Bestiary
If you're unlucky - and you know you will be - you'll encounter some of these creatures as you run through the prison grounds at night.
Animal Experimentations
1. Rats - the most commonly experimented-on creature, rats found special home in Hell’s Gate. These beasts, thanks to genetic manipulation, have now grown to the size of small dogs, and have often been enhanced with experimental cyberware deemed too dangerous for testing on more valuable subjects. Many now are released at night, and long hours of starvation have led them to seek any meal they can, including human flesh.
2. Dogs - The vicious guard dogs during the day are nothing like the dogs at night. These dogs, which are only sent out at the end of the night, look more like beasts from hell than any modern breed of canine. Each canine is easily half again the size of a Rottweiler and covered in armor-like scales, and the limited light at night makes their eyes seem to glow red. Their teeth are larger and sharper than the conventional dog, as well, perfectly suited to maiming its victims. A prisoner would be lucky to escape unharmed from an encounter with one of these beasts. As the night ends, these beasts are released in scores.
3. Bats - There are two types of bats that have been experimented on. The small Vampire bat, and the Fire bat.
The small size of the vampire bat has been kept, but the scientists in Hell's Gate prison tampered with the minds of these small winged creatures. They still seek out dark and quiet places to roost, but the determination and hunger for their meal has been amplified ten times over. Once a vampire bat has a meal in sight, it will not stop until it has had its fill with their chosen victim's blood. They often hunt in groups of five - nine bats.
Small in nature, the fire bats make up for their small size with speed, numbers, and ferocity. Their bodies have been injected with various flamable liquids that maintain body heat by passive fire that burns along the fur of their torso. While stationary, the fire on the bats body is low and almost untraceable beneath their folded up wings, but when they take flight, the fire bursts into life and rages around the fire bats torso as they screech and hurl themselves towards their target.
4. Spiders - Several species of arachnids inhabit Hell's Gate and range from being the size of an adult male hand, to being as large as the average human. These creatures have been genetically modified and have now become one of Hell's Gate most deadly creatures. The enlarged and enhanced spiders both have a taste for human flesh, and while the smaller spider varieties still create webs, the largest have been modified to spin their silk from their mouth's and backend's at a moments notice. These arachnids are highly poisonous and generally have bites that will leave a prisoner feeling severely nausiated, dizzy, and left with a dangerously high body temperature. More than one bite from a spider will lead to the prisoner's death.
5. Scorpions - Lightning fast, the Scorpion uses both the poison in its barbed tail and its large pincers to capture and disable their prey. Their body has been enhanced to be roughly the same size as a medium dog with a tail twice the length of its body. If a prisoner is unfortunate enough to be stung by one of these scorpions, then the prisoner would be in for twelve hours of intense pain and swelling of the initial stab area.
6. Snakes - These slithery serpents have been genetically altered. While some snakes have kept their typical shape, others have had their genes spliced with human DNA to transform them into human/serpent hybrids. The venom from all of the creatures has been modified and replaced with a drugging agent. A bite from one of these serpents will result in the affected area numbing and it acts more like a muscle relaxant so then the snake in question can consume their meal faster. The effect lasts a two to three hours, but by then, their meal has already been consumed if the unlucky prisoner has no one else around to help them. The smallest snake in Hell's Gate is the size of an Amazon python, while the larger more humanoid serpents are the size of your average prisoner.
7. Minikin - The Minikin may be small, the size of a human toddler, but these vicious little creatures attack with blow darts and large kitchen knives. These miniature tribal monsters are quick, intelligent, individually weak and are easy to pick off should you come across one. What makes the Minikin dangerous, however, is the fact that they are never found by themselves. If a prisoner is unfortunate enough to come across these nightmarish creatures, they like to rush in and attack their prey in groups of four to seven.
They are well known for their hit and run tactics. Organised into pairs, the Minikin's attacks are very methodical and planned out. If one isn't careful, you could even find yourself poisoned by one of their darts.
8. Vapours - Created from the vapours that rise from the prison when the moon turns red, these mindless forms seek out the energy contained in all living things. While not evil in nature, their feeding habits do make them a serious threat to prisoners. They are almost invisible until the moment before the Vapour attacks. Although the observant prisoner might catch sight of them in the moment leading up to the attack, but pass it off merely as a 'trick of light', as the Vapour's give off the barest hint of light as they move.
9. Gremlins - These gremlins may be small, but they are vicious little creatures. They appear in large groups of seven to ten, and tend to use their numbers to their advantage as they attempt to capture prisoners so then they can sacrifice them. The gremlins have been infused with the ability to drop the temperature of the immediate area around them down to freezing levels to help give them an advantage in battle.
10. Chimera - These creatures are not always like the beasts of legend. Instead, they are an amalgamation of different animals, typically predators.
11.Horses - These equine beasts are seldom seen on the premesis, as much of Hell’s Gate is inside; however, they do occasionally make appearances. Unlike the other experiments, these horses were taken from those horses who were injured or dead and taken in for testing in cyber-reanimation. As a result, their skin is loose and sagging, and parts of the flesh may have rotted away to reveal the bone beneath. Unlike the normally docile beasts they were, these reanimated equines are unstable and violent, and thanks to the mix of biological and mechanical parts, their already lethal kicks are even more deadly. Some horses have also had metal or bone horns affixed to their heads, making them look like unicorns. These horns exist solely for the purpose of impaling their victims. The reanimation process is incomplete, however. These horses must devour human flesh to sustain themselves.
12. Bees - A variation of the already tenacious African strain of the bee, this new variety has had its DNA injected with strands of bullet ant DNA, specifically the DNA which governs the creation of the poison the bees inject when they sting their victim. This results in a breed of honeybee that gives little to no warning that someone has stumbled upon their hive before attacking, will pursue their quarry for miles, and whose stings feel like getting shot with a bullet. These creatures are not likely to kill a prisoner, though the pain they leave their victims will likely leave the unfortunate prisoner wishing that they had.
13. Monkeys - Nearly any species of monkey is taken for this, although the usual candidates are the smaller breeds. The aggressive impulses in the brain have been artificially stimulated, causing these monkeys to become fiercely territorial. Additionally, further brain implants have boosted their critical thinking and problem solving capabilities exponentially. While still unable to communicate, these monsters are highly intelligent and extremely hostile. A final neural enhancement allows these creatures to transmit brainwaves to other, weaker-willed life forms, thus taking control of them. While this would not work on any but the most dim-witted of prisoners, this does allow control of many of the other monsters that roam the halls. It is not uncommon to see a monkey riding a horse, or even sitting on the shoulder of a Goliath. They can open doors, handle weapons, and should, under no circumstances, be underestimated.
14. Birds - These creatures, typically crows and pidgeons, are mostly harmless on an individual level, and appear nearly indistinguishable from ordinary avian breeds save for a very slight red glint to their eyes as a result of the neural modifications and infrared sensors affixed inside their eyes. As a swarm, however, these creatures are extremely dangerous. Travelling in flocks of five to a twenty, these birds find a single target and collectively peck, bite, and scratch at their victims. Fortunately for any companions, once these birds kill a prisoner, they will leave the other prisoners alone as they stop to feed, unless disturbed.
15. Dragons - on the planet they were pulled from, dragons were highly intelligent creatures that lived longer than any living creature on Earth and varied in size from dog-sized beasts to creatures over 100 feet long. Several of these beasts were captured years ago and subjected to the same testing that underwent other animals. As their will was too strong to be easily controlled like with the other beasts, the dragons so pulled had extensive neurosurgery to inhibit their higher brain functions, much like with the Goliaths. Now these miserable beasts are incapable of thinking rationally, and are driven only to kill. Several breeds have been found inside the prison, each with slightly different capabilities. One breed has two chemical compounds in separate sacks which are highly flammable when combined and exposed to the air, resulting in a powerful fire-based attack. Another breed evolved to forego one of the sacks and instead only ejects a single noxious toxin. A final breed is considerably smaller than its cousins, no larger than a basset hound, but it is capable of producing a powerful bioelectric shock on anyone it bites. Most dragons have subsequently been bred to be small so as to fit into the rooms of the prison, but a few large ones are still caged and ready be unleashed if necessary.
Trans-dimensionals
1. Whisperers - These creatures always appear in twos, bound through an evolutionary advantage that lesser evolved civilizations might call ‘magic.’ Each is small, between an inch and a foot in length, and appears as a glowing ball of flame that, when in the shadows, could easily be mistaken for a pair of eyes. They feed off neurological patterns commonly associated with fear, and seem to gain sustenance from this. When they combine their efforts, they are capable of creating sensory illusions capable of fooling up to three individuals.
2. Lost Children - These trans-dimensional beings take the form of young children, although on closer inspection their features are hideously distorted. Their skin is pale and their eyes are sunken in. Their teeth consist entirely of canines, and their fingernails are sharp like talons. In the darkness, however, it is easy to confuse them with real children. They often call for help and lead their would-be rescuers to secluded locations, where two to four will jump upon a victim, devouring only their hearts and their eyes.
3. Gargoyles - These beasts appear capable of changing their bodies from stone to life-sustaining flesh at will. They often hide themselves as statues on the grounds, especially in locations where the prisoners are not often allowed during the day, and then attacking when a prisoner’s guard is let down. Gargoyles do not always take the traditional form their name implies, as they may also take other forms such as animals or even weeping angels.
4. Imps - These small, winged trans-dimensional beings stand half the size of a human, but that by no means limits their lethal natures. Unlike the traditional image of an imp, these creatures are by no means humanoid. They have huge bat-like wings and six long limbs that extend from a central segmented body. At the end of each limb is a three-taloned claw. It has no identifiable head or mouth, and it is unknown exactly how the creature is capable of sight. Its talons carry a nonlethal poison that causes an intense sensation of burning throughout its victim’s veins and can easily incapacitate an enemy. It seeks the eyes of its prey, and once it acquires them, it flies away, leaving its victim to slowly bleed to death.
5. Mannequins - These creatures look almost like humans, with three notable exceptions. First, they are naked yet have no obvious genitalia, though some have feminine forms and breasts while others clearly masculine forms and pectorals. Second, their heads are entirely featureless - no faces, no ears, no hair. Third, each finger is twice again as long as a normal human finger, and ends in a point. While their attacks themselves are not typically deadly, the poison they carry instantly numbs the body part struck and renders it useless. A strike to the body will affect the closest limb, while a strike to the head knocks the prisoner entirely immobile immediately. Once a prisoner has been incapacitated completely, the mannequin will proceed to remove the target’s skin while they are still alive, and will wear the skin. One prisoner’s flesh is not enough to cover a mannequin’s form completely, so it is not unusual to see these creatures partially covered with human flesh wandering around, looking for more bodies to complete their suits.
6. Harpies - They are generally weak individually, but in groups they can pose a threat to even the most experience prisoner. Most harpies are around the size of young children and with a wingspan of twice that length, but there have been some documented reports of the odd harpy growing to adult size. Using their clawed feet as weapons, they can often be seen diving out of the sky towards their victims and causing fatal slashes to their prey’s body before taking the remains back to their nests.
7. Fire spirits - These trans-dimensional entities are bipedal humanoids in appearance, with grey cracked skin and long, lithe features. Magma can be seen just underneath the cracks in the skin. Their heads are hairless and lacking in notable features except for a huge toothless mouth that covers the majority of their faces and two holes where ears should be. At will they can light any part of their bodies on fire, though it does not hurt them. They consume ashes to stay alive, preferably the ashes of the once-living.
8. Wind spirits - Possibly the most benign of the trans-dimensional entities brought to Hell’s Gate are the wind spirits. These entities stand approximately 2’ tall and have slender, fragile frames. Their faces they cover with raven masks, and their petite bodies are covered in black feathers. Using advanced biotechnology, they are capable of manipulating the wind to create lift and give them the ability to fly. They are curious by nature, and tenacious thieves. While they have no interest in harming prisoners, they are more than willing to work in groups to deprive a prisoner of their precious possessions. There is a mother somewhere. She’s not as nice.
9. Water Spirits - These slow moving monsters appear similar to slugs, although they have four tentacle-like appendages which constantly wave in the air to suck in moisture. While easily avoided, these trans-dimensional entities are extremely dangerous, as each tentacle is capable of sucking the moisture out of anything they come in contact with, and move much more rapidly than the slow moving body. They leave behind a trail of corrosive acid that can melt the sole from a boot in under a second.
10. Earth Spirits - These small creatures have grey, almost stone-like skin and constantly dirty features. In some ways they resemble beardless dwarves, although their short stubby hands are ended with mole-like claws, and all of their teeth consist of incisors and molars. They are expert diggers, and can pass through solid ground almost as quickly as they can walk. A common attack is to strike at their prey from beneath them. The claws of the earth spirits are huge, easily capable of flaying skin from bone, which is perfect for the Earth Spirit’s diet. They subsist not on the flesh of other living creatures, but on their bones. Their jaws are powerful and can easily break human bone.
Ex-Prisoner Experimentations
1.Goliaths - These humanoids, through the use of growth hormones and DNA manipulation, now grow to be 7.5-10 feet in height, but suffer from diminished mental acuity and loss of higher brain functions. This has been solved by the rewiring of the poor victim’s brain and replacing large portions of the cerebral cortex with miniaturized supercomputers. Wires can be seen running from the back of these creatures’ heads and down their back to provide more efficient communication with the spinal cord. While still lacking the ability to think rationally or be reasoned with, this cyber ware operation has resulted in unfeeling killing machines.
2. Hosts - These poor victims have been implanted with one of a variety of mildly intelligent parasites, each capable of taking control of their victim after a suitable length of infection. The parasites infest the brain after three days and eventually devour it, leading to total control after a week of infection. There are many different strands of these parasites. The most common turn their host into nothing more than shambling corpses, easily dispatched by removing the head. More rare strains may have different effects on their hosts. All hosts have only one goal when released at night: locate other viable sources of infestation for their parasites. In most cases, transmission of the parasites is accomplished by a bite to open a wound and time to allow the parasites to infest the body.
3. Iron Gladiators - Perhaps in contrast to the Goliaths, who are all body and no brain, these unfortunate victims have had their brains transplanted into purely metal constructs. Looking in appearance to be medieval knights wielding traditional medieval weaponry, these patients have been fooled into believing they will be given their old bodies back only once they kill a suitable number of prisoners (usually 100). Their new bodies carry with them no voicebox, so they are incapable of speech.
4. Cerberus - Named after the three-headed dogs of legend, these unfortunate prisoners are not one, but actually multiple prisoners forged together into one entity. Typically consisting of three or more prisoners’ parts, these creatures may have four arms, multiple heads, or other appendages and features. Often hands are replaced with blades or scythes as well. Creation of a Cerberus is a length process, as usually multiple brains are incorporated into the final design. These prisoner-hybrids are starved and then fed human flesh until they develop a taste for it, and then are starved again until finally being sent out into the prison one night to hunt for other prisoners.
Other Experiments
1. Biosirens - During the day these plants often remain buried underground, sending only small shoots that resemble normal plants up to take in light for photosynthesis, but at night they rise out from underground to seek prey. When not actively seeking prey, they resemble giant flytraps; however, when they begin to hunt, they open up to reveal a beautiful naked man or woman with green skin. This figure is attached to the plant by long vines, and the flytrap while open blooms to look more like a flower than the ominous mouth of a carnivorous plant. It seeks to draw hapless prisoners into the “flower” with it, preferably willingly, though she is strong enough to use force if necessary. Once the victim is inside the mouth, the flytrap closes and the plant pulls itself back underground to digest its prey. Digestion takes a full night and is assumed to be a very painful experience.
2. Blood Vines - These plants often grow in dark, damp areas of the prison, and grow quickly. A small cutting of vine placed on a basement wall in the morning could very easily grow to cover the entire wall by the evening if given enough blood. These barbed vines respond favorably to heat, lashing out rapidly in an attempt to ensnare their prey. Once ensnared, these plants do not rend or tear, but instead suck the blood out of its prey through suctions in the thorns. A full grown man would be completely drained of blood in four hours.
Machinery
1. Perimeter Sentries - Not encountered in the prison itself, but frequently flying around its perimeter at night, these flying robots seek any unauthorized personnel and apply deadly force if necessary. Each robot is equipped with two light caliber automatic machine guns. They track targets by their heat signatures, and fly by means of a series of rotating blades similar to a helicopter’s.
2. Tripods - These tripedal robots stand about 4’ tall, but have a wide base, and are frequently seen in areas off-limits to prisoners within the prison itself. They track the radio frequencies that emanate from prisoner’s collars, and open fire with either one Gatling gun-style weapon, or two high caliber rifles.
"Bosses"
1. Queen of Winds - The ‘mother’ of the air spirits, the Queen of Winds is seldom seen outside of her lair in the southwest guard tower. She appears human, save that her hair is actually made of feathers and her arms and legs both end in talons. Like her children, she wears a raven mask to disguise her features. Unlike her children, she is also exceedingly dangerous, especially when confronted inside her lair. Beyond control of wind, the Queen of Winds is also capable of creating illusions and vanishing from sight herself. Should someone manage to actually slay the Queen, every treasure ever stolen from prisoners is theirs for the keeping.
2. Carnifex Virorum, the killer of men - This beast looks much like the traditional bipedal werewolf, except he is covered in a custom built platemail suit, and he wears a spiked helmet stained with blood. Instead of using his claws, he wields a massive bloody double-bladed axe, which he freely carries one-handed. His eyes glow red, and he moves with incredible speed and ferocity. He rarely is let free from his trans-dimensional prison, as no prisoner nor group of prisoners has ever been able to even scratch his armor, but is occasionally allowed to wander should the warden lose control of the prisoners, or should a well-paying customer request him.
3. Lord of Pestilence - An evolved form of water spirit, this slug has evolved an obese upper body and even a pair of limbs with opposable thumbs. Its number of tentacles has tripled from four to twelve, and around its corpulent body clouds of flies swarm. He is easy to avoid, however, because his stench quickly gives him away. Should a prisoner see him, however, it is likely already too late. His tentacles have the same ability as water spirits…that is, the ability to suck water out of anything they contact. The flies also seem to work under the Lord of Pestilence’s command, flying into the eyes, nose, and mouths of anyone who tries to come close enough to attack this beast. He dislikes open air, and prefers to linger in the dark secret passageways and caverns under the prison.
4. Belial, King of the Dragons - This powerful dragon’s scales, unlike the shinier scales of the other breeds, are pitch black, though a few are laced with hints of red. Also unlike the other dragons, Belial is unique in that he was not experimented upon, but in fact went willingly to work with the warden. He is highly intelligent and easily as large as a house, and his fire breath is dangerously potent. Unlike the other monsters and bosses, however, he is uninterested in killing the prisoners, instead he is only sent out when prisoners escape, and his duty is to hunt them down and bring them back. He is capable of speech, and is particularly cruel-hearted towards the prisoners. While his orders are to bring them back alive if possible, he delights in playing games of cat and mouse, and often points out that his orders do not involve bringing the prisoners back unharmed.