Alp-luachra, the Joint-Eater

Primordial- awesome Irish folk metal.
source: https://goo.gl/images/Ysg349
The dangers of the countryside are many: monsters, magic, bandits, and other things unseen or forgotten. Some things are known but ignored, at least by the foolish. The wilds themselves, which are full of spirits and fae, pose a danger for those who forget the etiquette of travel.

Traditionally, streams and rivers hold great importance to Celt and Briton folk. They are places of rest and healing, often the homes of beautiful water maidens who are glad to help travelers. But in these days of war, when the earth is choked by smoke of coal and the waters filled with corpses and cholera, these spirits have lost their goodwill towards human folk.

Rivers are no longer a friendly place. Those who seek to cross must beware.

The Alp-luachra (pronounced alp loo-kra) or Joint-Eater preys on foolish trespassers. An offering of food must be made to cross its waters, or else it will take its due. Should one who does not make an offering sleep within half a league (1.5 mi/2.5 km) of the waters, they will be entered as they sleep through the mouth and nose, and awake choking, as if on water. The Alp-luachra will live inside them, subsisting on their food, forcing them to eat twice as many rations or grow emaciated and have their max hp lowered by 1 for each week this continues. While the Joint-Eater lives within a host, they will forever hear the sound of a softly babbling stream.

Alp-luachra Armor as plate, Move 200′(water) 20' (land), 3 Hit Dice, 10hp, choke 1d6 damage, Morale 10. If the Alp-luachra makes successful choke attacks against the same target in 2 consecutive rounds, the next round it forces them to vomit, losing all actions and taking maximum damage from the Alp-luachra's attack that round.

The Alp-luachra can be removed in one of several ways:
  • Atonement: returning to its home river, leaving an offering, and anointing oneself with the waters
  • Drawing out: eating nothing but salt while sleeping near a flowing stream or river will cause the creature to venture out to slake its thirst. The host must awaken before it returns or kill it.
  • Drowning: the host must drown, causing the Alp-luachra to leave the now-useless body. If the host is revived or restored to life, they will forever have the aspect of the drowned, and be ignored by all water fae as long as they live.

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