Twistreant

Nestled deep in the countless forests found within Great Europa, patches of crimson often appear without much of a warning. There's no beauty found within, these are locations where nature is at its most dangerous; spreading like a cancer unless stopped. These woods are very much alive, and very much want intruders dead. The twistreants hide within plain sight, amongst the other crimson trees, poised to strike at any point with their elongated limbs and sharpened barky teeth. If one finds themselves defeated and implanted with a seed, then it's best to make peace with one's demise and try to find an isolated spot where one could die without harming a settlement. It takes a skill physician to remove the seed safely, and they must act fast before the roots have settled too deep into one's body.

Their only wish is to expand their woods, capturing beast or man and forcefully inserting their seeds within their victim's bodies to do so, eventually they'd grow into another Twistreant, their carcass absorbed of all nutrients and identity. Twistreants possess the uncanny ability to mimic any voice, many who have lost their loved ones to the crimson woods would have their voices stolen and used to bait other lost souls into a trap or an isolated location where they are easily dispatched. It is advised that those within these crimson forests to never trust any cries for help, even if it might be real, as one should not take the risk due to the potential dire cost.

It is theorized that twistreants if are grown with love and humor would instead become a Mockstump, or possibly mockstumps becoming twistreant when treated with abuse. Neither are known to be correct or not.

Combat Capabilities

A fully matured twistreant could easily crush an armored knight with its unnatural strength. They are worth 8 Menace Marks due their strength and desire to spread. Twistreants have extremely powerful grip, they could twist and fold a human's body like bread dough if they so desire, their wooden body is also extremely sturdy, much more than ordinary wood. They also seem to have a connection to the Wyrd, an unnatural phenomena that is often described as realms colliding, and creating a pocket where nature and lucid dreams mingle as one.

Knights are advised to avoid their grip at all costs, as the twistreant would always try to avoid killing prey so simply, rather they wish to reproduce by implanting a twistreant seed into their prey and as such a living being is more valuable to them than a carcass. However if grabbed, they'll attempt to squeeze their victims till they're consciousness fades, what they do afterwards is best not clarified. Flames are quite effects against twistreants, as they have an innate fear of it, causing them to be fairly easily immolated. However during the rain they are nigh invincible, as they seem to acknowledge fire being ineffective to them, as well as most conventional weaponry.

Sinful Apple

Grown atop Twistreants, they are deemed illegal by every nation within the Familiar Lands. Upon consumption of a Sinful apple a renewed vigor is granted, as well as an increased lifespan of a month or so. Often times however the seed within the apple would also be consumed, and a twistreant would form within the eater. Many nobles turned into Twistreants as they tried to cheat death, many sentencing their realms into a crimson end.