The palusculex are horrifying little nasties that are seldom seen by men. Most of what is known about them comes from wild tales told by travelers who inadvertently happen upon their hunting grounds. These stories are few, as most that encounter these vicious creatures don't live to tell the tale. Some believe them to be myth; nightmare creatures concocted to scare young ones off of traveling alone through dark places, or entertain those same youngsters with a good scare around a healthy fire. Though details about them are few and sketchy at best, they are very real and at least as terrifying as the tales told about them.
Don't let the thin build and short stature of the palusculex trick you into believing they aren't formidable foes. From tip to toe, the largest of them stand just a hair less than four feet tall. Add to that the fact they spend most of their time crouched, even using their hands at times while they walk about, they appear very small indeed. What they lack in size they make up for in speed, agility, and sheer wickedness. Sure they hunt for food. They'll eat anything made of meat that they can take down. Yes, men are definitely on the menu. However, they don't merely kill and eat their prey. They toy with and even torture them, apparently gaining great pleasure out of the suffering.
Take great care if you ever find yourself wandering about the swamps far to the south and east of Havenstahl for that is the region the palusculex call home. You will know one when you see one. They are short and very thin as I've stated earlier. Their eyes are long, yellow, and squinty. They sit below foreheads that jut out a bit and seem far too large, and above wide, flat noses. Their mouths are narrow with thin lips that hide needle-like teeth. At the top of all of that, sits a stringy crown of white hair that is normally streaked and dirty. If you still aren't sure if the wee monster threatening you is one of the palusculex, take a look at its trousers. Those should be plaid, tight, and expertly crafted. Though the wee beasts do not have a developed language, they are far from dumb animals. Their fine motor skills are highly developed, and they are experts when it comes to weaving fabrics.
These little monsters make an appearance in Lake of Dragons: Kallum's Fury. It is obvious they aren't working under their own directives, however. They have a purpose that is not their own. Whomever has commissioned them must be very powerful, for there is probably no man on Ouloos that could control them, save Maelich. Their mission is such that it is obviously not something the lad of the Lake would condone, so whom could it be?
Don't let the thin build and short stature of the palusculex trick you into believing they aren't formidable foes. From tip to toe, the largest of them stand just a hair less than four feet tall. Add to that the fact they spend most of their time crouched, even using their hands at times while they walk about, they appear very small indeed. What they lack in size they make up for in speed, agility, and sheer wickedness. Sure they hunt for food. They'll eat anything made of meat that they can take down. Yes, men are definitely on the menu. However, they don't merely kill and eat their prey. They toy with and even torture them, apparently gaining great pleasure out of the suffering.
Take great care if you ever find yourself wandering about the swamps far to the south and east of Havenstahl for that is the region the palusculex call home. You will know one when you see one. They are short and very thin as I've stated earlier. Their eyes are long, yellow, and squinty. They sit below foreheads that jut out a bit and seem far too large, and above wide, flat noses. Their mouths are narrow with thin lips that hide needle-like teeth. At the top of all of that, sits a stringy crown of white hair that is normally streaked and dirty. If you still aren't sure if the wee monster threatening you is one of the palusculex, take a look at its trousers. Those should be plaid, tight, and expertly crafted. Though the wee beasts do not have a developed language, they are far from dumb animals. Their fine motor skills are highly developed, and they are experts when it comes to weaving fabrics.
These little monsters make an appearance in Lake of Dragons: Kallum's Fury. It is obvious they aren't working under their own directives, however. They have a purpose that is not their own. Whomever has commissioned them must be very powerful, for there is probably no man on Ouloos that could control them, save Maelich. Their mission is such that it is obviously not something the lad of the Lake would condone, so whom could it be?
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