Ykhemo

Those Who Feast on Life

Down and down and down he fell,
Through the flesh of Matazel,
Limbs torn by rocks and bowels
Till in their jaws he was devoured.

— Song of One Leg Tam

Origins

Ykhemo are savage and bloodthirsty mythical creatures said to have been spawned from the decaying flesh of Alh Margaqs'n. They are said to have been birthed when Matazel the Lonely slayed Alh Margaqs'n when he created the world. It is said that they were destroyed in the Age of Eternal Sun by Deïmon the Bright and her many swords.

For most Danatelians, Ykhemo are creatures of the mythical past, meant to be fended off by the Gods and their chosen ones. They live only in the scary stories parents tell their children, monsters that stalk in the dark.

Hey there honeycomb- what has your eyes full of tears? Lukha told you a scary story again? Come closer. You know, the Ykhemo are long gone.. they were all destroyed by the mighty gods, centuries past. There is nothing to fear.

— A mother comforting her child

Hunted

Under the cover of the night, a creature of dark oil and sharp teeth rises from the ground. It slaughters sheep and feasts on pultry, the warm blood turning black as its body grows, until it starts to prey upon bigger prey. The Naar Iilhia make it their mission to track down these creatures and slay them. Their goal is to keep the existence of these creatures as secret as possible, for the peace of mind of the Danatelian Lands, but in recent years more and more gruesome incidents have been occuring throughout the lands.

by Gustave Doré

Appearance

Accounts on the appearance of Ykhemo vary across time. Most are described as creatures of the night, with long twisting bodies covered in dark oily scales. Some stories speak of bone white humans with too many teeth who eat the bones of those they meet. There are almost as many descriptions of Ykhemo as there are stories about them.

Proof of Existence

Amongst the more scientifically curious parts of Danatelian society, some have wondered whether Ykhemo ever actually existed. Orada Shafi once produced a huge human squeleton, and claimed these were the bones of an Ykhemo. The credibility of her discovery was affected when she was arrested a week later trying to pass off a painted horse as a zebra.