"Little People" of Leng

There's too many weird peoples in the Mythos who all kind of "mean" the same thing. Some judicious pruning for importation into DFX is... well, judicious. The following three "races" of subhumans can all be combined into a single group, instead of three separate ones.

• The "Little People", also known as the Worms of the Earth (from the story of the same name by Robert E. Howard) and several other REH stories. They seem to also be the same people that he refers to in "People of the Dark" and "The Children of the Night" as well as (probably) "The Black Stone." These guys also may be the same, or meant to be referring to the same beings as mentioned by Lovecraft briefly in "The Whisperer in Darkness" and Arthur Maachen's "The Novel of the Black Seal." They don't seem to have a common name, other than perhaps the Worms of the Earth themselves, but they are described the same way in all cases. 
• The Tcho-tcho (and possibly also the tchortcha) mentioned in "The Horror at the Museum" as well as being a major component of the T.E.D. Klein story "Black Man With a Horn" (highly recommended, by the way.) These guys are more human-like, perhaps, than the Worms, or at least they seem to be be able to pass as an unsettling and alien human race whereas REH always describes the Worms as subhuman, but their cannibalistic tendencies alone make them horrifying. 
• The satyr-like "Men of Leng" which are most prominently featured in The DreamQuest of Unknown Kadath both in their native environment on Leng and as the black galley sailors that come to Dylath-Leen with weird moon rubies, and who take slaves from the lands of men. 

Honestly, conceptually all of these people are similar to my own Wendaks or Grendlings; the Children of Grendel, the Lingering Atlanteans; in that they are an ancient, subhuman (and devolving even more as time goes on) race that is on the outs, hostile to humanity, and kind of horrifying. Maybe I can simply use the race that I already have, but borrow elements (as needed/desired) from the races above. In particular, I like the fact that they live in very remote places, possibly even underground in very remote places to make them even more remote... but that lingering relics and ruins of their past worship of monsters like Tsathoggua, Ghoth the Burrower, Yogash the Ghoul, Chaugnar Faugn, Gol-goroth, Shugoran, or whomever. (REH specifically mentions Cthulhu and Dagon, I believe, too, in "Worms of the Earth".)

However, if I do that, and I'm leaning strongly towards so doing, I need to establish some kind of connection between the Grendlings and Leng that doesn't currently exist. For the remainder of this post, I'll be noodling with some ideas. 

First off, of course, it's worth level-setting; the Grendlings are degenerate and continuously degenerating descendants of Atlanteans who were on the main continent for whatever reason (mostly as soldiers, slaves or somesuch) when Atlantis sank. Although the curse of Atlantis still fell on them, they didn't (obviously) sink into the sea, since they weren't on Atlantis, so they didn't just drown in a watery cataclysm like the majority of their race. The curse that they inherited was, however, more insidious and delayed. I'm not sure how long ago Atlantis sank. A long time ago, but it doesn't have to be tens of thousands of years, or anything. The tendency of fantasy creators to overly prolong their timelines and histories into ridiculously long periods is unnecessary. Besides, if the curse still hasn't caught up to them after tens of thousands of years, it really wasn't all that terrible. I'm thinking the sinking of Atlantis can't be more than about a thousand years ago at most.

Secondly, Leng is much more ancient than Atlantis. Leng, like Amrruk the Ancient probably predates the world as we know it; it goes back to whatever pre-Adamite world existed here before it was wiped clean and reset with the current race of men.  The plateau of Leng is difficult to reach, nearly impossible to climb, and extremely uninviting, just from an environmental perspective.  Very little grows on its cold, windswept surface, which is littered with ancient menhirs, standing stones, and crumbling ruins of ancient walls and structures who's purpose can only be guessed at today.  The few creatures that eke out a living on the plateau of Leng are carnivorous giant spiders and cannibalistic Grendlings who are darker in nature, and more mystical and sorcerous than those who live in the Haunted Forest or Orlok Marshes, or other pockets of Grendling population.

Despite this, there appear to be other inhabitants of some kind as well.  Eerie howls of unknown provenance echo across the vast table-land, and the scratching and digging of some kind of creature that is rarely glimpsed but frequently heard can be picked out by keen listeners as well.  These glimpses seem to be of pale, lumpish creatures that are not even vaguely humanoid, being instead hunched, toad-like creatures, like Deep Ones who have lived for generations in caves and become pale and eyeless.

This bleakness is broken by a few landmarks:

Carcosa. Located on the edge of the plateau, with sheer cliffs that fall along with a tall, thin waterfall from the dark, silent waters of Lake Hali from which nearly constant mist rises, this abandoned and cursed city has no inhabitants that can be seen, but there is always an eerie feel of watchfulness and menace.  A strange flapping sound, as of rags hung out in a strong wind, echoes through the deserted stone.  According to patchy myths and legends, the King in Yellow himself might haunt Carcosa at times. Carcosa, apparently, predates the current age of mankind.

Sarkomand. A city of the Grendlings, where they have some measure of culture.  Ruled over by the Elder Heirophant (also known as the Tcho Tcho Lama, or the High Priest Not to Be Described), a mysterious figure who also hides himself behind yellow robes, this is a sinister city where peoples of the Three Realms might come as slaves—possibly—but they don't live long.  Rumors are that vast caverns called the Vaults of Zin lurk underneath the city.

Hsan. A city near the center of the plateau, peopled by carnivorous and intelligent (yet barbaric) hairy creatures (withered and emaciated ape-like carnivores called wijikos adapted to the cold, windswept environment on top of the plateau) They also have a subject relationship of sorts with the Heirophant, and provide many of the goods that the Heirophants people need to live—although they also have a fractious relationship, since the wijikos cannot live with anyone, and frequently bring violence to the people of Sarkomand and anyone else that they can reach. Exiled Grendlings do live among them, especially the most degenerated individuals, that are little more than apes themselves.

Atlantis apparently was enchanted by the ruins and eerie mystique of Leng, and heedless of the danger. They established an ancient city at its foot called Mnar, from which expeditions to Carcosa and elsewhere were launched. Although it's impossible to know now, it is likely that whatever the Atlanteans found on Leng was instrumental in their own degeneracy and cursing, and the destruction of their nation; a poison pill more thorough is hard to imagine.

The ruins of Mnar are known to seekers of esoteric and forbidden knowledge, but they are difficult to explore, as they are half buried in thick, viscous, mud and cold fens with reeking, tall grasses, thick although scattered trees, and near constant fog. Most believe that the entire area is haunted, and strange sounds are frequently heard when in the area, but there is no reliable information on what is actually there.

L is for the Plateau of Leng

As you may have noticed, if you've looked at my map of the Forbidden Lands (which is not meant to be comprehensive; many locations exist which aren't labeled on that map), one of the notable locations is the Plateau of Leng.  Ringed by titanic mountains of madness (heh), but with Lake Hali and the Tarqan Lake on its southern and southeastern edges, the plateau is difficult to reach, nearly impossible to climb, and extremely uninviting, just from an environmental perspective.  Very little grows on its cold, windswept surface, which is extremely arid and littered with ancient menhirs, standing stones, and crumbling ruins of ancient walls and structures who's purpose can only be guessed at today.  The few creatures that eke out a living on the Plateau of Leng are carnivorous giant spiders and cannibalistic, pale people, similar to the inhabitants of the Cannibal Isle, and probably ethnically related to them.  These "Men of Leng" as they are known, have a tendency to devolve into beast-like sub-humans over time, although their curse appears to be different than that of the Islanders.

Despite this, there appear to be other inhabitants of some kind as well.  Eerie howls of unknown provenance echo across the vast table-land, and the scratching and digging of some kind of creature that is rarely glimpsed but frequently heard can be picked out by keen listeners as well.  These glimpses seem to be of pale, lumpish creatures that are not even vaguely humanoid, being instead hunched, toad-like creatures, like Deep Ones who have lived for generations in caves and become pale and eyeless.

This bleakness is broken by a few landmarks:

Carcosa. Located on the edge of the plateau, with sheer cliffs that fall into the dark, silent waters of Lake Hali from which nearly constant mist rises, this abandoned and cursed city has no inhabitants that can be seen, but there is always an eerie feel of watchfulness and menace.  A strange flapping sound, as of rags hung out in a strong wind, echoes through the deserted stone.  According to patchy myths and legends, the King in Yellow himself might haunt Carcosa at times.

Sarkomand. A city of the Men of Leng, where they have some measure of culture.  Ruled over by the Elder Heirophant (also known as the Tcho Tcho Lama, or the High Priest Not to Be Described), a mysterious figure who also hides himself behind yellow robes, this is a sinister city where peoples of the Lands of Three Empires might come as slaves--possibly--but they don't live long.  Rumors are that vast caverns called the Vaults of Zin lurk underneath the city.

Iganok.  A small port town on the shores of Tarqan Lake.  The peoples who live here are subject to the Hierophant of Sarkomand.  In addition to the sinister traffic in slaves for unknown purposes, they also mine onyx from the slopes of the plateau itself.

N'gah. Actually, a city in the Hsan Jungle just to the west of the plateau, the carnivorous and intelligent (yet barbaric) apes and monkeys that live here also have a subject relationship of sorts with the Heirophant, and provide many of the goods that the Heirophants people need to live--although they also have a fractious relationship, since the apes cannot live with anyone, and frequently bring violence to the people of Sarkomand, Iganok, and anyone else that they can reach.

Kadath.  A city atop the mountains that overlooks the plateau with a commanding view, this cold, black-stoned fortress-city is the home of the Great Ones--mysterious beings who nominally (but passively) rule the entire plateau.

F is for Forbidden Lands

Here's a scan of my WIP map.  A portion of it, anyway.  I actually think I'm going to redraw this entire thing in a new format--a digital format--and add text digitally and whatnot.  But for now, here's most of the Forbidden Lands.  As is immediately apparent, a lot of Lovecraftian names make appearances.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that this is a secondary world fantasy setting, a lot of the names come from the Dreamlands stories.

C is for Cannibal Island

For to the east and north lies a large body of land called Cannibal Island.  It isn't far from the mainland, although it is far from any "civilized" location recognized by citizens of the land of the Three Empires.  Qizmiri sailors exploring the northland have occasionally stumbled across it, as well as curious and foolhardy explorers from Baal Hamazi.  Because it is buffered from the land of the Three Empires by other locations that are collectively known as the "Forbidden Lands", however, little traffic goes to the island.  It is known as a rumor and a byword amongst travelers and those who like strange tales, as well as in esoteric circles where forbidden, heretical and illegal knowledge is sought.  And, perhaps surprisingly, there are more inhabitants of the Cannibal Island who come to the land of the Three Empires than vice-versa.

Cyclopean architecture on Cannibal Island

At about a quarter milion square miles, Cannibal Island is a significant landform, almost the size of Madagascar.  Much of it is covered in tropical jungles, but it also has significant areas of high elevation that are cool and foggy.  Cities, ziggurats, temples and villages dot the area, and it boasts a significant population of decentralized yet architecturally and technologically fairly advanced people of unknown original extraction.  Yet these people are cursed, in ways both overt and subtle.

People from the Cannibal Island are visually very easy to spot.  Of course, few in the land of the Three Empires know what they look like, so they are instead considered to be merely albinos, or non-hamazi hellkin, or simply pale-skinned people of some other race when they are seen.  Many of them are careful to avoid showing their faces, and thus their features are not obvious even when one has been met.  Their skin-tone is a chalky pale gray or almost white, a most unnatural color for most humans.  There is no trace of pink or flesh-coloring, as one would expect in a true albino.  Hair can be either silvery white or jet black; only turning something else artificially, or perhaps going iron gray with age.  Their eyes are also extremely pale--beyond the lightest gray eyes normally seen amongst the balshatoi or other northerner races, verging on completely colorless.  The pigmented cells of the iris look like finely etched silver lines on a white background against the whites of the eyes--again, not a feature associated at all with true albinos.  Many Islanders also feature dark tattoos on their face, giving them stylized skull-like visages.  Those who leave the Cannibal Island are often assassins for hire, or cultists making pilgrimages to the strange and fell spirits whom they worship.

As the name of the island suggests, the inhabitants of Cannibal Island are, in fact, cannibals.  Normally they raid each other for "long pork" since they have few visitors and few outsiders live within easy striking distance of their island, but some of them do indeed travel farther afield in search of their ghoulish repast.  There are even rumors of an entire pirate ship crewed by Cannibal Island natives, who's search for treasure to loot is less important to them in search of captives to add to their larder.

Feral cannibal

As a matter of fact, the corrupted and fell environment of the Forbidden Lands has caused the inhabitants of the Cannibal Island to become cursed, and their cannibalism is a direct result of that curse.  If an Islanders does not indulge in an anthropophagic repast, over time his body will become corrupt, his mind will wither, and he will devolve into a savage beast.  Twisting painfully, his body will become emaciated, yet hard and strong as iron, his teeth will grow and develop points, his eyes will become sunken and sharp.  His mind and behavior will become feral and uncontrollable.

In d20 game terms, this curse can be treated as a magically induced disease (similar to Mummy rot) with a save DC of 15.  Every month that human flesh is not consumed (incubation period 1 month), the targeted character's Intelligence drops by 1 if they cannot make the saving throw.  If the targeted creature's intelligence drops to 0, the character becomes a ghoul.  It is impossible to treat this malady except magically--restoration or lesser restoration can restore lost ability points.  To eliminate the curse completely, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the disease can be magically cured as any normal disease.

Keep in mind that in the DARK•HERITAGE campaign setting, however, which does not have "regular" spellcasting classes, access to these spells is much more limited than in D&D, and may not be available at all.  For this reason, inhabitants of the Cannibal Island who come to other lands or regions almost always turn to the hunting and eating of other people.  It is not necessary that a new victim be hunted each month--a person can provide enough meat for several months assuming that the meat can be properly preserved somehow.  They either prefer rural areas where missing victims are unlikely to be missed for some time, or seedy urban areas where missing victims are, again, unlikely to be missed due to the activities of criminal gangs, or other reasons that would cause the poor, destitute or disenfranchized to be unmissed and unwanted.  There is a thriving albeit small population of cannibals living in the slums of Porto Liure, for example, and they even operate semi-openly in Sarabasca.