Alright, we’re on monster 99! There’s a lore short story under the cut. The artwork is ‘Grey Alien’ by Daenzar. Please check out their page! [[MORE]]The being looked like a humanoid, perhaps some odd combination of gith and elf. When it turned to...

Alright, we’re on monster 99! There’s a lore short story under the cut.

The artwork is ‘Grey Alien’ by Daenzar. Please check out their page!

The being looked like a humanoid, perhaps some odd combination of gith and elf. When it turned to face me, I knew I was looking at something more akin to a doppelganger. It opened its mouth, but all that emerged was a low humming. I suppose that may have been speech of some sort, but it sure didn’t sound like it. It was the kind of pitch that made goosebumps rise on your arms.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” I assured, leaning to place my longsword on the ground. It was still on my left side, should I need to pick it up. Icares was tugging at my arm.

“Kain,” he hissed, “Not a good idea.” The creature tilted its head at us. Aldraste rounded the corner. Apparently, he hadn’t gotten the message to stay quiet.

“What the hell is that thing?” Aldraste crossed his arms, “It’s ugly.” Icares jabbed him in the ribs. The creature made another humming sound. 

“It’s an aberration,” Pentji may have been the only one who wasn’t unnerved by the creature, “They love hanging around these ruins.”

“Can you talk with it?”

“No.”

“Then how the hell do you know they like the ruins?” 

Aldraste and Pentji’s conversation was broken off by a sound like rushing water. A wide crack in the floor was pushed a bit as a strange, grey fluid bubbled up from the crack. Once out, it began to form into clawed feet and a full body. I’ve seen my share of monsters, but these were downright odd. I’ll admit my jaw dropped.

Another gurgling noise broke the stunned silence, and a third Lyticana emerged. It slowly approached us, seeming to have only a vague idea of what we were. At least we had that in common, about each other. 

“Hey, ‘just-and-almighty paladin’?” Aldraste whispered, “Can you go see what they want?” 

Somehow, I learned to answer to that name. I foolishly walked forward, a pained sigh making my plate armor seem even heavier. The Lyticana’s eyes are a wondrous gold, now that I’m close enough to see them. It doesn’t blink. None of them had ever blinked. I took a deep breath and stood taller to steady myself. The Lyticana across from me tilted its head and then mimicked this action, only it didn’t seem to have proper lungs. Instead, it made bubbles from its own body and expanded. 

“Hello?” Okay, so I wasn’t the right person for talking to mysterious creatures. Luckily, I didn’t need to talk more. A loud crash marked Quinn’s arrival through the chimney of the ruined observatory. 

“This entire ruins is teeming with eldritch energy. We need to flee,” the ranger insisted before locking eyes with the Lyticana, “Walk away from the Lyticana as slowly as possible.” Her hands shook a bit, and her stance showed she was ready to bolt. I listened. I’m too much of a pushover. 

The humming was horrible and dark as it wrapped an arm around my shoulders and grabbed me. Quinn struck out and began slashing away at them. They fled before long, but her legs and torso were peppered with pierces from her own rapier. I gasped for air. I was never getting close to those things again.

“Why would you go anywhere near a Lyticana?”

“We didn’t know what it could do.”

“Well aren’t you geniuses.”

It wasn’t until later that we learned that Lyticana were cowardly but intelligent ambush predators. They were from the Far Realms, and use their amorphous nature to get the drop on prey. Most uncanny is their ability to grotesquely morph and mold their own skin at a moment’s notice to evade attack and suffocate their prey inside their own flesh. They may have been civilized and even advanced at astronomy, but they commonly eat humanoids and favor explorers as easy targets. The more you know.