"Folk often ask me why I will not face another argore. It's not such a complex answer; I do not wish to die."— Grey the Insurmountable
The argore is considered to be the deadliest creature to live in
Arad. They are enormous, ape-like monstrosities known for their unnatural strength and speed as well as their hunger for human flesh and
Ichor. Rendered virtually extinct by the
Aradin in the
Hunt of Beasts many hundreds of years ago, they are seldom ever seen and live now either as foes to be slain in the
Fields or as lone, wild horrors.
Apperance
Argores are bipedal with short fur that is typically brown or black, though some elder members of the species will have long fur that is flecked with silver; rare individuals may have gold fur, thought to stem from ichor consumption. They are disturbingly human like in their physiology with fingers, hands, feet and faces. Yet, they are distinctly more animalistic and have prehensile tails as well as flaming orange eyes that lack pupils. Their limbs are long, disproportionate to their body, and tipped with savage claws. They use these as their weapons in combat but are also known to attack with their teeth and savage bites. Their faces, backs and the undersides of their hands and feet are all hairless and pinkish-red in color. From their upper jaw, a pair or larger teeth extend, nearly the length of a finger.
Properties
Exceeding what seems possible given their relatively lean physiques, argores are incredibly strong, able to rip men apart limb from limb, shatter skulls with their palms and strangle with their tails. As well as this, they are capable of resisting normally deadly blows with their thick hides and have been seen to persist even after suffering fatal damage, though they normally die soon after. Their enormous might cultivated them a reputation of fear and made them apex predators in their time. Their ability to savage their opponents matches well their aggressive and unstable temperament. Argores are vicious predators, wildly lunging at anything and everything that crosses their path in order to kill and eat them. Their insatiable appetite extends particularly to humans whose flesh argores seem to find particularly delectable. Additionally, although most animals will seek ichor where they can find it, argores are particularly drawn to the substance in a way sometimes likened to the
gold hunger. They are intelligent enough to seek it and do so at every opportunity.
Ironically, the argores' attraction and addiction to ichor is perhaps their only point of vulnerability. Upon consuming a modest amount of the substance, they will enter a state of torpor where they are largely unresponsive to the outside world. In the past, this lead Aradin tribes to use it to entrap and kill argores when they threatened their tribes. When frustrated, enraged or provoked, argores are known to bellow a distinctive scream which can often be heard from far away. High pitched and shrieking, it is universally feared.
Significance
The argores are of great cultural importance to the Aradin people who consider them wicked spirits. Supposedly, any person that feeds upon the flesh of their fellow man will begin to transform into an argore with the metamorphosis progressing the more they cannibalize. This myth explains the great fondness argores have for human flesh. In ancient times, it is believed that their species were far more numerous, particularly in the forests around the
Meleatte River where they lived in old trees. Aradin tribes, coming down from the
Ranad Mountains to settle the river lands, were slaughtered by the creatures. Time and time again this occurred until war was declared. Thus began what is known in Aradin myth as the Hunt of Beasts in which the many Aradin tribes of the Ranad Mountains purged the Meleatte lands of argore, massacring them wherever they were found. As a result of this conflict, argore are rare in Arad and seldom seen outside of their hidden lairs or, occasionally, in captivity.
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