Flesh Monger
One of the more foul mutations to spring forth from the Void's touch upon the lands, these varied and twisted creatures are feared and hated wherever they are found. The goblinoid species that once called Cairne home reacted in a unique way to their exposure to the energies that lingered after the cataclysm, their bodies mutating grossly to the extreme and their minds devolving in the process. They are vicious and horribly cruel, yet despite their minds deteriorating, they maintained extremely acute senses and seem to follow something akin to a pack mentality, functioning as a cohesive unit when hunting prey.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The physical make up of these creatures varies a great deal in size and weight, but they maintain their basic form based on the core stock that made their line. They can range from small creature standing only a few feet in height, to towering hulks reaching heights of over nine feet. They retain the normal number of limbs and appendages, though these have often elongated significantly granting them increase reach and flexibility. One unique aspect that seems to remain a constant within this line of mutations is an increased levels of collagen in their bone structures, creating a skeletal system that is both incredibly flexible, and difficult to break.
Biological Traits
The Flesh Mongers range in height and weight significantly, and cane be found in male and female varieties in all walks of life. There do not appear to be any specific gender roles in their society.
Genetics and Reproduction
While little is known about life within the warrens of the Flesh Mongers, it is assumed that their general genetic heritage remains in place in matters of reproduction. These creatures are still mammalian in nature and birth their young as such, the gestation period ranging from a few months to a year depending on the core gene stock the mutation spawned from.
Growth Rate & Stages
It is believed the Flesh Mongers mature more rapidly than most humanoid young as a result of many generations being born into harsh environments and violent lifestyles.
Ecology and Habitats
The Flesh Mongers seem to prefer dark and cooler locations where their heightened senses allow them to hunt more effectively. The locations they have been documented reflect this as well as a low density population of humanoid life. Despite their aggressive nature and propensity to consume any unlucky enough to fall into their hunting grounds, they are able to subsist on the fauna in these locations as well, moving in a nomadic way through their territories in a wide enough cycle to allow for the impact of their hunting to not decimate the population of the creatures that live there.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Flesh Mongers are strictly carnivorous, and can stomach all manner of flesh up to and including rancid and rotten meat. They do not cook their kills or preserve them in any way, and seem to have a preference for humanoid if it can be obtained. While they do not generally venture into populated areas, there have been reports of small raids on fringe settlements and the occasional disappearance in and around the Bone Cask. The creatures can exist on scraps for lengthy periods of time, but if starved, will become desperate and violently and actively seek food wherever they may find it, growing more brave and less intimidated by the bustle of civilization.
Behaviour
The minds of these creatures have devolved significantly over the years and through countless mutations. They no longer seem to utilize any form of spoken language, and communicate silently through hand signs and gestures, most of which seem to be incredibly simple and direct, primarily used while hunting. They are vicious and cruel, showing absolutely no empathy or mercy to anything or anyone caught in their hunts.
Captured prey are rendered physically incapable of speaking, usually through the mutilation of the mouth and tongue, and even the throat if need be, though this tends to quickly turn fatal. The creatures abhor loud noises which drive them into an angry frenzy causing the to attack the source until silenced. They do not always kill their prey before eating if it can be silenced. While this is less of a conscious cruelty and more of a preference of the state of their meal, they are practical. Anything that struggles too much or makes too much noise will be slain.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The Flesh Monger warrens are generally presided over by a chieftain type role of some sort, but this hierarchy functions more like a pack of animals than a governing body. The Chieftain is chosen by strength alone, and this can be and will be contested at any time by another creature seeking a higher place in the warren pecking order.
Facial characteristics
Their mottled skin is hairless and eyes devoid of any color or feature aside from a milky yellow to orange that fills the entire eyeball. They have very wide mouths and many jagged, needle sharp teeth.
Average Intelligence
While their intelligence is extremely primative, they do retain the ability to fashion and use basic tools ad weapons, though do not maintain the ability to forge metal, write, read, or even speak in any coherent language. They do however have a simple hand sign communication that they use while hunting to convey movement, threats, targets, and timing.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Flesh Mongers have extremely heightened senses of smell and hearing, and Void sight that allows them to see clearly in the dark.
Civilization and Culture
Gender Ideals
Aside from general mating strictly for the purpose of procreation or boredom, there is no distinction made between the genders of this species.
Average Technological Level
Simple tools and weapons made of rock and bone, the ability to make fire, and a general understanding of which plants and animals in their territory are edible and which are dangerous.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The Flesh Monger hand sign is a simple enough one to understand. While there does appear to be a standard format to it, the simple gestures and meanings will vary from warren to warren, suggesting that each warren develops this method of communication independently from the others, meaning that a Flesh Monger from one warren may not be able to communicate with another, though they almost never cross paths. Each warren is unique to a location, and offshoots and attempts to form additional ones are generally stamped out by the ruling one quickly as possible as a matter of survival.
Common Dress Code
The Flesh Mongers do not generally wear clothing, though in some cases they have been seen attempting to utilize items and materials pulled from the remains of their victims.
History
The goblinoid races of Cairne that existed prior to the Blight are immigrants to the realm from the Fae realms that once held open passage to the world. While they were, even then at odds with many of the Fey factions, they remain part of that world even now. It is speculated that this is partly why the Void energy has had such a profound effect on them due to their connection to the land and their place of origin.
Scientific Name
Mutant
Origin/Ancestry
Goblinoids
Lifespan
30 to 50 years depending on the gene stock the mutation originated from.
Average Height
3' to 8' on average
Average Weight
40 pounds to 350 pounds on average.
Average Physique
No matter the size, these creatures all have elongated limbs and tend to be slight of build.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Mottled yellow to green colored skin, and almost always hairless. They do tend to be covered in grotesque, tumorous like growths all over their faces and bodies only lending the disgust most other species feel for them.
Geographic Distribution
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