Trouble of the Swamps

As we make our way towards our group I study the creature that stares intently back at me with its shiny black eyes. Standing seven feet tall its body is thinly muscled, arms that reach down past its knee's while a finned tail protrudes from its back. Its skin is shiny and pale, almost resembling rubber as its smooth head sits on a neck that stands half a foot high. Its eyes sit on either side of its head and where its mouth would be is a large set of jagged teeth, its mouth circled with them as it seems to be lipless and the first thing that enters my mind is a lamprey. After we finally stop in front of our group I use inspect on the newcomer and am even more confused by what I see.

(Gorgelisk Bloodgorger Level 19)

The gorgelisk are a somewhat mysterious race of amphibious almost humanoid creatures. Several different types can be found and each resembles a type of fish and can mimic some of their abilities. Bloodgorgers are known as the more despised members in their society due to their ability to only be able to communicate using mind speak. Although despised many powerful families keep several of these creatures as servants due to their expertise at also being able to temporarily take on enemy forms by drinking their blood as well as gaining permanent stats depending on their victim. Due to the Bloodgorgers appearance and resemblance to the common lamprey most civilized societies kill them on sight without learning of their potential or goals.

After reading the information I can take a guess that these creatures are pretty much talented assassins as well as spies. While looking over the gangly creature I notice it's armor is made of various types of scales sewn together to cover its body and that on its back sits two small crossbows that look handheld. At it's waist sits a small hatchet with a feather on its handle while several finger sized daggers line its other hip. As I look up I see it watching me carefully while also glancing nervously towards Wug and Tugta who both have their hands on their weapons while their eyes ask what I want to do.

"I assume that your the leader of these warriors? They pulled me out of the cage and the mushroom healed most my wounds so if that is the case you have my thanks. But you don't belong here, none of you do and it isn't safe here for anyone anymore. I advise you to leave before you fall into the same state I had and become either food or a slave for the demon of the swamp." I hear a calm smooth voice inside of my mind that makes me think I'm talking to a long lost friend, a peacefulness and feeling of calm radiates from the creatures voice.

"We can't do that friend. We came here to find people who want to join our new settlement but now that we're here we feel the need to see what's going on. Plus that giant fuckface killed one of my best men and I plan on gutting every one of the assholes who were in charge of that brute. But you said demon? Can you explain whats been going on while we make our way back to the main group?" I explain and then ask as the creature has a concerned look on its face before its glances around us once before nodding its head once.

"Well then I suppose it all started about a month ago....." The voice says before images begin to appear in my mind almost like forgotten memories.

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The insects buzz through the waters of the swamp as I watch various creatures go about their peaceful days. Men and women made of wood smile happily while bathing in the sun and small frog children of various colors and types wrestle in the mud. I see the gorgelisk we found watching from the top of a tree, one of his crossbows in his hand as he lazily leans against the trunk and dozes. A scream is heard after a few minutes, followed by the breaking of wood. The gorgelisk jumps down and loads both his crossbows as he sprints towards the scream, his mind screaming towards the children to go to the wooden people and tell them to hide. Entering the sleepy town he see's a sight from hell, the happy satyr innkeeper is convulsing on the ground as his intestines spill into the street, one of his arms ripped from his arm showing grisly bones and organs within his body. A grung he remembers as being a retired hunter shoots a dart towards a bullywug, the enemy tottering several steps afterwards before falling, foam coming from its lips and nose. The grung continues to shoot but a large tongue whips out and wraps around the grungs neck, snapping it quickly before throwing the body away before snapping back into the owners mouth. Looking at where it came from his heart turns cold, he see's an army, bullywugs using dark metal weapons and wearing spiked armor, unlike their normal savage equipment. Water ogre's laugh as they use their war axes and clubs to break through beams of houses and huts, laughing louder when they hear shouts of pain come from within. Su-apes dash from the roofs of buildings, their psi attacks killing weaker members as they target the old or young. The gorgelisk fires his crossbows several times, each shot wounding or crippling an enemy. An arrow flies into a bullywugs throat as it gurgles its last breath while still swinging its sword towards a nymph. Another flies through the skull of a lacedon and imbeds itself into an ogres knee behind it. The screams of children are heard as he turns in the direction, watching in horror as children are cut down before his eyes by the evil creatures, a green hag snatching the bodies and putting them into a sack before cackling madly and shoving her putrid arm through the stomach of an ettercap trying to wrestle the corpses away from the hag. A behir towers over the villages small hunting shack as it breathes electricity over the small building turning it as well as its contents into slag. The gorgelisk hides himself while watching and finally spies the leader of the raid. A large creature walks into the bruning village as all of the attackers bow or kneel in front of it as they wait for commands. A toad like being walks through the village as its bulbous yellow eyes glance at the destruction. Its hunched back making the figure look squat even though it stands ten feet tall. Symbols carved into its skin glow as mucous shines across its body and large flaps are seen under its arms almost like wings to glide with. The scent of sulfur can be detected as the creature silently moves through the village, its clawed hands slashing quickly whenever it found a still breathing creature. After several minutes it barks orders and a lumbering man comes out of the enemy group, a warclub resting on his shoulder as its milky white eyes shine with malice. The group leave the man behind and soon he begins ripping through the bodies and turning them into horrific totems. The gorgelisk retreats to find the children he warned to hide but as he moves closer to the wooden couples area he smells copper in the air, looking from above he see's a group of barely clothed human women stripping the flesh from the bodies of the kids as they giggle and laugh ceaselessly, one of the women turn around and her entire inside is shown, her body only half constructed.

The days turn into weeks as the gorgelisk travels through the swamp. He finds resistances in several area's but most places with life that he goes to are exactly the same as his home. He returns home with a small group of fighters intent on taking back their home but as they approach a sweet melody is heard. He wakes up in a cage to the rotted smile of the man as his body is made of vines, several of them lashing at the gorgelisk and breaking his rubbery skin causing blood to freely fall. No words are said and the attack happens daily. The cage is draining his life and energy the longer he's in it but luckily he can feed off the random corpses that show up near his cage when he awakens. Finally he can feel death is near, caressing his soul as the man begins talking words of ominous nature, a new voice is heard taunting and rage filled as the man goes silent and the gorgelisk feels large hands gently lift him followed by a warm light nearby. Tears escape his shining black eyes as he tries to calm himself to thank his saviors.