Vahlu POV
Curator is....furious. Rightly so I might add, but, it seems they've noticed more bad than I knew of with the...angry one. That fury though isn't the hot, burning thing I've always felt when my temper flares. Now, this is hot yes, but sharp, focused, like the point of a spear, not the spread rage of the sun. Some of the fleeting images I see are...shocking but, in this case I've no idea what's being plotted so I can only just see what happens for now.
"So big guy, you think you are big, strong and tough? Sure, you're bigger than my lil friends are, but your more of a monster than that thing pulling your wagon-sleigh thing, aren't you. I've noticed that constant tremble in your hands, and arms, bet you think you're real slick, but no no, that rage is real. That means you aren't afraid so much as you are angry. Miss a fix of your favorite poison did we? Or perhaps it's something else hmmm? You know, I remember old legends of a people in a different time and place. A dark creature, created when some one commits a very, very specific taboo and the right types of spirits are in the area. As time goes on the monster finds that more and more things it eats outside of that specific taboo no longer sate, or are as enjoyable to eat as ashes. Eventually they are compelled to feast again, and each time they do they become more and more the monster, the cravings get worse, the hunger more intense, and normal food even less satiating. Eventually their fingers will grow into claws, their teeth into fangs, their limbs growing longer and gangly. Their hair falls out for the most part and what remains is wispy, and they look almost skeletal outside a bloated and swollen belly, almost like a pregnant woman, that they never can loose. At that point though they are driven only by that endless hunger, that need for the right flesh. Any of that sound familiar, mister message to be?" (Curator)
Watching the angry one as Curator speaks I can see more and more color drain from his face. That anger draining into a look of fear. That same sort of fear, and maybe realization, like a naughty child has when caught trying to sneak extra water back when that had to be rationed.
"My oh my, I hit the nail on the head in one didn't I mister Wendigo to be. Count your blessings that you'll be long dead before that can happen, if it's even possible in this place. How many people have you eaten, or eaten from to have that constant tremble I wonder? Oh, that is the reason for that by the way. It's called a prion disease, basically, the thing that make up the muscles can fold wrong when you eat the meat of your own species, and the more you do it, the worse it gets. Willin' to bet you wanted to make the fellah who mentioned having devil's luck your next victim eh? No one to witness, you could blame it on that beast pulling your wagon, or maybe my people after capturin' em or somethin' right? Not that it matters now, but Poppit is going to have some real fun with you. Oh, and congratulations, you'll be the first ones to see this happen if it works!" (Curator)
Feeling a bit queasy as Curator explains what's wrong with the, no longer angry, one that further anger makes more sense. Cannibalism is a huge taboo, even amongst my kind. Something to only undertake in the most dire of circumstances, and even then, with plenty of cleansing rituals and letting the meat sun bake till it's tough as hide to make it safe. To do so...to the point of getting a compulsion to do so more...I'm unsure if I should pitty this hu-mahn for having circumstance for that, or despise them for eating the meat of his kin to that extent.
Curator POV
Mmmm, that was satisfying, not much in the way of mana on that little teaching moment though. Maybe that mana influx from learning and understanding things only applies to goings on within my domain or to my uh...we'll call them chosen? Good to know if that is the case, I'll need to look into that later. Now comes the fun bit, and Poppit already has a small boyo ready to try this with, awesome! You really are the best eldritch horror noodle ain't ya buddy!
Concentrating a bit, I would pull that Poppit into my 'pocket space' only to then visualize dropping it out of that pocket space right in front of Vahlu. If I can pull things in and take things out, then passing things through from point A to B should work too. Watching that noodle fall to the sand in front of the surprised Vahlu, mudscale, and slavers, I'm almost ready to say that's a bust before the Poppit lifts it's head and shakes it's self off. Through my connection by my death noodle there's just a sense of 'weird' as the best way to describe it. More testing to be done on that, but it works, and we're gonna need a few dozen Poppits out there, plus, you'll get a good meal buddy, and we get to teach a camp of bad people who'd hurt your friends the true meaning of terror.
Greenhorn POV
Terris is a cannibal. A fuckin' monster, and now that fresh meat comment makes a hell of a lot more sense. Looking at him with disgust my attention is quickly drawn back toward the Kobold as there's a soft 'POP' sound like a cork being pulled and a sandtrap ferret just pops into existence near him, falling onto the sand and laying there a moment before getting up and shaking it's self off. It's quick to see it's mandibles are the same color as the kobold's horns and even my dumb ass can put two and two together.
"Oh fuck....that's probably what's....oh god. Mysterious sky voice of power or whatever, please don't be the type to 'shoot the messenger'. I swear t' god an' all that's holy, I'll turn over a new leaf some where, clean up my act, no slavin', no banditry, not even stealin' stuff. Hell only reason I joined up with this group was it was that and ditchin' town quick or maybe loosin' a hand fer stealin' some food." (Greenhorn)
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Oh good, you are quite understanding of the situation then! Don't worry, I won't kill you, and the few at your camp you can convince to give up on this and turn over a new leaf, AFTER, they subjugate themselves to my justice. I'm such a nice and understanding person that, I'll even let you keep the coin, and enough supplies to get back to the nearest town on foot with. Aren't I just the greatest? Oh, and before you start trying to flatter me, that was intended as sarcasm. Nono my 'lucky' friend, you and the survivors will be left alive to spread what you've seen out here. As they say, dead men tell no tales, and you lot will be great for spreading tales of what can happen if you wrong me, or my people. Well, that and being generally evil pieces of shit and stumbling across my domain. Hopefully there are a few more like you that ain't murderers or worse in the group, eh, so chin up, and...well, enjoy the show! (Curator)
As this...being....says this, the words less 'audible' and more 'rattling my brain' the horror grows as that popping sound repeats, again, and again, and again. So rapidly it's almost as if the local inn had an accident and let their wines and ales over heat. Watching on in terror is all I can do as dozens of sand traps just blink into existence, most of them are small, but a few larger ones are mixed into the group as I suppress a shudder. That pressure on my balls goes away as does the furry things in my trouser legs too allowing me to stand proper, even if I give my aching orbs a gentle rub to sooth them after that experience.
"This...this is terrifying. You said it'd be a show but....summoning so many sandtrap ferrets like this is...beyond what I'd expected." (Greenhorn)
Hahahahaha, oh my sweet summer child. The show has yet to begin, this is merely me getting together all the actors for this performance. Oh and it will be one to haunt your dreams. I do hope you have a strong stomach, and I do expect you to watch to the end, after all, if you choose not too, well, I may choose to remove you from the gene pool, without killing you! (Curator)
=CONTENT WARNING BEYOND THIS POINT, STUFF IS GONNA GET GORY, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED=
Giving a quick nod in response I cautiously watch those sand traps, even as they slowly start wriggling their way closer, and closer to Terris. The sharp, snapping clacks of their mandibles taunting him as they get closer.
"FUCK THIS SHIT!" (Terris)
Shouting and moving to start running Terris would suddenly collapse, screaming in agony as he grips his groin to the sound of two soft squelches and the muffled clack of those mandibles. Knowing what's happened make my own boys ache, but, better him then me. That's when the true horror begins. Surging forward, the larger sandtraps take hold of his lower jaw and upper jaw, turning his head so that I can see his, stuck in a scream mouth as he gurgles something past his yellowed teeth. A squeal like a pig comes from him as I see him shift to try and grip something under his trousers as it moves around his ass before disappearing. Tears stream down from his eyes as the first of the small sand traps starts to force it's way up one of his nostrils, and a few more forcing their way down his throat. Gurgles and muffled screams are suddenly silenced as one of the ones in his throat retreats pulling out with it, what can only be described as his adam's apple before promptly starting to eat the gory thing for me to see. The one that went up his nose, seems to have decided it was not particularly fond of that hole as it forces out his left eyeball with a sickening splorch, spilling blood into the sand before biting through the cord of flesh still connecting it to his skull and using that to slowly slurp that bloodshot orb closer and closer to those dangerous teeth like a disturbing pasta.
Watching in abject horror, yet, unable to look away, I feel I should be ill but....I'm not? Maybe it's because it's monsters eating another monster that makes it less nauseating, but, much like people say they can't look away from a carriage accident, I myself cannot look away from this either.
The next horror comes as I see more and more of the sand traps disapearing into his holes before I notice the next bit of disturbing revelation. I can see his sking moving with lumps and bumps, the clear outline of a sandtrap's distinct mandibles here and there. They're eating him...from the inside out. Blood and viscera is now veritibly gushing from his now empty eye sockets as almost all the sandtraps are now inside him, sans the two largest ones that still, diligently, hold his jaws open. All that manages to come from Terris at this points is gurgling sound and the wet slapping of his tongue as he desperately tries to form some sort of words even while more gore and ichor pours out of his mouth. With a soft tearing sound I can only look back toward that earlier point of concern for the man eater in front of me as a refuse and gore covered sandtrap emerges from the back of his, thoroughly ruined trousers, tugging at intestines and pulling them out while turning them inside out. After a good foot of his insides are pulled out his ass is when Terris finally stops gurgling, merely twitching occasionally as he blacks out from the pain. I almost feel relieved when this happens as I can only imagine the pain he was going through.
Tsk tsk tsk, after putting up such a strong man front I'd expected more from you, cannibal slaver scum. It's a shame you passed out so early. If only I had something for just this situation...oh, that's right, I do! (Curator)
I can only retch as the strongest, foulest scent wafts from a small pellet of white which just appeared in front of Terris. It seems that even through the pain that made him pass out, that stench is so strong it brought him back as he gurgles loudly, in what I can only figure is dismay.
Wakey Wakey sleeping beauty, I'm not gonna let you miss a single moment of this until you die of blood loss as penance for the terrible things you've done to others. From eating your own people, to enslaving others, and potentially eating people that aren't human. I'm even instructing my fun lil Poppits on what organs and veins to avoid just to ensure you last as long as possible. Isn't it lovely having so many fun little eldritch horror noodles that all share a single psyche? It makes a lot of things much more convenient like this! Heeheeheeheehee. (Curator)
At this point I can't hold it in anymore as I do vomit into the sand. This, what did Terris call it, dungeon is deranged beyond belief. Yet, part of me understands, this is just it making an example. Much like places will burn people alive for some crimes, or lop limbs for others, this dungeon seems to have a particular hatred for either cannibalism or enslavement....or maybe both. Thankfully this deranged show only lasts a few more minutes before Terris passes out again, only this time he doesn't wake up when exposed to that absolutely rank pebble.
Curator POV
Some may think I went a wee bit far in my handling of that cannibal slaver, buuuut, if the look on the smarter of the pair is to be believed I don't think he'll EVER try to enslave any one again. A shame the big guy finally passed out from blood loss before Poppit could forcibly prolapse him to the point his stomach was in the sand. Ah well, such is life, and I hope that whatever devils and demons he encounters in hell or the like if that's an actual thing there can appreciate the mind breaking pain I delivered unto that trash before he bit the bullet. I wonder if devils and demons that torment terrible people would be disturbed by getting a soul of some one so broken that they just have to show an image of Poppit to make it weep and quake in fear?
"Ah well, shows over now. Poppit, do be a dear and empty that thing out, we want the skin intact, and the bones and tendons still in place. After all, one does need the proper suit to pull off a trojan horse. Only, instead of soldiers, mine will be filled with ever hungry horror noodles!" (Curator)