#frightlings

Frightlings

Normally, children are too spiritually underdeveloped and emotionally insulated to create an aberration. However, in extremely rare cases, children can become frightlings; malicious creatures that only resemble children in appearance and nothing else.

The product of only the most horrific abuses, a frightlings’ first victim is usually their victimizers. The frightling seems to only be created out of the ugliest of tragedies, resulting in a blend of despair, cynicism, hatred and fear, of which any one would turn an adult into a monster. This combination of emotions create a truly terrible creature, whose only intent seems to be the inflicting of the same horrors on others.

Frightlings always become obsessive with whatever prey they pursue, ranging from children to teens to adults. They will consistently stalk their prey, babbling or singing in child-like innocence, eventually driving their victims to dread and paranoia. This practice escalates into physical violence soon after, with the frightling destroying items of value, killing pets and otherwise removing anyone or anything of value from their victim’s life. Only after their victims have fallen into complete isolation and terror does the frightling descend upon them directly; killing them over the course of hours, devouring whatever will to live they have left.

A frightling appears as they did as children, though with a bloodless pallor usually reserved for corpses. Ugly, black bruising frequently marks the skin around their feet, hands, mouth and eyes, as if they have perpetually delicate skin. A frightling’s eyes are normally so bloodshot they appear to be completely red. Most tend to wear whatever clothing they once wore, though some have been known to take trophies; the clothing of any child victims.

Normally, a frightling moves at a slow, deliberate pace. However, if pursuing prey or following something of interest, the aberration can move almost too fast to see.  The creatures can close short distances with surprising speed, making it difficult to follow or track them.

The touch of a frightling is paralyzing, leaving whatever they touch numb and limp. If they stay attached for too long, this paralysis turns into pain, and then finally the flesh begins to crumble. Their strength is considerable, despite their size, and often even an adult cannot force a frightling to release them once it is latched on. If separated, the paralysis fades after several seconds.

In combat, frightlings prefer to isolate targets from one another by distracting them with cries for help or childish questioning. If confronted with a large group, they will attempt to paralyze and drag a single target away somewhere secluded, picking each off in turn. They are fond of quick, debilitating attacks, perpetually disrupting their victim’s coordination by interspersing paralysis and fear in their ranks. If the group scatters, the frightling hunts down, isolates and kills as it is able.

Frightlings prefer to lair in tight, enclosed spaces that benefit their small stature, such as attics, crawlspaces and sewers. They normally wait until dusk before leaving their lair to find prey. Once they do, however, they will often leave at any time in order to stalk their victims.