Caernan

There it stood before us, a colossal, horrific being that inspired fear in our souls. We didn't notice it until it was too late, it walked silent through the woods, becoming one with the shadows and trees. The peasantry had warned us of the monster in the forest, but we thought it nonsense.

I watched as it emerged from the forest, within seconds Yarndel was dead. I stood petrified, this colossal, horrific being had emerged from nowhere. My mind toed the line between fear and curiosity, the man in me wanted to run, but the writer in me wished to stay and observe as this beast mutilated Yarndel in a nightmarish fashion.

The creature had green, glowing eyes - they seemed unnatural in the pitch black darkness of the night. It was humanoid but with a body of wood and a height as tall as the trees. It stared at me for some time, not slaughtering me like it had my comrade, it seemed to study me as much as I studied it - then it commanded me in a deep, guttural voice "Leave, and tell others never to trespass into my wood".

It was this that scared me the most, for I knew then that it had intelligence of a man and the fury of an animal. I had always dismissed the concept of monsters as nothing more than the babble of peasants - I now know this to be wrong.

— - Olgard Crane

Basic Information

Anatomy

Caernans are ancient, unnatural beings. They are as tall as the trees that they live amongst, their body is made up of nothing but wood: no skeleton or muscles hold it together - only a primal force beyond comprehension.
Everyone who has survived an ecounter with a Caernan describes one thing, their eyes. Amongst the pitch black darkness of the forest night, a Caernan's eyes glow bright green - if you see them, consider yourself lucky and run like your life depends on it - because it does. It's eyes provide it with nocturnal vision, it can see you as clear as day in the pitch black of night.
A Caernan's face is an unholy imitation of a man's. It has a mouth only for communication, as it receives nourishment by absorbing the energy of other organisms. It also possesses a nose and ears, these are incredibly accurate - it can sense your scent as it tracks you through a forest and hear your heart beating in fear as it draws closer.
A Caernan's greatest weapon is its fingers. At first glance, they look like claws that one could avoid if you run far enough. This notion is quickly dispelled, a Caernan can extend its sharpened wooden fingers rapidly to incredible distances.

Genetics and Reproduction

A Caernan does not reproduce, it simply exists and lives indefinitely. This does not, however, make it invincible. In extremely rare cases when a Caernan has been damaged fatally, it will disintegrate and disappear. After disintegrating, the spirit of the Caernan takes some time to reform a physical body. A few have mistaken the disintegration as death, and they have been proved very wrong.

12th of Second Moon: A band of Shadow Warriors passed by recently, we decided to employ them to kill the forest stalker for us. They said that although they didn't know what a Forest Stalker was, they would gladly kill it for coin.

They returned some hours later, saying the creature was the most powerful they have ever fought but they managed and it disintegrated. The whole village celebrated, the forest stalker that has been there since the time of our ancestors is now gone.

19th of Second Moon: Aarnlak and Bovin were hunting in the forest, taking advantage of all we had previously been forbidden, when suddenly we all heard a horrific scream. We found their bodies a day later on the edge of the forest, wrapped up in branches with their guts spilling out. The Caernan never died, it simply left for a time.

Ecology and Habitats

Caernans reside within forests across the world, from the dense broadleaf forests of Eucadia to the lush rainforests of Laen. These forests provide a perfect habitat for the Caernan, the dense growth allows the creature both to feed off of the various flora in the area and stalk the fools that dare enter the forest without being seen until it it too late.

Dietary Needs and Habits

A Caernan is a parasitic organism. It receives its energy by leaching it from the nearby trees. It does this through the piercing branches that grow from its fingertips. A Caernan will sink hundreds of branches into the tree, leeching the nutrients.
Many wonder what would happen to a Caernan if it did not feed, its immortality might suggest to some that it need not fear starvation. The only documented case of a starved Caernan is in a small, now destroyed forest in southern Dakarn, near a village called Creven.

3rd of Fourth Moon: There was a horrendous fire in the forest last night, we feared the houses would alight. We began to wonder what happened to the forest stalker, how it will cope without the woodland to hide in. We went out in search of it and found it collapsed in the centre of the ash - it almost seemed in pain. We left it there, we're not sure what will happen to it.

If a Caernan does not receive food for a substantial amount of time, it can simply expire - the lack of energy causes the primeval spirit to abandon its corporeal form. This is the only known way to kill a Caernan, to starve it. This is a difficult and risky procedure to pull off, however, as near-starving Caernans have been known to walk the nearby villages - seeking out helpless infants to leech nutrients from instead of the trees.
It only feeds from trees, but that does not mean it won't kill the foolhardy hunters who enter into its forest. Scholars have theorised that Caernans see humans as a threat to its primary food source - the trees. As a result, it will brutally and savagely kill anyone who disturbs the peace of its forest.
Most who have died at a Caernan's hand have died in the same way as Olgard Crane's companion:

The creature lunged from the shadows, it was right beside us and we did not notice. Before we could even acknowledge its presence, a sharpened, tendril-like branch grew from the beast and impaled Yarndel. He screamed in agonising pain, you could see the intense fear in his eyes as he knew he would never again see his children. The Caernan muttered an incantation of ancient magic, though I am not entirely sure what its purpose was, I believe its intention was to keep Yarndel alive for longer so that he may experience further torture.

The Caernan then grew more arms, sharpened for only one purpose. I watched in horror as the beast plunged two spikes into Yarndel's eyes, his tortured sobs and cries continued as the spikes worked their way through his skull and emerged the other side.

Then, suddenly, hundreds of branches grew from the creature; skewering Yarndel like a fine piece of meat. His guts were wrenched open, exposed to the world as crimson blood poured from his body like a fountain accompanied by a putrid smell of decomposition.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of torture, the Caernan dropped his body. It collapsed on the ground, I wanted desparately to run over but I knew I would meet the same fate if I did such a thing. I was forced to listen to his haltering breaths as his life ebbed away slowly.

I have not exaggerated in the slightest, reader, this is the fate of all who cross a Caernan. Stay away from their woodland, I beg of you.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Caernan are rare creatures from an ancient age of darkness. They have been found primarily in the Eucadian Kingdoms of the north - residing within the depths of forests and woodlands.

Average Intelligence

Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of the Caernan is its intelligence. They are as intelligent, perhaps more so, than any man or elf. They have proven themselves capable of experience, knowledge, understanding, common sense, and insight. All who have survived an encounter with them report their intimate, intense relationship with nature - some say even the trees obey them.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

A Caernan has an intimate connection to the forest in which it resides. If anyone enters the forest, the Caernan will sense it - no matter where. The connection the Caernan has also proves useful during combat. Contrary to popular opinion, a Caernan has no control over the wildlife of the forest - it treats them as intruders just like humans. It can, however, manipulate the trees in the forest to serve as traps, cages and fatally sharp spikes.

It took us a week to get Aarnlak's body off those damned spikes...

Rough Sketch of a Caernan - Olgard Crane

Alternative Names

Forest Stalker
Guardian of the Wood
Tree Monster

Scientific Name

Silmus Caernan

Origin/Ancestry

Unknown

Lifespan

Immortal

Average Height

3.6 metres (12 foot)

Average Weight

180kg (28 stone)