The Murderous Otter of Lake Lovalus

[Egaro]

Vhalar 68th, 718

The shores of Lake Lovalus lapped at the docks built into the rocky crags at the foot of the mountain Rharne was founded upon. It was here the humans came to moor their vessels, to one day take them out into the cold waters and plumb the depths of its life. When this was done on an industrial scale, the teachings he grew up with, his beliefs as an Aesir, they told him the Anak were disparaged in this environment. To greedily take from the sea such heaping nets was paramount to disaster for the Fish Anak that he theorized answered to the Induk of the Lake.

Incorporeal body humming at a high frequency to remain nearly invisible in the broad daylight, he walked upon the docks of Rharne within the living world, this familiar place the venue upon which he would begin his mischief. He recalled promising Mister Shulk, the father of the fisherman that drowned him, that he would not harm them in revenge, but he made no such promise about sabotaging the vessel that continued to haul in heaps of little creatures so wastefully, so greedily.

For the prior few Trials he had watched this place, seeing that the boat had gone out, come back, gone out, often without the Phantom’s son aboard. The trifling, selfish prat hired more crew, he’s going to have a fleet of them someday if I don’t stop this.

A throaty growl left the ghost. There was little he could do, and it vexed him utterly. Haunting here was a recipe for rotten thoughts, and he knew it. I should stay away from the men who drowned me, I don’t want to be like those other ghosts, caught in a maelstrom of revenge.

Nearby a young boy who mopped and shined and cleaned the boats swung his head around, looking for the source of the noise.

Pish-posh. Being heard was a blessing, at the same time a curse. There was little he knew about the the afterlife barring his own experiences, and he recalled how terrified he was learning of ghosts for the first time as a child. Many of the men and women in Rharne would bawk and guffaw at the sight of his ghastly form were he to reveal himself, and he feared what might happen should he become ill-repute enough to garner the reward of a Ghost Hunter on his doorstep. He’d heard the fables as a child, that these men roved the land in search of ghosts to purge, like rats in a cellar, and he knew the rumors must hold at least some weight. If only there was a way to sabotage this boat.

Scanning the water for answers, his eyes fell upon a trailing crease of water, the surface broken by a big-toothed lake creature. A lake rat of some sort, or was it an otter? Moving closer to the edge, he turned to avoid bumping into a busy-bodied human and then stood sentry, staring it down. That could work.

Would it be like the fish he’d possessed some time ago? He theorized it would be. Sidling his translucent boots to the edge of the docks, he tipped forward and slipped into the water. Once submerged, he stretched out his arms and pulled himself idly through the water, staring through the depths up at the sun-backed shadow that had become his target.

From beneath, he struck, like a shark invisible to its prey. He grabbed hold, feeling the creature begin to writhe when it experienced the shock of his first touch. Using his leverage, he kicked and pulled himself closer, nosing his body into the aquatic mammal’s belly. Passerby were treated to the odd sight of an otter thrashing at the water.

More and more of his body slipped inside, filling out the vessel and taking more control. All at once the dirty blackness of a buried soul evaporated as light filtered into his gaze, blurry yet distant as if at the end of a tunnel. The closer he got, the closer that eyesight became until it filled his entire vision and he began to feel the limbs and tail of the creature in turn begin to still as he jostled for control like putting on a suit of flesh.

Puppeteering this animal was difficult for an Echo, especially one so inexperienced. The animal slipped under the water as Egaro took control, and he had to twist and turn, adjusting to that feeling of a tail. It’s like a fish, but it has legs. Like the fish, he fanned the tail and like a human he kicked his feet with those small awkward otter-paws as his head finally broke the surface.

Egaro’s small stolen head sipped at the air for a lungful of energy, and he began paddling clumsily towards the boat, keeping his head above the water. Thankfully the lake was calm, or he’d be having a much harder time of things. Almost there!

When he arrived at the mooring, he hopped up from the water with a kick and a swing of his tail, giving him enough speed to rise just tall enough to get his little stubby arms around the thick rope keeping the boat from drifting off. Those teeth set into the rope, nibbling at the individual fibers and cutting them up bit by bit. He didn’t care if anyone was watching, he had the perfect disguise!

A solid bit later and the rope was looking frayed. Egaro frantically rushed to finish the last bits of the rope off. Thwack. The otter squeaked, as if possessed. It kept biting. A mop-head swung down again, this time jamming into the little beast’s shoulder, the owner of the vile weapon leering down. “Get off ya pest!”

Egaro’s head turned, hissing only to get a mouthful as the broom smacked into his chin. He grabbed it with those little claws and let go of the rope, letting his weight fall. Into the water he went, trying to dislodge it from the twelve-year-old’s grip. The boy began shaking the stick to get him off, as he wasn’t all that heavy, but he was clumsy and foolishly on the edge. Egaro placed his nubby little feet on the side of the dock as he came up and pushed, twisting to drag the boy forward.

Just as planned, the boy tumbled into the lake, only there was a sickening thud as he hit his head on the way down. Oh no. Egaro stopped playing with the broomhandle, took a breath, and dove as the flame of urgency licked at his tail. Beneath the lad, he swam, pushing just enough to get his head above water, but it was a struggle.

Lost for ideas, Egaro opened his beastly mouth and began to shriek with the creature’s shrill voice, thrashing in the water and flapping his tail. Moments later a man arrived. “Ilaren’s beard!” he shouted, and Egaro knew the voice right away. “That otter’s strangling a boy!” The schwing of a thin metal blade drawn from a scabbard signaled Egaro’s departure. He let go of the youngling and dipped beneath the surface just as he heard the thundering kerploosh followed by a rush of water that he turned into, paddling away to safety.

Of course the man lost interest in the rabid water rat who paddled back around the other side of the ship, watching with those black, beady eyes. I’ll get my revenge, just you wait, he thought to himself as he menaced the man with his otterly gaze. Resuscitate the boy. He dipped in the water until only his eyes were above it, watching on with weariness now. Worry filled his still heart. If he dies, is that my fault?

As the salty bescabbarded man shoved down the chest of the boy, that worry in the ghost’s mind turned to outright panic quickly, and he began to breathe hard in that little body until he felt the host grow faint around him, the blood growing polluted by too much air. No. Live. Don’t die. Save him, you murderous oaf.

“Glhk. Chff. Chaglk-hff, haugh, haugh, haugh! Haughk!” Glorious, beautiful songs of life filled the air, music to the possessed animal’s ears! The murderous fisherman embraced the boy, bawling his eyes out of his sockets. “Dad, why are you squeezing me so tight?” came a weak voice.

He’s a father? It was the first time Egaro realized this, and he instantly felt guilty. The boy was just trying to protect his father’s boat. How charming.

“I’m not your father, son, you’re just delirious,” said the man who murdered Egaro.

Oh, oh, so he’s still an asshole. That made it all okay.

“Let’s get you dried off.”

I’m onto you, murderer... he watched the plank above creak with the pair of heavy footsteps. To keep his eye on the man, he rolled onto his back where the air pocket in the otter’s belly helped him stay afloat, gently paddling a fair distance to see their heads by the wheel. It looked like the man was trying to teach the boy to sail a ship.

Grooming your next victim, are you? Pish-posh! The otter turned around and swam off entirely. I’ll come back and sink that boat of yours the moment I figure out how!

[Abra]

Egaro

Rewards

Knowledges:

Skill:

Materialization: Flux to become more transparent
Possession: Like A Glove
Possession: Possessing an otter
Possession: Adapting to the body of an otter
Possession: Using a possessed body to alert the living
Possession: Comparing motor skills between possessed bodies

Loot:
Injuries:
Wealth:
Renown: 5

EXP: 10

Feedback

I’ve grown to enjoy these ghost threads. I think you play one very well in the sense that there’s still so much he discovers and he is aware of how much there is to learn. This was a big step up from possessing a simple fish and the mistakes he made along the way gave it a very realistic vibe. I loved how the NPCs acted too… their reactions seemed genuine enough. I wonder what crazy adventure Egaro will get himself into next. Enjoy your rewards.