The Truth of the Terrible Monstrosity
"Our tale begins in a quaint hamlet in the Black Shroud, untainted by time or fell magic, this was a joyous, peaceful place. Â Until one day when a young summoner decided to play with powers beyond his ken and he was Tainted by a creature of the Void. Â It warped him beyond all human recognition, turning him into a monster of such terrible woe that he was chased off into the forest, never to be seen again. Â Yet, every All Saint's Wake, it is said that the monster tries to return home."
"Yet, it is said that the great monstrosity was, in fact, not a product of his own design -- but that someone /cursed/ him thus. Â Is there truth to this tale or is it mere bard's fancies? Â We shall discover that together tonight and lay the truth of the matter to rest once and for all..."
[19:07]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Years passed since the monster was exiled and the story of his downfall passed from generation to generation as naught but faerie tale. Â Yet, there was a young man in the very same hamlet that had the same aspirations of power as his predecessor. Â So, into the woods nearby he went to conduct his rituals and rites, to draw something forth from the Void to smite down his enemies and those who ridiculed him."
[19:09]Syranelle Ironleaf: "The lines of power were drawn, the rite set to tear open the fabric of this world into the Void. Â Yet, even as he began to draw the last rune that would seal the summoning circle... the Monstrosity of legend appeared, massive paws scraping and clawing through the runes to scatter them!"
[19:11]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Boy faced off against monster, the paltry powers the boy had were no match for the beast that came to bear. Â Terrible, slathering fangs dripped as the creature came forward. Â The boy tried valiantly to muster his courage, but to no avail. Â It abandoned him and he ran screaming into the woods with the Monstrosity not far behind!"
[19:14]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Trees were felled, tainted in the Monstrosity's wake; bushes burned in sudden, sickly flame. Â The boy looked frantically for any way to escape, any hope for salvation -- and found it in the form of an ancient crypt carved into one of the hillsides. Â Without hesitation, he threw open the door and clambered within, panting for breath in the darkness."
[19:17]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Beyond the doorway, he could hear the Monstrosity snuffling and snorting at the door, the terrible rake of its claws against the stone. Â Yet he could hardly hear it for the fearful thunder of his own heart. Â With no manner of egress the way he'd come in, the boy was forced to explore the crypt into which he had locked himself. Â It was chill with the decaying musk of the dead. Â Nothing moved, his every motion echoing like the most dreadful sacrilege."
[19:19]Syranelle Ironleaf: "So thick was the darkness, so black, he could see nothing. Â Every breath was as a gale to his ears, every heartbeat like an avalanche. Â After what felt like years in the musty dark, he found a tunnel leading deeper into the hallowed halls of the dead. Â Dare he go deeper or did he face the Monstrosity beyond the door?"
[19:23]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Which fear was greater than the other? Â Fear of the unknown was less than fear of the great slavering beast, so into the dank tunnels of the catacomb he went. Â He passed bier after bier of death-slumbering corpses, held fast in their eternal rest by the ravages of time. Â The darkness kept him blind, so he could only feel his way forward with one hand on the wall. Â They passed over the bones of the dead in his haste."
[19:24]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Until one bony hand grasped his and a deathly chill overtook him. Â He screamed in terror, jerking his hand away even as he felt the bones come free of their crypt and lunge at him! Â He fell back against the wall, scrabbling for freedom in the instinctual fight to survive! Â He could feel the skeleton's talons rake over him..."
[19:26]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Only to realize it was only his own imagination giving life to the thing. Â The skeleton had merely come loose from its shallow grave, hung on a fold of his robe. Â He laughed when part of him wanted to cry as he shakily drew himself to his feet and continued on his way."
[19:29]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Finally, deep within the tomb, he found a place that was strangely lit by torches. Â In the distance, he could hear whispered words in a spidery language he could not understand. Â Still, there was life and light here, away from the darkness and chill of the dead, and even farther from the monstrous demon that pursued him. Â He came at last to an altar, the marble pristine and unmarred. Â An old man stood there in simple red robes, looking over something in a leather-bound tome."
[19:36]Zhan'a Rakhin: Zhan'a Rakhin: "Glad to have found light and a face that was not attempting to devour his own, the boy cautiously approached the altar. If the stranger noticed his presence, he gave no sign. The old man's index finger went from line to line in the tome and broke the motion only to turn the page. At last, he gave a deep sigh and looked up to the intruder. The stared. "I can't read," the old man said. The boy started, but examined the book. "It's upside down."
[19:36]Zhan'a Rakhin: Zhan'a Rakhin: The boy turned the book, at which point the older man grinned, broken teeth flashing in the torchlight. "Ah, much better." And with that, the light began to darken, though the shadows almost seemed... to glow…
[19:39]Syranelle Ironleaf: "As the shadows harkened to life, the old man's hand grasped the boy's shoulder, ancient, yellowed fingernails digging in like claws. Â 'Another fool of a boy with a lust for power...!' he crowed, triumphant. Â 'Come, boy, come and witness true power... come and give your life to the Void..." The shadows coalesced around them, seeming to draw in close and stifling. Â The boy could feel it tugging at his robes like a water current, but with a sickening malevolence beneath."
[19:41]Syranelle Ironleaf: "The old man's fingers dug deeper, threatening to draw blood, even through the boy's own robes. Â 'Blood for the Void! Â Blood for the Void!' the man chanted with a frightening fervor. Â For a moment, the boy was transfixed like the rodent before the snake, paralyzing fear stiffening his limbs and leaving him helpless."
[19:44]Zhan'a Rakhin: Thinking back to the bones in the halls, he knew his fate would be the same. Dead in a hole in the ground, and no one would know or care. Except maybe the monster outside, but its appetite was not his concern at the moment. "Maybe..." he swallowed, trying once more to speak above a whisper. "Maybe we could use a rat?" The old man gave pause, more confused than anything. "No, you don't use rats for these sorts of rituals, they go completely sideways. I'd know."
[19:45]Syranelle Ironleaf chuckles quietly at Zhan'a's addition.
[19:45]Zhan'a Rakhin: However, the man's grip had lessened ever so slightly, and the boy took his captor's bemusement as his chance to escape. Back to the tunnel of bones, lit by glowing darkness. However that worked. Back to the monster that was undoubtedly still somewhere beyond the door...
[19:48]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Back through the darkened crypt the boy fled, his one salvation quite possibly also his certain doom! Â Yet, it was better than being sacrificed, better than being given over to the Void. Â Suddenly, all that power didn't seem near as appealing. Â He could hear the old man bumbling along behind him, the clatter of bones and refuse echoing through the hall. Â At long last, he reached the door of the crypt. Â He poised himself beside it, waiting for just the right time."
[19:49]Syranelle Ironleaf: "As the old man came stumbling into the hollow, the boy threw open the door... but the Monstrosity was not on the other side. Â Panic welled in the boy's chest as he struggled to come up with a new plan. Â 'Give up, boy!' the old man said. Â 'Ouch, confound it! Â Gods-be-damned coffins!' Â Apparently, he'd stubbed his foot on one."
[19:53]Zhan'a Rakhin: If anything, the old man wanted blood. It occurred to him that it did not have to be his blood. After a moment to catch his bearings, he ran in the direction of his hamlet, the old man limped after. He was quick despite his age and new injury, however. The distance between them steadily grew, and the boy's heart lightened. Every once and a while, though, he thought he could hear something running alongside him through the brush. When he looked, there was nothing there.
[19:55]Zhan'a Rakhin: As the trees thinned and the warm glow of lights through windows, he all but threw himself at the nearest door. "Help!" he cried. Anyone awake this light at night probably had it coming, anyway. "There's a crazy old man!" And also a monster, but they didn't need to know that. The old man hobbled into the hamlet, wheezing all the way. "Wait... too fast... Not good for my heart."
[19:59]Syranelle Ironleaf: "The house upon which he knocked suddenly came alive with activity, a tired-looking woman answering the door crossly. Â Her hair stuck up at every angle from an array of haphazard curlers. Â The boy screamed, turning to flee from the sight. Â The last thing he needed was another monster on his hands! Â Â He fled for the next door, banging on it again. Â 'Help, help!' he cried. Â 'There's a crazy old man and a witch-lady!' Â The door came open after a moment, the town blacksmith peering down."
[20:01]Syranelle Ironleaf: "The boy pointed behind him where the old man was struggling along to catch up, having to veritably hold himself up with peoples' fences. Â 'Coming, coming...' the old man muttered. Â 'I mean, I'll get you! Â Blood for the... the... Gods damn it, whatever the hell it was!' Â Â Peering out of the door down the way was the wild-haired woman, shrieking, 'You bloody fool, someone ought to string you up for what you've done!' Â The blacksmith looked at the boy. Â 'Seems like you're in a spot of trouble.'
[20:05]Zhan'a Rakhin: "Waking people up in the middle of the night, he is! Calling us witches!" The woman wagged her finger at them before slamming the door, leaving the blacksmith shaking his head. "This is the fourth time this moon you've caused a disturbance, lad," he said, taking the boy by the shoulder. "Now you've involved a poor visitor as well." The blacksmith pointed briefly to the old man, who had finally had to stop. The boy, meanwhile, flailed his arms. "No, you have to believe me!"
[20:07]Zhan'a Rakhin: Too late. The blacksmith tugged his charge back toward the forest, grabbing a rope from his cottage wall on the way. "A night in the cold will cool you off a bit," is all he says amid the boy's shouting. After being securely tied to a tree, the blacksmith nodded. "I'll come for you in the morning." And then he was gone. There was silence in the forest. Until something rustled in the brush...
[20:10]Syranelle Ironleaf: "As the boy sobbed, tied to a tree, the old man came stumbling out of the brush. Â 'F-finally caught you!' he rasped. Â The boy stared, agape. Â The old man was covered, head-to-toe, in an assorment of leaves, twigs, and crushed berries, all tangled up in his beard and hair making him look like some shambling pile of leaves. Â "Monster! Â Monster!" the boy cried, though he knew no one could hear him."
[20:12]Syranelle Ironleaf: "As the old man once again closed in on his sacrificial lamb, the Monstrosity burst out of the woods nearby and roared a challenge at the Shambling Mound. Â The boy could hardly believe his eyes as the two terrible looking creatures (and boy, did that old man look /terrible/...) faced off before him."
[20:16]Zhan'a Rakhin: Between the two of them, the boy was not sure which had longer claws, now that he noticed. Shambles had broken one in the frantic race, though, so that at least put him at a disadvantage. Shambles pointed at the monster, face contorting in anger. "You again! I thought I told you to sod off! You're more useless like this than you were before!" The monster snorted at this and charged at the old man, easily lifting him and throwing him some distance into the woods. Growling, it turned to the boy.
[20:19]Zhan'a Rakhin: After several failed attempts to speak, the boy finally uttered a strangled "Please?" as the monster drew closer. All he had wanted was to show the others what he was capable of, to prove himself... But not like this. As the monster reared back, he closed his eyes. Before any blow could land, though, light burst against his eyelids, and he opened one eye just a smidge to see something unbelievable…
[20:22]Syranelle Ironleaf: "In the Monstrosity's place was none other than a sylph! Â It turned a merry circle, drawing its hands up to its mouth as it laughed. Â 'How well did clever ones trick tall ones! Â Scary ones did tall ones think clever ones were!' Â The boy stared, stupefied. Â 'W-wait, all these years, the legend... has been nothing but one big sylph trick?' Â He groaned, hanging his head in shame. Â He'd wanted to believe the tale was true, not some... some farce! Â The sylph giggled again.
[20:25]Syranelle Ironleaf: "Disappointed, the boy looked at the sylph. Â 'Can you at least let me out of these ropes?' Â The sylph smiled, tucking tiny hands behind its back. Â 'Clever one helps, if tall one keeps a secret! Â Tall one can never tell of clever ones trick!' Â The boy agreed and the sylph freed him from the tree. Â He left for home, so when the old man came crawling out of the forest once again, all that was left was the sylph. Â 'Gods-dammit,' he exclaimed. Â 'Just some sylphan trick this whole time? Â Go away!'"
[20:30]Zhan'a Rakhin: The old man, covered in debris and as worn out as could be, collapsed onto a bed of leaves. "Little floating cabbages are not suitable! They are worse than rats! The blood gods would not approve!" The sylph giggled and floated out of sight, leaving the old man to his thoughts. "I should put a sign on the crypt door... 'Enter for omnipotent summoning abilities'. That should attract a crowd." He scrambled to his feet, muttering to himself as he returned to his crypt.
[20:30]Zhan'a Rakhin: The next day, the boy returned to the old man's door with the intention of blocking it for good, but made sure to remove the sign first. Just in case.
[20:32]Syranelle Ironleaf: "And so, dear listeners, we discover the truth behind the terrible tale of the Monstrosity, but remember... it's our secret." Â She winks playfully. Â "Thank you for coming out tonight and we hope you enjoyed the show! Â Be sure to join us again next month (November 10th) for yet another rousing romp with the Gridania Story-Go-Round!"