Courtyard > Enemies > Apebeasts Greetings, apprentice. Come to see our little rogue's gallery, have you? Yes. Well, after all - why not? It's important to know about those that might harm you, and there are certainly enough individuals in the City who would wish to harm us. The ones who don't know about us see as a threat, and the ones that do know of our existence - well, sometimes I think they almost see us as trophies. At any rate, best you'd learn their weaknesses before they find yours.

Apebeasts

Classification: Non-Human Location(s): Pagan territories Variations: Pre-DP and Post-DP Known Weaknesses: sword, dagger, blackjack, arrows, mines, gas

Description:

Pagan legend holds that the Trickster once held dominion over the world, and that his Empire was composed of all manner of creature. At least some of these legends must be fact, since living proof has presented itself in recent times. When the Trickster revealed himself during the Dark Project incident, he again exposed the world to not only his evil but also the vast legions of minions which followed in his footsteps. Among these minions were the Apebeasts - apes which walk upright, speak, and are apparently capable of wielding weaponry.

The Apebeasts were first seen during the Dark Project incident, spilling out of Constantine's mansion along with numerous bugbeasts and spiders, cutting a path through the City and laying siege to the Hammerite temple in Downtowne. An artist's rendition of the beasts can be seen on the wall here. After the Trickster's death at the hand of Garrett, the Maw of Chaos - the paradoxical realm of the Trickster and his minions - underwent numerous changes to both its environments as well as its inhabitants. We now know that the Maw of Chaos is exactly that - a chaotic dimension that must be maintained in order to remain stable. This role was filled first by the Trickster, whose dominant will maintained the Maw for generations. After his death, Viktoria attempted to fill the vacant role but was apparently less adept at the role. Or perhaps the Maw conforms to the will of its keeper. At any rate, the inhabitants of the Maw - including the Apebeasts - found themselves in a different world and different forms.

The Apebeasts of the Metal Age appeared even more animal-like than their previous counterparts, wearing no clothing and displaying a fuller covering of body hair. They also became more primitive in both speech and weaponry, carrying blowguns where once they carried swords. It should be noted, however, that some have surmised that the Apebeasts seen during the Dark Project only sported swords since that was the weapon they carried while disguised as human guards before the Trickster revealed himself. This theory would then also indicate that the tattered clothes they wore at the time were merely the remnants of their former uniforms. Unfortunately, there is no evidence now to support or discredit the theory. We know that during the reign of Viktoria, the beasts inhabited huts nestled among the treetops of the Maw, but since their dwellings under the reign of the Trickster are unknown, it is impossible to determine how much their overall civilization was affected by his death.

After Viktoria's death at the hands of the Mechanists, it is assumed that the Maw has undergone another round of violent change. However, since we have been unable to locate a portal or entryway leading to the Maw, this assumption has been relegated to the state of theory only. Despite continued alliances with the Pagans, they remain steadfastly silent on the matter. It is possible that the Maw itself - and all inhabitants of that realm - have ceased to exist. The current fate of the Apebeasts is unknown and shall remain so until new evidence presents itself.

	Variation: Pre-DP Prior to the death of the Trickster, the Apebeasts seen invading the City were somewhat comparable to humans - they wore clothing, although torn and stained - and used swords to defend themselves or attack. They patrolled Pagan territories with fervor, sniffing out intruders with precision. However, the Apebeasts walked with a sideways shuffling gait and are easily detected by the stealthy. The beasts also have a tendecy to mumble and talk amongst themselves.
	Variation: Post-DP After the death of the Trickster, the appearance and weaponry of the Apebeasts changed. No longer wearing even the remains of clothing, the beasts encountered in the Maw - now maintained by Viktoria - seemed more primitive and animalistic, using small blowguns instead of swords now. Their overall behavior, however, does not seem to have changed all that much. They still rely on smell and sight to locate intruders, and are still detectable by their loud shuffling steps.

Weaknesses:

The Apebeasts are susceptible to the same weapons and tactics as a human foe. They can be slain with the sword, knocked out with the blackjack or gas, and killed with a well-placed arrow. Of course, fire arrows or other explosive forces will also kill them, but such is not advisable due to the amount of noise and damage involved.

Threat Assessment:

Apebeasts have not been seen since the death of Viktoria during the Metal Age. It is unknown whether the Maw has been destroyed or merely closed off from our realm, but the fate of the beasts must remain a mystery for now. Although other similar creatures have been sighted within Pagan territories, none have been positively identified as Apebeasts. The threat assessment for this opponent is currently very low.

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