Monster: Desire Trail
Highway to Hell
“The Archbishop said it was only a few miles away right? How come we’ve been walking for hours…” - Last report from an Aomian Strike Force
Whereas mimics have long been reported shapeshifting into common household objects like cupboards, shelves, chests, etc. they are hardly the only shapeshifting semi-inanimate being in the world.
Desire Trails pair the deception of their mimic cousins with a keen sense of tactics and teamwork. They are nearly impossible to spot in the wild, and are staggeringly gigantic monsters. The largest Desire Trails ever fought have measured many miles long. Yet, this incredible size is also the trail’s greatest weakness.
Unlike mimics, desire trails do not possess a mouth or limbs with which they can attack prey. Instead, they slowly dissolve and digest unmoving organic matter into their skin, a process that takes almost 24 hours. Their size and slow metabolisms make them sluggish and clumsy.
A Desire Trail in motion looks like an enormous flatworm slithering across the ground, using tens of thousands of millimeter-long nodules to slink around. They are also effectively blind, only containing two small eyes near the front of their bodies. The trails make up for this by having a remarkable tactile sense.
Despite the worm-like appearance, Desire Trails are officially classified as a type of construct— but this definition is often debated. Desire Trails are not intelligent creatures, but have sharp instincts and quickly develop mutualistic bonds with anything that can secure it a meal. Brigands and highwaymen will keep Desire Trails as “pets” in the hopes of the trail delivering easy targets to them.
Combat Strategy
The Desire Trail is weak, frail, and slow. It is a horrible combatant on its own and relies on allies to secure any type of kill. That said, the desire trail is capable of augmenting the texture of its body, making potholes, lumps, or knots that trip those walking upon it. The Desire Trail is also capable of changing the color and consistency of its body, allowing it to look like dirt, cobblestone, pavement, etc.
By far the most threatening aspect of a Desire Trail is their mind-altering magic field. The trail emits a barely-detectable psychic drone that works in two ways:
Anyone walking on a Desire Trail garners a confidence that they are heading towards their destination, even if minor discrepancies suggest otherwise.
The Desire Trail can psychically locate any creature it considers to be an ally.
Typically, a Desire Trail will feel something walk onto its backside. Miles away, at the front of the Desire Trail, it will make slow adjustments to its trajectory, leading prey towards its allies. Once its prey is close, it will begin tripping them to secure an easy kill for its allies.
Luckily, if someone finds themselves aware that they are on a Desire Trail, killing the creature is quite trivial. Attacking the thin body will dispatch the monster in short order. Monster biologists fear what could happen if Desire Trails evolve or adapt to be more proactive in hunting.
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