Jiggawot

Mythical Raptor of the Great Plains

The tall grass of the Great Plains crunches and waves, but one can never be sure whether friend or foe will emerge once the grass stops moving. Dinosaurs and all manner of beasts call this land home, hiding the deep valleys that are easily shrouded by the Traveler's Grass. Those that travel here must always keep an eye out or they may find themselves the lunch of some creature that was lurking just out of sight.
With so many unknown creatures hiding amongst the grass and foliage, it is hard to know what predators and prey truly exist amongst the miles of Great Plains. This not knowing brings with it old wives' tales and stories made up by those that have traveled too far or drank too much. The trouble lies in knowing which of these stories are nothing but myth, and knowing which ones have a grain of truth to them.
Whether myth or truth, the Jiggawot is one creature that is always on the minds of those that travel through the thick Traveler's Grass. A Velociraptor of incredible intelligence and pitch black scales would not easily hide amongst the Dinosaurs normally seen, but those that see the Jiggawot rarely are able to tell the tale afterwards. The Humans of the area hunt it like children may hunt fireflies, but such a creature is not easily tamed or captured by plans as thin as glass.

Summary

The Jiggawot is a magical creature, resembling a Velociraptor with black scales, that appeared seemingly out of thin air one year during the fall months. This creature travels the land and culls those that it deems weaker, including people, and amasses a following of other Velociraptors, creating a large, dangerous pack.
Appearing most frequently around the village of Harkin, this creature often attacks caravans, lone travelers, and settlements, only ignoring the Druid settlement of Kar during its rampage. Because of its intelligence, the creature is known to lead pursuers on long chases before turning on its would-be attackers for an easy meal.

Historical Basis

Some reports of the Jiggawot have been recorded throughout the years causing many villages in the areas surrounding Harkin to build extremely high walls that cannot be easily scaled. While most villages in the Great Plains have walls to protect against Dinosaurs, the areas where the Jiggawot have been seen take greater precautions, building much higher walls, having more frequent guards, and even using magical enchantments as another layer of safety.
It is believed that the Jiggawot was a trained Velociraptor that was used by the Humans during the last days of the Eldritch War. Such a claim would explain the incredible speed and intelligence the creature is known to have as well as the somewhat magical abilities that others have noted. It is assumed that this creature and ride, the lord of the area near Harkin at the time, were lost during the calamity when the Eldritch Horrors were sealed by the gods, but there is little way to validate such a claim.

Spread

While the creature has mostly been seen within a hundred-mile radius of Harkin, the myth of the Jiggawot has spread throughout the Great Plains causing trade routes to come to a halt unless paid handsomely and cities to lock their gates for safety. Jiggawot Day has been hailed as a holiday, but not one of happy celebration. Great fear comes with the nearing of this day, but so too comes great anticipation for those that wish to hunt the creature.

Date of First Recording

After the Eldritch War

Date of Setting

Fall's Noon

Related Ethnicities

• Human Culture

Related Species

• Humans

Related Locations

• Great Plains
• Harkin

Related Holidays

Jiggawot Day

Cultural Reception

The myth of the Jiggawot has become so well-known that the story has spread into areas of the Elven Forest and the Cradle of Clay that border the Great Plains. All accounts of the creature have noted that it never leaves the plains, choosing to stay amongst the Traveler's Grass, but this knowledge does not stop some of the smaller villages outside of the plains from boarding up their homes in preparation of Jiggawot Day.
Many fear this day as the creature cannot be easily harmed, or never has been to anyone's knowledge, but others rejoice in the thrill of the hunt that the day provides, choosing to actively hunt the Jiggawot instead of hiding like most. Those that fancy themselves Adventurers or hunters of sorts may attempt to track the Jiggawot in hopes of the coin that may come from stopping such a menace.