Leech Lords
"He didn’t scream. That was the worst part. Just a grunt, then silence, like the thing stole his voice before it took his blood." -Field medic’s account, border skirmish near Twinpeak
Leech Lords are grotesquely oversized parasites native to the wet marshlands and flooded trenches of Everwealth’s southern valleys. Growing as long as a man’s arm and thick as it too, these vividly striped monstrosities are infamous for their numbing venom, which allows them to feed unnoticed, until the victim collapses from blood loss. Feared on the battlefield and revered in alchemical circles, Leech Lords blur the line between pest and miracle, with some surgeons risking farmsteads’ worth of coin for a single intact specimen. Their existence has inspired horror tales, battlefield superstitions, and whispered warnings in every water-logged corner of the realm.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Leech Lord’s body is segmented and muscular, wrapped in alternating bands of yellow and black, a natural warning of the potent venom hidden in its bite. Its jaw, lined with inward-curving, serrated barbs, folds open like a flower to reveal a secondary proboscis used to pierce deep into muscle tissue. Its skin is slick but tough, covered in mucus that resists most rudimentary toxins and alchemical repellents. Along its underside, dozens of tiny sucker feet allow it to move silently along flesh or armor, and a pair of primitive photoreceptors on its head detect heat and light sources with surprising precision.
Genetics and Reproduction
Leech Lords reproduce asexually, splitting their bodies in a grotesque fission ritual that occurs once every few years when food is abundant. The resulting juveniles are often eaten by their parent unless they immediately flee. Each offspring inherits the full biological structure of the parent, allowing for accelerated maturity and, consequently, increased risk of infestation.
Growth Rate & Stages
- Larval Stage (0-1 month): Barely an inch long, but capable of feeding.
- Juvenile (1-6 months): Develops stripe pattern and venom glands.
- Mature (6+ months): Reaches full length; capable of reproduction.
- Elder (2+ years): Aggression and venom potency increase dramatically.
Ecology and Habitats
Leech Lords are typically found in stagnant wetlands, battlefield runoffs, flooded catacombs, and cursed marshes, anywhere blood, rot, and still water gather. They are particularly common near sites of historical slaughter, feeding off residual trauma like carrion feeds on flesh.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Exclusively hematophagous, Leech Lords seek warm-blooded prey. Their preferred method is ambush: attaching to a limb or lower back where sensation is weakest. Their venom contains a potent cocktail of paralytics and analgesics, allowing them to feed undetected until faintness or collapse sets in.
Biological Cycle
During colder months, Leech Lords bury themselves in soft mud, entering a state of dormancy. They awaken at the first scent of blood in spring floods or heavy rains, often appearing en masse following wartime clashes.
Behaviour
Leech Lords are not intelligent but display terrifying instinctive cunning. When threatened, they eject a foul-smelling mucus and dive into shallow mud or lichen cover. In swarms, they exhibit hive-like coordination, with smaller specimens funneling prey toward the larger, elder leeches. Despite their monstrous feeding, they seem to avoid killing outright, most victims die from complications rather than immediate blood loss.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Lacking eyes, Leech Lords “see” through thermal and vibrational sensitivity. Their frontal barbs can detect shifts in body heat, while their sucker-lined underbelly can trace footfalls from over ten feet away in still water. This makes them extraordinarily difficult to avoid in confined, quiet terrain.
Scientific Name
Haemognatha barbitus.
Origin/Ancestry
Believed to descend from mundane leech species mutated by exposure to corrupted battlefield runoff following the Schism. Some alchemists posit they are the spawn of a long-forgotten Tulpa of disease and decay, a living reminder of war’s lingering curse.
Conservation Status
Though terrifying, Leech Lords have been aggressively culled due to their danger. Ironically, their venom’s unique properties have made them a rare alchemical target, leading to overharvesting. Controlled farms exist, but few survive transport intact, and wild populations are in steady decline.
Geographic Distribution
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