Bogborn Wretch
Misshapen, humanoid things covered in mud and moss, with glowing hollow eyes. Some believe they are lost souls, others claim they were once people who stayed too long in the bog.
Bogborn Wretches are a tragedy made manifest, cursed to wander the mire, neither alive nor fully dead. To see one is a warning—to linger is to risk becoming one of them.
Basic Information
Anatomy
- Misshapen, Bloated Bodies – Their forms are swollen with moisture and decay, their skin a patchwork of mud, bark, and fungus. Some are hunched, others crawling, all of them shambling in grotesque, unnatural ways.
- Glowing, Hollow Eyes – Their sunken sockets emit an eerie glow, often green or blue, as if something else dwells within them, looking out. Some say this is the last remnant of their humanity, others claim it is merely bog-light trapped in dead flesh.
- Gnarled, Clawed Hands – Their fingers are elongated and root-like, dripping with mire, leaving behind slimy trails wherever they pass.
- Ever-Sloughing Flesh – Their bodies never fully solidify, parts of them falling away and reforming, their flesh a mixture of rotting wood, tangled vines, and slick mud. Some wretches lack proper faces, their features erased by time and decay.
Weaknesses & Vulnerabilities
- Fire & Sunlight – Wretches avoid direct sunlight, as it dries and weakens them. Fire is one of the few guaranteed ways to destroy them permanently, as it burns away the rot that binds them together.
- Salt & Purification Magic – Salt disrupts their unnatural forms, causing them to dissolve into puddles of sludge. Clerics and druids wielding purification magic can banish them, though stronger wretches resist.
- Holy Symbols & Chanting – In rare cases, relics from before their transformation can stir old memories, temporarily stunning them or causing them to flee in agony. Some whisper that a wretch can be fully restored, but no proof exists.
Behaviour
Bogborn Wretches exist in a state of misery and half-awareness. Their minds are fractured, lost between memories and the present, caught between human instinct and the pull of the bog.
- Wandering Aimlessly – Most wretches simply drift through the marshlands, trudging endlessly in no particular direction. They make low, wailing noises, as if constantly mourning their lost selves.
- Echoes of the Past – Some wretches display strange remnants of their former lives, mimicking old habits:
- A former warrior wretch may grip a branch like a sword, swinging at invisible foes.
- A lost herbalist may gather rotting plants, placing them in a hollow tree as if preparing medicines.
- A mother may rock a bundle of reeds, believing it to be a child.
- Sudden Violence – Though most are apathetic, some will lash out with horrifying ferocity, particularly when disturbed. They attack with clawed hands, gnashing teeth, or by vomiting thick black sludge that saps warmth and life from their victims.
- Drawn to the Heart of the Bog – Many wretches seem pulled toward deep, sunken places, as if obeying some unseen call. Some vanish into murky pools, never rising again. Others merge with the bog itself, their bodies becoming part of the landscape, only to rise again later.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Though few dare to interact with them, Bogborn Wretches hold terrible value for those willing to risk it.
- Harvesting Wretch Essence – Their blackened flesh and glowing eyes are prized by necromancers and dark alchemists, used in potions that grant visions, undeath, or resistance to poison.
- Binding Wretches into Service – Some warlocks and witches have found ways to enslave wretches, forcing them to serve as guards, assassins, or cursed sentinels. However, the bond is never permanent, and those who abuse them too long find themselves dragged into the bog, never seen again.
- Theories of Reversal – Legends tell of rare individuals who have restored a Bogborn Wretch, breaking the curse and returning them to human form. Some say rituals involving Glade Essence or blessed water can cleanse them, though no reliable method has been found.
Civilization and Culture
Common Myths and Legends
Bogborn Wretches are twisted, wretched humanoid creatures that roam the Black Bog and other cursed wetlands. Their existence is shrouded in legend and horror, with conflicting tales about their true origins:
- Lost Souls – Some believe they are the spirits of those who perished in the bog, their bodies consumed by rot while their souls remained trapped in twisted, malformed husks.
- Cursed Beings – Others claim they were once people who lingered too long in the bog, succumbing to its corrupting essence until they became something else entirely.
- Spawn of the Mire – Some scholars theorize they are not human at all, but a manifestation of the bog’s will, creatures born from mud, decay, and dark magic, existing solely to wander and suffer.
Regardless of their origins, one truth remains: to become a Bogborn Wretch is to be eternally bound to the marshlands, unable to escape, unable to truly die.
Folklore & Superstition
- "Never follow the lights." – Many believe the glow of a wretch’s eyes can be mistaken for will-o’-wisps, leading travelers deeper into the bog until they too are lost.
- "If you hear wailing, turn back." – The soft moaning of wretches is considered a warning sign. If their cries turn sharp or frantic, run—for something worse may be near.
- "A Wretch remembers." – Some claim that if a wretch stares at you for too long, it recognizes you from its past life. Some view this as a curse, others as a desperate plea for salvation.
Geographic Distribution
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