The Red Oculus
Little Kanawha River Wanderlight As wanderlights are wont to do, Red Oculi have been mesmerizing their victims to step into a precarious situation since the early 19th century. Some of their earliest encounters were with men using the river to transport timber to the state’s interior during the late evening or at night by lamplight. As the logs were drifted down the river and fashioned into thick rafts, a distant, bright red glow caught a worker’s eye. The left to right and right to left arching sway of the Red Oculi was- and still is- hypnotizing. Each stretching about 10 feet after the other, the Red Oculi appear in curved lines of five. The orbs are about six inches wide and six inches tall, floating three feet off of the ground. When their viewers approach too close (3 feet away), the front-most wanderlight vanishes, seeming to appear at the line’s end. Once an individual’s attention is unquestionably acquired, a woman’s voice can be heard. It calls its follower by name, requesting it come nearer and nearer. Far away from people, familiarity, and other light (including that of the moon), the orbs that disappear with nearness do not return. One wanderlight, however, remains and continues to beckon. With a brief, bright flash, all evidence of the oculi and individual vanish to the paranormal plane. It is unknown whether the humans abducted ever return or for what purpose they were lured and taken. These events only occur at dusk or during the night. They are less common on nights with a full moon, but more common on new moon nights. Red Oculi can be found up and down the shores of the Little Kanawha River, though the best hunting spot is under the Pratt-Through truss bridge in Burnsville. For those searching for the ghostly lights, they appear more frequently to those easily entranced, unfamiliar with the area, and to the absentminded. The tracker can not be harmed as long as they have a newly found object in their pocket; as with other teleporting entities, freshly obtained trinkets ground an individual to this plane. These objects/trinkets must be human-made items that are given, found, or purchased no longer than three days past.
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Stallion of the Mist
R.D. Bailey Lake Kelpie (West Virginia) On the far side of the lake, a beautiful, white horse stands knee high, accentuated by bright green woodlands and rolling hills. But, there is something odd about the creature; upon closer inspection, it’s form seems to swirl in intricate patterns, its tail and mane wispy, in motion, even without wind. Pieces appear to break off, churn, and dissipate into nothingness, seemingly replaced on the body soon after. The creature surveys the lake and is well aware that it is not alone- but it does not care. The beast stomps a front hoof into the murky waters, snorts loudly. Mist emanates from the stallion’s splashes, coating the lake in a thin layer that grows thicker by the minute. The horse grows in size, but its swirling visage also takes on the quality of transparency. Thick, sticky, and a ghostly gray, the fog encompasses all; shrill neighs echo over the calm waters and permeate the hazy atmosphere. Hours after its initial appearance, the fog vanishes, and the kelpie does as well. Encounters with this creature are more likely on late autumn or early spring mornings with a clear forecast. It cannot be summoned, is not afraid of human activity, and is not harmful. Brushes with the Stallion of the Mist may bring about inconveniences; its presence lowers visibility and temperatures. Another entry in my bestiary; you can see more about the project here:www.kickstarter.com/projects/4… |
AuthorKristen Puckett Archives
August 2018
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