Bloody Fur

Summary

Years ago there was a shifter named Mulligain who committed many murders, though he was eventually stopped his spirit returned to terrorise teh city of Trem. His spirit was supposedly destroyed but since the early 200s there have tales about it being seen around the docks once more.
Those who claim to have seen the spirit describe a tall shifter with golden fur and blazing eyes. Strange red symbols can be seen on the spectre's fur above the simple old fashioned outfit it wears. Others describe seeing odd symbols briefly appearing on the walls and pavement, and the feeling that someone is watching them.
Stories abound about those who have been possessed by the spirit, with the victims reportedly have no memory of what they have done when they come to their senses surrounded by guards or in a prison cell. The guards deny these stories, saying that the few examples of someone using the defence that they were possessed are just people trying to avoid responsibility for their actions. But throughout Trem, any increase in violent crime tends to be attributed to Mulligain being more active.

Historical Basis

That Mulligain existed as a person and spirit is a matter of public record, however the sightings in the last couple of decades are not of Mulligain. It has been difficult for the authorities to prove this though as Mulligain is still around, though sealed in a specially designed chamber.
The sighting in 204 was in fact an apprentice wizard who was practicing spells to make himself harder to hit. He had taken a walk outside to see how long he could hold the spell while moving and a passerby mistook him for Mulligain. When the apprentice learned about the story he decided to continue playing the role for a while, enlisting some of his friends into creating the occasional glowing sigil to scare people. Most of the time though the sightings and symbols were just in people's imagination as the stories grew with each telling.
In the 2010s a creative halfling who was familiar with those who had started the stories began selling amulets to protect against Mulligain, paying the original pranksters to revive things a bit any time business got a bit slow.

Date of Setting

204 - Present

Related People

• Mulligain

Mulligain's name is largely left out of the stories as it is believed that naming him directly can draw his attention. He is instead referred to as Bloody Fur in most tellings of the story, apart from when the teller wants to shock or scare the audience.

Taken by Mulligain

Mulligain's name crops up more often in this slang term when describing a person who has lost their temper and attacked someone.

Mulligain had a busy night

A term used to describe particularly violent or deadly clashes on the streets of Trem.