Bestiary (can read if you want to)
Darkwood is filled with dangers. Some are conventional and unsurprising, yet some are visions of pure horror: inexplicable by the standards of reason and science. A small part of me is convinced that such beasts were merely hallucinations, a symptom of the mushroom's influence, but experience speaks to me in a manner that cannot be ignored. Below are the specimens I encountered, whether they be real or imagined. I pray they are the latter, for the sake of our world.
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Dogs:
These beasts, although relatively harmless individually, are not to be underestimated. I killed many during my time in Darkwood, but always through calculated effort and tactical movement. Their aggression, I would surmise, was heavily exacerbated by the plague. Still, loud sounds or chunks of meat would easily distract them at the times when I did not have the energy or desire to fight them.
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Huge Dogs:
If a rabid dog were not frightening enough, the sight of these mutated monstrosities would be more than enough to discourage anyone from owning a canine ever again. Hulking and hostile beyond comprehension, these creatures pose a significantly larger threat than even a small pack of dogs. Only after I had upgraded my weapons did I even risk engaging them, and even then, I timed my strikes perfectly.
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Savages:
Darkwood was once a modest, but vibrant, community. After the plague struck, all were affected, yet some more so than others. Those that suffered the worst of it became something less than human. The mind is such a delicate thing if not guarded. These poor souls could not contend with the cruel reality of their existence, and as such, they lost their minds and civility. Adorned with whatever they deem fit, these savages loot and consume whatever they find in the wilds of Darkwood. Some use stones and clubs, whilst some use nothing more than their fists and teeth. Still, they possess no real combat training, and their broken minds leave them little more than witless meals for the more apex predators of the woods.
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Mad Elk:
Large and imposing, Elk are not an uncommon sight in this part of the country. However, the influence of the plague has unlocked a dormant aggression within these once timid beasts. Elk have always been dangerous if provoked, but I have never seen one eagerly emerge from the depths of the woods to impale a man with unnatural bloodlust.
Not until Darkwood, at least.
I avoided them for most of my journey. They require many resources to effectively kill, but provide little benefit for the effort. However, their horns are valuable to some..
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Worms:
In a forest full of soil and fecundity, an abundance of bugs and crawling things are not unusual. However, in Darkwood, I encountered masses of gargantuan worms that seemed to bleed from the ground. Any sane person would turn and flee at such a sight: great pools of annelids that would consume any unfortunate being blind enough to come near. On the rare occasion such disgusting creatures blocked my path, I found fire to be a more than effective weapon.
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Banshees:
The first truly supernatural creature I encountered was a humanoid being with features like that of a crow. It came from the night, though I have encountered some during daylight hours in their nests. They walk with a shuffling, deliberate gait, approaching their victim with patience and calculation. Once the unfortunate soul glimpses them, they shriek, disabling all electronic systems in the immediate area. Then, these foul creatures vanish, leaving their young to feast upon their foes. Only by using flares could I avoid being left in the dark. With light, dispatching the young is not too difficult, but one should be careful to avoid being surrounded.
I have dubbed these creatures banshees, for their cries are the stuff of nightmares.
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Chompers:
The plague changes everything: man, beast, mind, and flesh. Once I saw my own reflection, I thought myself the worst that the plague had to offer. Then, I came across the chompers. Once human, these aberrations represent the cruelest whims of nature. These are the people that were cast out from the village, and one by one, the plague consumed them. The sickness begins by rotting the flesh from the body, until a great scar forms upon the victim's head. Gradually, the wound deepens, splitting the skull in two. Whether from pain or the plague itself, the victim loses their mind, eventually becoming a savage. Then, the host enters a catatonic state, at which point the great wound rips the head and torso into a massive, gaping maw of jagged bone and flesh. Woe unto the person who encounters one without suitable weaponry.
They do not die easily.
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Shadows:
Fear of darkness is not the only reason I did not explore the woods at night. Something awakens when the sunlight recedes, something intangible but inconceivably dangerous. Something tells me that these shadows were merely a side effect of my prolonged mushroom abuse, but I could hear them whispering long after the soothing high had ended. Perhaps it's true what they say about the power of the mind; what it conceives, exists.
In any case, light is the only safeguard from these phantasms.
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Mushroom Man:
The mushrooms of Darkwood are fickle. Some are as savory and addictive as the most potent of opiods, yet even the edible ones will poison you if you act carelessly. Most are simply deadly. I learned quickly to avoid the white mushroom patches. So much as touching a single one would cause it to rupture, triggering a chain reaction throughout the entire patch. The spores these patches would release could quickly kill, yet for a time, I assumed they were simply another form of flora. Then, I witnessed a creature rise from beneath one such patch, and I learned that they were instead a late-stage evolution of the plague. These "men", if they can be called as such, are walking manifestations of the fungi that infests Darkwood. They lay dormant until prey ventures near, and then sprout from the earth to give chase. After a short time, the mushroom man literally explodes, with violent and disastrous results to any that are too close.
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Floor Gore:
I tested the night only once; that was enough.
A force of unstoppable evil.
That is all that can be said.
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Human Spider:
By the time I had reached the Swamp, I thought myself prepared for whatever the woods could throw at me. Never have I been so wrong. When I first encountered these foul creatures, I thought I had strayed into some fevered nightmare. A fusion of multiple human torsos and limbs, these gangling monsters lurch towards their prey with what first appears to be simple curiosity, yet if one is foolish enough to turn their back, the human spider closes the distance with preternatural speed. Once combat has been initiated, the spider must be killed quickly. If given the chance, it will tear a part of itself off to be used as a projectile. The worst is yet to be said, however. If the severed limb is thrown, it will grow into a new organism, not unlike some microbial parasite.
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Human Centipede:
Perhaps the deadliest creature in Darkwood, and certainly the most terrifying. This ungodly hybrid of man and insect will literally burst from the ground to attack with disturbing speed and efficiency. The only method of defense is in the unmistakable sound of it burrowing through the soil. It must then be terminated with extreme prejudice, preferably with devastating firepower.
The most horrifying aspect of this creature is that the human component seems to serve no other purpose than as a catalyst of fear for the centipede's prey. Upon death, the insect abandons its human vessel, vanishing into the depths of the earth.
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Swamper:
A horrific amalgamation of reptile and human, this impossible creature lurks in the depths of the Swamp's stagnant waters. A tell-tale ripple followed by an aquatic screech heralds this monster, before it lunges from the water to maim and devour its prey. Due to its speed and tenacity, only an axe or heavy firepower can safely dispatch a Swamper. Yet, prevention is your best weapon here. I avoided open water except in times of absolute necessity.
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