The Beast of Caer Creggan

In the lowlands of Creggan, there lives a white hare,
As swift as the swallow that flies through that air.
You may tramp the world over but none can compare
With the dread of low Creggan, that blood-spattered hare...
 
— After 'The Creggan White Hare'
with apologies to Paddy Tunney

 

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Spooktober 2024
Generic article | Oct 23, 2024
The island of Rhosgobel, to the Voidwest of the Broken Empire, is said to be divided among three rulers. The Revered Uplands are overseen by a league of bickering clannaðs, while the swampy lowlands are ruled unquestionedly by the ancient wilderwitch and possible ascendant demigod, Granny Ozma. But there is also a patch of craggy midlands on the island's Corewest end, traditionally called Caer Creggan, that only the foolhardy dare enter... this is the domain of the ravenous, irritable, blood-encrusted, lightning-fast, insatiable and highly territorial Beast of Caer Creggan.  

Description

The Beast is known to take only one form: that of an white Rhosgobelish rabbit, average-sized if slightly small. This unfathomable preference has yet to be explained, as likely to be a sick joke as it is to be the innocent preference of an alien mind.  

Behaviour

The Beast maintains a strict, irregularly ovular territory, about twelve kilometres in radius and ending on the far Corewest shores of the island. The territory appears to be centred around the major entrance to an ancient cave system. Seen only from afar, the entrance seems to be decorated with ancient, manmade rock structures. They are unfamiliar in make, likely built by an antediluvian culture long-forgotten. Stories and theories of what lie within these caves are myriad, and will likely remain so while the creature breathes.

Should anyone be overcome with such foolishness as to enter the Beast's territory (which is well-marked by the neighbouring Rhosgobelish), the monster reacts with extreme violence. There is no strategy or cunning to its attacks, only near-impossible speed and brutal alacrity. It prefers to use its overgrown incisor teeth to tear at the flesh of its victims. When one target is dispatched it moves untiringly to the next until all tresspassers are dead or dying. It has been known to continue grazing, lazily, while its victims die screaming, almost as if it relishes the suffering. It does not seem to be carnivorous, killing only to kill and not to consume.

The creature does not welcome worship, and any attempts by cults to ingratiate themselves go the same as any other attempt at contact.

Comments

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Oct 22, 2024 16:36 by CoolG

Who would have thought a rabbit had the potential to be utterly terrifying D: Amazing work yet again, Alan!

Explore the dark and mysterious Inferncenem, the bright and wonderful Caelumen or the magical and fantastical Ysteria   Have a good one!   Feel free to check out my Substack: CoolG's Awesome Worlds! Join the Discord and chat with like-minded people!
Oct 22, 2024 16:49

Wonderful. I now need to rewatch monty python and the holy grail again. For the fifth time this year

Oct 22, 2024 19:54 by Imagica

Oh my god! Monty Python! I need to see Monty Python again!!! <3 Awesome article! <3

Do you enjoy a good old-fashioned circus? If so, check out my project for Spooktober 2024, here:Spooktober 2024

And if you find that intriguing, you can always visit my world of Kena'an for more tales of fantasy and magic!

Oct 23, 2024 03:00

Perhaps a holy hand grenade would help? Great article!

Oct 23, 2024 07:00

Well, that's no ordinary rabbit.

Sit down, my friend, and let me tell you of Aran'sha . A world where the sands shift and the stars sing, where the wind carries secrets and the twin moons keep silent vigil over it all.