The Hidden Mountain Pass

By now the mountain pass has grown very dark and the shadows were beginning to stretch forth. A shudder ran down your spine as you wandered through the growing gloom. Soon there was nothing but the moon to light your way. As you walked, looking for a safe place to sleep, you stepped on something crunchy. You squeezed your eyes shut at the strange feeling under your boot, but then willed yourself to see what it was you stepped on.

You looked about and you could see more of these vegetable husks lying about. You pick one of them up and notice two little holes on one side......like fang marks. A little chirrup makes you look up at a small black creature sitting on a log about level with your head. Two fangs glisten in the moonlight.

You step back in terror from the vampiric creature, but it only looks at you casually, then hops down and takes another carrot-like plant as it's next victim.

When he was done, the carrot thing looked like all the rest, with a semi-transparent husk. The small rodent looked at you through his blood red eyes. Suddenly they glittered and the sky turned the colour of fire. As the fire faded, his eyes glittered again and he disappeared into the shadows of the night.

Looking down, you find a piece of paper, upon which was written the legend of these creatures. Picking it up, you begin to read...

On the night of Friday the 13th, a few of the Taekal from the Forest's Warren were out scouting, and they came upon an abandoned litter of thirteen leverets. The little ones were carried back to the dens immediately.

The Taekal could not help but notice the unusual nature of the leverets, all of them bearing strange markings, red eyes, and fangs! As they grew older, the leverets magic abilities became apparent, and these too were very odd, and unusually strong.

The Taekal from this litter are not evil. They are vampires, but they only eat vegetable juice. They're magic abilities can cause bad things to happen, but often they are not in control of it, and do not wish it to hurt people. Other Taekal are very fearful of these outcasts, however, so they may have trouble finding mates and fitting in with Taekal society.