Botchling

While resurrection magic and necromancy can restore life to the dead attempting to restore life to those who died pregnant is a far more complex matter. The two lives are connected yet the deaths separate and in the hands of all but the most powerful magi it is impossible to restore both fully to life. Instead the mother is returned to life and the child is either born, or claws its way out, reborn not of its intended species but as a Botchling. Botchlings appear from a distance as infants but up close have deformed mouths with rows of sharp teeth and their umbilical cord wrapped around them like a deformed rope.
Besides the repulsion such creatures earn Botchlings are unable to produce their own blood, their organs only half-developed, and thus seek it from others. To perform this Botchlings will act as lost babies or crawl into unlocked houses and feast on those unlucky enough to fall for their tricks or sneaking. Victims of a Botchling attack rarely survive with the Botchling often feasting on their flesh as food after drinking their blood. A Botchling must feed at least once every three days to stay alive.
If left to grow and feed Botchlings will eventually be suffocated by their own umbilical cord but can grow to the size of six year olds before this happens. If the umbilical cord is cut before this point either in combat or by accident the Botchling will continue to grow to adulthood living for as long as it can find blood. Botchlings lack any ability to communicate or think beyond the mental capacity of an infant and maintain their visual deformities until death.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Rarity

Extremely Rare

Affected Species

• Mer