Cystspawn

Overview

Cystspawn are horrific, malformed mutations that are created when attempts at necromancy go wrong, backfiring on the caster. These unfortunate individuals are transformed into hideous, amorphous blobs of flesh and bone, cursed to slither aimlessly in search for life to drain. Whatever remained of their humanity lost to a warped form, driven only by hunger and the need to consume life force.

Appearance

There is no set appearance for a cystspawn, since they random mutations. Generally, they will be a formless, almost gelatinous blob of flesh, with irregular lumps and bulges where bones jut out unnnaturally or limbs have partially fused into the main body. Sometimes aspects of the victim's head will still be present, but lifeless and limp, being dragged along with the rest of its form. Often a limb mostly survives the mutation and these remnants are what the cystspawn uses to drag itself along the ground towards its targets.

Creation

Necromancy is a mostly prohibited form of magic, and highly regulated and protected in the limited fashions it is permitted. Rogue practitioners therefore tend to be ignorant of the dangers that this school of magic harbours. Unprepared for the precision required for such spells, occasionally the spells will unravel and backfire upon the caster. The dark magics wrap around the user instead, twisting them into these digusting, shapeless entities.

Abilities & Behaviour

Seemingly cystspawn have an innate ability to sense when a source of life force is near, using whatever remains to drag itself ever closer towards it. This process is slow, but relentless. If the victim is caught by the cystspawn, it will grab, or adhere itself to them. Once attached, the cystspawn slowly siphons the energy of the creature until it dies, if the creature doesn't manage to escape. Survivors who have encountered a cystspawn note that the entities do not appear to retain any of the intelligence of the individual they were formed from, having no sense of fear or self-preservation. This does make them easy to lead into traps to kill them. A cystspan's slow speed means that as long as their target is conscious and has the space to do so, the cystspawn is easily outpaced. The dangers come from when a cystspawn stumbles across a sleeping, or slowed target. Once attached, they are difficult to remove. It is theorised that cystspawn despite bright light, due to the necromantic energy that infuses them. Since all recorded encounters with cystspawn have been in remote, dark locations, presumably as the practitioner was attempting the forbidden spells in secret, this has never been proved.

Average Height

Typically less than 1ft.

Average Length

Dependant on the species it was formed from.