Adze

When the night lights up with green, you will surely hear the screams. Those dotted lights that swarm the swamp; death to humans is their taunt.

Throughout the Uncharted Swamplands, cheery purple fireflies are the norm. When night falls, it is not uncommon to see children chasing after them, hoping to fill a jar with the soothing nightlights. Green fireflies, however, can only mean one thing:

ADZE 

Adze are a sub-classification of Phasma, which came into being through Ewe mythology. Feeding on the fear of humankind, Adze slipped out of the spirit realm and materialized into flesh and blood creatures. Emphasis on the Blood. An Adze seeks the blood of humans and believes the blood of the young and innocent is a delicacy. From a distance, they may seem almost human. But face-to-face, the differences are evident.
An Adze's eyes are slightly larger than a human's, their pupils dilated, their irises glow bright green. They stand barefoot, slightly hunched over, their skin glossy like the hard shell of a beetle. The nails on their feet and hands are long and sharpened talons.
It is rare to see an Adze in human form unless you catch one. And when they are caught, they get angry. Acting without mercy or remorse. Often going months unnoticed in towns, Adze are furious when they're forced to find another feeding zone.
Adze have the ability to shapeshift into green-emitting fireflies. In this form, they can fly through the barest cracked window or slip through under a door. Their skin is like steel, making them impossible to kill or destroy as fireflies.
When an Adze comes into a town, it will systematically take out one family at a time. They have a thirst for blood and find joy through inflicting psychological pain on humans. While in firefly form, Adze are able to fly into the ear, mouth, or nose of a human in order to temporarily possess him or her. When in this state, they spend time taunting the human's family -- to the point of disintegrating relationships -- before leaving the human host with no memory of the possession. Before moving on to the next family, the Adze will take one final night to feast. It is only then that they drain the blood of the possessed human's children.
This blood sport strengthens Adze. However, they do not need blood to survive. When blood is not readily available, they prefer to consume coconut water, palm oil, or nectar. However, human blood is necessary for reproduction. Female Adze must to drain the blood of a child in order to be impregnanted. Once feeding, they mate the same night. Although they are able to reproduce with Adze and humans, many prefer to mate with the father of the child they just drained. After draining the blood of the child, the female Adze will weave a trance over the father. Leaving him with the memories after she leaves. All children borne of an Adze are Adze.

How to Defeat an Adze

Do not rely on sunlight to keep you safe. Although Adze are sensitive to solar, they are able to withstand the sun if they must travel by day. Generally, however, Adze prefer to avoid the heat, sleeping in decaying trees and debris in firefly form. To find a sleeping Adze, look near stagnant water. But it is not recommended that you seek them out. Even while sleeping, it is difficult to catch an Adze unaware.
Pregnant Adze must stay in human form when pregnant. As a result, they can be killed. However, Adze avoid human settlements while pregnant. Any attempt at seeking one out will put you in the crosshairs of many more danger creatures. It is recommended that you do not try to hunt them.
When attacking, Adze will stay in their firefly form. They are fast, evading others easily. The best method for capturing one is to allow them to latch on to feed and then have another person catch them in their hands or with a jar. There is a major risk, however; once an Adze latches on, a human only has 30-60 seconds before the Adze transmits The Shakes: a sickness which has a high mortality rate. It is recommended that you do not allow an Adze to bite you.
When an Adeze is caught, they are forced to shapeshift into their human form. In this form, they can be killed. However, one should never underestimate them. Their taloned fingernails double as knives, and they are just as evasive in human form as they are in firefly. If one gets too close, they can whisper words of possession that makes humans fall into a trance. From there, they will continue feeding. It is recommended that you do not try to catch an Adze unless they are actively attacking you.
Furthermore, never fight an Adze alone. If you see bright green lights, the best course of action is to run into the nearest building and seal all doors and windows. If you must fight one, fight with at least two or three comrades. Try to surround the creature once captured. Kill it with ranged weapons if possible. It is not recommended you use melee weapons to fight an Adze.
Adze are clever and sadistic creatures. Although they were originally solitary beings, they have learned to adapt as humans have become better equipped to capture and kill Adze. As a result, it is increasingly common to see Adze who attack villages in swarms. Be sure your town is prepared with warning signals in place for sightings of a moving green glow. In these cases, it is always better to hide until morning than it is to fight them off. If somebody is attacked by a swarm of Adze, there is nothing you can do to stop it. Do not aid your comrade. Focus your attention on getting the remaining survivors to safety.
Make clear your petitions for protection against the Adze. The best line of defense is always a Loa offense.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Phasma

Geographic Distribution

• Ginen
• Uncharted Swamplands