Hiraeth Creature #1152 - Masgurigon“The fertile wilderness of Hiraeth isn’t localized to
Hiraeth Creature #1152 - Masgurigon“The fertile wilderness of Hiraeth isn’t localized to lands touched by wind and Sun. Forests and rivers sometimes extend deep underground, pathing the way for weird and wonderful ecosystems to flourish. Lit by gaps in the stone ceiling or by shining crystals, Hiraeth’s vibrancy isn’t lost in the gloom of stone-born caverns and forgotten wells. Ruins of old cities dapple these landscapes as well, from a time when earth spirits held more sway over the lives of those above, casting judgment on those who had forgotten or disrespected the balance of nature. With the kingdoms of the world long extinct, the Undercroft has become a relatively peaceful place, but just as the wilderness above, no one can avoid walking the same ground that monsters dwell upon. Finding ruins to roost on amongst underground lakes are Masgurigons, hefting their large frame to perch on top of old city rooftops and belfries. Larger than some of the houses they sit on, Masgurigons are not hard to miss when they are on the hunt, peering down into the waters for fish or looking off the shore for other predators encroaching on their territory. They horde fishing grounds to themselves and aren’t keen to share, but are quite lazy and would rather avoid direct confrontation, bellowing from afar or spewing balls of water from their gullet like cannon balls. They usually have no qualms with explorers in their space as long as they don’t see them entering their lakes. If another leviathan challenges the Masgurigon to a duel, sneaking up on them from underwater tunnels, then the Masgurigon is capable of spewing a magical liquid that coats their tail and wing-like flippers. This liquid doesn’t cause bodily harm, but has hysterical effects, causing the victim to fluctuate between states of mania and depression for a few seconds until they become exhausted. Once they have tuckered themselves out, the Masgurigon is said to pick them up with their mouth and drop them off far away— or for larger creatures, drag them and toss them somewhere unceremoniously. Even when given the opportunity, Masgurigons seem to only want to eat fish, and have no desire to devour their weakened foes. Masgurigons carry a lot of potent magic inside of them, even if they don’t have a huge repertoire of spells and abilities at their disposal. It is said that when they sleep on the bottom of their lake, one can see visions of Fae Realm oceans within the waters. Old tales from witches say that touching a sleeping Masgurigon will warp one to the Dreaming Plane, where one can interact with the dreams of others, though they may not have a sure way of returning home.” -- source link
#hiraeth#fantasy#fantasy creature#fantasy world#world building#undercroft