Uhaaki
...They were patient. They would stalk him for hours, never close enough for him to fight back, but never far enough to lose his trail. Eventually, either from their venom paralyzing his muscles or sheer exhaustion, he would have no choice but to collapse to the ground. Then, and only then, would they converge on him.
They say that it was the Forest that drove society to their islands. In truth, it wasn't the trees that terrified the populace and massacred them in great numbers - it was the uhaaki.
The Creatures in the Woods
Uhaaki first appeared in Veiama around 125 years ago. Where they came from is a mystery, and even exactly when they appeared is unknown. Society at large first began hearing rumours about more and more people disappearing into the woods, and stories about monsters stalking travellers spread throughout urban settlements who brushed them off as tall tales. By the time the reality of the situation was clear, it was too late. Uhaaki were too numerous to stamp out, and the best they could do was try to defend their borders and create quarantined zones. In the end, even that wasn't enough. Civilization was driven to the islands, and the uhaaki spread across the world.Basic Information
Anatomy
An uhaaki is roughly human sized and shaped, though on average they are slightly shorter. They have long, thin limbs well-designed for climbing trees like an ape. They have opposable thumbs, long, grasping toes, and a sharp claw at the end of each digit. Unlike an ape, they are hairless and have dark, blue-grey skin that clings tightly to their bones. Despite their emaciated appearance, they are stronger than the average human.
Their faces are humanoid, with sunken cheeks and wide mouths filled with needle-like teeth.
Genetics and Reproduction
Initially, it was believed that uhaaki were monsters that killed and ate humans. In time, the truth was discovered: uhaaki are human. An uhaaki is what happens when a human ingests sap from a bloodsap tree, or breathes in pollen from a rare spore tree.
After ingesting sap, the first change to happen is in the mind. No one is entirely sure how quickly the mental changes come on, because those infected are unlikely to share the news, but it is within 48 hours. Over this time, the victim's souls are being drawn into the Forest's web. They begin to feel the intense desire to protect the Forest, prevent trees from being harmed, and spreading it further.
The first visual sign is in the eyes. After 3 - 5 days of ingestion, eyesight has shifted to night vision. There is no visual sign of infection at a glance, but shining a light in the victim's eyes will reveal how reflective they've become. During this period, their appetite also begins to wane and more and more, they crave more bloodsap.
Over the next two weeks, the victim gradually undergoes physical mutation. Bones extend, hair falls out, teeth sharpen, and mental acuity diminishes. By the end, they have become a complete uhaaki.
There is no known way to halt or reverse the process once sap is ingested.
Ecology and Habitats
Uhaaki live only in the forest. They depend on bloodsap trees for sustenance, and the trees depend on them for reproduction. Uhaaki never stray far beyond the limits of the forest. They dislike bright sunlight, and one of the only ways to shake them if they're on your scent is to reach the edge of the trees during the day, because they won't follow into direct sunlight.
They are connected to the Forest's web - a semi-sentient hivemind of all the souls spreading out from the very first bloodsap tree. Water cuts them off from this web, so they will not cross water or ice willingly.
They manage their reliance on the trees by planting new ones. Prey are always planted [see Bloodsap Trees for further explanation of planting] just a bit further past the current range of the trees in order to steadily spread the forest outward. In Veiama, which by now is fully covered in trees, new bloodsap trees are positioned in any spare space, evenly positioned between older trees.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Their only source of food is the sap from bloodsap trees. They create a slash in the trunk with their claws and then lap up the sap the spills out. An uhaaki can spend upward of 10 hours a day feeding. When not hunting, they can be found in packs, each one motionlessly clinging to a tree and sucking up the sap for hours at a time.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Uhaaki live in packs of 10 - 20 members. They establish their homes in groves of bloodsap trees, with each member burrowing into the earth around the roots of a tree to create a sleeping den. It is not known what the mating habits of uhaaki are, but packs have an alpha member which determines when it is time to hunt or move their sleeping ground.
One den in the pack is used to store seeds from bloodsap trees. The entire pack maintains the den and seeds gathered during the fall are placed there for storage. While hunting, one member is always left behind to guard their stash.
Average Intelligence
Uhaaki intelligence is a subject of debate. At first glance, they seem to be mindless predators, and spend most of their day either hunting or feeding on trees. They have never been observed partaking in social play or interactions. Young uhaaki are never seen in the company of a parent, and no parenting behaviours have been observed. They cannot be tamed, and they cannot be communicated with.
However, their management of bloodsap trees displays a startling intelligence. Their placement of new trees in planned locations suggests a mental capacity for logic and reason that their behaviour outside of planting doesn't line up with.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Uhaaki are adapted for hunting in dark forests, often at night, and have excellent night vision. Their eyes gleam white in the dark like a cat's. They dislike bright lights, and will shut their eyes if forced into a sunny clearing in the daytime.
Their sense of smell is finely attuned. Once they have bitten prey, they can rely on their sense of smell to track their prey even if it has run out of sight or earshot.
Their hearing is more or less equal to a human's.
Lifespan
Unknown
Average Height
5 feet
Average Weight
100 lbs
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