The Harvestmen
Don't go out your door at night; the Harvestmen will come. They'll steal your soul and eat you whole. You'll never see the light.The harvestmen are giant skeletal creatures that wander the landscape. They are most active at night, moving in looping, unfocused strides. They navigate around obstacles but are undeterred by bodies of water and will simply wade through them. They move silently and make no sound during their wanders, lending to the belief that they can appear and disappear out of nowhere. They generally don't respond to living creatures unless attacked, at which point they may change course to move away. They are generally considered harmless unless provoked. If cornered, supposedly their attackers find themselves instantly divested of their souls, only waking up at the next dawn, after the harvestman has escaped. They never fail to be drawn to a battlefield. During the battle they stand at the edges, swaying back and forth while screaming. This has earned them a reputation as bloodthirsty soul eaters. A millennia or so ago, before the Sundering, there was a concentrated effort between several factions to hunt them down, because their presence could give away troop movements. More hunts were organized post-Sundering due to the belief that they eat souls, in an effort to curb the tide of soullessness. Their remains litter the landscape, undecayed and unchanging. Both the attempts to wipe out the harvestmen and efforts to reverse soullessness failed.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Most appear to be humanoid skeletons. Some have missing bones or distorted proportions. Many have scraps of desiccated tissue that suggests they might have had flesh long, long ago. Some have moss, ivy, or other flora growing from their bones.
Genetics and Reproduction
No one has ever seen anything resembling a juvenile. Those that are still wandering seem to be the only ones in existence.
Ecology and Habitats
They seem to avoid heavily populated areas and are only rarely seen inside a settlement. They seem unaffected by climate or biome. Greater numbers can be found in the Deadlands.
Dietary Needs and Habits
They have never been observed to physically consume anything, however it is a persistent belief that they eat souls. No definitive link has been made between them and soullessness.
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