Aconstrum

Though we are a plant-based species, Dryads still face their fair share of monsters. This is something that meat-based species always seem to never take seriously. To them, a monster is some horrid beast that craves flesh and feasts upon blood. The idea of something eating leaves and bark does not seem frightening to them in the least. People often joke that while their kind faces the likes of dragons, manticores and vampires, dryads have to deal with rabbits and gophers. If dryads were to follow that logic, though, we would think that humans are complete babies when it comes to things like basilisks and cyclops. Since we are made of plants, these meat-eaters don't care about us and won't waste the energy on something they can't eat. A carnical could be rampaging down Main Street, and a dryad could just sit down with a good book and take in some sun. Things driven by a hunger for meat and blood don't care about plants, and that works the other way around too. Just because a Planggalan poses no threat to you, it doesn't mean you shouldn't take them seriously. Even worse, it shouldn't mean that you should mock others who are affected by it. We have our own monsters and beasts, and to us, they are just as terrifying as any blood-drinking vampire or flesh-tearing werewolf. They just happen to be vampires that feed on sap, and "werewolves" that rip through bark and root.

The "werewolf" creature that I am referring to is known as the Aconstrum. The reason I make this comparison is because both are formed through the transformation of a victim's mind and body, and also involves infection through bite and formation at night. Past that, things are quite different. I am even hesitant to use the comparison of "werewolf" because people will start making assumptions or get confused. The Aconstrum are not part wolf, or part man. Calling them "wereplants" or "weredryads" is also incorrect. And don't even think of cracking the joke about "lichen-thropy," that is something completely different. It's lichen-morphy, and that is magic. Aconstrums are Aconstrums, that is it. Them and werewolves are two completely different things, but they just happen to have a few similarities. Don't get them mixed up.  

Aconstrum are a species that lives solely on the predation and parasitization of dryads. Even calling it a species may be a bit of a stretch, as some of started viewing Aconstrum as more of disease, or a curse if you will. The physical form of one of these creatures comes only through the mutation and transformation of a dryad host. They do not have true bodies themselves, only manifesting once a dryad is infected. How or where the Aconstrum started is a mystery, similar to the origins of werewolves and vampires. Regardless of how they began, Aconstrum start their life cycle once a dryad host is infected. This comes only through the bite of an Aconstrum, whose mouth drips with a mixture of sap, saliva and pollen. This foul soup gets into the wounds of the bitten and makes its way through the host's body. The effects are not immediate as one would think. Rather, they take days to set in, and even then, they are not noticeable. It is this calm period that often makes Aconstrum infection tough to spot. Aconstrum form and hunt only at night, and use the veil of darkness to hide their attacks. An unwary dryad might not have the chance to see what attacked her, and often the chaos of the event may mask the bite as a simple wound received from a nasty scuffle. Even if a dryad is fully aware of the bite, they have to act fast before the first wave of effects kick in. Whatever the Aconstrum may be classified as, be it disease or parasite, it has manipulative effects on the dryad brain. The first stage of Aconstrum infection comes solely as a change in mental behavior. However it does it, it does it very well. A dryad that has been bitten will slowly forget about the bite even occurring, their eyes and mind simply glossing over the wound. Even a dryad that has fully seen the attacking Aconstrum will eventually lose that memory in a few days. Friends and family who may point out the wound will just get a halfhearted answer, as the host simply attributes the injury to some "accident" that must have happened. During this early stage, it is important that the host or those close to them act fast. It is not in fear of permanent damage, but mostly because this stage is the easiest to cure. At this point, the host will not be resisting, and thus be easier to handle. The longer one waits, though, the more likely the host will fight back and lash out. This is even more so for the victim themselves. If one believes they have been bitten, immediately get yourself to an elder or healer and tell them. It will not be long before you forget it ever happened. 

Shortly after this forgetful spell, the host will slowly become paranoid. Things will seem "off" to them, and they will begin to worry that someone, or something, is out to get them. Individuals who may be sociable and open may slowly seem more closed off and shy away from socialization. The dryad will start to think that their friends and family are hiding something from them, or trying to get rid of them. Scared, the infected will try to keep to themselves as much as possible. As they hide and make excuses, their body is slowly being altered from the inside out. Unbeknownst to them, their body is becoming tougher and stronger as time goes on. They will gain a strength that they aren't even aware of. This is what causes later treatments to become difficult. When fellow dryads try to inspect the wound, or try to take them in for treatment, the infected will lash out. They will believe that it is all a trick, that this is some ruse to lure them into a trap. With their new strength and endurance, the infected can put up quite the fight. An individual who once had trouble moving a table by themselves will now suddenly be throwing opponents across the room and launching punches that can dent armor. If it ever gets to the point where an infected starts physically fighting back, it is vital that the village find a way to incapacitate them or restrain them. Because if they fight their way free, they will flee the village and run into the wilderness. If this happens, finding them will be incredibly difficult and there may never be a chance to cure them before the transformation becomes permanent.

After days of paranoia and worry, the infection will have gained enough footing and energy to begin the more famous stage of the Aconstrum life cycle. When night falls, the infection will grab hold of the victim's mind and take control. The dryad will be completely unaware of her actions at this point. For some reason, they just feel the desire to go out into the darkness, away from prying eyes and listening ears. When alone in the night, the transformation will occur. Bark will bend and twist. Limbs will elongate and crack. Thick, purple petal-like structures will form on their head and back. Fingers and roots will strengthen and sharpen into wooden claws. Their mouths will contort and sharp teeth will burst out. The transformation is quick, but brutal. The isolation is to keep from others hearing the host's cries and their bodies violent contortions. What emerges from the other side is a bestial creature, one designed for hunting and killing. The limbs will now be suited for traveling on all fours, through they can stand if need be. Their circular mouth will be ringed with sharp teeth and flailing tendrils. Speech is now replaced with guttural snarls and wet howls. This is the Aconstrum's true form, a feral mockery of dryad kind that lives off of infections and plant flesh.

Though the transformation is shocking, at this stage it is not permanent. It will only last for the night, so the Aconstrum has to make do with the time it has. When in this form, Aconstrum hunger for plant flesh, but also seek to infect others. The first night will always be used for scouting out its territory, and finding places to ambush prey. Aconstrum look for places where they can take out a dryad without anyone else noticing. When a hunting area is found, they will seek out victims who may wander in. Though feral, Aconstrum are not dumb. If a target is too risky or too well guarded, they will not attempt the attack. They do not want the locals to figure out that an Aconstrum is loose, so they will do what they can to hide their tracks. The problem with this, though, is that the Aconstrum need to feed on dryads to live. They can wait a few nights without feeding, but each night without a meal will make the hunger worse. To try and satiate this hunger, the Aconstrum can bite into trees and feed on their sap and insides. This meal, though, is not a substantial one, and it also leaves evidence. Dryads who find strange, circular wounds in trees should be wary, as that can be a sign that an Aconstrum is loose. If the Aconstrum is not tortured by its hunger and it finds a suitable dryad to attack, they will choose to infect them. This means a quick bite and a heavy dose of pollen-soaked saliva in the wounds. The tendrils that ring its mouth are soaked in this fluid, and they will probe injuries to let the juices in. This attack will be quick and blinding, with the aim of infecting the dryad without them realizing it. As time goes on, though, the hunger will become too much and they will think less about reproducing and more on feeding. Dryads that are attacked will be torn to pieces as the ravenous Aconstrum feasts on their body. These horrid maulings are the ones that make it into the tales and stories. When a neighbor will be out picking mushrooms only to find the shredded, dripping remains of a fellow dryad scattered in the underbrush. Though a dryad can fall prey to a number of herbivorous species, finds like these are enough to set a town into panic and launch aggressive investigations to find out who is the Aconstrum in their midst.

When night ends, the transformation will revert itself back into the regular dryad. Still in a delirious state, the victim will wander back home and pass out. Eventually they will wake up in their own mind, having zero recollection of the night's events. Any injuries, markings or stains will be chalked up as accidents or sleepwalking. Their bodies will be sore from the transformation, but they will attribute that to a tough day's work. The infection will always keep it so that the victim will never once think that they are sick with this disease. Even as news spreads around town of horrible deaths and strange howls in the night, the victim will never suspect themselves. If accused, they will come up with a number of excuses and explanations, their paranoia being confirmed as the town seemingly turns on them. If left to their own devices, the Aconstrum transformation will occur every night for about a week. The reign of terror will continue for as long as it can, until the dryad is cured, killed or the final transformation occurs. If the dryad escapes into the wilderness, or is never cured, eventually the transformation will become permanent. Whoever they once were will be completely gone, and all that will be left is the monstrous Aconstrum. They will remain in this state forever, hiding during the day and attacking by night. They may migrate to a different territory, but their hunt for dryads to eat and infect will continue on. In the rare cases where Aconstrum are able to find others, they will band together in a pack and become much more aggressive in their assaults. A pack of Aconstrum will openly attack towns, feasting on the weak and dragging victims off to be transformed. With their strength and numbers, they can keep dryads prisoners in their dens, infecting them and guarding them until the infection takes over. In this state, the Aconstrum are at their strongest and most dangerous. They are capable of wiping out entire towns and can tear through well armed battalions. At this point, it may be impossible for dryads to even stop these creatures. They will turn to other species for help, or if they cannot receive aid, will throw every last thing they can against this foe. Some have even burned down entire sections of forest in ordered to immolate the Aconstrums trapped inside. The burning of such sacred places is horrible for dryads, but if it means destroying these beasts, then it must be done. 

In their monstrous state, Aconstrum are incredibly difficult foes to fight. They are quite fast on their feet, and use their agility to flank targets. Their sharp claws and nasty teeth can deal devastating injuries, and they will often look for ways to cripple attackers. Tearing at joints and backs are their main strategy, incapacitating foes so that they can move in for the kill. Their strength only makes things worse, as they are much stronger than they look. Grappling one is quite difficult, and when one latches on, they are practically impossible to dislodge. In seconds, they can dodge around attacks and maul a target with ease. Add more to their ranks, and they are a force to be reckoned with. Even the use of fire does not guarantee a victory. Their bark and bodies are solidified to a point where fire has a hard time biting in and taking hold. The petals on their backs and heads also weep a fire-resistant liquid that makes it that much harder. One can indeed burn an Aconstrum, but it will take much longer to do so, and time is not an abundant resource during these battles. Even when injured or burned, an Aconstrum can keep on fighting. The loss of a limb is nothing to them, as they can still kill you just the same. Their hardiness in battle has led to the legends that an Aconstrum is invincible and cannot be killed by conventional means. That is not true, but you do really need to mash them into pulp to be sure that they are down for good.

Though they are extremely dangerous, there is a way to take down an Aconstrum. While fire and spears may not do the trick, the true way to bring down one of these beasts is with copper. For whatever reason, copper is extremely poisonous to them. Wounding one with this metal will cause them to go into spasms, eventually killing them moments later. For this to work, though, the copper weapon needs to be 100% pure copper. The blade then needs to be stabbed into the body or head, so that the system will absorb it faster. One can nick the arms and legs, but it will take longer for the effects to kick in. Impure copper weapons will indeed still effect the Aconstrum, but it will not outright kill it. It will slow them down and weaken them, which can open up a window for attack. If one cannot get their hands on a pure copper blade, then I suggest finding something with some copper in it and bringing a dozen more fighters with you. Slow it down with the copper weapon, and then send the rest of them in to beat the creature to death when it is weakened by the attack. Since pure copper is a sure fire way to slay an Aconstrum, it is no surprise that most dryad villages keep a small arsenal of copper weapons in their armories. Some dryads even like to wear it as decorations or jewelry, with the belief that it will keep Aconstrums and other horrors away. I would say that this is a silly superstition, but since I am currently wearing a copper leaf necklace, I will hold my tongue.

Though I have made this whole entry pretty harrowing, there is hope for those who are infected. A dryad who has been infected by an Aconstrum can be cured at any stage prior to the final metamorphosis. Temporary transformations can still be cured, even if they are in the form of an Aconstrum. It is only when they transform for the final time that it is too late to save them. The only option then is to put them out of their misery. To cure a dryad afflicted with the Aconstrum infection, one has to force them to eat a carefully prepared herbal stew. The main ingredient of this is a plant called Cerulean Visage. This flower and its seeds are poisonous to dryads, but careful preparation can allow it to be used as a remedy. It is mixed in with several other herbs and then boiled. The resulting stew then needs to be eaten by the victim. If it is not possible to feed it to them, then it can be injected into their bodies. This should only be done as a last result, as it does not guarantee curing them, and in some cases, can just straight up kill them. It is best to feed it to them, but often you will have to force feed it to them. Infected dryads will treat the stew like a boiling cauldron of poison, and will do anything to get away from it. A mere whiff of it will send them into a violent panic, causing them to scream and flail like a wild animal. At this point, you will have to just pin them down, force it into their mouths and hold their jaws shut until they swallow. It isn't gentle, but you are saving their lives. Believe me, they will thank you later. It may not seem like it while they are screaming, swearing and screeching plenty of horrible things to you during the process.  

While an infected dryad can be cured at any time, it is recommended that it is done as early as possible. As the stages go on, the mental alterations and inner workings of the infection can sometimes leave lasting scars. A dryad cured during the later stages may never be the same mentally wise, though some fare better with it then others. The worst cases often have the victims dealing with paranoia or schizophrenia long after they have been cured. If the dryad was at the point where they transformed every night, then they may experience strange bouts or breakdowns at night for months, or even years later. Those who are cured early on will face little effects from their infection, and may continue to live their normal lives immediately after being cured. Those who were saved in the late stages will not make such a recovery. They will need to be kept at home for weeks, even months, where a caretaker can watch over them. Often a family member of friend will take on the responsibility of caretaker, which involves quitting one's job and ridding yourself of all other responsibilities. The road to recovery is a long and tough one, but if one is in proper hands and loving arms, they will find themselves once again. 


Chlora Myron
Dryad Natural Historian

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Dryads have their own vampires, and now they have their own "werewolf"-esque  monsters!