The Broken Dagger Wiki - User contributions [en]

Current events

2007-08-14T19:26:45Z

Pharris:

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== Active Plots ==
'''August, 2007 -- Current Events'''


*[[Agnieszka Kaczmarek]] recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday with a rather loud, rather drunken party at the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger inn]]. Luckily, no-one was hurt. --[[User:Channe|Channe]] 12:18, 14 August 2007 (PDT)

* [[Jan Baker]], widower and landowner of a moderately-sized farm a mile or so from the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger inn]], was murdered in his home recently. The [[Myrkentown Constabulary]] has yet to name a suspect. --[[User:Channe]] 04:46, 6 August 2007 (PDT)

* [[Zalin]] Savoy, older brother to [[Alastir]] Savoy, has come to Myrkenwood. Also, he's become one of the new chefs at the Dagger. --[[User:Alastir|Alastir]] 08:28, 14 August 2007 (PDT)

* [[Loxy]] the pixie, enraged by the actions of a barbarian pixie named [[Krynn]] who is at war with muffins in the Broken Dagger, pits his will against the warrior on the battleground of the bartop, for the very first time. Their encounter has forged what will undoubtedly be a life-long loathing for one another. Do not be surprised, Broken Dagger Patrons, if you order a muffin, only to be served a pair of pixies clashing swords on your plate. --[[User:66.32.218.140|66.32.218.140]] 11:43, 14 August 2007 (PDT)

* [[Zayken]] has reappeared and declared war upon the Broken Dagger. Although he has been largely quiet so far, those that know the creature can surely expect the worst yet to come. --[[User:Pharris|Pharris]] 12:26, 14 August 2007 (PDT)

{{Events by month links}}

== Scheduled Plot Events ==

The [[Scheduled Plot Events]] page is for plot-runners, [[Role-Playing|role-players]], and others who wish to let people know when they plan to be in the [[channel]] for interesting events such as riots, [[drow]] invasions, announcements, meetings, and other related awesomeness.

== Deathwatch ==

The [[Deathwatch]]: making a life in [[Myrken Wood]] is rife with hardship and danger; not only must you deal with privation, hunger, and mage-induced bad weather, but, as an [[Non-Player Character|NPC]], you are always in danger of being killed for the greater good of the players. This page is dedicated to all the [[Non-Player Character|NPC]]s who have died in the service of the daemon of Plot Advancement. May their memories remain bright!

Zaykenspawn

2007-08-01T16:22:57Z

Pharris:

== Zaykenspawn ==

Zaykenspawn are the horrible creatures created by the monstrous man creature [[Zayken]] as experiments in his quest to Perfection. They are usually created by taking a base creature and remolding and mutating it through an unindentified process similar to Zayken's own personal evolution. In recent years, creatures have also appeared with a more arcane bent.

Herein describes some of the Zaykenspawn that have appeared to date. New ones will be described as they are witnessed.

== Initial Zaykenspawn ==

=== "Zombies" ===

Some of Zayken's earliest experiments resulted in these creatures. Although not [[undead]], these poor souls were men and women mutated by Zayken. They exhibited reduced intelligence, emaciated bodies and distorted features, as infection ravaged their body. They also had a slow, staggering walk, resulting from their fat and bloated lower legs, which appeared as if all the fat in their bodies had drained into their calves and feet. Although not very dangerous on their own, these tortured creatures often moved in groups and had the capacity to become Maggots, and eventually, Shriekers, Stalkers or Brutes.

A variation of these were the 'struggler' type. These zombie Zaykenspawn grew membrenous 'strait jackets' around their head and upper body as they began to pupate into Maggots. Although typically docile, if they sensed a potential meal they would begin to fight furiously against their cocoons as they stalked their prey.

=== Maggots ===

Maggots were part of Zayken's initial wave of Zaykenspawn, and were a secondary 'evolution' of the zombie types. After consuming enough food, the zombies would go into their 'struggler' phase and eventually cocoon themselves entirely. Their lower bodies, especially, became thickly entombed, as their bloated legs grew together to form a large "tail" like protrusion. Maggots were rarely encountered, as they could not defend themselves very well, hindered in the same way as strugglers until eventually becoming completely cocooned and vulnerable. Eventually Maggots would 'hatch' into Brutes, Stalkers or Shriekers.

===Brutes===

The Brutes made up the core of Zayken's first wave of monsters. Barely resembling their human stock at all any more, Brutes had thick, leathery, rust coloured skin, beady black eyes, and jaws that protruded far forward like the snout of a canine, making their gums and thick teeth very pronounced. With double jointed hind legs and powerful, clawed forearms, Brutes were fast and vicious, capable of tearing flesh with ease. As well, their spines seemed to extend into long, thin, jagged tails. These were occasionally used to bludgeon prey but existed primarily to augment the agility of the Brutes when they were giving chase. Brutes were also heavily built, able to withstand a fair deal of punishment before falling.

===Stalkers===

Occasionally Maggots would develop into Stalkers. Strange creatures with nearly featureless faces and rubbery black, slippery skin, Stalkers were quiet, extraordinary humanoid creatures that could climb walls with the ease of an insect and move with the agility and grace of an acrobat. They served primarily as spies for Zayken, but occasionally as assassins, or under his direct guidance, would sometimes join mass combat to flank foes from confusing angles, distracting enemies from the rush of Brutes and Shriekers. Stalkers have the unusual ability to bend their limbs in any direction, giving their wallcrawling a most disturbing appearance.

===Shriekers===

Shriekers were perhaps the most terrible thing to hatch from a Maggot - although not as directly dangerous as a Hunter, their departure from the stock they were born from displayed the extent that Zayken was eventually able to manipulate a base creature. As well, Shriekers had the ability to fly, allowing them to harass enemies from any direction. Shriekers had an appearance similar to a humanoid torso, however they lacked a head and neck, shoulders overdeveloped and nearly grown together. The arms of the base creature would split apart during metamorphosis, becoming membrenous wings, while the hind legs largely atrophied, becoming almost birdlike, if not for the rusty, leathery skin, complete with small talons, usually for gripping onto high perches. Most horrifically, between the chest and stomach of the former creature, a gaping maw formed, from which the Shriekers would scream incessantly while in combat, confusing and frightening their prey as they buffered them with swarming tactics, biting and clawing. Shriekers often accompanied Brutes, harrying foes from the air with hit and runs as the vicious Brutes pressured foes in melee.

===Spiders===

The Spider Zaykenspawn were similar to the Shriekers in that they were headless torsos with gaping maws in their chest - their mouths formed between the pectoral muscles, however, and they retained blackish eyes between their shoulders. Spiders also had a darker colour, and were overall much smaller, their bodies tapering more towards the 'waist' with slimmer shoulders. In place of each normal humanoid limb, Spiders had two long legs, similar to those of their namesake. Like Stalkers they could crawl on walls with ease, however they were more numerous and vicious. Spiders typically attacked by leaping upon prey and grappling it against their body as they bite and chewed through it. Not as dangerous as some of the other Zaykenspawn, Spiders were mostly worrisome only in swarms. They never worked tactically with other Zaykenspawn, perhaps because unlike the previous examples, Spiders were not born from humanoid stock, despite similarity to Shriekers and their 'mutated' appearance. Their origin, however, was perhaps far more gruesome.

===The Lady in the Room===

After witnessing a Spider fleeing into an open window on the second floor of the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger]], [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] and [[Ariane Carnath-Emory|Ariane]] broke into the sealed room to which it corresponded. Inside they discovered the horrible creature there. The shape of a woman, her legs and arms had grown into long, tentacle root like appendages which webbed around the room. She appeared to be grown into the corner of the room, unable to move. Her eyes and tongue were missing, and the creature could do little more than writhe and moan in apparent agony. As well, her skin was slick and blood red, creating a flayed appearance. Most gruesomely, from her distended womb the monster perpetually birthed small Spiders, which would flee into the wood and quickly grow, hunting food to return and feed their horrid 'mother'. Disgusted by this scene of torture and gore, Quincy and Ariane slaughtered the Spiders present, and mercifully, the woman herself. This creature hinted at an important detail - Zayken's inability to create new life without reshaping that which already existed.

===The Gatekeeper===

Upon reaching [[Kanpar|Kanpar Village]], the heroes from [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] discovered that the village gates were sealed with heavy chains. In their center, a tormented creature had been grown into a living lock, exhibiting fleshcraft similar to the Lady in the Room. Its apparent purpose was simply to warn and demoralize any would be saviours. The creature posed no physical threat, however, and was soon put out of its silent misery.

===[[Mason]]===

Originally, Mason appeared to the people of Myrken as a well-meaning soldier looking to help save the village of Kanpar from Zayken. However, the heroes that followed he and [[Sawyer]] to the village soon discovered the extent of Zayken's abilities. Mason seemed to transform almost instantaneously from a normal human man into a towering, winged monstrosity, with an appearance somewhat similar to an archtypical demon. He was slain shortly after, however his deception and cunning was a sign of just how advanced Zayken's creations had become. Mason was also the first Zaykenspawn capable of infecting other creatures like Zayken himself, with the only other one to date being [[Shyntei|Shyntei/Myuu]].

===The Golem===

After learning some of the secrets of Zayken, the heroes of Kanpar made their way to the home of [[Hammon]], the wizard who had created Zayken in his mad quest to fashion the perfect lifeform. There they battled one of Hammon's old guardians, a stone golem that was being reanimated and puppeteered by a parasitic Zaykenspawn.

===[[Sawyer|Sawyer/Phantasm]]===

Sawyer originally came to Myrken to seek aid in freeing her home village, Kanpar, from Zayken. On the journey to the village she began to exhibit signs of infection, which she warded off through faith and strength of will, going so far as to cut away infected parts of her body. It was discovered in the confrontation with Mason that she had been infected by him, to misdirect suspicion away from himself. In the final confrontation with Zayken, she turned completely into one of his monsters, but retained enough presence of mind to turn on him, martyring herself in that battle.

Later, a strange creature began to lurk around Myrken, which was eventually revealed to be a partially mutated Sawyer, apparently risen from the dead. With no memory between her death and coming to her senses in Myrken, only Zayken can say for sure what the secret of Sawyer's revivification might be.

===[[Shyntei|Shyntei/Myuu]]===

Intended to be the 'final' Zaykenspawn, Zayken realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman [[Seramille]] from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by [[Biske]], who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

==Rebirth==
Since his original attack upon Myrken, death, and rebirth, Zayken has begun to create new, more advanced Zaykenspawn. Few of these have been closely examined to date. Some are described here.

===Torment===

This massive creature seems to be many humanoid figures fashioned and grown together into a giant brute. Although it does not seem to speak, the gigantic beast howls in constant agony, and the word 'torment' is carved across its massive back, perpetually bleeding a thick black ichor. Torment is massively powerful and seems to be able to reshape itself to some extent, as well as being extremely adept at burrowing, allowing the creature to appear nearly anywhere.

===Muse===

It is unclear exactly what Muse is. Unlike most of Zayken's minions, she is not monstrous in the least - in fact, she is quite delicately beautiful, with pure white flesh gently painted in elaborate black designs. Muse is always garbed in a fanciful red gown, traced with beautiful gold hemming, with a matching silk scarf. But most peculiar about her is that Muse is incorporeal, able to move through the air with ease and pass through objects. This leads to the assumption that Muse is in fact a sort of ghost, but she is undeniably a creation of Zayken. Muse appears to have limited mental capability, struggling to express her thoughts in a vocabulary entirely monosyllabic.

===Witnesses===

Little is known about these servants of Zayken. They are entirely subservient to him, however seem far less bestial than many of his past creations. Always dressed in black, hooded robes, they wear faceless white masks with a jagged black streak painted where the left eye should be. They fight with lengths of chain hidden in their sleeves, and can throw bony spines as well. They are cunning and intelligent foes.

===Umbrals===

Umbrals are similar to the Witnesses, in that they conceal their faces in featureless masks, however the Umbrals wear black ones, and long coats rather than robes, better suited to their acrobatic combat prowess. Beneath their masks, Umbrals are eyeless, with oversized mouths lined in needle-like teeth. Most notably, each Umbral has two different arms - the right one thick and hard, and the left thinner and more humanlike. From each hand the Umbrals can extend claws - a single long, thick talon from the right hand, behind the wrist, and the fingernails of their left hands extend into five long, razor blades. As well, they have long, slender tails, which they usually hide under their coats, tipped in wicked, venomous stingers. Umbrals have entirely black skin, so dark they almost seem like shadows. In fact, anywhere an Umbral goes, the ambient lighting dims slightly, allowing themselves to obfuscate themselves almost perfectly in dark places, like living shadows. Umbrals are a clear sign that Zayken has in fact begun to mingle eldritch secrets with his mutation processes.

===Lashers===

Monstrous steeds used by Zayken and his minions, Lashers are huge, catlike abominations. They stand approximately nine feet at the shoulder and are almost sixteen feet in length, their long, thin tails adding another ten. These tails are viciously barbed at the tip and very quick, partially lending to their name. It can also be attributed to their tongues, of which Lashers have two, each ending in a thick hooked talon, ideal for snagging prey and pulling it into their gaping maws. Lashers otherwise have an appearance similar to large, hairless, jungle cats, with mottled black/blue skin that blends into forests well at night. Their heads are almost eel like however, with a row of eyes on either side. Lashers also sport two massive, membrenous wings from their sides, and two smaller ones just above their hind legs for maneuvering, allowing them to carry Zayken and his troops anywhere they may need to go.

==Second Generation==
Another category of Zaykenspawn are the spawn of Shyntei. Although not created personally by the efforts of Zayken, they can be considered 'second generation' Zaykenspawn.

===Wraiths===

Created by Shyntei in the image of Zayken, Wraiths had masks of bone, and their curled wings gave them the appearance of wearing tattered black robes. Wraiths were Shyntei's messengers and spies, capable of flight and speech. In a conversation with [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]], a wraith revealed that he remembered his previous life, but after his rebirth as one of her creatures, felt no attachment to it.

===Judges===

Judges were massive brutes clad in a thick shell which covered most of their body like that of a turtle. They would extend their heads only to scream mad obscenities from their elongated mouths as they attacked enemies with their huge, armoured fists. Squat-legged and heavily armoured, Judges were a dangerous foe, but were to slow to pursue foes. They typically guarded sensitive areas, like the hive and Shyntei's grove.

===Butchers===

Huge, skeletal creatures, Butchers were things of nightmare. Eight feet tall with four arms ending in claws and vicious blades, Butchers were fast and dangerous. Like Zayken's Brutes, their long doublejointed hind legs allowed them to make amazing leaps, however they were much faster and smarter than the Brutes.

===Stranglers===

Similar to Zayken's Stalkers, the Stranglers were black skinned creatures that crawled about in trees, over walls and ceilings, and were generally spies or assassins for Shyntei. Unlike Stalkers, Stranglers had distinct facial features, particularly an oversized mouth full of jagged teeth. Stranglers also appeared to have no real bones in their arms and legs, and their arms could stretch to startling lengths, allowing them to clutch at their foes (contributing to their name). They also had a playful streak, often enjoying to taunt enemies with their agility and freakish expressions. Stranglers were silent, however, and would not stick around for a fair fight.

===Children===

These small creatures, with overlarge heads, small bodies and shelled backs, were the workers that created and maintained Shyntei's hive. Although they were not dangerous, if threatened they could spit thick webbing (usually used to build the hive) which could ensnare enemies long enough for them to escape and help to arrive. The Children also exhibited qualities of their namesakes - particularly playfulness and reliance upon the Matrons.

===Matrons===

These unusual creatures bore a resemblance to Shyntei herself, however they spoke only in her strange language. Their sole purpose was to birth the Children and to care for them. Like the Children, they lived only inside the hive, as they had no effective combat ability.

[[Category:Zayken]]
[[Category: Creatures & Monsters]]
[[Category:Glossary (IC)]]

Pharris Tergor

2007-07-18T08:32:48Z

Pharris:

Pharris Meian Tergor has led a life too long and too troubled.

Born to a loving family a very, very long time ago, Pharris was destined for a sad life - literally. His ancient ancestor, a man named Lethin Tergor, had made a cruel pact the god demon, Yaminora: in exchange for tremendous powers of black magic, he would be cursed, as would his son, his grandson, and so on, for thirteen generations, as cursed beings known only as the Hellcasters.

The nature of this curse was inescapable: fate itself would weave and conspire to drive each son to a horrid madness, sweeping across the land in a swath of destruction. And so as Lethin did, so too did his son, and the first born boy to each generation thereafter. Fate would not permit their death, not the escape of siring a male child, no matter how the Tergors struggled with their destinies. In return, each was given easy access to the might of demons, but damned to eventually turn upon the world and bring terror.

Pharris' father was no exception, and when he was blessed with two daughters, he hoped for the best. Alas, it was not to be, and eventually, Pharris himself was born, his eyes black as night - the curse had moved on yet again. His hopes for an easy life dashed, Pharris' father attempted to shield the boy from his fate, teaching him little of his horrible heritage. Yet from the scorn of his neighbours, and legends in dusty tomes, he slowly became aware of the truth.

When Pharris was thirteen, he demanded of his father that he be taught the ways of the dark arts of his heritage. His father, aware of the great rage his son harboured for being shunned as an outcast, utterly refused - telling him that it would bring him only misery in the end. Unwilling to accept this, Pharris fled his home striking out into the world to learn the dark arts of his own accord.

In this Pharris came under the tutelage of a demonologist and necromancer, a reclusive man by the name of Pox Ay`thet. Pox, although a man versed in the darkest of evil, was not a truly despicable man, and took pity upon the young, defiant, angry boy who arrived at his home one rainy night, and took him under his wing. Almost immediately Pox had realized that his young student was the newest Hellcaster, and damned to rain terror and destruction upon this world. Nonetheless, he too understood the inescapable fate bestowed upon the boy, and taught him the best that he could - if only in hopes that one day he would make amends for the sins that were his destiny. Two years passed, and true to his heritage, Pharris learned the black arts quickly. He said goodbye to Pox, and returned to his home.

His village was much as he had left it - however, his house alone was burned to the foundations, still smoldering. Inside, he found his sisters, brothers, and parents dead - burned and gutted, all murdered. His younger brother, only twelve, had been crucified amidst the blaze. Horrified, Pharris crumpled, and wept.

Villagers, once known only for their scorn, slowly came forward to explain what had happened: a zealous order of paladins, eagerly seeking to end the curse of the Hellcasters, had descended upon the Tergor home and slaughtered them swiftly and without mercy. Mistaking his brother, Flaym, for the new Hellcaster, he was made a horrible example of, to "teach the demons fear of mortal valor".

Furious, consumed with despair, and disgusted by this blatant hypocrisy, Pharris rose from the ashes of his old home, spilling not another tear. His mind, overwhelmed, turned upon the villagers. Damning them for years of torment and cruelty, refusing to hear their cries of mercy, and disregarding the gentle sympathy he had been offered only moments before, Pharris Tergor slaughtered the village. On that site he rose an army of undeath, and enacted rituals to bind demons to his service.

Only fifteen years old, Pharris led a dark army against the holy order that had killed his family, and devastated them utterly. Desecrating their temples and animating their bodies, he found even this overwhelming victory could not sate his rage - and did not even begin to fulfill his newfound blood lust.

It is said that his terror reigned across the land for almost a hundred years, as Pharris Tergor's army grew fat on the bodies of his foes, on the pacts with dark powers, with mercenaries and maniacs eager to share their sadism. He became known for a hollow cruelty, leaving whole cities burning, its people weeping and defeated.

Eventually, however, a great army rose - dedicated to good, they clashed time and again with the army of the Hellcaster. And in the end, after years of battle, Pharris himself was defeated in battle. Fleeing the battlefield, he left his ragtag army of darkness to its fate, and disappeared into the depths of the Demon Spirit Wood, a small forest known for being haunted, possessed, and otherwise uninhabitable.

There Pharris lived many, many years, reclusive, slowly coming to his senses, and grieving for his crimes. And in time, he built a home there, and lived in relative peace with some of the inhabitants of the wood, in particular the three demon siblings Aura, Daemos and Minion. Slowly, others appeared in his forest home, seeking refuge from their past lives, and were given it freely.

During his time here, much changed for Pharris Tergor. His brief marriage to a fae woman left him with a child - to his relief, a daughter, who they named Kirei. He also made many fast friends, who together served a new purpose - protecting the world at large from the secret demon incursion that had begun in the forest. Therein, a quiet war waged with the world's fate in the balance, escalating in pitch over the years as Pharris and company battled back the invasions of the demonic realm. His battle with a demonic noble, Nodarrius, forced Pharris to consume the demon's essence, forever altering his body, causing him to become slowly more demonic in nature himself. Likewise, Pharris did battle with the 'demon messiah', Deroth, who was defeated by the reincarnation of his own murdered ally, Mayorai. It was also during this period that Pharris aquired the demonic blades, [[Yasha and Mamono]]. Many other adventures were had, climaxing in Pharris' eventual showdown with Yaminora, the very demon that had corrupted his family line. With aid, and Yaminora was destroyed - shattering into fragments of himself, his power scattering throughout the world. Barely surviving this fierce battle, Pharris decided, finally, to settle down.

However, Deroth reappeared - beaten but not destroyed, swearing that he would gather the power of Yaminora for himself. To prevent interference, he kidnapped Kirei, swearing that if Pharris attempted to stop him, she would be murdered. Years passed and Pharris desperately sought his daughter's location, but not even the strongest divinations could find her. In despair, Pharris left his long time forest home and began to wander.

Eventually, Pharris settled in a small city, and began to frequent a bar there, taking on a scholarly role to the young heroes and adventurers that he found there. Grim, but finding a slim glimmer of brightness in his heart, he managed to live on. Years passed, then, until he was reunited with his daughter - she had escaped from Deroth on her own, and lived, destitute and alone, by any means necessary. His once sweet, gentle daughter had become a hardened mercenary who now called herself [[Shikei]]. Moreover, she loathed him for 'abandoning' her. Enraged by her hate, but blaming himself, Pharris made little attempt to reconcile with his daughter. However, when Deroth reappeared, attempting to turn Shikei against him by taking control of her demonic blood, he was forced to battle the ancient demon once again. Amidst this, Pharris absorbed the fragment of Yaminora's power that Deroth had been vying for - gaining an incredible control of the darkness, and becoming nicknamed God of Shadow. Deroth fled, swearing revenge. And Shikei was freed of his influence - at the price of fragmenting her mind into three conflicting identities. Again feeling guilt for his daughter's misfortunes, Pharris drifted away once more.

Finally, he came upon Myrken Wood, and therein, the Broken Dagger. Here he settled in quietly and lived peacefully for a time, sharing stories with the populace and attempting to keep peace where he could, eventually falling in love with the faerie, [[Vialweh]]. Sadly, this idyllic time could not last, for misfortune was his eternal companion. In an encounter with Lady DarkWind, Pharris lost control of his shadow powers, and was consumed by a fragment of Yaminora's consciousness, which proceeded to use the Yasha Blade to rip Pharris' soul from his own body, imprisoning it within the blade, leaving Yaminora free to run amok in Pharris' body.

Although he spent only two weeks imprisoned in the blade, Pharris was forced to endure the equivalent of hundreds of years of consciousness within the blade, trapped in a metaphysical landscape of hellish nightmares. Banding together with other souls imprisoned in the blade, consumed by Yaminora, Pharris attempted to ward off the inevitable consumption, battling nightmares relentlessly, and watching as time and again his companions fell, unable to protect everyone. Taking on a paranoid, singleminded bent, he survived his time trapped within the weapon, until he was eventually freed by Zorana. Returned to his body, Pharris was never the same. Dark, morbid, and paranoid, he withdrew from the people of Myrken to live among the shadows, honing his mind and body to the singleminded goal of flawless strength. Abandoning his Hellcaster powers, Pharris now hones his shadow god abilities alongside overwhelming martial prowess, augmented by his demonic physiology.

Since withdrawing from the world, Pharris has had limited contact with anybody, primarily through [[Quincy Randall]], who he took on as his combat student. Although he has shown some small softness for the fiery girl, he is nonetheless a cruel and brutal instructor, and a merciless foe in true combat, maddened by his singleminded paranoia.

[[Category: Characters]]

Shikei

2007-07-17T13:02:52Z

Pharris:

Born Kirei Tergor, daughter of [[Pharris Tergor]], Kirei lived in a horrific forest consumed by demonic presences, spirits, and other terrors from the day she was born. However, protected from these ills by her father and extended family, Kirei grew up happily, slowly learning the arts of warfare and magic so that she might one day join her father and his allies in protecting the world.

However, when Kirei was only twelve, she was captured by the 'demon messiah', Deroth, who held her captive to gain influence over Pharris. Held in a cruel demi-plane of Deroth's design, she rotted there for several years before managing a miraculous escape - but not before having her right arm brutally ruined by Deroth as he attempted to keep her from fleeing.

From there, Kirei escaped back into our world and vanished, hiding on city streets, young, frightened, crippled and alone. She grew up as best she could, as a beggar, or selling what little she could find to get by - even her body, as she grew older. Slowly, however, Kirei grew disgusted with this, and furious. She blamed her lot in life on her father, who had abandoned her to this fate. Unwilling to live out the rest of her life as a beggar and a whore, she took to honing the skills she had been taught in her youth. Soon she was a renowned contract killer in the criminal underworld, and in time, moved on to the 'respectable' life of a mercenary. It was during this time she rechristened herself Shikei, shrugging off the name given to her by her now hated father.

This lifestyle led her into contact with Mayorai, an old ally of her father and childhood friend. Mayorai, a powerful demon with a uniquely kind heart, was raising an army to combat evil wherever it may lurk. Out of a sense of debt to both father and daughter, Mayorai welcomed Shikei into the ranks. It was here that Shikei had her useless right arm replaced with the stone golem arm which is her trademark.

Eventually, Shikei ran afoul of Deroth once again, who once more attempted to use her as leverage against her father, using his powers to inflate her demonic essence until it nearly consumed her, turning her against Pharris. Eventually Deroth was defeated, and Shikei was freed from this influence. However, the trauma shattered her mind, which has since developed into three individual personalities, unable to reconcile fully, but working largely in a seamless unison. This incident also left Shikei slightly transformed, with batlike wings that she keeps hidden beneath her clothes where possible.

After this, Shikei eventually came to Myrken as part of Mayorai's small army, which settled in Myrken Wood to keep an eye on Pharris, and stayed to meddle with the evil that commonly arose there. What has become of Shikei since, precisely, is unknown.

----

An interesting facet of Shikei is her three personas, named for periods of her life: Kirei, Shikei, and Death Penalty.

When the three personalities are working in unison, as they often are, Shikei speaks with her slurred drawl, referring to herself as "we", the Shikei personality more dominant than the other two, but not able to exclude them.

Kirei represents her youth and innocence, as well as her dominant fae blood. Kirei could be called lawful good. When Kirei is in control, Shikei speaks in clear language, and often in soft, shy whispers, referring to herself singularly.

Shikei represents her jaded loss of innocence, hardening against the world, as well as her human blood. Shikei could be called true neutral. When Shikei is in exclusive control, which is rare, she speaks as usual, but in the singular.

Death Penalty represents Shikei's demon blood, her anger, and her blood lust (among other lusts). Death Penalty is chaotic evil, and when she is in exclusive control, Shikei speaks in bold hissing language, often coloured with oaths and threats and wishes of violence. As usual, Death Penalty speaks in the singular when in control.

Occasionally Shikei's rough accent fades, such as when Kirei or Death Penalty are in control, leading to the assumption that it was intentionally picked up at some point and is not natural to these other two personalities.

Also interestingly, once in a while after awakening, only one of Shikei's personalities will appear for a brief period, before the other two return. In this way, Kirei has kept a personal journal, largely hidden from the other two personalities. Death Penalty's joyrides in their body has mostly led to bloody noses, broken property, and spontaneous acts of lust.

----

Shikei's golem arm is inscribed with runes which glow when she moves it. Typically she keeps it hidden in gloves, more to surprise her enemies than out of any sense of real shame (Kirei has expressed displeasure about the unnatural appendage however). The arm is detachable for cleaning and repair, and she often sleeps without it.

Yasha and Mamono

2007-07-17T12:37:24Z

Pharris:

Yasha and Mamono are the demonic blades carried by [[Pharris Tergor]], crafted hundreds of years ago by demon smiths in their dark world. The two weapons fell into his hands during his time battling the demonic hordes as they attempted to break through from their world to this one.

Mamono Blade is a titanic, horribly oversized sword, most closely resembling an extremely thick claymore. The weapon is larger than Pharris himself, and is the prime motivator in his unusual swordfighting style. Yasha Blade is only slightly shorter than Mamono, but a slender, curved blade, intended more for lightning fast strokes.

These sentient weapons have several unique abilities, able to burn hot with hellish flames, consume souls to fuel their powers, and alter their own weight. This last one, in particular, truly augments the style of the wielder, allowing Pharris to easily use both weapons at once. Their control and training is precise enough that they can increase their weight on the follow through of a strike, dealing devastating damage, and returning to a feather weight to allow easy maneuvering. It also allows seemingly miraculous tricks like maneuvering themselves in the air, floating on water, and growing too heavy to be stolen or wielded against their master.

For a time, Mamono and Yasha also exhibited the ability to transform into humanoid beings with razor sharp hair and rough skin. However, it is unclear if they lost this power, or if it is somehow suppressed by Pharris, as he descends further into his obsessive madness.

Pharris Tergor

2007-07-17T12:28:08Z

Pharris:

User:Pharris

2007-07-17T11:25:06Z

Pharris: User:Pharris moved to Pharris

#REDIRECT [[Pharris]]

Pharris

2007-07-17T11:25:05Z

Pharris: User:Pharris moved to Pharris

Also known as Bri, or Brian.

Known for being excitable, hyperactive, with a penchant for the horrific and morbid, and just a twist of comedy, as well as extremely easily distracted.

Began RPing in the Broken Dagger around 2001 with long periods of absence and inactivity. Has been RPing in various mediums most of his life.

Former operator with a bit of snarkiness to him!

Plays the following characters, among countless others:

* [[Pharris Tergor]]
* [[Zayken]]
* [[Shyntei|Myuu]]
* [[Sawyer]]

[[Category: Players]]
[[Category: Active Players]]
[[Category: Past Ops]]

Zayken

2007-07-17T10:01:31Z

Pharris:

Not that many years ago, there was a village called [[Kanpar]]. Just outside that village, there lived a man, named Hammon. He was a [[mage]], one of no small power. And with great power comes great eccentricity. Rather than use his [[magic]] for personal power, to unlock ancient secrets, or anything else of the sort, Hammon was fascinated with creating life. His unusual creations prowled his estate in a relative peace - however disturbing the villagers found them, and their master.

In its own way, Hammon's life was idyllic - he even had the love of a beautiful village woman, Ellimene. It was not until ambition took Hammon that his lovely life began to falter. Amazed by his own creations, yet never satisfied, he decided to create the culmination of his work. He would create a human being, and one so utterly flawless that nobody could scorn his efforts again. He would create the perfect man.

So came to be <b>Zayken</b>. He was intelligent, handsome, and kind in the utmost. He was accepted easily in the village, often seen to do chores for people with no desire of payment. Zayken was a splendid man.

However, this perfect man eventually revealed a flaw that was predictable, yet shockingly tragic. Zayken, with the showers of praise he earned, began to become arrogant. And one day, in his arrogance, he decided he deserved a reward for all he had ever done in his very short life. He attempted to seduce Ellimene.

This, alas, did not go over well with Ellimene, who fled from Zayken as her rejection sent him into a frenzy. She returned to Hammon, and told him of Zayken's indiscretion. This, in turn, sent the [[mage]] wild with rage, and he confronted the still furious Zayken. This quickly became a clash of will, and then, a brief, vicious combat. Alas, Zayken, although a fantastic physical specimen, was quickly subdued by Hammon's [[magic]].

Unsure what to do with his creation, who seemed to become darker and more flawed by the day, Hammon chained Zayken in his cellar, and left him. He mused that some day, he might correct the problems in this mistake of his.

Meanwhile, Zayken fumed - he had failed. Failed to win Ellimene, failed to defeat Hammon. And here he rotted as a discarded animal. Obviously, he was not so perfect as he was supposed to have been.

He had to be Perfect.

One day, Hammon heard a horrid noise from his cellar, and went to investigate. All he found were broken chains, and a hole in his wall...

...

Zayken first appeared in the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger]] as a wretched thing, draped in rags and rattling the chains of his imprisonment. By this time he was already far from human, a horrid creature hidden behind his trademark porcelain mask. Seeking knowledge with which to perfect himself, he demanded books from [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] - who provoked Zayken to a rage. After their brief tussle, Zayken fled, leaving behind an iron key. [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] pocketed it - thus their feud was born.

In the following year Zayken reappeared again and again, each time a little more insane, each time a little more physically mutated, his body twisting and altering to match his struggle to find Perfection. Again and again he was chased from the grounds of the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Dagger]] in increasingly horrible battles.

As well, other creatures appeared, beings created by Zayken - mutated from the stock of more natural things, into horrible nightmares. All a little more Perfect, in the eyes of the mad monstrosity. These atrocities, called [[Zaykenspawn]], were also turned aside by the defenders of [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]].

Eventually, he seemed to disappear.

That is, until a ranger and a soldier, [[Sawyer]] and [[Mason]], arrived in the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger]] from a village called [[Kanpar]]. They told the people of the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Dagger]] that Zayken had returned to his old home, and was destroying everything. He frequently screamed of [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]], and more often, [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]], his nemesis. The pair had come to [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] to seek Zayken's foe, and any others who might help displace the monstrous king from the dying village.

A group from [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] travelled to [[Kanpar]], and saw firsthand the Hell on Earth that Zayken had wrought out of [[Kanpar]]. Moving through the small, corrupted village took great efforts, battling beasts of all sorts - including the traitor, [[Mason]], who had been a disciple of Zayken, and transformed to try and destroy the party.

Eventually, the party confronted Zayken, who had mutated his body yet more into a giant, multi-limbed horror, large enough to smash a house with one blow. The battle was furious, and amidst it, the ranger, [[Sawyer]] - previously infected by Zayken - martyred herself against the horrible creature.

In the end, although it was difficult, Zayken was defeated - the final blow poetically laid by his hated foe, [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]]. The group left the horrors of [[Kanpar]] soon after - the village was well beyond salvage.

It was assumed that was all to be heard from Zayken...

...

Some time later, another creature appeared in [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]]. Small and somewhat [[elf|elven]] featured, she was nonetheless an unnatural monster. Confused in this place, the monster [[elf]] tried to make her place - but constantly attacked and abused by the wary defenders of [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]], she withdrew, and became dark, hateful.

As this being attained a higher intellect, she named herself [[Shyntei]], and like Zayken, began to mutate the people and animals of [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] into strange beasts - even more deadly than those Zayken before had created.

In time, [[Shyntei]] revealed that she was Zayken's daughter, the last of his spawn, created to continue his legacy of perfection. And she had decided that humanity was a horrid race, cruel and destructive - better off to be changed and ruled by she. [[Shyntei]] would alter every living thing, and make them part of her hive, where she was a loving monarch.

Who knows how this may have ended up, if not for the intervention of one - the insane [[drow]], [[Audmathus]], who long tormented [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]], was killed. But having foreseen his own destruction, [[Audmathus]] prepared his own legacy of suffering for [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]].

On the night [[Audmathus]] died, Zayken rose up from the earth and began anew his terror.

After attacking the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Dagger]] and doing great damage, Zayken fled. His next appearance was in the hive of his daughter, [[Shyntei]] - having seen the weakness she promoted, in caring for and loving her mutated subjects, Zayken destroyed her hive and stole most of her essence, for in many ways, she had become closer to Perfection than Zayken himself. At the intervention of some nobler people, the wracked [[Shyntei]] was rescued from her crumbling lair, and Zayken fled.

Some time later, [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] found the broken, rotting corpse of Zayken in the [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] woods, and presumed the creature dead. However, unbeknownst to any, he had merely cast off that massive shell, and was once again seeking a new form for Perfection...

Zayken still lives, as evidenced by his occasional deeds, however he has learned much from his previous defeat. He is subtler, craftier, and all the more deadly for it. Whatever Zayken's plans for [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] and beyond, they cannot possibly be good...

[[category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]
[[Category:Zayken]]

Ellimene

2007-07-17T09:55:14Z

Pharris:

Ellimene was [[Hammon]]'s lover and fiancee. A sweet and kind woman, she was beloved for her caring personality and elegant beauty. Her rejection led the man named [[Zayken]] into his downfall of madness and realization that he was far from perfect. This in turn led Zayken into becoming the hideous monstrosity that he is today.

According to journals left behind by Zayken, he killed Ellimene when he attacked [[Kanpar]], removing her head and casting it into the forest. Her amulet was the key to defeating the magical barrier Zayken erected around Hammon's home, where he made his final stand against the heroes from Myrken in the very basement he was imprisoned by Hammon.

[[Category: Characters]]
[[Category: Dead Characters]]
[[Category: Zayken]]

Hammon

2007-07-17T09:50:56Z

Pharris:

Hammon was the wizard responsible for creating [[Zayken]]. He had an obsession with creating new life using magic, and had spawned many unusual lifeforms which lived at his side peacefully. According to notes and journals discovered by those who quested to destroy Zayken originally, Hammon was obsessed with developing "the perfect life". According to Zayken's journals, his defeat by Hammon and rejection by [[Ellimene]] led to his quest to become truly "Perfect" and turned him into the horrific monstrosity he is today.

[[Category: Characters]]
[[Category: Dead Characters]]
[[Category: Zayken]]

Seramille

2007-07-17T09:50:06Z

Pharris:

When heroes from Myrken quested to [[Kanpar]] to destroy [[Zayken]], they eventually met the elven maiden Seramille. Long sequestered into the stereotype of being a polite, demure woman, Seramille had taken to the job of leading the few survivors of Zayken's attack, equipping herself with makeshift armour and a secondhand sword. Her gung-ho attitude with this grisly role was indicative of her displeasure with her life up until then.

The issue of her life was solved by Zayken when he tore her away from the party, leaving behind only her mangled lower legs and forearms. Seramille was later seen bound to the chest of Zayken in his Zayken Perfect form, forcibly induced with pregnancy to give birth to what Zayken hoped would be the true Perfect Lifeform. Although Zayken was defeated before this came to pass, Seramille gave birth to [[Shyntei]] postmortem and is responsible for her half-elven heritage.

Seramille's name appears with [[Mason]]'s upon Zayken's public declaration of war, raising questions about her ultimtate fate...

[[Category: Characters]]
[[Category: Zayken]]

Mason

2007-07-17T09:49:58Z

Pharris:

Mason, along with [[Sawyer]], came to [[Myrken Wood]] to seek help in turning back the attack by [[Zayken]] upon [[Kanpar]] Village. Mason was a no-nonsense soldier who led heroes from Myrken back to the plagued village. However, upon arriving there, Mason revealed himself to be a [[Zaykenspawn]] and attacked the party, leading to his death.

Mason's name appears with [[Seramille]]'s on Zayken's public declaration of war, leading to questions about his true fate...

[[Category: Characters]]
[[Category: Zayken]]

Mason

2007-07-17T09:48:08Z

Pharris:

Shyntei

2007-07-17T09:46:33Z

Pharris:

'''Shyntei/Myuu'''

Intended to be the 'final' [[Zaykenspawn]], [[Zayken]] realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman [[Seramille]] from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by Biske, who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

[[Category: Characters]]
[[Category: Limbo Characters]]
[[Category: Zayken]]

Seramille

2007-07-17T09:46:01Z

Pharris:

Hammon

2007-07-17T09:40:05Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-17T09:31:51Z

Pharris:

== Zaykenspawn ==

Zaykenspawn are the horrible creatures created by the monstrous man creature [[Zayken]] as experiments in his quest to Perfection. They are usually created by taking a base creature and remolding and mutating it through an unindentified process similar to Zayken's own personal evolution. In recent years, creatures have also appeared with a more arcane bent.

Herein describes some of the Zaykenspawn that have appeared to date. New ones will be described as they are witnessed.

== Initial Zaykenspawn ==

=== "Zombies" ===

Some of Zayken's earliest experiments resulted in these creatures. Although not [[undead]], these poor souls were men and women mutated by Zayken. They exhibited reduced intelligence, emaciated bodies and distorted features, as infection ravaged their body. They also had a slow, staggering walk, resulting from their fat and bloated lower legs, which appeared as if all the fat in their bodies had drained into their calves and feet. Although not very dangerous on their own, these tortured creatures often moved in groups and had the capacity to become Maggots, and eventually, Shriekers, Stalkers or Brutes.

A variation of these were the 'struggler' type. These zombie Zaykenspawn grew membrenous 'strait jackets' around their head and upper body as they began to pupate into Maggots. Although typically docile, if they sensed a potential meal they would begin to fight furiously against their cocoons as they stalked their prey.

=== Maggots ===

Maggots were part of Zayken's initial wave of Zaykenspawn, and were a secondary 'evolution' of the zombie types. After consuming enough food, the zombies would go into their 'struggler' phase and eventually cocoon themselves entirely. Their lower bodies, especially, became thickly entombed, as their bloated legs grew together to form a large "tail" like protrusion. Maggots were rarely encountered, as they could not defend themselves very well, hindered in the same way as strugglers until eventually becoming completely cocooned and vulnerable. Eventually Maggots would 'hatch' into Brutes, Stalkers or Shriekers.

===Brutes===

The Brutes made up the core of Zayken's first wave of monsters. Barely resembling their human stock at all any more, Brutes had thick, leathery, rust coloured skin, beady black eyes, and jaws that protruded far forward like the snout of a canine, making their gums and thick teeth very pronounced. With double jointed hind legs and powerful, clawed forearms, Brutes were fast and vicious, capable of tearing flesh with ease. As well, their spines seemed to extend into long, thin, jagged tails. These were occasionally used to bludgeon prey but existed primarily to augment the agility of the Brutes when they were giving chase. Brutes were also heavily built, able to withstand a fair deal of punishment before falling.

===Stalkers===

Occasionally Maggots would develop into Stalkers. Strange creatures with nearly featureless faces and rubbery black, slippery skin, Stalkers were quiet, extraordinary humanoid creatures that could climb walls with the ease of an insect and move with the agility and grace of an acrobat. They served primarily as spies for Zayken, but occasionally as assassins, or under his direct guidance, would sometimes join mass combat to flank foes from confusing angles, distracting enemies from the rush of Brutes and Shriekers. Stalkers have the unusual ability to bend their limbs in any direction, giving their wallcrawling a most disturbing appearance.

===Shriekers===

Shriekers were perhaps the most terrible thing to hatch from a Maggot - although not as directly dangerous as a Hunter, their departure from the stock they were born from displayed the extent that Zayken was eventually able to manipulate a base creature. As well, Shriekers had the ability to fly, allowing them to harass enemies from any direction. Shriekers had an appearance similar to a humanoid torso, however they lacked a head and neck, shoulders overdeveloped and nearly grown together. The arms of the base creature would split apart during metamorphosis, becoming membrenous wings, while the hind legs largely atrophied, becoming almost birdlike, if not for the rusty, leathery skin, complete with small talons, usually for gripping onto high perches. Most horrifically, between the chest and stomach of the former creature, a gaping maw formed, from which the Shriekers would scream incessantly while in combat, confusing and frightening their prey as they buffered them with swarming tactics, biting and clawing. Shriekers often accompanied Brutes, harrying foes from the air with hit and runs as the vicious Brutes pressured foes in melee.

===Spiders===

The Spider Zaykenspawn were similar to the Shriekers in that they were headless torsos with gaping maws in their chest - their mouths formed between the pectoral muscles, however, and they retained blackish eyes between their shoulders. Spiders also had a darker colour, and were overall much smaller, their bodies tapering more towards the 'waist' with slimmer shoulders. In place of each normal humanoid limb, Spiders had two long legs, similar to those of their namesake. Like Stalkers they could crawl on walls with ease, however they were more numerous and vicious. Spiders typically attacked by leaping upon prey and grappling it against their body as they bite and chewed through it. Not as dangerous as some of the other Zaykenspawn, Spiders were mostly worrisome only in swarms. They never worked tactically with other Zaykenspawn, perhaps because unlike the previous examples, Spiders were not born from humanoid stock, despite similarity to Shriekers and their 'mutated' appearance. Their origin, however, was perhaps far more gruesome.

===The Lady in the Room===

After witnessing a Spider fleeing into an open window on the second floor of the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger]], [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] and [[Ariane Carnath-Emory|Ariane]] broke into the sealed room to which it corresponded. Inside they discovered the horrible creature there. The shape of a woman, her legs and arms had grown into long, tentacle root like appendages which webbed around the room. She appeared to be grown into the corner of the room, unable to move. Her eyes and tongue were missing, and the creature could do little more than writhe and moan in apparent agony. As well, her skin was slick and blood red, creating a flayed appearance. Most gruesomely, from her distended womb the monster perpetually birthed small Spiders, which would flee into the wood and quickly grow, hunting food to return and feed their horrid 'mother'. Disgusted by this scene of torture and gore, Quincy and Ariane slaughtered the Spiders present, and mercifully, the woman herself. This creature hinted at an important detail - Zayken's inability to create new life without reshaping that which already existed.

===The Gatekeeper===

Upon reaching [[Kanpar|Kanpar Village]], the heroes from [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]] discovered that the village gates were sealed with heavy chains. In their center, a tormented creature had been grown into a living lock, exhibiting fleshcraft similar to the Lady in the Room. Its apparent purpose was simply to warn and demoralize any would be saviours. The creature posed no physical threat, however, and was soon put out of its silent misery.

===[[Mason]]===

Originally, Mason appeared to the people of Myrken as a well-meaning soldier looking to help save the village of Kanpar from Zayken. However, the heroes that followed he and [[Sawyer]] to the village soon discovered the extent of Zayken's abilities. Mason seemed to transform almost instantaneously from a normal human man into a towering, winged monstrosity, with an appearance somewhat similar to an archtypical demon. He was slain shortly after, however his deception and cunning was a sign of just how advanced Zayken's creations had become. Mason was also the first Zaykenspawn capable of infecting other creatures like Zayken himself, with the only other one to date being [[Shyntei|Shyntei/Myuu]].

===The Golem===

After learning some of the secrets of Zayken, the heroes of Kanpar made their way to the home of [[Hammon]], the wizard who had created Zayken in his mad quest to fashion the perfect lifeform. There they battled one of Hammon's old guardians, a stone golem that was being reanimated and puppeteered by a parasitic Zaykenspawn.

===[[Sawyer|Sawyer/Phantasm]]===

Sawyer originally came to Myrken to seek aid in freeing her home village, Kanpar, from Zayken. On the journey to the village she began to exhibit signs of infection, which she warded off through faith and strength of will, going so far as to cut away infected parts of her body. It was discovered in the confrontation with Mason that she had been infected by him, to misdirect suspicion away from himself. In the final confrontation with Zayken, she turned completely into one of his monsters, but retained enough presence of mind to turn on him, martyring herself in that battle.

Later, a strange creature began to lurk around Myrken, which was eventually revealed to be a partially mutated Sawyer, apparently risen from the dead. With no memory between her death and coming to her senses in Myrken, only Zayken can say for sure what the secret of Sawyer's revivification might be.

===[[Shyntei|Shyntei/Myuu]]===

Intended to be the 'final' Zaykenspawn, Zayken realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman [[Seramille]] from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by [[Biske]], who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

==Rebirth==
Since his original attack upon Myrken, death, and rebirth, Zayken has begun to create new, more advanced Zaykenspawn. Few of these have been closely examined to date. Some are described here.

===Torment===

This massive creature seems to be many humanoid figures fashioned and grown together into a giant brute. Although it does not seem to speak, the gigantic beast howls in constant agony, and the word 'torment' is carved across its massive back, perpetually bleeding a thick black ichor. Torment is massively powerful and seems to be able to reshape itself to some extent, as well as being extremely adept at burrowing, allowing the creature to appear nearly anywhere.

===Witnesses===

Little is known about these servants of Zayken. They are entirely subservient to him, however seem far less bestial than many of his past creations. Always dressed in black, hooded robes, they wear faceless white masks with a jagged black streak painted where the left eye should be. They fight with lengths of chain hidden in their sleeves, and can throw bony spines as well. They are cunning and intelligent foes.

===Lashers===

Monstrous steeds used by Zayken and his minions, Lashers are huge, catlike abominations. They stand approximately nine feet at the shoulder and are almost sixteen feet in length, their long, thin tails adding another ten. These tails are viciously barbed at the tip and very quick, partially lending to their name. It can also be attributed to their tongues, of which Lashers have two, each ending in a thick hooked talon, ideal for snagging prey and pulling it into their gaping maws. Lashers otherwise have an appearance similar to large, hairless, jungle cats, with mottled black/blue skin that blends into forests well at night. Their heads are almost eel like however, with a row of eyes on either side. Lashers also sport two massive, membrenous wings from their sides, and two smaller ones just above their hind legs for maneuvering, allowing them to carry Zayken and his troops anywhere they may need to go.

==Second Generation==
Another category of Zaykenspawn are the spawn of Shyntei. Although not created personally by the efforts of Zayken, they can be considered 'second generation' Zaykenspawn.

===Wraiths===

Created by Shyntei in the image of Zayken, Wraiths had masks of bone, and their curled wings gave them the appearance of wearing tattered black robes. Wraiths were Shyntei's messengers and spies, capable of flight and speech. In a conversation with [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]], a wraith revealed that he remembered his previous life, but after his rebirth as one of her creatures, felt no attachment to it.

===Judges===

Judges were massive brutes clad in a thick shell which covered most of their body like that of a turtle. They would extend their heads only to scream mad obscenities from their elongated mouths as they attacked enemies with their huge, armoured fists. Squat-legged and heavily armoured, Judges were a dangerous foe, but were to slow to pursue foes. They typically guarded sensitive areas, like the hive and Shyntei's grove.

===Butchers===

Huge, skeletal creatures, Butchers were things of nightmare. Eight feet tall with four arms ending in claws and vicious blades, Butchers were fast and dangerous. Like Zayken's Brutes, their long doublejointed hind legs allowed them to make amazing leaps, however they were much faster and smarter than the Brutes.

===Stranglers===

Similar to Zayken's Stalkers, the Stranglers were black skinned creatures that crawled about in trees, over walls and ceilings, and were generally spies or assassins for Shyntei. Unlike Stalkers, Stranglers had distinct facial features, particularly an oversized mouth full of jagged teeth. Stranglers also appeared to have no real bones in their arms and legs, and their arms could stretch to startling lengths, allowing them to clutch at their foes (contributing to their name). They also had a playful streak, often enjoying to taunt enemies with their agility and freakish expressions. Stranglers were silent, however, and would not stick around for a fair fight.

===Children===

These small creatures, with overlarge heads, small bodies and shelled backs, were the workers that created and maintained Shyntei's hive. Although they were not dangerous, if threatened they could spit thick webbing (usually used to build the hive) which could ensnare enemies long enough for them to escape and help to arrive. The Children also exhibited qualities of their namesakes - particularly playfulness and reliance upon the Matrons.

===Matrons===

These unusual creatures bore a resemblance to Shyntei herself, however they spoke only in her strange language. Their sole purpose was to birth the Children and to care for them. Like the Children, they lived only inside the hive, as they had no effective combat ability.

[[Category:Zayken]]
[[Category: Creatures & Monsters]]
[[Category:Glossary (IC)]]

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-14T02:47:03Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn are the horrible creatures created by the monstrous man creature [[Zayken]] as experiments in his quest to Perfection. They are usually created by taking a base creature and remolding and mutating it through an unindentified process similar to Zayken's own personal evolution. In recent years, creatures have also appeared with a more arcane bent.

Herein describes some of the Zaykenspawn that have appeared to date. New ones will be described as they are witnessed.

----

'''"Zombies"'''

Some of Zayken's earliest experiments resulted in these creatures. Although not undead, these poor souls were men and women mutated by Zayken. They exhibited reduced intelligence, emaciated bodies and distorted features, as infection ravaged their body. They also had a slow, staggering walk, resulting from their fat and bloated lower legs, which appeared as if all the fat in their bodies had drained into their calves and feet. Although not very dangerous on their own, these tortured creatures often moved in groups and had the capacity to become Maggots, and eventually, Shriekers, Stalkers or Brutes.

A variation of these were the 'struggler' type. These zombie Zaykenspawn grew membrenous 'strait jackets' around their head and upper body as they began to pupate into Maggots. Although typically docile, if they sensed a potential meal they would begin to fight furiously against their cocoons as they stalked their prey.

'''Maggots'''

Maggots were part of Zayken's initial wave of Zaykenspawn, and were a secondary 'evolution' of the zombie types. After consuming enough food, the zombies would go into their 'struggler' phase and eventually cocoon themselves entirely. Their lower bodies, especially, became thickly entombed, as their bloated legs grew together to form a large "tail" like protrusion. Maggots were rarely encountered, as they could not defend themselves very well, hindered in the same way as strugglers until eventually becoming completely cocooned and vulnerable. Eventually Maggots would 'hatch' into Brutes, Stalkers or Shriekers.

'''Brutes'''

The Brutes made up the core of Zayken's first wave of monsters. Barely resembling their human stock at all any more, Brutes had thick, leathery, rust coloured skin, beady black eyes, and jaws that protruded far forward like the snout of a canine, making their gums and thick teeth very pronounced. With double jointed hind legs and powerful, clawed forearms, Brutes were fast and vicious, capable of tearing flesh with ease. As well, their spines seemed to extend into long, thin, jagged tails. These were occasionally used to bludgeon prey but existed primarily to augment the agility of the Brutes when they were giving chase. Brutes were also heavily built, able to withstand a fair deal of punishment before falling.

'''Stalkers'''

Occasionally Maggots would develop into Stalkers. Strange creatures with nearly featureless faces and rubbery black, slippery skin, Stalkers were quiet, extraordinary humanoid creatures that could climb walls with the ease of an insect and move with the agility and grace of an acrobat. They served primarily as spies for Zayken, but occasionally as assassins, or under his direct guidance, would sometimes join mass combat to flank foes from confusing angles, distracting enemies from the rush of Brutes and Shriekers. Stalkers have the unusual ability to bend their limbs in any direction, giving their wallcrawling a most disturbing appearance.

'''Shriekers'''

Shriekers were perhaps the most terrible thing to hatch from a Maggot - although not as directly dangerous as a Hunter, their departure from the stock they were born from displayed the extent that Zayken was eventually able to manipulate a base creature. As well, Shriekers had the ability to fly, allowing them to harass enemies from any direction. Shriekers had an appearance similar to a humanoid torso, however they lacked a head and neck, shoulders overdeveloped and nearly grown together. The arms of the base creature would split apart during metamorphosis, becoming membrenous wings, while the hind legs largely atrophied, becoming almost birdlike, if not for the rusty, leathery skin, complete with small talons, usually for gripping onto high perches. Most horrifically, between the chest and stomach of the former creature, a gaping maw formed, from which the Shriekers would scream incessantly while in combat, confusing and frightening their prey as they buffered them with swarming tactics, biting and clawing. Shriekers often accompanied Brutes, harrying foes from the air with hit and runs as the vicious Brutes pressured foes in melee.

'''Spiders'''

The Spider Zaykenspawn were similar to the Shriekers in that they were headless torsos with gaping maws in their chest - their mouths formed between the pectoral muscles, however, and they retained blackish eyes between their shoulders. Spiders also had a darker colour, and were overall much smaller, their bodies tapering more towards the 'waist' with slimmer shoulders. In place of each normal humanoid limb, Spiders had two long legs, similar to those of their namesake. Like Stalkers they could crawl on walls with ease, however they were more numerous and vicious. Spiders typically attacked by leaping upon prey and grappling it against their body as they bite and chewed through it. Not as dangerous as some of the other Zaykenspawn, Spiders were mostly worrisome only in swarms. They never worked tactically with other Zaykenspawn, perhaps because unlike the previous examples, Spiders were not born from humanoid stock, despite similarity to Shriekers and their 'mutated' appearance. Their origin, however, was perhaps far more gruesome.

'''The Lady in the Room'''

After witnessing a Spider fleeing into an open window on the second floor of the [[Broken Dagger]], [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] and [[Ariane Carnath-Emory|Ariane]] broke into the sealed room to which it corresponded. Inside they discovered the horrible creature there. The shape of a woman, her legs and arms had grown into long, tentacle root like appendages which webbed around the room. She appeared to be grown into the corner of the room, unable to move. Her eyes and tongue were missing, and the creature could do little more than writhe and moan in apparent agony. As well, her skin was slick and blood red, creating a flayed appearance. Most gruesomely, from her distended womb the monster perpetually birthed small Spiders, which would flee into the wood and quickly grow, hunting food to return and feed their horrid 'mother'. Disgusted by this scene of torture and gore, Quincy and Ariane slaughtered the Spiders present, and mercifully, the woman herself. This creature hinted at an important detail - Zayken's inability to create new life without reshaping that which already existed.

'''The Gatekeeper'''

Upon reaching Kanpar Village, the heroes from Myrken discovered that the village gates were sealed with heavy chains. In their center, a tormented creature had been grown into a living lock, exhibiting fleshcraft similar to the Lady in the Room. Its apparent purpose was simply to warn and demoralize any would be saviours. The creature posed no physical threat, however, and was soon put out of its silent misery.

'''Mason'''

Originally, Mason appeared to the people of Myrken as a well-meaning soldier looking to help save the village of Kanpar from Zayken. However, the heroes that followed he and [[Sawyer]] to the village soon discovered the extent of Zayken's abilities. Mason seemed to transform almost instantaneously from a normal human man into a towering, winged monstrosity, with an appearance somewhat similar to an archtypical demon. He was slain shortly after, however his deception and cunning was a sign of just how advanced Zayken's creations had become. Mason was also the first Zaykenspawn capable of infecting other creatures like Zayken himself, with the only other one to date being Shyntei/Myuu.

'''The Golem'''

After learning some of the secrets of Zayken, the heroes of Kanpar made their way to the home of Hammon, the wizard who had created Zayken in his mad quest to fashion the perfect lifeform. There they battled one of Hammon's old guardians, a stone golem that was being reanimated and puppeteered by a parasitic Zaykenspawn.

'''[[Sawyer]]/Phantasm'''

Sawyer originally came to Myrken to seek aid in freeing her home village, Kanpar, from Zayken. On the journey to the village she began to exhibit signs of infection, which she warded off through faith and strength of will, going so far as to cut away infected parts of her body. It was discovered in the confrontation with Mason that she had been infected by him, to misdirect suspicion away from himself. In the final confrontation with Zayken, she turned completely into one of his monsters, but retained enough presence of mind to turn on him, martyring herself in that battle.

Later, a strange creature began to lurk around Myrken, which was eventually revealed to be a partially mutated Sawyer, apparently risen from the dead. With no memory between her death and coming to her senses in Myrken, only Zayken can say for sure what the secret of Sawyer's revivification might be.

'''Shyntei/Myuu'''

Intended to be the 'final' Zaykenspawn, Zayken realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman Seramille from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by [[Biske]], who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

----

Since his original attack upon Myrken, death, and rebirth, Zayken has begun to create new, more advanced Zaykenspawn. Few of these have been closely examined to date. Some are described here.

----

'''Torment'''

This massive creature seems to be many humanoid figures fashioned and grown together into a giant brute. Although it does not seem to speak, the gigantic beast howls in constant agony, and the word 'torment' is carved across its massive back, perpetually bleeding a thick black ichor. Torment is massively powerful and seems to be able to reshape itself to some extent, as well as being extremely adept at burrowing, allowing the creature to appear nearly anywhere.

'''Witnesses'''

Little is known about these servants of Zayken. They are entirely subservient to him, however seem far less bestial than many of his past creations. Always dressed in black, hooded robes, they wear faceless white masks with a jagged black streak painted where the left eye should be. They fight with lengths of chain hidden in their sleeves, and can throw bony spines as well. They are cunning and intelligent foes.

----

Another category of Zaykenspawn are the spawn of Shyntei. Although not created personally by the efforts of Zayken, they can be considered 'second generation' Zaykenspawn.

----

'''Wraiths'''

Created by Shyntei in the image of Zayken, Wraiths had masks of bone, and their curled wings gave them the appearance of wearing tattered black robes. Wraiths were Shyntei's messengers and spies, capable of flight and speech. In a conversation with [[Quincy]], a wraith revealed that he remembered his previous life, but after his rebirth as one of her creatures, felt no attachment to it.

'''Judges'''

Judges were massive brutes clad in a thick shell which covered most of their body like that of a turtle. They would extend their heads only to scream mad obscenities from their elongated mouths as they attacked enemies with their huge, armoured fists. Squat-legged and heavily armoured, Judges were a dangerous foe, but were to slow to pursue foes. They typically guarded sensitive areas, like the hive and Shyntei's grove.

'''Butchers'''

Huge, skeletal creatures, Butchers were things of nightmare. Eight feet tall with four arms ending in claws and vicious blades, Butchers were fast and dangerous. Like Zayken's Brutes, their long doublejointed hind legs allowed them to make amazing leaps, however they were much faster and smarter than the Brutes.

'''Stranglers'''

Similar to Zayken's Stalkers, the Stranglers were black skinned creatures that crawled about in trees, over walls and ceilings, and were generally spies or assassins for Shyntei. Unlike Stalkers, Stranglers had distinct facial features, particularly an oversized mouth full of jagged teeth. Stranglers also appeared to have no real bones in their arms and legs, and their arms could stretch to startling lengths, allowing them to clutch at their foes (contributing to their name). They also had a playful streak, often enjoying to taunt enemies with their agility and freakish expressions. Stranglers were silent, however, and would not stick around for a fair fight.

'''Children'''

These small creatures, with overlarge heads, small bodies and shelled backs, were the workers that created and maintained Shyntei's hive. Although they were not dangerous, if threatened they could spit thick webbing (usually used to build the hive) which could ensnare enemies long enough for them to escape and help to arrive. The Children also exhibited qualities of their namesakes - particularly playfulness and reliance upon the Matrons.

'''Matrons'''

These unusual creatures bore a resemblance to Shyntei herself, however they spoke only in her strange language. Their sole purpose was to birth the Children and to care for them. Like the Children, they lived only inside the hive, as they had no effective combat ability.

Mason

2007-07-14T02:42:19Z

Pharris:

Kanpar

2007-07-14T02:39:35Z

Pharris:

Kanpar Village was a small village approximately a week's travel from Myrken Wood, hidden amidst the forest. It had a small population and for the most part there was little extraordinary about it, save that it was home to a wizard by the name of Hammon whose obsession with magically creating new forms of life eventually led to the birth of the monstrous [[Zayken]]. This led to the eventually destruction of Kanpar Village, which remains now as a charred ruin, and an unceremonious graveyard of its inhabitants.

Kanpar was also [[Sawyer]]'s home village, and she is the only known survivor of Zayken's massacre there.

Pharris

2007-07-13T10:21:26Z

Pharris:

Plots 07 07

2007-07-13T10:11:39Z

Pharris:

* The monster known as Zayken has reappeared, and declared war upon Myrken for 'crimes against Perfection'. --[[User:Pharris|Pharris]] 03:11, 13 July 2007 (PDT)

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T10:06:46Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn are the horrible creatures created by the monstrous man creature [[Zayken]] as experiments in his quest to Perfection. They are usually created by taking a base creature and remolding and mutating it through an unindentified process similar to Zayken's own personal evolution. In recent years, creatures have also appeared with a more arcane bent.

Herein describes some of the Zaykenspawn that have appeared to date. New ones will be described as they are witnessed.

----

'''"Zombies"'''
Some of Zayken's earliest experiments resulted in these creatures. Although not undead, these poor souls were men and women mutated by Zayken. They exhibited reduced intelligence, emaciated bodies and distorted features, as infection ravaged their body. They also had a slow, staggering walk, resulting from their fat and bloated lower legs, which appeared as if all the fat in their bodies had drained into their calves and feet. Although not very dangerous on their own, these tortured creatures often moved in groups and had the capacity to become Maggots, and eventually, Shriekers, Stalkers or Brutes.

A variation of these were the 'struggler' type. These zombie Zaykenspawn grew membrenous 'strait jackets' around their head and upper body as they began to pupate into Maggots. Although typically docile, if they sensed a potential meal they would begin to fight furiously against their cocoons as they stalked their prey.

'''Maggots'''

Maggots were part of Zayken's initial wave of Zaykenspawn, and were a secondary 'evolution' of the zombie types. After consuming enough food, the zombies would go into their 'struggler' phase and eventually cocoon themselves entirely. Their lower bodies, especially, became thickly entombed, as their bloated legs grew together to form a large "tail" like protrusion. Maggots were rarely encountered, as they could not defend themselves very well, hindered in the same way as strugglers until eventually becoming completely cocooned and vulnerable. Eventually Maggots would 'hatch' into Brutes, Stalkers or Shriekers.

'''Brutes'''

The Brutes made up the core of Zayken's first wave of monsters. Barely resembling their human stock at all any more, Brutes had thick, leathery, rust coloured skin, beady black eyes, and jaws that protruded far forward like the snout of a canine, making their gums and thick teeth very pronounced. With double jointed hind legs and powerful, clawed forearms, Brutes were fast and vicious, capable of tearing flesh with ease. As well, their spines seemed to extend into long, thin, jagged tails. These were occasionally used to bludgeon prey but existed primarily to augment the agility of the Brutes when they were giving chase. Brutes were also heavily built, able to withstand a fair deal of punishment before falling.

'''Stalkers'''

Occasionally Maggots would develop into Stalkers. Strange creatures with nearly featureless faces and rubbery black, slippery skin, Stalkers were quiet, extraordinary humanoid creatures that could climb walls with the ease of an insect and move with the agility and grace of an acrobat. They served primarily as spies for Zayken, but occasionally as assassins, or under his direct guidance, would sometimes join mass combat to flank foes from confusing angles, distracting enemies from the rush of Brutes and Shriekers. Stalkers have the unusual ability to bend their limbs in any direction, giving their wallcrawling a most disturbing appearance.

'''Shriekers'''

Shriekers were perhaps the most terrible thing to hatch from a Maggot - although not as directly dangerous as a Hunter, their departure from the stock they were born from displayed the extent that Zayken was eventually able to manipulate a base creature. As well, Shriekers had the ability to fly, allowing them to harass enemies from any direction. Shriekers had an appearance similar to a humanoid torso, however they lacked a head and neck, shoulders overdeveloped and nearly grown together. The arms of the base creature would split apart during metamorphosis, becoming membrenous wings, while the hind legs largely atrophied, becoming almost birdlike, if not for the rusty, leathery skin, complete with small talons, usually for gripping onto high perches. Most horrifically, between the chest and stomach of the former creature, a gaping maw formed, from which the Shriekers would scream incessantly while in combat, confusing and frightening their prey as they buffered them with swarming tactics, biting and clawing. Shriekers often accompanied Brutes, harrying foes from the air with hit and runs as the vicious Brutes pressured foes in melee.

'''Spiders'''

The Spider Zaykenspawn were similar to the Shriekers in that they were headless torsos with gaping maws in their chest - their mouths formed between the pectoral muscles, however, and they retained blackish eyes between their shoulders. Spiders also had a darker colour, and were overall much smaller, their bodies tapering more towards the 'waist' with slimmer shoulders. In place of each normal humanoid limb, Spiders had two long legs, similar to those of their namesake. Like Stalkers they could crawl on walls with ease, however they were more numerous and vicious. Spiders typically attacked by leaping upon prey and grappling it against their body as they bite and chewed through it. Not as dangerous as some of the other Zaykenspawn, Spiders were mostly worrisome only in swarms. They never worked tactically with other Zaykenspawn, perhaps because unlike the previous examples, Spiders were not born from humanoid stock, despite similarity to Shriekers and their 'mutated' appearance. Their origin, however, was perhaps far more gruesome.

'''The Lady in the Room'''

After witnessing a Spider fleeing into an open window on the second floor of the [[Broken Dagger]], [[Quincy Randall|Quincy]] and [[Ariane Carnath-Emory|Ariane]] broke into the sealed room to which it corresponded. Inside they discovered the horrible creature there. The shape of a woman, her legs and arms had grown into long, tentacle root like appendages which webbed around the room. She appeared to be grown into the corner of the room, unable to move. Her eyes and tongue were missing, and the creature could do little more than writhe and moan in apparent agony. As well, her skin was slick and blood red, creating a flayed appearance. Most gruesomely, from her distended womb the monster perpetually birthed small Spiders, which would flee into the wood and quickly grow, hunting food to return and feed their horrid 'mother'. Disgusted by this scene of torture and gore, Quincy and Ariane slaughtered the Spiders present, and mercifully, the woman herself. This creature hinted at an important detail - Zayken's inability to create new life without reshaping that which already existed.

'''The Gatekeeper'''

Upon reaching Kanpar Village, the heroes from Myrken discovered that the village gates were sealed with heavy chains. In their center, a tormented creature had been grown into a living lock, exhibiting fleshcraft similar to the Lady in the Room. Its apparent purpose was simply to warn and demoralize any would be saviours. The creature posed no physical threat, however, and was soon put out of its silent misery.

'''Mason'''

Originally, Mason appeared to the people of Myrken as a well-meaning soldier looking to help save the village of Kanpar from Zayken. However, the heroes that followed he and [[Sawyer]] to the village soon discovered the extent of Zayken's abilities. Mason seemed to transform almost instantaneously from a normal human man into a towering, winged monstrosity, with an appearance somewhat similar to an archtypical demon. He was slain shortly after, however his deception and cunning was a sign of just how advanced Zayken's creations had become. Mason was also the first Zaykenspawn capable of infecting other creatures like Zayken himself, with the only other one to date being Shyntei/Myuu.

'''The Golem'''

After learning some of the secrets of Zayken, the heroes of Kanpar made their way to the home of Hammon, the wizard who had created Zayken in his mad quest to fashion the perfect lifeform. There they battled one of Hammon's old guardians, a stone golem that was being reanimated and puppeteered by a parasitic Zaykenspawn.

'''[[Sawyer]]/Phantasm'''

Sawyer originally came to Myrken to seek aid in freeing her home village, Kanpar, from Zayken. On the journey to the village she began to exhibit signs of infection, which she warded off through faith and strength of will, going so far as to cut away infected parts of her body. It was discovered in the confrontation with Mason that she had been infected by him, to misdirect suspicion away from himself. In the final confrontation with Zayken, she turned completely into one of his monsters, but retained enough presence of mind to turn on him, martyring herself in that battle.

Later, a strange creature began to lurk around Myrken, which was eventually revealed to be a partially mutated Sawyer, apparently risen from the dead. With no memory between her death and coming to her senses in Myrken, only Zayken can say for sure what the secret of Sawyer's revivification might be.

'''Shyntei/Myuu'''

Intended to be the 'final' Zaykenspawn, Zayken realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman Seramille from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by [[Biske]], who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

----

Since his original attack upon Myrken, death, and rebirth, Zayken has begun to create new, more advanced Zaykenspawn. Few of these have been closely examined to date. Some are described here.

----

'''Torment'''

This massive creature seems to be many humanoid figures fashioned and grown together into a giant brute. Although it does not seem to speak, the gigantic beast howls in constant agony, and the word 'torment' is carved across its massive back, perpetually bleeding a thick black ichor. Torment is massively powerful and seems to be able to reshape itself to some extent, as well as being extremely adept at burrowing, allowing the creature to appear nearly anywhere.

'''Witnesses'''

Little is known about these servants of Zayken. They are entirely subservient to him, however seem far less bestial than many of his past creations. Always dressed in black, hooded robes, they wear faceless white masks with a jagged black streak painted where the left eye should be. They fight with lengths of chain hidden in their sleeves, and can throw bony spines as well. They are cunning and intelligent foes.

----

Another category of Zaykenspawn are the spawn of Shyntei. Although not created personally by the efforts of Zayken, they can be considered 'second generation' Zaykenspawn.

----

'''Wraiths'''

Created by Shyntei in the image of Zayken, Wraiths had masks of bone, and their curled wings gave them the appearance of wearing tattered black robes. Wraiths were Shyntei's messengers and spies, capable of flight and speech. In a conversation with [[Quincy]], a wraith revealed that he remembered his previous life, but after his rebirth as one of her creatures, felt no attachment to it.

'''Judges'''

Judges were massive brutes clad in a thick shell which covered most of their body like that of a turtle. They would extend their heads only to scream mad obscenities from their elongated mouths as they attacked enemies with their huge, armoured fists. Squat-legged and heavily armoured, Judges were a dangerous foe, but were to slow to pursue foes. They typically guarded sensitive areas, like the hive and Shyntei's grove.

'''Butchers'''

Huge, skeletal creatures, Butchers were things of nightmare. Eight feet tall with four arms ending in claws and vicious blades, Butchers were fast and dangerous. Like Zayken's Brutes, their long doublejointed hind legs allowed them to make amazing leaps, however they were much faster and smarter than the Brutes.

'''Stranglers'''

Similar to Zayken's Stalkers, the Stranglers were black skinned creatures that crawled about in trees, over walls and ceilings, and were generally spies or assassins for Shyntei. Unlike Stalkers, Stranglers had distinct facial features, particularly an oversized mouth full of jagged teeth. Stranglers also appeared to have no real bones in their arms and legs, and their arms could stretch to startling lengths, allowing them to clutch at their foes (contributing to their name). They also had a playful streak, often enjoying to taunt enemies with their agility and freakish expressions. Stranglers were silent, however, and would not stick around for a fair fight.

'''Children'''

These small creatures, with overlarge heads, small bodies and shelled backs, were the workers that created and maintained Shyntei's hive. Although they were not dangerous, if threatened they could spit thick webbing (usually used to build the hive) which could ensnare enemies long enough for them to escape and help to arrive. The Children also exhibited qualities of their namesakes - particularly playfulness and reliance upon the Matrons.

'''Matrons'''

These unusual creatures bore a resemblance to Shyntei herself, however they spoke only in her strange language. Their sole purpose was to birth the Children and to care for them. Like the Children, they lived only inside the hive, as they had no effective combat ability.

Shyntei

2007-07-13T10:04:45Z

Pharris:

'''Shyntei/Myuu'''

Intended to be the 'final' [[Zaykenspawn]], [[Zayken]] realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman Seramille from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by Biske, who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T10:01:27Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn are the horrible creatures created by the monstrous man creature [[Zayken]] as experiments in his quest to Perfection. They are usually created by taking a base creature and remolding and mutating it through an unindentified process similar to Zayken's own personal evolution. In recent years, creatures have also appeared with a more arcane bent.

Herein describes some of the Zaykenspawn that have appeared to date. New ones will be described as they are witnessed.

----

'''"Zombies"'''
Some of Zayken's earliest experiments resulted in these creatures. Although not undead, these poor souls were men and women mutated by Zayken. They exhibited reduced intelligence, emaciated bodies and distorted features, as infection ravaged their body. They also had a slow, staggering walk, resulting from their fat and bloated lower legs, which appeared as if all the fat in their bodies had drained into their calves and feet. Although not very dangerous on their own, these tortured creatures often moved in groups and had the capacity to become Maggots, and eventually, Shriekers, Stalkers or Brutes.

A variation of these were the 'struggler' type. These zombie Zaykenspawn grew membrenous 'strait jackets' around their head and upper body as they began to pupate into Maggots. Although typically docile, if they sensed a potential meal they would begin to fight furiously against their cocoons as they stalked their prey.

'''Maggots'''

Maggots were part of Zayken's initial wave of Zaykenspawn, and were a secondary 'evolution' of the zombie types. After consuming enough food, the zombies would go into their 'struggler' phase and eventually cocoon themselves entirely. Their lower bodies, especially, became thickly entombed, as their bloated legs grew together to form a large "tail" like protrusion. Maggots were rarely encountered, as they could not defend themselves very well, hindered in the same way as strugglers until eventually becoming completely cocooned and vulnerable. Eventually Maggots would 'hatch' into Brutes, Stalkers or Shriekers.

'''Brutes'''

The Brutes made up the core of Zayken's first wave of monsters. Barely resembling their human stock at all any more, Brutes had thick, leathery, rust coloured skin, beady black eyes, and jaws that protruded far forward like the snout of a canine, making their gums and thick teeth very pronounced. With double jointed hind legs and powerful, clawed forearms, Brutes were fast and vicious, capable of tearing flesh with ease. As well, their spines seemed to extend into long, thin, jagged tails. These were occasionally used to bludgeon prey but existed primarily to augment the agility of the Brutes when they were giving chase. Brutes were also heavily built, able to withstand a fair deal of punishment before falling.

'''Stalkers'''

Occasionally Maggots would develop into Stalkers. Strange creatures with nearly featureless faces and rubbery black, slippery skin, Stalkers were quiet, extraordinary humanoid creatures that could climb walls with the ease of an insect and move with the agility and grace of an acrobat. They served primarily as spies for Zayken, but occasionally as assassins, or under his direct guidance, would sometimes join mass combat to flank foes from confusing angles, distracting enemies from the rush of Brutes and Shriekers. Stalkers have the unusual ability to bend their limbs in any direction, giving their wallcrawling a most disturbing appearance.

'''Shriekers'''

Shriekers were perhaps the most terrible thing to hatch from a Maggot - although not as directly dangerous as a Hunter, their departure from the stock they were born from displayed the extent that Zayken was eventually able to manipulate a base creature. As well, Shriekers had the ability to fly, allowing them to harass enemies from any direction. Shriekers had an appearance similar to a humanoid torso, however they lacked a head and neck, shoulders overdeveloped and nearly grown together. The arms of the base creature would split apart during metamorphosis, becoming membrenous wings, while the hind legs largely atrophied, becoming almost birdlike, if not for the rusty, leathery skin, complete with small talons, usually for gripping onto high perches. Most horrifically, between the chest and stomach of the former creature, a gaping maw formed, from which the Shriekers would scream incessantly while in combat, confusing and frightening their prey as they buffered them with swarming tactics, biting and clawing. Shriekers often accompanied Brutes, harrying foes from the air with hit and runs as the vicious Brutes pressured foes in melee.

'''Spiders'''

The Spider Zaykenspawn were similar to the Shriekers in that they were headless torsos with gaping maws in their chest - their mouths formed between the pectoral muscles, however, and they retained blackish eyes between their shoulders. Spiders also had a darker colour, and were overall much smaller, their bodies tapering more towards the 'waist' with slimmer shoulders. In place of each normal humanoid limb, Spiders had two long legs, similar to those of their namesake. Like Stalkers they could crawl on walls with ease, however they were more numerous and vicious. Spiders typically attacked by leaping upon prey and grappling it against their body as they bite and chewed through it. Not as dangerous as some of the other Zaykenspawn, Spiders were mostly worrisome only in swarms. They never worked tactically with other Zaykenspawn, perhaps because unlike the previous examples, Spiders were not born from humanoid stock, despite similarity to Shriekers and their 'mutated' appearance. Their origin, however, was perhaps far more gruesome.

'''The Lady in the Room'''

After witnessing a Spider fleeing into an open window on the second floor of the [[Broken Dagger]], [[Quincy]] and [[Ariane]] broke into the sealed room to which it corresponded. Inside they discovered the horrible creature there. The shape of a woman, her legs and arms had grown into long, tentacle root like appendages which webbed around the room. She appeared to be grown into the corner of the room, unable to move. Her eyes and tongue were missing, and the creature could do little more than writhe and moan in apparent agony. As well, her skin was slick and blood red, creating a flayed appearance. Most gruesomely, from her distended womb the monster perpetually birthed small Spiders, which would flee into the wood and quickly grow, hunting food to return and feed their horrid 'mother'. Disgusted by this scene of torture and gore, Quincy and Ariane slaughtered the Spiders present, and mercifully, the woman herself. This creature hinted at an important detail - Zayken's inability to create new life without reshaping that which already existed.

'''The Gatekeeper'''

Upon reaching Kanpar Village, the heroes from Myrken discovered that the village gates were sealed with heavy chains. In their center, a tormented creature had been grown into a living lock, exhibiting fleshcraft similar to the Lady in the Room. Its apparent purpose was simply to warn and demoralize any would be saviours. The creature posed no physical threat, however, and was soon put out of its silent misery.

'''Mason'''

Originally, Mason appeared to the people of Myrken as a well-meaning soldier looking to help save the village of Kanpar from Zayken. However, the heroes that followed he and [[Sawyer]] to the village soon discovered the extent of Zayken's abilities. Mason seemed to transform almost instantaneously from a normal human man into a towering, winged monstrosity, with an appearance somewhat similar to an archtypical demon. He was slain shortly after, however his deception and cunning was a sign of just how advanced Zayken's creations had become. Mason was also the first Zaykenspawn capable of infecting other creatures like Zayken himself, with the only other one to date being Shyntei/Myuu.

'''The Golem'''

After learning some of the secrets of Zayken, the heroes of Kanpar made their way to the home of Hammon, the wizard who had created Zayken in his mad quest to fashion the perfect lifeform. There they battled one of Hammon's old guardians, a stone golem that was being reanimated and puppeteered by a parasitic Zaykenspawn.

'''[[Sawyer]]/Phantasm'''

Sawyer originally came to Myrken to seek aid in freeing her home village, Kanpar, from Zayken. On the journey to the village she began to exhibit signs of infection, which she warded off through faith and strength of will, going so far as to cut away infected parts of her body. It was discovered in the confrontation with Mason that she had been infected by him, to misdirect suspicion away from himself. In the final confrontation with Zayken, she turned completely into one of his monsters, but retained enough presence of mind to turn on him, martyring herself in that battle.

Later, a strange creature began to lurk around Myrken, which was eventually revealed to be a partially mutated Sawyer, apparently risen from the dead. With no memory between her death and coming to her senses in Myrken, only Zayken can say for sure what the secret of Sawyer's revivification might be.

'''Shyntei/Myuu'''

Intended to be the 'final' Zaykenspawn, Zayken realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman Seramille from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by [[Biske]], who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

----

Since his original attack upon Myrken, death, and rebirth, Zayken has begun to create new, more advanced Zaykenspawn. Few of these have been closely examined to date. Some are described here.

----

'''Torment'''

This massive creature seems to be many humanoid figures fashioned and grown together into a giant brute. Although it does not seem to speak, the gigantic beast howls in constant agony, and the word 'torment' is carved across its massive back, perpetually bleeding a thick black ichor. Torment is massively powerful and seems to be able to reshape itself to some extent, as well as being extremely adept at burrowing, allowing the creature to appear nearly anywhere.

'''Witnesses'''

Little is known about these servants of Zayken. They are entirely subservient to him, however seem far less bestial than many of his past creations. Always dressed in black, hooded robes, they wear faceless white masks with a jagged black streak painted where the left eye should be. They fight with lengths of chain hidden in their sleeves, and can throw bony spines as well. They are cunning and intelligent foes.

----

Another category of Zaykenspawn are the spawn of Shyntei. Although not created personally by the efforts of Zayken, they can be considered 'second generation' Zaykenspawn.

----

'''Wraiths'''

Created by Shyntei in the image of Zayken, Wraiths had masks of bone, and their curled wings gave them the appearance of wearing tattered black robes. Wraiths were Shyntei's messengers and spies, capable of flight and speech. In a conversation with [[Quincy]], a wraith revealed that he remembered his previous life, but after his rebirth as one of her creatures, felt no attachment to it.

'''Judges'''

Judges were massive brutes clad in a thick shell which covered most of their body like that of a turtle. They would extend their heads only to scream mad obscenities from their elongated mouths as they attacked enemies with their huge, armoured fists. Squat-legged and heavily armoured, Judges were a dangerous foe, but were to slow to pursue foes. They typically guarded sensitive areas, like the hive and Shyntei's grove.

'''Butchers'''

Huge, skeletal creatures, Butchers were things of nightmare. Eight feet tall with four arms ending in claws and vicious blades, Butchers were fast and dangerous. Like Zayken's Brutes, their long doublejointed hind legs allowed them to make amazing leaps, however they were much faster and smarter than the Brutes.

'''Stranglers'''

Similar to Zayken's Stalkers, the Stranglers were black skinned creatures that crawled about in trees, over walls and ceilings, and were generally spies or assassins for Shyntei. Unlike Stalkers, Stranglers had distinct facial features, particularly an oversized mouth full of jagged teeth. Stranglers also appeared to have no real bones in their arms and legs, and their arms could stretch to startling lengths, allowing them to clutch at their foes (contributing to their name). They also had a playful streak, often enjoying to taunt enemies with their agility and freakish expressions. Stranglers were silent, however, and would not stick around for a fair fight.

'''Children'''

These small creatures, with overlarge heads, small bodies and shelled backs, were the workers that created and maintained Shyntei's hive. Although they were not dangerous, if threatened they could spit thick webbing (usually used to build the hive) which could ensnare enemies long enough for them to escape and help to arrive. The Children also exhibited qualities of their namesakes - particularly playfulness and reliance upon the Matrons.

'''Matrons'''

These unusual creatures bore a resemblance to Shyntei herself, however they spoke only in her strange language. Their sole purpose was to birth the Children and to care for them. Like the Children, they lived only inside the hive, as they had no effective combat ability.

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T10:01:00Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn are the horrible creatures created by the monstrous man creature [[Zayken]] as experiments in his quest to Perfection. They are usually created by taking a base creature and remolding and mutating it through an unindentified process similar to Zayken's own personal evolution. In recent years, creatures have also appeared with a more arcane bent.

Herein describes some of the Zaykenspawn that have appeared to date. New ones will be described as they are witnessed.

----

'''"Zombies"'''
Some of Zayken's earliest experiments resulted in these creatures. Although not undead, these poor souls were men and women mutated by Zayken. They exhibited reduced intelligence, emaciated bodies and distorted features, as infection ravaged their body. They also had a slow, staggering walk, resulting from their fat and bloated lower legs, which appeared as if all the fat in their bodies had drained into their calves and feet. Although not very dangerous on their own, these tortured creatures often moved in groups and had the capacity to become Maggots, and eventually, Shriekers, Stalkers or Brutes.

A variation of these were the 'struggler' type. These zombie Zaykenspawn grew membrenous 'strait jackets' around their head and upper body as they began to pupate into Maggots. Although typically docile, if they sensed a potential meal they would begin to fight furiously against their cocoons as they stalked their prey.

'''Maggots'''

Maggots were part of Zayken's initial wave of Zaykenspawn, and were a secondary 'evolution' of the zombie types. After consuming enough food, the zombies would go into their 'struggler' phase and eventually cocoon themselves entirely. Their lower bodies, especially, became thickly entombed, as their bloated legs grew together to form a large "tail" like protrusion. Maggots were rarely encountered, as they could not defend themselves very well, hindered in the same way as strugglers until eventually becoming completely cocooned and vulnerable. Eventually Maggots would 'hatch' into Brutes, Stalkers or Shriekers.

'''Brutes'''

The Brutes made up the core of Zayken's first wave of monsters. Barely resembling their human stock at all any more, Brutes had thick, leathery, rust coloured skin, beady black eyes, and jaws that protruded far forward like the snout of a canine, making their gums and thick teeth very pronounced. With double jointed hind legs and powerful, clawed forearms, Brutes were fast and vicious, capable of tearing flesh with ease. As well, their spines seemed to extend into long, thin, jagged tails. These were occasionally used to bludgeon prey but existed primarily to augment the agility of the Brutes when they were giving chase. Brutes were also heavily built, able to withstand a fair deal of punishment before falling.

'''Stalkers'''

Occasionally Maggots would develop into Stalkers. Strange creatures with nearly featureless faces and rubbery black, slippery skin, Stalkers were quiet, extraordinary humanoid creatures that could climb walls with the ease of an insect and move with the agility and grace of an acrobat. They served primarily as spies for Zayken, but occasionally as assassins, or under his direct guidance, would sometimes join mass combat to flank foes from confusing angles, distracting enemies from the rush of Brutes and Shriekers. Stalkers have the unusual ability to bend their limbs in any direction, giving their wallcrawling a most disturbing appearance.

'''Shriekers'''

Shriekers were perhaps the most terrible thing to hatch from a Maggot - although not as directly dangerous as a Hunter, their departure from the stock they were born from displayed the extent that Zayken was eventually able to manipulate a base creature. As well, Shriekers had the ability to fly, allowing them to harass enemies from any direction. Shriekers had an appearance similar to a humanoid torso, however they lacked a head and neck, shoulders overdeveloped and nearly grown together. The arms of the base creature would split apart during metamorphosis, becoming membrenous wings, while the hind legs largely atrophied, becoming almost birdlike, if not for the rusty, leathery skin, complete with small talons, usually for gripping onto high perches. Most horrifically, between the chest and stomach of the former creature, a gaping maw formed, from which the Shriekers would scream incessantly while in combat, confusing and frightening their prey as they buffered them with swarming tactics, biting and clawing. Shriekers often accompanied Brutes, harrying foes from the air with hit and runs as the vicious Brutes pressured foes in melee.

'''Spiders'''

The Spider Zaykenspawn were similar to the Shriekers in that they were headless torsos with gaping maws in their chest - their mouths formed between the pectoral muscles, however, and they retained blackish eyes between their shoulders. Spiders also had a darker colour, and were overall much smaller, their bodies tapering more towards the 'waist' with slimmer shoulders. In place of each normal humanoid limb, Spiders had two long legs, similar to those of their namesake. Like Stalkers they could crawl on walls with ease, however they were more numerous and vicious. Spiders typically attacked by leaping upon prey and grappling it against their body as they bite and chewed through it. Not as dangerous as some of the other Zaykenspawn, Spiders were mostly worrisome only in swarms. They never worked tactically with other Zaykenspawn, perhaps because unlike the previous examples, Spiders were not born from humanoid stock, despite similarity to Shriekers and their 'mutated' appearance. Their origin, however, was perhaps far more gruesome.

'''The Lady in the Room'''

After witnessing a Spider fleeing into an open window on the second floor of the [[Broken Dagger]], [[Quincy]] and [[Ariane]] broke into the sealed room to which it corresponded. Inside they discovered the horrible creature there. The shape of a woman, her legs and arms had grown into long, tentacle root like appendages which webbed around the room. She appeared to be grown into the corner of the room, unable to move. Her eyes and tongue were missing, and the creature could do little more than writhe and moan in apparent agony. As well, her skin was slick and blood red, creating a flayed appearance. Most gruesomely, from her distended womb the monster perpetually birthed small Spiders, which would flee into the wood and quickly grow, hunting food to return and feed their horrid 'mother'. Disgusted by this scene of torture and gore, Quincy and Ariane slaughtered the Spiders present, and mercifully, the woman herself. This creature hinted at an important detail - Zayken's inability to create new life without reshaping that which already existed.

'''The Gatekeeper'''

Upon reaching Kanpar Village, the heroes from Myrken discovered that the village gates were sealed with heavy chains. In their center, a tormented creature had been grown into a living lock, exhibiting fleshcraft similar to the Lady in the Room. Its apparent purpose was simply to warn and demoralize any would be saviours. The creature posed no physical threat, however, and was soon put out of its silent misery.

'''Mason'''

Originally, Mason appeared to the people of Myrken as a well-meaning soldier looking to help save the village of Kanpar from Zayken. However, the heroes that followed he and [[Sawyer]] to the village soon discovered the extent of Zayken's abilities. Mason seemed to transform almost instantaneously from a normal human man into a towering, winged monstrosity, with an appearance somewhat similar to an archtypical demon. He was slain shortly after, however his deception and cunning was a sign of just how advanced Zayken's creations had become. Mason was also the first Zaykenspawn capable of infecting other creatures like Zayken himself, with the only other one to date being Shyntei/Myuu.

'''The Golem'''

After learning some of the secrets of Zayken, the heroes of Kanpar made their way to the home of Hammon, the wizard who had created Zayken in his mad quest to fashion the perfect lifeform. There they battled one of Hammon's old guardians, a stone golem that was being reanimated and puppeteered by a parasitic Zaykenspawn.

'''[[Sawyer]]/Phantasm'''

Sawyer originally came to Myrken to seek aid in freeing her home village, Kanpar, from Zayken. On the journey to the village she began to exhibit signs of infection, which she warded off through faith and strength of will, going so far as to cut away infected parts of her body. It was discovered in the confrontation with Mason that she had been infected by him, to misdirect suspicion away from himself. In the final confrontation with Zayken, she turned completely into one of his monsters, but retained enough presence of mind to turn on him, martyring herself in that battle.

Later, a strange creature began to lurk around Myrken, which was eventually revealed to be a partially mutated Sawyer, apparently risen from the dead. With no memory between her death and coming to her senses in Myrken, only Zayken can say for sure what the secret of Sawyer's revivification might be.

'''Shyntei/Myuu'''

Intended to be the 'final' Zaykenspawn, Zayken realized his own shortcomings and inability to achieve Perfection, as he was based on a human template and thus inherently limited and flawed. Predicting his own death, Zayken snatched the elven woman Seramille from the group of Kanpar heroes, and made her a part of his own body, ripping off her lower legs and forearms to grow her into a living pendant on the chest of the 'Zayken Perfect' form he had achieved for that final battle. During this confrontation, Seramille visibly went through pregnancy, but Zayken was killed and apparantly buried before any birth could take place. However, as the heroes left, they did not hear a child's cry...

Born into a cradle of loneliness and death, Shyntei grew quickly, absorbing knowledge at an astounding rate. She taught herself to read, particularly the journals of her father, and eventually this half-elven Zaykenspawn set out towards Myrken as he had, biologically compelled towards Perfection, though not truly understanding this.

In Myrken, Shyntei, still a largely feral and childish lifeform, was met with horror and violence for her monstrous appearance and animalistic behaviour. She soon learned to hate all life that was not like her, and as her father before her, began to mutate creatures to be more like herself. Unlike Zayken, however, Shyntei sought not to lord over all life, but to elevate it, and be a peaceful queen, beloved by her subjects.

After his rebirth, thanks to the machinations of [[Audmathus]], Zayken attacked Shyntei, disgusted by her soft heart. He absorbed a great deal of her essence and ability, leaving her crippled and weak, and destroyed her hive. Shyntei was rescued by a group from Myrken, and when she awoke childlike and frightened, her mind ruined by the trauma inflicted by her father, she was rechristened by [[Biske]], who had called her 'mutant lady'. In attempting to mimic the words, she took on the name Myuu Tanlay.

Although Myuu still lives, she has become a cynical and dark creature. When she was last seen, she was following Zayken, claiming that although he was a horrible monster, there was no other place for her. However, she has exhibited a desire to rebel against her father, albeit subtly. Myuu relentlessly abuses various narcotics and alcohols to escape her painful existance, but her metabolic and regenerative abilities limit her capacity to be affected, especially in the long term.

----

Since his original attack upon Myrken, death, and rebirth, Zayken has begun to create new, more advanced Zaykenspawn. Few of these have been closely examined to date. Some are described here.

----

'''Torment'''

This massive creature seems to be many humanoid figures fashioned and grown together into a giant brute. Although it does not seem to speak, the gigantic beast howls in constant agony, and the word 'torment' is carved across its massive back, perpetually bleeding a thick black ichor. Torment is massively powerful and seems to be able to reshape itself to some extent, as well as being extremely adept at burrowing, allowing the creature to appear nearly anywhere.

'''Witnesses'''

Little is known about these servants of Zayken. They are entirely subservient to him, however seem far less bestial than many of his past creations. Always dressed in black, hooded robes, they wear faceless white masks with a jagged black streak painted where the left eye should be. They fight with lengths of chain hidden in their sleeves, and can throw bony spines as well. They are cunning and intelligent foes.

----

Another category of Zaykenspawn are the spawn of Shyntei. Although not created personally by the efforts of Zayken, they can be considered 'second generation' Zaykenspawn.

----

'''Wraiths'''

Created by Shyntei in the image of Zayken, Wraiths had masks of bone, and their curled wings gave them the appearance of wearing tattered black robes. Wraiths were Shyntei's messengers and spies, capable of flight and speech. In a conversation with [[Quincy]], a wraith revealed that he remembered his previous life, but after his rebirth as one of her creatures, felt no attachment to it.

'''Judges'''

Judges were massive brutes clad in a thick shell which covered most of their body like that of a turtle. They would extend their heads only to scream mad obscenities from their elongated mouths as they attacked enemies with their huge, armoured fists. Squat-legged and heavily armoured, Judges were a dangerous foe, but were to slow to pursue foes. They typically guarded sensitive areas, like the hive and Shyntei's grove.

'''Butchers'''

Huge, skeletal creatures, Butchers were things of nightmare. Eight feet tall with four arms ending in claws and vicious blades, Butchers were fast and dangerous. Like Zayken's Brutes, their long doublejointed hind legs allowed them to make amazing leaps, however they were much faster and smarter than the Brutes.

'''Stranglers'''

Similar to Zayken's Stalkers, the Stranglers were black skinned creatures that crawled about in trees, over walls and ceilings, and were generally spies or assassins for Shyntei. Unlike Stalkers, Stranglers had distinct facial features, particularly an oversized mouth full of jagged teeth. Stranglers also appeared to have no real bones in their arms and legs, and their arms could stretch to startling lengths, allowing them to clutch at their foes (contributing to their name). They also had a playful streak, often enjoying to taunt enemies with their agility and freakish expressions. Stranglers were silent, however, and would not stick around for a fair fight.

'''Children'''

These small creatures, with overlarge heads, small bodies and shelled backs, were the workers that created and maintained Shyntei's hive. Although they were not dangerous, if threatened they could spit thick webbing (usually used to build the hive) which could ensnare enemies long enough for them to escape and help to arrive. The Children also exhibited qualities of their namesakes - particularly playfulness and reliance upon the Matrons.

'''Matrons'''

These unusual creatures bore a resemblance to Shyntei herself, however they spoke only in her strange language. Their sole purpose was to birth the Children and to care for them. Like the Children, they lived only inside the hive, as they had no effective combat ability.

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T09:15:49Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T08:55:33Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T08:41:56Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T08:35:27Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T08:28:51Z

Pharris:

Zaykenspawn

2007-07-13T08:21:50Z

Pharris:

Sawyer

2006-04-23T17:16:03Z

Pharris:

Sawyer, like many with interesting lives, has no idea of her true origins. Her mother, alone, came to the village Kanpar with a young infant. She remained there only three days before passing away, leaving a lonely child behind.

Nobody knew her mother - she had kept to herself and passed suddenly. It was assumed illness, but whatever her history, it was lost in her death. Not even her name was caught, nor that of her daughter. But Kanpar was a village that cared for its own - and in this matter, Sawyer became "its own".

However Sawyer's upbringing was an unusual one. She had no parents, and nobody came to claim the position. Instead, she was cared for by whoever had the time to do so, and there was never a shortage of eyes or hands to look after the orphan. In this way, Sawyer was raised not by one or two - but by dozens of parental figures. She was a daughter of the village.

As she grew older, Sawyer became more independant - she needed less and less from those who cared from her, and took to looking after herself. However, she never forgot the kindness of her extended family. In time, the wild, outgoing girl grew stronger, more clever. She learned skills from any who would teach them - in time, she was a self-taught ranger, hunting the forests around Kanpar for both food and foe, providing for and protecting her home.

It was with the creation of [[Zayken]] that Sawyer's life began to take a turn for the worse. Being that Sawyer would often spend days, even weeks away from the village, she had little contact with the man during his better days.

It was only a year later, after the monster returned to Kanpar and began to bring down Hell that Sawyer came to know Hammon's monstrous creation. Horrified, she watched as friends, family, were slaughtered, mutated. The home she had grown up in was ravaged and razed, and even her precious forests were soon corrupted, patrolled by hideous [[Zaykenspawn]].

The monster was an afront to God and nature, and Sawyer battled valiantly against him - however, there was no hope of defeating the beast and his army of demonic mutants. A travelling soldier, Mason, urged her to flee with him, to Myrken Wood, to find those who might destroy the monster.
On the journey to Myrken, Sawyer began to exhibit, to her horror, signs of Zayken's infection. She resisted valiantly.

Soon, Mason and Sawyer collected aide, and returned to Kanpar. There, Mason's treachery as an agent of Zayken was revealed, and he was destroyed. Soon after, Zayken, too, met his death - but not before Sawyer, seeing what she was becoming, martyred herself against the beast before she could be turned entirely. Tears were shed for the woman as the surviving heroes left the carnage.

----

It was a long time later that a strange being appeared in Myrken. Twisted and horrid, it skulked through the dark, its intents mysterious. Several altercations with the monster occured, before it was revealed, to the horror of those who had helped defeat Zayken, that the strange creature was in fact Sawyer. The ranger had memory of her death, yet no recollection of her time from her apparant resurrection up until the time when her own mind wrenched itself loose of that of the infection's. She had no concept of how she came to be alive - only that she was wretched and corrupt.

With help, Sawyer came to suppress the taint of her infection, although she never truly mastered it, and was left with scars and other deformities to remind her of the corruption within her body. As well, her death and rebirth, as well as the terrors she had endured in a relatively short time, had taken their toll on the woman's mind - she lost her religious faith, as well as her confidence. Timid and nervous, Sawyer was truly broken.

However, she was kind, sweet, and good, and Sawyer had no trouble befriending others - including [[Quincy]], [[Ariane Carnath-Emory]], [[Aislinn]] and a brief romance with [[Janessa]], amongst many others. Sawyer had truly made a place for herself in Myrken in the absence of her beloved Kanpar.

But Sawyer's life could not seem to remain easy. Eventually, a woman appeared - she was Sawyer's identical twin, lacking however the marks and scars of infection. This woman claimed that ''she'' was in fact Sawyer, and the other was a hideous imposter, a Zaykenspawn sent to destroy the peace and harmony of Myrken. Hard and grim, this new Sawyer held all the original confidence, faith, and strong will, yet seemed to lack Sawyer's soft heart. She swore she would hunt down and destroy the monster.

Shortly after this, Sawyer and her mysterious twin disappeared...

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Sawyer

2006-04-23T17:14:37Z

Pharris:

Zayken

2006-04-18T11:49:38Z

Pharris: Zayken, the Perfect monster

Not that many years ago, there was a village called Kanpar. Just outside that village, there lived a man, named Hammon. He was a mage, one of no small power. And with great power comes great eccentricity. Rather than use his magic for personal power, to unlock ancient secrets, or anything else of the sort, Hammon was fascinated with creating life. His unusual creations prowled his estate in a relative peace - however disturbing the villagers found them, and their master.

In its own way, Hammon's life was idyllic - he even had the love of a beautiful village woman, Ellimene. It was not until ambition took Hammon that his lovely life began to falter. Amazed by his own creations, yet never satisfied, he decided to create the culmination of his work. He would create a human being, and one so utterly flawless that nobody could scorn his efforts again. He would create the perfect man.

So came to be Zayken. He was intelligent, handsome, and kind in the utmost. He was accepted easily in the village, often seen to do chores for people with no desire of payment. Zayken was a splendid man.

However, this perfect man eventually revealed a flaw that was predictable, yet shockingly tragic. Zayken, with the showers of praise he earned, began to become arrogant. And one day, in his arrogance, he decided he deserved a reward for all he had ever done in his very short life. He attempted to seduce Ellimene.

This, alas, did not go over well with Ellimene, who fled from Zayken as her rejection sent him into a frenzy. She returned to Hammon, and told him of Zayken's indiscretion. This, in turn, sent the mage wild with rage, and he confronted the still furious Zayken. This quickly became a clash of will, and then, a brief, vicious combat. Alas, Zayken, although a fantastic physical specimen, was quickly subdued by Hammon's magic.

Unsure what to do with his creation, who seemed to become darker and more flawed by the day, Hammon chained Zayken in his cellar, and left him. He mused that some day, he might correct the problems in this mistake of his.

Meanwhile, Zayken fumed - he had failed. Failed to win Ellimene, failed to defeat Hammon. And here he rotted as a discarded animal. Obviously, he was not so perfect as he was supposed to have been.

He had to be Perfect.

One day, Hammon heard a horrid noise from his cellar, and went to investigate. All he found were broken chains, and a hole in his wall...

...

Zayken first appeared in the Broken Dagger as a wretched thing, draped in rags and rattling the chains of his imprisonment. By this time he was already far from human, a horrid creature hidden behind his trademark porcelain mask. Seeking knowledge with which to perfect himself, he demanded books from Quincy Randall - who provoked Zayken to a rage. After their brief tussle, Zayken fled, leaving behind an iron key. Quincy pocketed it - thus their feud was born.

In the following year Zayken reappeared again and again, each time a little more insane, each time a little more physically mutated, his body twisting and altering to match his struggle to find Perfection. Again and again he was chased from the grounds of the Dagger in increasingly horrible battles.

As well, other creatures appeared, beings created by Zayken - mutated from the stock of more natural things, into horrible nightmares. All a little more Perfect, in the eyes of the mad monstrosity. These atrocities, too, were turned aside by the defenders of Myrken.

Eventually, he seemed to disappear.

That is, until a ranger and a soldier, Sawyer and Mason, arrived in the Broken Dagger from a village called Kanpar. They told the people of the Dagger that Zayken had returned to his old home, and was destroying everything. He frequently screamed of Myrken, and more often, Quincy, his nemesis. The pair had come to Myrken to seek Zayken's foe, and any others who might help displace the monstrous king from the dying village.

A group from Myrken travelled to Kanpar, and saw firsthand the Hell on Earth that Zayken had wrought out of Kanpar. Moving through the small, corrupted village took great efforts, battling beasts of all sorts - including the traitor, Mason, who had been a disciple of Zayken, and transformed to try and destroy the party.

Eventually, the party confronted Zayken, who had mutated his body yet more into a giant, multi-limbed horror, large enough to smash a house with one blow. The battle was furious, and amidst it, the ranger, Sawyer - previously infected by Zayken - martyred herself against the horrible creature.

In the end, although it was difficult, Zayken was defeated - the final blow poetically laid by his hated foe, Quincy. The group left the horrors of Kanpar soon after - the village was well beyond salvage.

It was assumed that was all to be heard from Zayken...

...

Some time later, another creature appeared in Myrken. Small and somewhat elven featured, she was nonetheless an unnatural monster. Confused in this place, the monster elf tried to make her place - but constantly attacked and abused by the wary defenders of Myrken, she withdrew, and became dark, hateful.

As this being attained a higher intellect, she named herself Shyntei, and like Zayken, began to mutate the people and animals of Myrken into strange beasts - even more deadly than those Zayken before had created.

In time, Shyntei revealed that she was Zayken's daughter, the last of his spawn, created to continue his legacy of perfection. And she had decided that humanity was a horrid race, cruel and destructive - better off to be changed and ruled by she. Shyntei would alter every living thing, and make them part of her hive, where she was a loving monarch.

Who knows how this may have ended up, if not for the intervention of one - the insane drow, Audmathus, who long tormented Myrken, was killed. But having foreseen his own destruction, Audmathus prepared his own legacy of suffering for Myrken.

On the night Audmathus died, Zayken rose up from the earth and began anew his terror.

After attacking the Dagger and doing great damage, Zayken fled. His next appearance was in the hive of his daughter, Shyntei - having seen the weakness she promoted, in caring for and loving her mutated subjects, Zayken destroyed her hive and stole most of her essence, for in many ways, she had become closer to Perfection than Zayken himself. At the intervention of some nobler people, the wracked Shyntei was rescued from her crumbling lair, and Zayken fled.

Some time later, Quincy found the broken, rotting corpse of Zayken in the Myrken woods, and presumed the creature dead. However, unbeknownst to any, he had merely cast off that massive shell, and was once again seeking a new form for Perfection...

Zayken still lives, as evidenced by his occasional deeds, however he has learned much from his previous defeat. He is subtler, craftier, and all the more deadly for it. Whatever Zayken's plans for Myrken and beyond, they cannot possibly be good...

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