Umbracorpis

"Another" Barda said to the bartender.
A few moments later another small glass with a smokey brown fluid flowing in it. Barda lifted the glass to his lips and emptied it within a few moments. The warm burn filled his throat, it felt good. He swayed in his stool a bit before putting the glass back on the bar.
"Another" Barda said once more.
"Sorry sir, gonna have to stop you there tonight."
"What?" Barda slurred, "What for?"
"You are getting mighty drunk. And having that piece on you is starting to worry some of the other patrons," the bartender said, motioning towards the sword strapped to Barda's side.
"This thing?" Barda said pulling out the sword, rust could be seen across the blade. "Couldn't harm a fly."
The bartender backed up a bit. A few people gasped in the back. Barda put the sword back without noticing everyone's reaction.
"I tried to be a city guard, but no, clearly I ain't enough of a people person to be one." Barda slurred, "I just wanted to forget about it."
"Sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the bartender said. "If you need a drink go somewhere else, I don't want no trouble here."
Barda stood up and kicked over his stool before stumbling out the front door. Barda continued stumbling down the street, cursing under his breath. As he continued a dog came out of an alleyway and caused Barda to pause.
You desire strength.
The words echoed in Barda's mind. Was the dog speaking to him? It was looking at him intently
"Piss off!" Barda shouted at the dog.
You desire wealth.
Barda began to pass the dog, which then reached out and grabbed him by the leg of his trousers. Barda turned to kick the dog but froze in horror at what he saw. Coming from the head of the dog was a black ooze coming out of all of the dogs orifices, and it was crawling up Barda's leg. It's words this time were audible.
"You desire Power!"

---

Barda found himself awake the next day lying in his bed. Was last night a bad dream? After all he didn't feel hung over. He actually felt incredible! He had never felt so strong or nimble before. It must have been a dream.
Barda went about his day feeling better than any day he had felt before. He went back to the guard outpost to attempt to get in as a guard. They accepted him after he showed great feats of strength and dexterity. One of the guards words concerned him.
"You should have brought this to your trial yesterday!"
Perhaps he did try out yesterday, but he must have dreamed the evening. Later that evening he headed back to the tavern he had been kicked out of to get a celebratory drink. To his shock the bartender asked him to leave again because of his act the day before. Barda then began to make his way back when he found the alleyway that he had the encounter with the dog. To his relief the dog was not there. He stepped into the alleyway to make sure it wasn't hiding somewhere.
You did not dream last night.
Barda jumped.
"W-where are you?!" Barda said with a hint of fear.
I am right here. The voice echoed in his mind.
"Where's here?"
Barda felt his arm began to move against his will, a black ooze began bubbling to the surface of his skin. He started to scream before an ooze shot out from the sides of his face, covering his mouth and muffling his screams. The ooze formed a face with a toothless grin. Two eyes bubbled to the surface.
"We are one now. You and I."
Barda calmed a bit, but the ooze did not let go.
"You think your new found strength came from nothing? No it is a power I gave to you."
Finally Barda had relaxed completely and the ooze loosened from his mouth, disappearing into his skin.
"What do you want from me?" Barda asked the toothless face.
"I want you to grow in strength. I want you to take the kingdom in the palm of your hand. I want what you desire most."
"Everything?"
"Everything, so long as I can share it with you."
Barda looked at the toothless face. There was silence before a grin came across Barda's face as if an unspoken conversation had taken place.
"I have a few things in mind."
Barda turned down an adjacent alley back toward the rear of tavern that rejected him. The black ooze bubbled to the surface of his skin all over it consuming his form. Then fleks of skin, eyeballs began to form at the surface before settling into shape. Reaching into a pocket, the new hand pulled out a some small sulfur tipped matches. Lighting them, showed that was once Barda's face was now the face of the bartender.

A Curse from the Shadows

The Umbracorpis is a creature that originates from the Shadowveil. It cannot live for very long on its own so it has to find a host quickly. Young Umbracorpis usually get an animal as a host. The Umbracorpis gains power from each host it bonds to, its only understood goal is to gain more power. In return it allows the host to share in its power, all the while draining it sanity.

Basic Information

Anatomy

When seperated from a host it appears like a pitch-black ooze, and is able to take any form once attached to a host.

Biological Traits

On its own the Umbracorpis is unassuming. When attached to a host it is capable of granting the host an array of abilities:

• Damage Absorption
• Magic Resistence
• Shapeshifting
• Camoflague
• Damage Boosting
• Boost to Physical Abilities
• Extra spell slots for Spellcasters

Growth Rate & Stages

The Umbracorpis starts as a small ooze and then in time becomes more massive. Despite its volume it is always able to fit in any host. As it subsists off of a host it will gain more volume which can be impercievable to the host.

Ecology and Habitats

When its ooze body is exposed it prefers dark places, but it is able to exist in the sun as long as it is bonded to the host.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

Varies. It depends on the average intelligence of all the creatures it has been a host of.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Umbracorpis has blindsight. If it bonds with a creature with other senses it will pick up these new senses over time as well.

Lifespan

Unknown