Josah and the Mothman

Josah and the Mothman

Josah sat in a small wooden home on a farm carved out of a dark and dangerous forest. He sat drinking to ease his grief knowing It would be of little use. Josah lived in one of the few quiet corners of a country that no longer exists, in a history before history. Josah and his wife knew that there was conflict just two mountains and a valley away. They like most people of their time got their news from travelers, or if they happened to catch a bar playing at the pub, but the closest pub was a half days ride from their house. Months back a traveler had told them about several tents, wagons, and three large, frightful necroidal menagerie pens brought in on the backs of giant undead mammoths known as Marwmammut. The traveler who was heading back to the nearby coastal city of Havagno said the growing army had battled an enemy battalion and appeared to be setting up more permanent buildings. In the months to come Josah would slay two necroidals that had become trapped in the underbrush on the outskirts of their farm. Both were once human, both presumably killed in the recent battle they carried large baskets containing decaying human heads. After he killed the terrible things, he burned them in a deep pit and buried it over. He knew they were considered royal property and destroying them was punishable by a slow death, or worse.

Weeks went by without further incident and Josah, his Wife Gedtia and their son Aldgio got back to their normal lives. One day Josiah loaded up a cart with grain and hauled it to the nearest village to sell; while he was gone tragedy struck. He came home and his wife and child were nowhere to be found. He searched everywhere screaming their names until he was hoarse. Just before the sun went down, he found their crushed bodies in a patch of high grass. Josah fell to his knees screaming shaking their broken bodies trying to wake them though he knew it was of no use.

For three days Josah could barely move, on the fourth day he went out to look for clues. He found large hoof prints in the damp soil, he found dry dead flesh on a tree stump. He followed the prints all day until he arrived at the next closest farm, here he would learn of the terrible fate that befell his wife and child.

The aged farmer Corwiss was one of the rare lot that had served in an army of one of the 13 houses and lived to tell of the horrors he had seen. He was writing a book on it, the intrigue, and monstrosities they employed. He had seen a creature pass across he lands the day Josah’s wife and child were killed. Corwiss invited the grieving farmer to stay the night as the trail was unsafe after dark. Corwiss said the creature he had seen charging across his field was called a Lakibadak, it had the body of a large rhinoceros But the head was gone and in its place was the torso and arms of a man. Corwiss as lonely as he was bent Josah’s ear over a jug of wine long into the night, often fetching papyrus and a charcoal pencil to sketch out the horrors that words alone could not explain. Josah had heard some of what the old man told him, mostly as rumor or in stories from a bard.

There were 13 warring Houses, headed by thirteen rulers, most of which were said to have old blood. Old blood was a way of saying they had ancestors who were star people or sky folk as they were sometimes called. A few of the most notable were Arnadak the Tall, he stood well over 9 feet tall but was so thin and disproportionate that he walked strapped into a harness inside a large cage like apparatus on wheels, Arnadak was a mute so he was always accompanied by at least two translators which Arnadak would communicate with via taps with a steel rod on the inside of the cage. If at any time the translators disagreed on what he was communicating they were to duel to the death, with daggers they carried just for the purpose.

There was Agessya Queen of the swarm. She was surrounded by a swarm of biting venomous gnats so thick her face was unknown. She had twin boys, the product of what was said to be her only sexual encounter. The father of the twins was dead from insect bites before he was able to dis-engage.

Josah listened in horror through the night as his aging neighbor told him tales of the monsters who often made the regular person’s life a living hell. There was Sorgonoki the seven-armed sorcerer. He had three arms on either side and a seventh that grew from his chest. All the families and their leaders employed secret cults of priests that were said to also be of unearthly origin, and magi who practiced all manner of sinister arts and strange rituals.

There was one ruler, Niomokall who’s appearance was free of alien taint he was tall and broad with a long black moustache and deep-set blue eyes, he was not a handsome man, but quite human in appearance. Niomokall was said to be the least cruel of the house leaders but also one of the most ambitious. Niomokall sought to bring order to the countries, even if that meant crushing the other houses to do so. Niomokall had already banned the brutal gladiatorial games in his own lands. He also greatly restricted human sacrifice and cannibalism. These things were rampant in the lands of the other rulers. He saw the strength and wholesomeness in the natives of the countries, the thirteen houses fought over, he knew working with these natives would allow the building of a stronger nation. Niomokall had a son named, Hongol. Hongol was not as fortunate when it came to reflecting his alien heritage, he was small barely five feet tall, week of body and mind with only one tiny eye in the middle of a broad forehead, over which he wore a monocle specially designed to improve his limited field of vision. Where Niomokall had mindfulness Hongol only had the rudiments of cunning, he lacked any trace of his father’s mercy or compassion. Niomokall gave his son a small battalion and a few dangerous toys and sent him off to the back country to rule over a barren expanse where he could do as little damage as possible. Hongol’s regiment had set up a small bivouac less than ten miles from Josah’s lands. One of Hongol’s deadly toys had broken free to ravage the countryside and sow pain.

The next day Josah returned home on the back of one Corwiss’ mules, Josah tried to pay for the animal but Corwiss refused saying he would be around someday soon to collect the animal and a jug of the fine wine Josah was known to make. Corwiss only insistence was that Josah take with him a book of notes copied from his original manuscript.

Josah would be home quickly as the beast was fast for his age. Although still heartbroken it eased the pain just a little, to have someone to blame. Josah rode through the green countryside along a small trail cut into the forest. Josah was startled from daydreaming about killing Hongol and his filthy minions, by a loud growl, a huge war dog, probably escaped from Hongol’s pens, sprung from the woods. Josah carried a woodsman’s axe that served as a trusty weapon, he was handy with it and planned to dismount and slay the attacking creature, but the mule panicked and bolted carrying the farmer with it. The dog nipped at the mules heals, Josah was sure his mount would be pulled out from under him at any moment, but then a frightened hare scurried crossed the trail drawing the dog’s murderous attention back into the woods. Josah was trying to get the mule under control when he was thrown into the air. Josah hit the ground, his head smacking a rock, he saw stars and then blackness.

Josah awoke to the sight of real stars. He was laying on the cold ground looking up at a cloudless night sky. All around him were the sounds of the forest, all manner of beasts sang their night songs as Josah pulled himself to his feet. The mule stood dutifully nearby staring wearily into the woods. Josah realized the forest grew quiet, birds flew from the trees or quieted their song. Something was moving through the forest parallel to the path maybe 10 feet into the thick of trees. He raised his axe and prepared for battle. The moon lit the clearing maybe 40 feet up the path and a creature lumbered into view, it looked like a large rotting stag with glowing white eyes, two large baskets were attached to black antlers, a dozen decaying hands protruded from each side of the creature, stretched out on long multi jointed arms, they grasped and clawed at the air around them. As Josah’s eyes adjusted he could see the baskets were full of human heads still fresh and dripping blood, it ran over the creature’s face dripping like terrible black tears. Josah watched as another creature emerged from the forest, a tall humanoid wearing an iridescent blue robe, the shroud seemed to pull the star light right out of the sky. Josah Knew from his aged neighbor’s tales the thing was a priest of one of the terrible death cults, the sinister cleric looked in his direction then raised a single pale finger up to their lip. Josah was sure he heard an evil chuckle. The strange priest walked up to the stag thing and uttered a guttural command, the lower hands on one side formed a stirrup the other took the priests hand and helped him on to the creatures back. Undead beast and rider disappeared into the forest on the other side of the trail.

Just before sunup Josah and the weary mule arrived back at his farm, he put the animal with his own in the barn with food and water then stumbled to his own bed, throwing his satchel down on a wooden table he and his wife had built years ago. He noticed a large almost purple field moth had hitched a ride, Josah thought to put it outside but was too exhausted and decided to leave it to its own devices until after he slept.

Josah found himself back on the trail, he followed to strange beast and rider into the woods, creatures fled from the things path. Josah followed them on to a field of battle there he saw the thing that killed his wife and child a terrifying grey atrocity holding a bloody scythe in each hand. Soldiers hacked at it but were quickly beheaded or kicked down and stomped on by might hooves. Other soldiers in gold cloaks skirmished with them, as well some had large dogs on chains, other soldiers had ants, even larger than the dogs, with mandibles half as large as their bodies, on chains. As the battle moved along the devilish priest rode the reanimated stag amongst the carnage, the unnatural hands protruding from the reanimated creature gathered up heads from the battlefield and placed them in the basket. Josah looked over and old man Corwiss stood next to him.

“Why do they collect the heads?” Josah asked.

“The priests will make a stew of the brains and eyes, then the rest will be stuffed with noxious herbs and burned in one of their awful rituals. The smoke will kill off select prisoners, that will then be brought back to life to fight their own kinfolk.” Replied Corwiss.

The next day Josah woke up and quickly scribbled what he could remember of his night’s dreams, down in the manuscript. The dreams were so real they had burned into Josah’s brain. He felt as if he did not write them down, they would drive him insane.

Knowing an enemy gave him a new sense of purpose and he set to getting his farmland in order. He had plans to begin building a wall of stone and beams of the biggest logs he could find around his border. He knew of a few men in the village that were vagabonds who were said to drink too much wine but were considered hard workers. Josah planned to go into the village the next day and see if one of the men would return with him and help him on the farm in exchange for food shelter and of course wine.

The next day Josah rode to the village looking for a worker. He took Corwiss mule with him so that the hired helper could ride back. The village was on a round road ringed with a few shops a public house and inn and a small hall, in the center was a public well and garden. Josah found a man named Harlen sleeping under a tree, Harlen would not be his first choice as he was rumored to be a thief, but on this day, he was the only one around, besides Josah figured, he really had nothing to steal. Josah woke Harlan up and made his proposition food shelter and a cask of wine every week and a few coins for his effort. He would give him a little money now and a little when he wanted to move on, or when the work was completed. Harlan’s response was lack luster he only perked up at the mention of wine and money. Harlan eventually agreed and the two men started the half days ride back to the farm.

After the first hour Harlan began to complain of his thirst. Josah gave him one of the two skins of wine he had brought, but almost as soon as he finished it he began to moan about his thirst again. Josah began to regret his offer but suggested they stop by a cool stream and have lunch. As he unpacked the lunch, he noticed Harlan eyeing the small purse of money he carried. He decided, Harlan was not someone he wanted at his home so he would escort the vagabond back to town after they ate, give him the other skin of wine and a couple of coins for his time. Both men went over to drink from the stream. As they stood up Josah caught out of the corner of his eye that Harlan had palmed a rock. Josah raised his hand up to deflect the blow as Harlan tried to bash him with the stone. The blow knocked him back and pain ran down his arm. Harlan came at him again, swinging the rock, with murder in his eyes. Josah instinctually raised his injured hand to defend himself and pulled his knife from its sheath. In less than a moment both men were on the ground, Josah bleeding from his hand and Harlan from his stomach.

Josah did not know what to do with the injured man, but as his home was closer than the village, he decided to take Harlan back to his house and try and treat his wounds. Josah hung the dying man over the side of the mule and started the rest of the trip home.

When they arrived at the farm Josah carried the man into his house and laid him out on a bed. He wiped the man’s forehead with a wet towel he then packed his wound with a poultice and gave him a small bit of opium mixed with wine. Josah thought the man would be dead by morning and at the best, he could make his would be killer comfortable.

Josah awoke sitting in a chair next to Harlan, who still breathed but in ragged shallow gasps. Josah started to change his dressing but to his amazement found the wound was almost entirely healed. He cleaned it and applied more poultice and gave him just a bit more medicine and sat back down by his side. Around dawn he woke up again, shocked to see Harlan sitting up in bed staring out of the window his eyes were glazed and his face pale and expressionless, but he was alive. Josah offered the man a bit of porridge but he refused it though he did sip a bit of water. As Josah looked the man over he realized that the large purple moth that had hitched a ride on his bag was now on the back of Harlan’s neck, he reached out to brush it off, Harlan grabbed his hand with surprising strength to stop him.

“You have a moth on the back of your neck, friend. I was simply trying to shoo it off.” Said Josah.

Harlan did not reply but relaxed his grip and released Josah’s hand.

Josah sat with the quiet man for a while, putting a jug of water and a loaf of bread in front of him. He decided to get up and go about his work and leave the man to rest and continue his miraculous healing. After a few hours of labor, he came back to check on Harlan to find him gone. Josah knew Harlan could not have gone too far and went to look for him. Josah to his horror found Harlan sitting in a shed with a lifeless bloody hare at his mouth furiously sucking away at the animal’s juices. Josah did not know what to say to the man, so he simply asked him if he would like him to stew the animal for him. He was surprised when he responded with a simple no, as he dropped the lifeless animal to the dirt by his side. Josah then offered again to take the moth off his neck, he was met with a cold glance and another hollow, no.

Over the next few days Josah visited Harlan in the barn all offers of food and drink were declined. Harlan seemed to grow thinner and paler, and the moth still on his neck it had grown much larger. Josah was also concerned with the fact that there was a growing pile of the corpses of rabbits, field mice, gophers. Josah decided that he would pay his neighbor a visit in a day or two and ask him if he had ever heard of such a thing. He was afraid that the thing or Harlen, whatever he had become, might turn its attentions on bigger prey such as His goats his sheep or worse.

As the sun finished coming up bathing the small farm in warm light, Josah finished tending his animals. He did as he had for the last 5 days, prepared a meal and some fresh milk and bread for Harlan. When Josah entered the barn a smell hit him, he was horrified to see the terrible undead stag dead black eyes staring up a few of the hands still grasping at the air around it. He saw one of the blue robed priests clutching a wound at his gut lying in a pool of blood, breathing the last breaths of the dying Harlan, or what was once Harlan, clung to the wall in the corner just below the ceiling the moth’s wings hanging down as if they were a terrible cape. Josah stood in shock trying to take in the terrible scene before him. The robed priest beckoned him fourth. Josah went forward and pushed the robe off the strange priest’s head to give him more air. The priests face was different, not quite human, with two bright blue eyes his nose and lips were spare almost non-exsistent, and he had no trace of hair on his head or on his face. The priest used the last of his strength to grab Josah’s shirt his fingers were long and thin ending in sharp nail less points. He spoke in ragged snatches.

“There is a dagger in the sack on my mount. It is powerful, take it and kill that creature, take the head of both man and moth. Our house seeks to conquer the world, but its kind will destroy it. Kill it and then when its blood is still fresh on the blade use it to find a nest of light somewhere in the woods, use the dagger to destroy the nest!” With that the priest relaxed his grasp on Josah’s shirt and died.

Josah was still in shock as he reached into the satchel on the side of the monstrous beast. He took out a long dagger, he revolted at the fact he just somehow knew the scabbard was made of human skin. The hilt was made from a carved rock Josah was unfamiliar with, the blade was forged of just as unknown metal that seemed to vibrate when drawn. Josah planned to stand on a crate then stab the monster in the back of the neck then twist the knife to do as he was instructed to cut both the terrible insect and Harlan’s head off. Josah climbed on top of the crate and lifted the knife with both hands over his head, suddenly the crate broke and Josah fell to the ground. The monstrous wings fluttered, and the thing leapt from the wall. Josah saw Harlan’s face gaunt and pale dominated by a pair of giant red, black eyes, a terrifying proboscis jutted from between Harlan’s curled back lips. Except for a pair of canines grown long and sharp, all of Harlan’s teeth were gone. The thing lunged at Josah. Josah heard the monster shrieking at him but no sound came from its mouth. The shrieks tore into his mind and soul, he almost dropped the knife. Josah raised it to defend himself slashing at the monster cutting it a crossed the shoulder. The creature slashed at Josah trying to knock the knife from his hand two wicked claws dug deep into Josah’s hand causing agonizing pain to shoot up his arm, but he held onto the dagger. The creature extended the proboscis like a horrible tongue aiming for Josah’s eye Josah moved his head to the side and plunged the knife into the creature again the creature let out another psychic scream then leapt off the farmer and bolted out of the door, Josah gave chase but it was too late the monster flew into the air and disappeared over the nearby woods.

Josah sat for a long time in shock. Eventually he stood up and held onto the wall and limped back into his house he took long swigs of both water and then wine. Josah awoke after a few hours his hand was in terrible pain, the wound seemed to be festering the skin around it an unhealthy pale, purple dying veins radiated out from the wound. Josah knew by the pain and the color of his hand he had been poisoned he also somehow new that the unearthly knife could cut the hand off very cleanly. Josah decided he would wait to amputate his hand until he had used the bloody blade to track down the moth creatures nest the priest had warned him of. He spent most of the next day stumbling around the woods following the knife as it grew brighter and brighter the closer he got to the nest.

Stumbling and in agonizing pain, Josah found his way into a clearing. There in a tree just out of reach was as strange clump of matter which held an unearthly luminescence. The dagger began to glow a bright blue in color, he raised it toward the strange nest to destroy it, he could not quite reach it. The dagger seemed to turn into a kind of liquid growing]\, stretching out to the nest. The nest reacted and began to pulsate with a light that shifted from blood red to a deep violet. Just seconds before the dagger pierced the heart of the glowing clump a whirling sound filled his head, he dropped the dagger and fell to the ground. A shadow enveloped him, and all went dark. Is this death he thought to himself, will I be returned to the arms of my family?

Josah awoke, his arm still hurt but the pain had subsided somewhat. He looked around and found himself in a dimly lit room, by the dark surroundings and the earthy smell he thought maybe it was a cellar. Josah heard a familiar voice speaking to him, it was Corwiss.

“It brought you here, it showed you mercy, a mercy no one from the 13 houses would have shown you.” Said Corwiss.

Josah tried to sit up but found he could not. he thought that he might be restrained. Corwiss came into view.

“Humankind must have an ally if we are to survive. Without an ally the degenerated descendants of the sky people will destroy or enslave us all. Your misery and a bit of your blood brought it to us, brought it to help fight the menace of the terrible armies of the Ceramestek. Corwiss spoke as he approached bearing a lantern. He wiped Josah’s forehead with a damp cloth that smelled of healing herbs.

Josah began to realize why he had struggle to get up. His hand was gone, cut clean away no wound or scar just a clean pale stump where it used to be.

“I don’t know what to think of all of this. It killed and took over a man’s body.” Said Josah, his voice still week.

“He would have had to have been nearly dead, or guilty of murder for the Anu to have used him as a host.” Replied Corwiss, as he gave Josah some water and helped him up.

Corwiss lead Josah to a large wooden door banded in iron. The door had no knob but instead a plate made of green stone. Corwiss placed his hand on the stone and the door swung open. Behind the door was a large room full of cases each case had various artifacts, there were skulls and other bones many were bizarre and horrific; one was oblong skull with huge fangs like that of a serpent. There were also weapons, some Josah recognized others he only recognized their purpose, and that was to kill in the worst ways possible. On a small table Josah spied the dagger he had carried into the forest.

“It is called a Fralsdok, there were hundreds of them at one time now only a few remain, and they have been re-corrupted. Legend has it that a warrior named Morded took the knives from an alien armory. Morded purified the blades in blessed spring water and gave them to her elite corp. Josah this knife can replace your missing hand but if you bind it to yourself you will be an enemy of the 13 houses, even now they are probably searching your farm, and the woods about it looking for the dagger.” Corwiss seemed to grow weary of speaking.

“I am no warrior, not one worthy of bearing a legendary weapon anyway!” Josah replied.

“I have seen your heart, you wish for vengeance, but more so you wish to see that others do not suffer the fate that befell your wife and child. Your woodman’s ax will do nothing in the fight you have in your heart. They will take it from you, lop off your limbs and leave you to die. The dagger will be more than just a weapon, it will serve as a hand as well. The metal is not like that of earth, it is intelligent and bends to the will and need of its wielder.” Replied Corwiss.

That night the two men began a ritual first to cleanse, then to bind the dagger to Josah. At the conclusion of the ritual, they placed the pommel of the knife against Josah’s stump. Josah screamed as the pommel burrowed bloodlessly into his flesh.

Josah awoke covered in sweat he looked down and was surprised not to see a dagger but instead a metallic hand protruding seamlessly from his flesh.

“As I said the blade will change to meet its wielder’s needs. It will serve you as a hand when not in battle, and a trusty weapon when you need it. Explained Corwiss.

Josah spent the next few days practicing with his new appendage. He knew that it would be a great help but that he alone stood no chance against soldiers of the 13 houses, so he would head to the mountains where there were rumors of others gathering to take back their homelands. Josah thanked Corwiss and headed out, he had to make a couple of stops before he headed up into the hills, the first was to put flowers on the grave of his wife and child the second was to free his goats.