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A Guide to Monsters: The Fey, and previous The Hydra

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Posts

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    remember don't casually date Dryads they like to put down roots so it's better to branch out

    but seriously don't date dryads

    they are monsters they straight don't give a shit about human life

    (no matter how much we yearn for the monster girls, bad idea)

    Succubus hips, horns and hooves are sure a thing

    oh, but that is only the beginning!

    the enchanting tails of nagas, those awkward horns of oni, the way a mermaid swims through water or the powerful frame of a centaur...

    b-but no, it is not to be!

    guys, i would just like to point out that it is important to stay hydrated.

  • ChimeraChimera Monster girl with a snek tail and five eyes Bad puns, that's how eye roll. Registered User regular
    edited July 2016
    Melding wrote: »
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    remember don't casually date Dryads they like to put down roots so it's better to branch out

    but seriously don't date dryads

    they are monsters they straight don't give a shit about human life

    (no matter how much we yearn for the monster girls, bad idea)

    Succubus hips, horns and hooves are sure a thing

    oh, but that is only the beginning!

    the enchanting tails of nagas, those awkward horns of oni, the way a mermaid swims through water or the powerful frame of a centaur...

    b-but no, it is not to be!

    guys, i would just like to point out that it is important to stay hydrated.

    Someone say something about porking a monster girl? :D

    Chimera on
  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    This is why the Succubus species, a species with a highly complicated feeding and reproduction cycle, is still around instead of extinct like so many other demonic subspecies.

    So many people throwing themselves into highly dangerous relationships with things that frequently consider humans dinner.

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
  • MadicanMadican No face Registered User regular
    This is why the Succubus species, a species with a highly complicated feeding and reproduction cycle, is still around instead of extinct like so many other demonic subspecies.

    So many people throwing themselves into highly dangerous relationships with things that frequently consider humans dinner.

    I've gotten reports of some unusually well-fed lamias from the field.

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    This is why the Succubus species, a species with a highly complicated feeding and reproduction cycle, is still around instead of extinct like so many other demonic subspecies.

    So many people throwing themselves into highly dangerous relationships with things that frequently consider humans dinner.

    There's been a theory passed around that a lot of lesser demons are a created species of demonic overlords to fulfill tasks of a servant class.

    I don't really buy it myself, but at the same time it would explain despite the self destructive attitudes they seem endless in number. I am still pretty content with the "We don't really know how to kill them yet." theory we've been working with.

    But the case that all angelic bodies are merely shells for an energy based life form for added protection, there's something to the idea that demons are basically recycled other demons, though if that existed I don't think the fallen angels would be so keen to co-exist with demons and would be attempting to take such a forge for themselves.

  • cB557cB557 voOOP Registered User regular
    Melding wrote: »
    while goals might align now their end goals could be disastrous for humanity.
    Is this just a "we don't know what their end goals are, so it could be bad for us," or do we know what their goals are?

  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    Still.
    Lets just say I don't even want to know why Charybis has grown 15% percent in the last quarter century, more than in the previous millenium.

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    cB557 wrote: »
    Melding wrote: »
    while goals might align now their end goals could be disastrous for humanity.
    Is this just a "we don't know what their end goals are, so it could be bad for us," or do we know what their goals are?

    former. We have no idea their end game, or even if they have one.

  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    cB557 wrote: »
    Melding wrote: »
    while goals might align now their end goals could be disastrous for humanity.
    Is this just a "we don't know what their end goals are, so it could be bad for us," or do we know what their goals are?

    More like we do not understand what their motivations are, even on the most basic level.
    If there is one thing most fae researchers agree on it's that while human and fae are sufficiently alike to communicate, we're probably not sufficiently alike that we could even hope to understand something as complicated as "long term goals".

    Which is why fae have a reputation for being capricious, while they themselves have no trouble understanding the complex motivations and rules that govern their society.

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
  • MadicanMadican No face Registered User regular
    edited July 2016
    cB557 wrote: »
    Melding wrote: »
    while goals might align now their end goals could be disastrous for humanity.
    Is this just a "we don't know what their end goals are, so it could be bad for us," or do we know what their goals are?

    More like we do not understand what their motivations are, even on the most basic level.
    If there is one thing most fae researchers agree on it's that while human and fae are sufficiently alike to communicate, we're probably not sufficiently alike that we could even hope to understand something as complicated as "long term goals".

    Which is why fae have a reputation for being capricious, while they themselves have no trouble understanding the complex motivations and rules that govern their society.

    I dunno, it could just be another example of pretending to understand while being a whirlwind of uncertainty and desire for childish things on the inside, like most adults in our own society.

    Madican on
  • honoverehonovere Registered User regular
    Still.
    Lets just say I don't even want to know why Charybis has grown 15% percent in the last quarter century, more than in the previous millenium.

    Global warming affects everyone. In that light the Lord of Change's policies really deserve much more scrutiny.

  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    Dear Melding

    Speaking of Fey and understanding, do you believe in the theories that fey have been deeply involved in the creation and maintenance of the so-called secret kingdoms of enlightenment? Like Shamballa, Shangri-La, Avalon, El Dorado etc.
    Are they more than just a myth?

    /Totaly Legit Archaeologist

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Dear Melding

    Speaking of Fey and understanding, do you believe in the theories that fey have been deeply involved in the creation and maintenance of the so-called secret kingdoms of enlightenment? Like Shamballa, Shangri-La, Avalon, El Dorado etc.
    Are they more than just a myth?

    /Totaly Legit Archaeologist

    I personally believe it to be myth, as what would the fey learn from earth that they couldn't learn in their home world. Fey run dwellings tend to be less, enlightenment and more, hippy compound from what we've found in modern times.

    People want to think these things because with knowledge of powerful non-human life they want to think they have some higher purpose, maybe to uplift humanity or something. Angels take advantage of this fact a bunch, with their literary connects to benevolent forces and such. So people concoct these grand tales of angelic protectors defending humanity from such and such a threat, or providing knowledge from beyond, when in reality, they're out to get theirs as much as any demon is, they're just more clever about it.

    So in short, likely a myth.

  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    To be fair, Shangri-La is described as a secluded mountain valley garden populated by beutiful happy people who live in isolation from the rest of the world, content and without a care.

    Sounds like a hippie compound to me.

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
  • DecomposeyDecomposey Registered User regular
    That whole "Iron Hurts Fey' thing has one massive, murderous exception which got my cousin killed. Redcaps. Little fuckers aren't bothered by iron at all. They use iron weapons and even stud their shoes with it. That information needs to get out there more, so that no more lives are lost!

    Before following any advice, opinions, or thoughts I may have expressed in the above post, be warned: I found Keven Costners "Waterworld" to be a very entertaining film.
  • OmnipotentBagelOmnipotentBagel floof Registered User regular
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    remember don't casually date Dryads they like to put down roots so it's better to branch out

    but seriously don't date dryads

    they are monsters they straight don't give a shit about human life

    (no matter how much we yearn for the monster girls, bad idea)

    On the flip-side, I think @Liiya is eminently dateable.

    cdci44qazyo3.gif

  • LiiyaLiiya Registered User regular
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    remember don't casually date Dryads they like to put down roots so it's better to branch out

    but seriously don't date dryads

    they are monsters they straight don't give a shit about human life

    (no matter how much we yearn for the monster girls, bad idea)

    On the flip-side, I think @Liiya is eminently dateable.

    I'll spend the night with you then leaf you in the morning. It'd be a thorny relationship.

  • NaphtaliNaphtali Hazy + Flow SeaRegistered User regular
    Dear D. Melding,

    Have you played Dark Souls? What type of Hydra is it that infests the Darkroot Basin that is able to spit missiles of water at you and uh... how exactly is it sucking water into itself to expel as projectiles?
    Is it using its butt?

    Steam | Nintendo ID: Naphtali | Wish List
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    I killed an ankheg. That's what I did today.

    I woke up late, hopped on a bus, and then I killed an ankheg.


    I hadn't even eaten breakfast yet!

  • StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    Dear D. Melding,

    Can you provide the lowdown on shadows to me? Not like, the ones that show up when I stand in the sun, the sentient, murderous ones. I've heard tell that they are undead, but that answer has never made much sense to me - they were never alive in the first place, were they? Are they just the creation of wizards, some sort of arcane construct of darkness? Or is there something more at play here? Most shadows I've encountered have a vaguely humanoid shape, which suggests that they may have previously belonged to someone - are there people without shadows? If so, does the person the shadow comes from have any sort of effect on said shadow?

    Sincerely,
    Shaded in Chicago

  • JoolanderJoolander Registered User regular
    Dear Monster Hunter people

    A few years ago, a few, uh, business associates and myself were attending a business meeting in Central Park with a ... let's call them a rival firm. Anyways, things got a little outta hand, some heated words were exchanged, one thing led to another, and all of a sudden we lose most of our guys, they lose most of theirs. Maybe a few bystanders had a few accidents. Lotta people not around no more, you catch my drift? There was this one guy I locked eyes with during the commotion, I think he was having a picnic with his family or something? Really weird moment. Dude had crazy eyes.

    Anyways, things ended up working out for me and I ended up being promoted pretty high in my organization. But lately a lot of my guys are ending up dead in really grisly ways, just doing their jobs like before. It seems to be one guy with a shell on his chest doing everything, but no matter what this dude just won't die. You started talking about revenants being engines of hate driven by vengeance and what have you; that got me thinking maybe that's what I'm dealing with here. Like maybe that guy in the park died and came back and is after me cause he thinks I allegedly did something?

    Your organization seems like it knows what it's doing, is there any way I could hire you? Or perhaps you have an associate here in the city? The point is, I need help.

    Yours,
    Harangued in Hell's Kitchen

  • Void SlayerVoid Slayer Very Suspicious Registered User regular
    Joolander wrote: »
    Dear Monster Hunter people

    A few years ago, a few, uh, business associates and myself were attending a business meeting in Central Park with a ... let's call them a rival firm. Anyways, things got a little outta hand, some heated words were exchanged, one thing led to another, and all of a sudden we lose most of our guys, they lose most of theirs. Maybe a few bystanders had a few accidents. Lotta people not around no more, you catch my drift? There was this one guy I locked eyes with during the commotion, I think he was having a picnic with his family or something? Really weird moment. Dude had crazy eyes.

    Anyways, things ended up working out for me and I ended up being promoted pretty high in my organization. But lately a lot of my guys are ending up dead in really grisly ways, just doing their jobs like before. It seems to be one guy with a shell on his chest doing everything, but no matter what this dude just won't die. You started talking about revenants being engines of hate driven by vengeance and what have you; that got me thinking maybe that's what I'm dealing with here. Like maybe that guy in the park died and came back and is after me cause he thinks I allegedly did something?

    Your organization seems like it knows what it's doing, is there any way I could hire you? Or perhaps you have an associate here in the city? The point is, I need help.

    Yours,
    Harangued in Hell's Kitchen

    It should be noted that the revenant is not the only way for the dead or soon to be dead to get revenge on the living. Most undead forms are the end result of the desire either to keep a loved one (or yourself) alive or for revenge. You could be dealing with all sorts from an immortal creature who's family of the moment you killed to a supernatural force contracted by the dead to deal with you.

    The most immediate thing that stands out is the death of your underlings, most revenant would not be so round about thanks to the rage they suffer, while more intelligent and calculating agents would do what you are describing.

    Melding may be able to give a rundown on some other revenge oriented death spirits, but the main issue is how long ago this kind of event occurred. Contracting professional advise would definitely be the correct way to go about this. I am too busy at the moment rebuilding my not-a-fisherman village structure after an unfortunate hydra related accident or I would advise you further.

    Stay safe,

    Hue Man

    He's a shy overambitious dog-catcher on the wrong side of the law. She's an orphaned psychic mercenary with the power to bend men's minds. They fight crime!
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Naphtali wrote: »
    Dear D. Melding,

    Have you played Dark Souls? What type of Hydra is it that infests the Darkroot Basin that is able to spit missiles of water at you and uh... how exactly is it sucking water into itself to expel as projectiles?
    Is it using its butt?

    Of course i played dark souls. The hydra is a video game hydra, a common type of digital hydra that does whatever the code of the game for it says. I have no idea how it was spitting water though. maybe it drank abunch of of water and is now vomiting it out, or maybe it's using it cloaca, it doesn't really let you get a good luck.
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Dear D. Melding,

    Can you provide the lowdown on shadows to me? Not like, the ones that show up when I stand in the sun, the sentient, murderous ones. I've heard tell that they are undead, but that answer has never made much sense to me - they were never alive in the first place, were they? Are they just the creation of wizards, some sort of arcane construct of darkness? Or is there something more at play here? Most shadows I've encountered have a vaguely humanoid shape, which suggests that they may have previously belonged to someone - are there people without shadows? If so, does the person the shadow comes from have any sort of effect on said shadow?

    Sincerely,
    Shaded in Chicago

    Dear Shaded,

    People are likely confusing Shades and Shadows. Shades are lesser incorporeal undead, shadows are a lesser demons. Shadows are typically used for spying and intelligence gathering, or the odd assassination. They're not too difficult to deal with as far as demons go. Both of these look vaguely human, though shades more than shadows.What you might be thinking of is a Shadow Minion, which admittedly is kind of a confusing name, which is a necromancy spells where the user sends their shadow out to accomplish a task, or in some cases they possess their shadow to work remotely. These are fairly dangerous because its next to impossible to tellt hem apart from a Shade. They are however containable like a shade is, and only a little more powerful, so if you catch one and suspect it's a Shadow minion, you can use it as the focus for a trace spell and fidn the necromancer controlling it. worth noting that if it was possessed by the user, you've just trapped their mind if you did that, so, that could be useful.
    Joolander wrote: »
    Dear Monster Hunter people

    A few years ago, a few, uh, business associates and myself were attending a business meeting in Central Park with a ... let's call them a rival firm. Anyways, things got a little outta hand, some heated words were exchanged, one thing led to another, and all of a sudden we lose most of our guys, they lose most of theirs. Maybe a few bystanders had a few accidents. Lotta people not around no more, you catch my drift? There was this one guy I locked eyes with during the commotion, I think he was having a picnic with his family or something? Really weird moment. Dude had crazy eyes.

    Anyways, things ended up working out for me and I ended up being promoted pretty high in my organization. But lately a lot of my guys are ending up dead in really grisly ways, just doing their jobs like before. It seems to be one guy with a shell on his chest doing everything, but no matter what this dude just won't die. You started talking about revenants being engines of hate driven by vengeance and what have you; that got me thinking maybe that's what I'm dealing with here. Like maybe that guy in the park died and came back and is after me cause he thinks I allegedly did something?

    Your organization seems like it knows what it's doing, is there any way I could hire you? Or perhaps you have an associate here in the city? The point is, I need help.

    Yours,
    Harangued in Hell's Kitchen

    Well, the good news is that you don't have a revenant after you. The time line given is too long for one to exist. Revenants tend to come back with in a few months at the longest, so several years is way too long.

    The bad news is either you now just have a man who won't die, or he made a construct to kill your, surely completely legitimate, men.

    Also, we don't have any offices in New York City that can assist you with either of these however. If you get evidence of that he is a super natural force however, just go to your local library and someone should be able to help you.

  • ChimeraChimera Monster girl with a snek tail and five eyes Bad puns, that's how eye roll. Registered User regular
    Liiya wrote: »
    Duke 2.0 wrote: »
    Brainleech wrote: »
    remember don't casually date Dryads they like to put down roots so it's better to branch out

    but seriously don't date dryads

    they are monsters they straight don't give a shit about human life

    (no matter how much we yearn for the monster girls, bad idea)

    On the flip-side, I think @Liiya is eminently dateable.

    I'll spend the night with you then leaf you in the morning. It'd be a thorny relationship.

    So you're not the kind of girl to take roots and get firmly planted in a relationship? Why not seed the thought of planting yourself and letting romance bud?

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Duinlasair (place holder name)

    The Duinlasair is a relatively new name, in fact is only a few decades old, as until recently people assumed they were some kind of demon. Often an Efreeti, as they appear as muscular, often reddish humanoid however their colours tend to change with health going from charcoal black near death to a reddish white at peak health, but always possessing a certain flicker like that of a licking flame. What started to tip off that they were in fact not demons was their ties to the natural world, their lack of horns, and the fact that their women unlike Efreeti tend to be much larger than males. The males of the species tend to be an impressive six to seven feet tall, the women however start at seven and reportedly hit up to nine. In the natural world they tend to appear in hot places, and during the hottest months, cultivating a place of sweltering heat that they can comfortably live in.

    As one might imagine, Duinlasair can be powerful foes if provoked. Physically impressive, and able to command fire makes this reminiscent of fighting a moderate fire demon, the major difference is that typically the heat in a fight with a demon comes from them, where with a Duinlasair, it’s also from the environment, so even getting one to one can be a draining task, as travelling in unwavering heat to then fight a large person who can shoot fire in itself is a tiring task. Unlike most fey who set up domains they do not typically enthrall wild life, and instead tend to create their own thralls or recruit weaker fey on their domain, it is not uncommon to see them with fire sprites, or even the odd mythical Salamander. In addition, they are not averse to fighting with weapons, which is an oddity, seeing a Duinlasair with an axe with what looks like a charred handle and head of obsidian isn’t uncommon, though if these are magical or not is not known as we have not managed to get our hands on one yet, soon as we do though, expect an update.

    Outside of its domain a Duinlasair wouldn’t be too hard of a fight, bring some armour, bring some fire proofing and it’s no harder than fighting an ogre or a goliath trained in magic. Inside its domain is where the challenge comes from, as we are talking basically inhospitable heat, of one hundred and forty degree Fahrenheit and above. It’s hard to be in armour at that temperature without some real prep work. Outside of magic, i don’t even have much of a suggestion. Maybe some kind of fridge suit? Lava dragon and fire fey blood might help some, but unless it's to the point of mutation it likely won’t have a long lasting effect for the fight, and even if you win you might die of heat exhaust trying to leave.

    Finding a Duinlasair isn’t too complicated, find a hot place and then go to the hottest place there. Odds are, if there is one in the area it’ll be there. Why you would be trying to hunt one down? I’m not sure. They tend to be in remote areas no one wants to live in, but you know, maybe one has set up in an important area, or is trying to make a place hot that shouldn’t be.

    Note on the name: The name is fairly new, and while is currently being used in resources out of necessity, it is a bit clunky as the person who coined it literally combined the Gaelic word for person, and flame, jammed them together until they came to a pronunciation they found flowed the best. They were no expert, and we assume we’re saying it entirely wrong (Duwn Las Air) but this is what happens, when you need a word on demand.

  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    "Dwin Laser"

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    some cursory googling suggest Din Las it

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Geherustung (place holder name)

    The Geherustung is an interesting speciesism, appearing as a living suit of armour though made of no earthly metals even possessing ornate gilding and designs that make them appear as royal. If it wasn’t for the lack of rivets and their very animated faces people could be easily forgiven for assuming they were constructs as they have in the past. Standing between between six and eight feet tall they are an imposing figure, not unlike the fabled knight in shining armour, though unlike their human counterpart they move with an unnatural grace that even gymnasts would be hard pressed to match. Currently, we know no outward way of telling sexes apart for the Geherustung, they seem to posses no secondary sexual characteristics at all to the point where the timber in their voice is the same, we didn’t even know for sure they did until we started coming across gendered honorifics. In an interesting note, you can actually tell notice relatives by markings not unlike human heraldry, usually on the shoulders and colours worn over their bodies. We’ve also noticed some carry ivory looking masks, this seems to be a denotation of lower rank as those who do talk to those who don’t only while covering their faces with them. They refuse to comment on the situation.

    Despite their knightly appearance, their fighting methods are fairly different. Chiefly, they eschew most any weapons, instead relying on physical might and their command of magic. The metal realm of magic is, interesting to say the least as they can use it to grow nearly twice their normal size and become much denser, this makes an already imposing physical foes more so, luckily it lacks much in the way of ranged attacks but can be used to damage enemy arms and armour at range which they use to great effect. Like most metal fey, iron is not a large concern to them, though it does cause more painful strikes their skin is almost as hard as iron, and when enchanted even harder. This is one reason Cold Iron works so well as it is typically harder that iron and retains its effect allowing for painful cuts and trusts even when the Geherustung is self buffed. Just because they focus on close combat is no reason to underestimate them however, as most are veterans of numerous fights, leaving them with honed combat skills that have been tested hundreds of times, also when they enchant their skin they’re basically bullet proof so, doing the Indy trick isn’t going to work.

    To date, we have not discovered any kind of lair kept by this kind of fey. And of course, they aren’t about to tell us about them. Also as all known Geherustung on earth are a member of the witches of white, fighting them at the moment is ill advised as they are tentatively allies, and causing conflict isn’t worth it at the moment. But, if forced into conflict with one, we suggest having a tin pendant visible on your person, as should help protect your armour from their magic, and if you don’t have a cold iron weapon expect a drawn out fight. Luckily, they’re typically a reasonable lot as far as fey go and unless you committed a grave crime, don’t kill unless near death themselves.

    About the name: Again this is a rather new fey, we’re still in the growing pains of a name. This time we used broken german, because that’s where we discovered them and that made sense at the time.

    Join us next time, where i will be covering some already named fey
    Seriously, from my last point til about an hour ago i was trying to figure out a name for this idea. I was about ready to carve out my eyes to offer them to the great enemy, seeking freedom from my self imposed imprisonment.

  • TefTef Registered User regular
    edited July 2016
    Dear Monster Guide,

    I have a small pig farm on the edge of a swamp. I have noticed that several of my pigs, including my prize winning boar, have disappeared mysteriously over the last month or so.

    There are obvious signs of a struggle (blood drops on the ground, and torn up turf) in the paddocks, and what looks like drag marks extending some 30 metres in an almost perfectly straight line.

    I have yet to find the remains of one of my poor pigs in my area.

    Could some sort of supernatural beast be responsible?

    Best Wishes,

    Perplexing Porcine Problem in Perth

    Tef on
    help a fellow forumer meet their mental health care needs because USA healthcare sucks!

    Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better

    bit.ly/2XQM1ke
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Tef wrote: »
    Dear Monster Guide,

    I have a small pig farm on the edge of a swamp. I have noticed that several of my pigs, including my prize winning boar, have disappeared mysteriously over the last month or so.

    There are obvious signs of a struggle (blood drops on the ground, and torn up turf) in the paddocks, and what looks like drag marks extending some 30 metres in an almost perfectly straight line.

    I have yet to find the remains of one of my poor pigs in my area.

    Could some sort of supernatural beast be responsible?

    Best Wishes,

    Perplexing Porcine Problem in Perth

    G'day Perplexing Porcine,

    The swamp can be a dangerous place even without the supernatural involved, however, the thirty meter drag marks are odd. I am curious if the dragging is towards the water and if so if it leads into it. This changes your possible threats considerably. Luckily basic changes are the same. Such as building a taller fence on that side, putting the pigs in a barn or enclosure at night , to setting up noise traps along the area where the dragging is most common. Your pigs are likely getting targeted because they're an easy mark with no real defence beyond themselves, and domestic pigs aren't the best at protecting themselves. Even some basic shoring up defences will deter most creatures if they seem to be working at such a low volume.

    Hope this helps,

    D. Melding, not going to say it's a hydra, but.

  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    A hydra that only eats "seveal" pigs over a month? Aren't hydras a lot more ravenous?

    The feeding pattern excludes a number of creatures though. Drakes, dragons, trolls and practically every monstrou reptile I can think of would do it differently.

    Other possible culprits:
    Several possible variants of undead.
    The worst case scenario. Mermaids.

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
  • JoolanderJoolander Registered User regular
    Are mermaids fey?

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    A hydra that only eats "seveal" pigs over a month? Aren't hydras a lot more ravenous?

    The feeding pattern excludes a number of creatures though. Drakes, dragons, trolls and practically every monstrou reptile I can think of would do it differently.

    Other possible culprits:
    Several possible variants of undead.
    The worst case scenario. Mermaids.

    Could be a small hydra, or the brackish razorback testing the proverbial waters. also Drakes and dragons tend to make a larger mess than just drag marks, dragons especially tend to not give a fuck. Trolls as well.
    Joolander wrote: »
    Are mermaids fey?

    nah, they originate from the natural world. Real fuckers though.

  • DecomposeyDecomposey Registered User regular
    Melding wrote: »
    A hydra that only eats "seveal" pigs over a month? Aren't hydras a lot more ravenous?

    The feeding pattern excludes a number of creatures though. Drakes, dragons, trolls and practically every monstrou reptile I can think of would do it differently.

    Other possible culprits:
    Several possible variants of undead.
    The worst case scenario. Mermaids.

    Could be a small hydra, or the brackish razorback testing the proverbial waters. also Drakes and dragons tend to make a larger mess than just drag marks, dragons especially tend to not give a fuck. Trolls as well.
    Joolander wrote: »
    Are mermaids fey?

    nah, they originate from the natural world. Real fuckers though.

    I think you aren't paying attention to where they're writing from. Perth. Australia. Which means that it's likely a Bunyip. The swamp is the clue here, definitely bunyip conditions. If it wasn't for that I'd say it was just a snake or spider.

    Before following any advice, opinions, or thoughts I may have expressed in the above post, be warned: I found Keven Costners "Waterworld" to be a very entertaining film.
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    They didn't specify which Perth. Could be Perth, Canada. lots of swamp there too.

  • DecomposeyDecomposey Registered User regular
    I come into this thread to learn about monsters, not geography!

    Before following any advice, opinions, or thoughts I may have expressed in the above post, be warned: I found Keven Costners "Waterworld" to be a very entertaining film.
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    that said if he's in God's Island for Misfit Toys, yeah Bunyip is a strong contender. the advice of shoring up defences still holds water though.

  • GrogGrog My sword is only steel in a useful shape.Registered User regular
    Dear Monster Guide,

    Part of what makes these guides interesting is their grounding in observation and experience. Assuming you are able to share case studies and field reports, are there any examples you can give of 'turning point' encounters which changed your organisation's understanding of a particular monster?

    Or maybe just an early report that seems quaint in hindsight?

    Yours,
    Special Snowflake #427

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Grog wrote: »
    Dear Monster Guide,

    Part of what makes these guides interesting is their grounding in observation and experience. Assuming you are able to share case studies and field reports, are there any examples you can give of 'turning point' encounters which changed your organisation's understanding of a particular monster?

    Or maybe just an early report that seems quaint in hindsight?

    Yours,
    Special Snowflake #427

    Dear Snowflake

    I'm not really able to bring up any certain ones at the moment, but as a rather small organization there has always been a lot of single people collecting notes and then sending them out to a more more people who they peer view it all. this always leads to some, interesting reports as everyone has biases, even if just in the moment.

    My favourite i was on staff for was an agent in the south of the USA following animal attacks, was determined that it was El Chupacabra. He swore in every report he was finding tracks of it, and actually went off on a weird tangent, losing the trail, and then accidentally stumbling back into it, and discovered it was a lesser vampire. Now most people would be like "Oh, i guess i messed up" and then deal with looking foolish. Not this guy. The moment he called in job done he sent in a report demanding the reclassification of the cryptid El Chuppacabra to a lesser vampire.

    Now it should be noted that we have reports on El Chuppacabra, or at least something we actually think is it. They're consistent, people describe a similar thing unprompted, it's a very solid lead. It is nothing like a lesser vampire, who we suspect was kind of insane and was trying to do the "good vampires feed off of animals, not people" routine, but because of Lesser vampires unrelenting hunger they were just decimating ranch animals.

    Outside of that, the only thing i can think of closer to what you're asking for that I can bring up is the continuing auditing of our encounters with Strange demons and cross referencing them with newly discovered and classified fey types, leading a lot of responses of "huh, guess we kinda over reacted on this, huh?" when reading a report of a slain Efreeti that turns out, probably wasn't an efreeti.

    We're constantly attempting to cross check everything we do with every resource we have.

    Hope this answers your question,

    D. Melding, might have killed a normal horse while thinking it was a Kelpie.

  • FiendishrabbitFiendishrabbit Registered User regular
    As an outsider I always thought the Fishman Conspiracy was pretty influential in turning monsterhunting back from the "It's Aliens" era.

    I mean, remember the 1967 Berlin, Georgia incident where a seelie prince was killed and they classified his spear as "Alien battle rod"?
    Or the 1979 Great Squid of Mozambique where the report said "Origin: Probably alien"?

    "The western world sips from a poisonous cocktail: Polarisation, populism, protectionism and post-truth"
    -Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
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