard in life in exchange for his soul after death. It is always seeking to find and exploit secrets, and has a tenuous bond to its new owner. It is not at all uncommon, after a wizard's death, for his mind fail to die, and to seek new vessels. Many strange and unique cases of possession often follow the death of a wizard, and children born nine months after such a death always regarded with suspicion.
The mind of a wizard can be captured, however, and bound. A book, written by ritual, on vellum made from the wizard's skin, by ink made from their blood, will hold the mind, limiting its influence to those who read it. A stream of consciousness manifesto, autobiography, and spellbook, these tomes often find ways of being lost by their caretakers, then found by those more impressionable. Many wizards began their careers by finding one of these books.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
USA
There are many parallels between the USA and the USSR. The United States were forced to abandon the west coast as the Rocky Mountains turned into one of the world's largest red zones. The federal government will not give up on reunification, but their
control is spotty west of the Mississippi, and nonexistent west of the
Rockies, with California now all but independent.
Much of the Midwest is also approaching red zone status. A new dust bowl, firestorms, and a seven year cycle of locust swarms all compete to destroy vital farmland. Well-to-do settlements in these regions are built underground, protecting them from these many disasters. Most of these are typical bunker complexes, but the most distinctive are the silo towns, built in decommissioned nuclear silos.
Most major cities contain white zones in the form of domes or arcologies, the most well known of which are the Manhattan Enclosure, the National Mall, the Chicago Towers, and the Orland Stilts. Aside from the Rockies, the largest red zones are the Louisiana bayou, the Florida everglades, and many sections of the Appalachian mountains.
America refuses to be defensive. No established politician will publicly give up on reunification. The less able they are to guarantee internal security, the more aggressively they advocate it.
Much of the Midwest is also approaching red zone status. A new dust bowl, firestorms, and a seven year cycle of locust swarms all compete to destroy vital farmland. Well-to-do settlements in these regions are built underground, protecting them from these many disasters. Most of these are typical bunker complexes, but the most distinctive are the silo towns, built in decommissioned nuclear silos.
Most major cities contain white zones in the form of domes or arcologies, the most well known of which are the Manhattan Enclosure, the National Mall, the Chicago Towers, and the Orland Stilts. Aside from the Rockies, the largest red zones are the Louisiana bayou, the Florida everglades, and many sections of the Appalachian mountains.
America refuses to be defensive. No established politician will publicly give up on reunification. The less able they are to guarantee internal security, the more aggressively they advocate it.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Sin Eater
When I was young, my sister went missing. There was a terrible blizzard, yet she went out of her hutch and into the storm. I was the sin eater, so the people told me I must spend my life well if I died finding her. I followed her trail and found her when the storm cleared, on her knees, staring up at the aurora with tears in her eyes.
Soon, she gave birth. The people told me to erase the crime of the aurora by eating the sky-child. This was their mistake. I had been fed on the weaknesses of the people, but the sky-child was strong. After I have eaten the rest of the people, I will go out and find greater strengths to devour.
Soon, she gave birth. The people told me to erase the crime of the aurora by eating the sky-child. This was their mistake. I had been fed on the weaknesses of the people, but the sky-child was strong. After I have eaten the rest of the people, I will go out and find greater strengths to devour.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Antherds
The edges of the high desert are riddled with colonies of giant ants and their erstwhile symbiotes, the antherder clans. Pheromones mark them as friends, and keep the soldiers from antherder living quarters. Antherders can be recognized by their carapace gas-masks, which which keep the stinging sand from their eyes, and built up pheromones from their lungs.
The relationship between the colony and the antherders benefits both. The antherders are immune to the diseases and fungi that occasionally plague colonies; in the very old colonies, with very old relationships with antherders, the workers will bring them corpses, malformed larvae, and rejected food. The antherders gain food, protection, and items for trade. All of the clans practice their own styles of chitin-work, bending it into everything from armor to woks.
Sometimes a small child will saturated with the right mix of pheromones, and the ants will recognize it as a larvae. They will be taken and raised by the colony. They do their best to mimic the giant creatures, learning their values from observation. Sometimes they learn human languages by stalking and eavesdropping on antherders. When they are old enough, and lose their fear, they may reintroduce themselves to the human community. Their thoughts are now too different to ever be an antherder, but they are encourage to try to explain themselves, and their words are recorded.
The relationship between the colony and the antherders benefits both. The antherders are immune to the diseases and fungi that occasionally plague colonies; in the very old colonies, with very old relationships with antherders, the workers will bring them corpses, malformed larvae, and rejected food. The antherders gain food, protection, and items for trade. All of the clans practice their own styles of chitin-work, bending it into everything from armor to woks.
Sometimes a small child will saturated with the right mix of pheromones, and the ants will recognize it as a larvae. They will be taken and raised by the colony. They do their best to mimic the giant creatures, learning their values from observation. Sometimes they learn human languages by stalking and eavesdropping on antherders. When they are old enough, and lose their fear, they may reintroduce themselves to the human community. Their thoughts are now too different to ever be an antherder, but they are encourage to try to explain themselves, and their words are recorded.
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