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fandomhigh2012-06-07 03:33 am
nohattrick.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2012-06-07 03:33 am
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Cryptozoology 101, Thursday, Period One
Class was once again meeting in the Danger Shop today, but there were no fields of flesh-eating horses waiting to devour the students when they walked in. Instead, they'd walk into an old-fashioned Irish-themed pub. There were hardwood counters and metal chandeliers, a giant fireplace and even a marble fresco on one wall, filled with heraldric devices.
"Welcome to The Dal Riata!" Trick greeted them with a brilliant smile, his hand resting possessively on the bar. "The Dal is an old bar, built just a little over a century ago, in my home city, in Canada." He didn't say anything, but his pride and affection for the bar likely made it clear to anyone paying attention that he owned the place. "I was feeling a little homesick and decided it might be nice to have class here today."
He gestured to the stools in front of the bar, wordlessly inviting the students to sit. There were tall mugs in front of each place, filled with a deep amber liquid. Anyone trying their mug would find that they contained ginger beer, not real ale.
Sorry, Kenzi.
"Today, we're going to talk about Redcaps," Trick continued when everyone had settled, ignoring any and all complaints about the non-alcoholic nature of their drinks. "Any Redcap you meet will almost certainly be Dark Fae. There may be Light Fae Redcaps, but I've never met one." Anything was possible? Just...not very likely. "They are an ancient race of Border Goblins, mostly hailing from Northumbria or thereabouts, though they have emigrated and can be found almost anywhere in the world. Centuries ago, they could be found in ruined towers and castles, though now, any place abandoned will do."
"Fortunately for mortals, Redcaps are easy to identify as such. Most of them have glamours to hide their razor-sharp fangs and talons, and the younger ones have even left off the iron-shod boots and pikestaffs of their elders. But the surefire way to tell a Redcap comes from the garment that gave the race their name. All Redcaps cover their head, be it with a bandana, kerchief, sock cap, or anything else. That cap is constantly wet and dripping; they dye it with the blood of their victims. Their preferred victims are trespassers or lonely travelers out late at night, but they can target anyone they choose. Part of the reason for this is because of the way their peculiar magic works. If their caps ever dry out completely, they will die. And so, to protect their own lives, they must murder others."
A charming people, really. Not that Trick judged. Much. "They are excellent predators. In addition to the fangs, claws, and pikes I mentioned earlier, they are also incredibly fast. It is a special and lucky mortal that can outrun a Redcap for very long. Furthermore, their skin is quite tough and resistance to piercing. They are not very bright, but they make up for that with a kind of fiendish, brutal creativity, and these days, most of them live in packs, giving them the benefit of strength and numbers. They don't necessarily fight well together, no real group tactics, but often they don't need to. They are easily outwitted, but difficult to outfight and all but impossible to outrun."
You guys knew where this was leading, right?
"Welcome to The Dal Riata!" Trick greeted them with a brilliant smile, his hand resting possessively on the bar. "The Dal is an old bar, built just a little over a century ago, in my home city, in Canada." He didn't say anything, but his pride and affection for the bar likely made it clear to anyone paying attention that he owned the place. "I was feeling a little homesick and decided it might be nice to have class here today."
He gestured to the stools in front of the bar, wordlessly inviting the students to sit. There were tall mugs in front of each place, filled with a deep amber liquid. Anyone trying their mug would find that they contained ginger beer, not real ale.
Sorry, Kenzi.
"Today, we're going to talk about Redcaps," Trick continued when everyone had settled, ignoring any and all complaints about the non-alcoholic nature of their drinks. "Any Redcap you meet will almost certainly be Dark Fae. There may be Light Fae Redcaps, but I've never met one." Anything was possible? Just...not very likely. "They are an ancient race of Border Goblins, mostly hailing from Northumbria or thereabouts, though they have emigrated and can be found almost anywhere in the world. Centuries ago, they could be found in ruined towers and castles, though now, any place abandoned will do."
"Fortunately for mortals, Redcaps are easy to identify as such. Most of them have glamours to hide their razor-sharp fangs and talons, and the younger ones have even left off the iron-shod boots and pikestaffs of their elders. But the surefire way to tell a Redcap comes from the garment that gave the race their name. All Redcaps cover their head, be it with a bandana, kerchief, sock cap, or anything else. That cap is constantly wet and dripping; they dye it with the blood of their victims. Their preferred victims are trespassers or lonely travelers out late at night, but they can target anyone they choose. Part of the reason for this is because of the way their peculiar magic works. If their caps ever dry out completely, they will die. And so, to protect their own lives, they must murder others."
A charming people, really. Not that Trick judged. Much. "They are excellent predators. In addition to the fangs, claws, and pikes I mentioned earlier, they are also incredibly fast. It is a special and lucky mortal that can outrun a Redcap for very long. Furthermore, their skin is quite tough and resistance to piercing. They are not very bright, but they make up for that with a kind of fiendish, brutal creativity, and these days, most of them live in packs, giving them the benefit of strength and numbers. They don't necessarily fight well together, no real group tactics, but often they don't need to. They are easily outwitted, but difficult to outfight and all but impossible to outrun."
You guys knew where this was leading, right?