Darkling Statistics
The Mythology
In the stories of the fey folk, there is mention of
the Spriggans, a race of dwarfish people able to
increase their size to gigantic proportions.
These little people had fiery tempers, and had
a great hatred for humanity.
The Reality
The Spriggans seem to be related to both the
Penangalan, and the mystic changelings, since
their modes of survival are so similar. After
infecting a host, their young hide among humans
until mature. At this time, the newly-adult
Spriggan will burst from its host fully grown and
dripping blood, and will soon after seek flesh
to sate the steadily growing hunger for human
flesh that burns in its entrails.
Physical Description
An adult Spriggan is as large as an ogre, and
nearly as strong. Its flesh is a twisted mass
of muscles and blood vessels, appearing much like
an enlarged human body, skinned alive. However
its hands and feet have long claws at their ends,
and its cat-like face has a maw filled with fangs.
Reproduction
Spriggans reproduce asexually, generating a
noxious liquid from a gland under their chin,
which is swollen when ready for a host, but
normally flaccid and hard to notice. The liquid
is fed to a human, who is killed by the toxic
stuff, allowing the young Spriggan contained in
the liquid to control the dead flesh. After a
host has been taken over, it is slowly altered,
steadily stretching the host's skin until there
is no more room for growth, and the Spriggan must
burst forth in a spray of gore to feed.