Malus Omen is a small, unassuming creature that rarely appears in areas of high human activity. Its presence is not marked by any obvious signs, such as sound or physical aggression, but rather by a subtle sense of unease and a series of inexplicable events. Its short, coarse fur blends with the surroundings, making it nearly invisible, especially when it moves after dusk. It is small in size, not exceeding a few dozen centimeters. It looks like a deformed creature with long, thin legs that allow it to move silently across the ground. Its body is covered in dark fur that absorbs light, further increasing its difficulty to spot. Its eyes, though small, emit a faint, dull glow, as if they conceal an unknown power. It also has a long, thin tail, which it uses to maintain balance while moving over uneven terrain.
The presence of Malus Omen affects the surroundings in a way that is hard to overlook. For the following days, those who have the misfortune of encountering this creature experience a series of misfortunes—accidents, injuries, thefts—as if their lives have suddenly turned into a string of continuous difficulties. Extinguished campfires, collapsing bridges without apparent cause, growing unease among people—all of this becomes a daily occurrence. Although it does not attack physically, its presence brings chaos and causes serious problems for those unlucky enough to come across it. It is this unfortunate influence that has earned it the title of harbinger of bad luck.
The first mentions of Malus Omen come from old village chronicles that documented unexplained misfortunes plaguing small communities. Chroniclers spoke of a "dark creature with eyes like coals" that appeared near villages, followed by days filled with calamities and tragedies. In one chronicle, there was a case in which an entire village experienced a series of fires and accidents after several residents saw a strange creature darting between buildings.
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One of the oldest tales tells of a wanderer who found Malus Omen huddled under a tree. Moved by pity, he took it in his arms and fed it, unaware that he was dooming himself to a terrible fate. In the following days, all of his plans fell apart—he lost his way, was robbed, and eventually fell ill with a mysterious disease. Since then, Malus Omen has become a symbol of bad luck, and everyone who sees it knows that days filled with misfortune and hardship are approaching.
Another story tells of a group of travelers who found Malus Omen and, unaware of its nature, decided to feed and shelter it. Each of them, one by one, experienced a series of misfortunes—overturned carts, missing horses, and even sudden arguments that broke up their group. When they finally decided to get rid of the creature, it was already too late. Malus Omen disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving only chaos and ruin behind.
Some scholars believe that Malus Omen is a creature from another dimension, accidentally brought here during failed magical experiments. Its appearance was supposedly the result of a disruption in the balance between worlds, which made it an entity incompatible with our world—a harbinger of unpredictable events and misfortunes. According to these legends, the only way to reverse the bad luck brought by Malus Omen is to find a wizard who possesses the knowledge to send it back to its own dimension.