The Glutton

The Cannibal Cults while seen as odd, primitive or even barbaric are rarely seen as outright monsters. Among them there is one which can be seen as a true monster. His name long forgotten, but his story starts as a young boy who has eaten his newborn sister as she was being born. His mother powerless after realizing what just happened chased out the boy not able to slay him herself. Living as a half feral creature the boy would always eat. Swallowing rats whole, later even whole cats. Flavoring his dishes with Pink salt he slowly developed a small rat's tail and a cat's eyes. Normally one would only flavor human flesh not animal one in fear of such mutations, but the boy relished them. Wandering tribe to tribe he'd become an acolyte of death as if he knew when someone was about to die consuming their flesh before the family could arrive. It is a great crime to steal the last memories of a loved one from their family. As such the boy was locked in a cage and sold to slavers. For no one wanted to kill him, for what you kill you must eat and they feared the essence of this boy. The slavers were happy they got many slaves cheap and even a boatload of the rare pink salt.
The fate of the boy would change on that boat. It stranding on an odd island. That island being one of the rare Minor Mollusks. Being brought on land for months he would be kept in cage as the slavers were rebuilding the ship. Them eating true food, the slaves being thrown corpses of those who died among them. The boy didn't like that, he knew that one who eats slaves will remain a slave. He stuck his hand trough the bars of his cage, deep into the sand. As if being pulled in he felt something warm and soft. It was flesh. The flesh of the island, he bit into it and he started hearing voices. Thousands of them, and he spoke with them.It was the voices of the mollusks. Voices incomprehensible to man as man is to the mollusk.
For a few brief seconds the boy experienced contact with beings so alien that if fundamentally changed how his brain worked. For the next month he did not eat. Left as a dried up husk or of a corpse it was his time to be fed to the remaining slaves, but that is when he awoke. His jaw opening wide enough to swallow a man's head whole. Who consumes masters will become a master. So he consumed. As if having transcended humanity he ate grown men one after another, consuming them. The other slavers trying to attack the boy suddenly felt held in pace. Tentacles from the island itself holding them in place. Said same tentacles grabbed those wishing to flee. In a 100 days the boy consumed a 100 men and became as large as a 100 men. And the slaves were fed to the island. Finally ready the spilled all the pink salt in a cave which slowly turned to mollusk flesh and he ate and ate and ate until he had become one with the Island. Now the Glutton is known as the most dangerous pirate in the sea. His ship a mollusk larger than a city, his stature as large as a giant, and 10 times the weight. In the south sea he eternally raids for slaves and food with a massive crew of fat men who wish to be like him. They say that a raid of the gluttonous fleet feels more like a war than Pirate raid as that big how his army is. A quote which sums up the "Gluttonous Fleet": "Before a Kraken, an armada of ships shivers. Before the Glutton a herd of Krakens Shivers."
=== Account of Glutton's Fleet raiding the Giant-Halfling Alliance ===
The Gluttonous Fleet Usually operates near the Ram's head with frequent raids on the Cannibals (for Punk Salt). They raid as far North as Seem and as far West as the Celestial Empire. Striking at Random.
It was only once so far where the Fleet Traveled west into Westerasi waters launching a Raid on Midnat. Not only encroaching on waters of the Black Sand Pirate Council but also attacking one of the most Dangerous raiding targets one can imagine. The homeland of the giants.
From the Giant's Perspective, the raid was a truly apocalyptic event. On a hot summer day on the Horizon, an island appeared. It looked like a Grand mountains covered in a ram shack cityscape. With a port surrounding it on every side and a fleet following it.
Slowly the fleet filled the whole horizon and not much after the ships seemingly made out of shells started making landfall. Hordes of fat humans started flooding the Homeland of the giants raiding Halfling villages villagers and even ambushing some giants.
The response on the side of the Giants was swift. Armies of Giants soon arose from the great walled cities of the alliance. They are trained to deal with human invaders, who they easily send flying with one swing of a club. these humans were different though. While small in stature, they were great in weight flying only a meter or two before jumping up to charge again protected by a layer of blubber. The Rare giant with a sword, spear or halberds has proven himself more useful here. The Giant counteroffensive managed to spearhead the Gluttonous invaders splitting their force in two, arriving at the shore of their homeland only to see the Mothership herself make a landing. As the Mollusk came close to shore out of Mollusk shell a gateway grew and onto it the Gluttnous one himself descended. Neither covered in armor nor, wielding a weapon. All he had was a bag of salt in his left hand.
As he marched arrows were flung his way, but none seemed to hit. Likely because the Giants could not bear to look at him for even a split second. Their eyes averting themselves if they tried to look. Same for the archers. With bravery in their hearts, they rushed the Glutton a human dwarfing giants in size. Only for the first one of them to be caught by the neck and lifted up unusual inhuman fear would paralyze the giants as the mass of blubber moved its bag to cover their champion in pink dust only to then in one gulp bit off his head and as the Glutton enjoyed his meal his men broke out in a song a sea shanty so loud the entirety the Alliance could hear. No ordinary song, bardic spell sand by thousands in unison. Suddenly the once weak humans could hold their own in combat against the giants in fact overwhelming them with numbers as the Glutton himself marched along picking off and eating Giants one by one.
Before the end of the raid, tens of thousands of giants and halflings were abducted or eaten before the Gluttons forces retreated to avoid facing the proper army of the Alliance. Those unfortunate enough were either eaten by the crew or sacrificed to the Mollusk itself.
 Metanote: The Glutton himself is a powerful psion with a mental connection to the Mollusk he uses as a ship. His fleet is mostly comprised of minor psyons and normal pirates. Though all are trained in basic bardic arts. Raids are also usually not this successful, this one is significant because it went so unusually well and because it was basically a declaration of war on the Black Sand Council.
=== Account of the Battle of Tsu-Xia, The Glutton Fleet vs The Celestial Empire: GE year 4997 ===
From the Commanding Tent of the High-Lord General Nion San, stationed at the Fort of the Majestic Southern Watchtower by her divine grace Empress Dan Ning, Long May the Skyfather Watch over her.
I, Nion San, of sound mind, dictate this missive following Her Most Divine Wishes to be updated in the situation regarding the defense of our coastal settlements against the threat of the Thrice cursed Great-Fat-One. For Imperial Records ends, it's the Seventh Day of the Third Month of the year 2 of Dan Ning's Blessed Reign.
I was sent to the coastal lands after the devastation of the village of Susu. The guard there, numbering five score strong detachment of Xia's Regional People's Militia, was slaughtered to the last, and of the three thousand people living in the village, two thousand remain unaccounted for and presumed dead, with the rest being found either in hiding in the caves by the foothills near the coast or dead on sight and near it. Evidence piling, my conclusions were inevitable. This was an act of most vile piracy or worst, by terrible Koi-Shi* and in my mission to secure Her Imperial Majesty's Peace in her Most Blessed Reign, I took to myself to convey with Koi-Shi from the Yusixi Island. This glass-man had stood witness, in the past, to similar massacres. He assured me, swearing by his facial hair, that this raid was the doing of a being whose foulness defies belief, known as the 'Big Eater' in the Merchant's tongue. After conveying with Imperial Sages, it was told that the 'Big Eater' was indeed the Great-Fat-One of our fishermen legends. It was known for his terrible deeds, but long believe he left our coasts alone for fear of our Celestial Might. It's clear that if this truce ever existed, it was now violated.
I explain this in the hope that her Divine Grace Empress Dan Ning and the Most Blessed Imperial Office of Requisition will judge my next actions with the proper understanding that they meant not to be wasteful, but necessary.
My investigation led me to believe this raid as a prodding raid feeling the defenses of our Imperial Shores and trusting my senses, I sent scouts to the villages near Susu to collect information from their fishermen about the weird sightings at sea. It was confirmed that there had been more than usual, particularly near the rather large coastal village of Tsu-Xia. Time was wasting and I used my authority to approve a black-seal edit, taking command of the province's workforce from the Agrarian Imperial Administration and Imperial Office of Roads and Bridges, and another to seize control of the Imperial Office of Munitions of the Xia Province. The scribes and officials were displeased, as I am sure Her Divine Grace will have heard. Much work needed to be done.
Three villages were raid after Susu, and Tsu-Xia was left alone. These villages are as listed: Din-Su, Nang-Su, and Ling-Su. Casualties numbered now near the eight thousand civilians and eight hundred soldiers. Her Majesty will have heard I refused to evacuate or reinforce villages, and that is true. I take responsibility for the loss of life, but defend my actions as strictly necessary. These prodding attack brought the gaping maw of the enemy towards Tsu-Xia, like a charging boar.
The size of the enemy would have shaken lesser men to their core, but being Celestial Bred Suoxi virile males, my men stood their ground as the Second Day of the Third Month of the Year 2 of Dan Ning's Blessed Reign, we saw the enemy fleet. Ships numbered over two thousand, and a small island seemed to move closer ashore in the middle of them. This hasn't been the case in other attacks, according to reports, only a couple dozen ships had attacked each village. With me I had the Sixth Crane Legion, the Fourth Crane Legion, and the Third Lion Legion, number fifteen thousand strong among them all. I also had the Xia Provincial Auxiliary Militia, numbered a thousand strong, so we knew, before seeing the enemy, we'd be deeply outnumbered. Tsu-Xia's walls opened fire with their trebuchets, and two ships were sunk by our flaming boulders, yet nothing could stop the tide descending upon it. When the longboats were deployed, perhaps a hundred thousand enemies rowed towards our shores, and from the island, the vilest form of the Great Fate One shambled towards us. I had the city garrison fire their rapid-fire crossbow and while thousand of bolts fled the air and many struck home to our enemies black hearts, the Koi-Shi were simply too many. From the moving island, even more, longboats came, the whole island covered in a dark pathetic Koi-Shi dwelling. We had not even dented their numbers when they made ashore.
Now if her Divine Grace is unfamiliar with Tsu-Xia, that is understandable. So vast is her domain, knowing it all would be beyond even the Great Divine Empress. Tsu-Xia is the heart of the Xia province and stands in the center of a very large bay. Rocks rise from either side of the bay, and Tsu-Xia sits in the only beach one can land or launch ships from. The valley is surrounded by tall, steep cliffs, and few routes lead down into the walled town from the heart of the mainland. I knew this target would be tempting to our enemy, for there would be nowhere for the fifty thousand men and woman of Tsu-Xia to flee once the raid started. At least not effectively, as they would clog the narrow trails and be slaughtered to a man. Tsu-Xia sea is also peculiar in its shallowness, almost a flatbed no deeper than a hundred feet stretches across the whole bay, and the sea won't become deeper until much further. The ground shook when the island ceases to move, for it had become embanked into the shallows, being over a hundred feet deep. So massive was this enemy vessel, it blocked a lot of the routes of the bay, and until it managed to free itself, it almost entirely corked their fleet inside the bay.
Our rapid crossbows were without ammunition as the first of the Vile Koi-Shi made landing and the enemy island-vessel run aground in the shallows. That's when I had the flag raised. Small skiffs around the bay cut the ropes of the large net I had constructed using the whole province's supply of hemp rope and even needed more commissioned in a hurry. These ropes attached to weighted hooks held our most glorious Turtle-Bombs***.
I used the entire supply of the province and explosions that issues were so vast and so close together, that the steam rose and blocked my view of the bay. Over a thousand Turtle Bombs went out in the space of half a minute, and the bay was covered in hot steam. Later reports said that fish emerged dead over five miles in either direction of the bay. As the enemy fleet disappeared from sight under steam, the great fat creates let out a bellowing roar, and the men on the skiffs kept coming and began singing an unhallowed shanty. That's when I raised my second flag.
Three Hundred and Seventy-Five Dragon-Doves were loosened into the enemy. I had them outfitted with whistling ammunition and as expected, the loud whistling of eighteen thousand fire-spears whistling down into the skiffs still between the fleet and the shore drowned out the shanty and some of the enemy numbers covered their ears as they began to bleed. Without their unhallowed magic, when the fire-spears touched the frail rowboats, they were upturned and sunk by impact, tossing the man into the now near-boiling water resulting from the turtle bombs. The enemy numbers greatly diminished yet thousands had made ashore already and were marching across the white sands between the sea and the walls of Tsu-Xia, walking between the warehouses of the harbors and cutting down a thousand militiamen I sent from the gates to fight them at the beach. The militia broke, retreating and I had the gates closed. The enemy rushed to finished the fleeing militiamen, piling themselves by the crowded docks. And that's when I raised the third flag. Archers with flaming arrows peppered the warehouses whose roofs were filled with tar, and the interior filled with dry straw. The great conflagration consumed the land forces of the enemy, and the few survivors fled back towards their boats at the beach. I sent the Crane Legion's cavalry cohorts to cut them off and caught between horse and flame, of the hundred thousand enemies, less than a thousand made it back to their boats. By them, the steam cloud had cleared and I could see the enemy fleet of ten thousand boats was now reduced to a mere three hundred, and those were heavily damaged and likely not well crewed. The Great Fat One did great effort to release his island back and retreat. So I raised the fourth flag.
A Hundred Thousand Imperial Gold I requested to pay the Glass-Men proved their worth. The Glass Koi-Shi**** brought us fifty fireships, and I hid them in inlets around the bay. They now swarmed from the sides and spilled their fire upon the island-vessel of the fat one. The shantytown was wet and took many bursts of flames to set it ablaze. But eventually, it did. By them, the Island Vessel stirs violently, shaking the foundations of the shantytown above it and tossing most of it's flaming debris into the ocean. The great fat one burned and even from a mile off in my watching post I could smell its fat burning. It was the vilest thing I ever smelled. The Fireships kept spilling flames and the Great Fat One Island-Vessel moves, trampling and destroying perhaps ten of the fireships in its path to flee. The surviving three hundred ships tried their best to follow the smoking wreckage as their leader bellows filled the bay, but the fireships did still manage to set perhaps twenty of them ablaze. All prisoners were executed and their limbs and heads cut and set on spikes, spaced a hundred paces in between, there was enough spikes to cover the whole shore of the Xia province with warnings for the next pirate who deems to attack Her Divine Grace's Subjects.
With this, I hope to justfiy the use of resources and loss of life by explaining to her Divine Grace that the actions were necessary to properly discourage further inclusions from the Great Fat One in our territory. The Imperial Council seeks to have me executed for the loss of life of civilians and soldiers deliberately sacrificed. if Her Divine Grace deems my actions unjust, I'll gladly take my own life upon her Blessed Command.
With no more to declare I sign
Your Forever Loyal, Nion Sang, High-Lord General of Xia Imperial Province of Her Divine Grace Dan Ning of the Celestial Empire. Dictated and Read.
*(translator note: Celestial world for foreigner and savage is the same; Koi-Shi.)(Translator note: Celestial often refer to foreign merchants from the Ecinev league as 'glass-man' even when they trade in other products.)(Turtle-Bombs are a Celestial war device, a small clay pot filled with air, explosives and with triggering iron spikes. Submerged, the air causes them to float. When clay breaks from contact with a ship, water touches the alchemy Sinfan, causing the water to boil instantly from the heat released, and the expansion of steam forms a fireless, yet extremely strong explosion. Survivors of the kinetic blast are often boiled alive by the rising steam.)
**** (Glass Koi-Shi likely means Ecinevan League foreigners)*(translator note: Celestial world for foreigner and savage is the same; Koi-Shi.)
=== Account of Black Sand Pirate Representative's interaction with the Heavy Eater ===
The news of the actions of the East's Heavy Man have been puzzling lately. Weeks after a disastrous Raid on the Celestial Empire, he launched a raid further west than he has ever gone, into waters which trough unspoken word fall under the jurisdiction of the Black Flag. Thus the Admirals of the Pirate Council have decided, to send me as a representative to demand and explanation from the Fat one and to understand his actions and to judge whether or not we should see this as an act of war. I have been assigned a 100 ships to my retinue as protection, I am vying for the sympathies of said crew for if said sympathies I obtain then they may chose to stay as my own fleet.
To find the Gluttonous Fleet is no easy task one has to travel to the Far East, beyond the nation of the Glass Merchants, or Bean Farmers, North Beyond the Radmathir Khaliphate and alongside the shores of the Damphir Swamplands. It is said that the Glutton Controls most of the Trade coming out of the Deep Swamp. If a ship does not work for him directly, it pays him to avoid his wrath. Trough some minor raids, we soon caught attention of his men, who while they approached us with hostility were soon swayed by gifts of gold, slaves and booze.
As such soon we were taken to the Glutton, the Captain of his fleet. The fat man of the East. The rituals of the east are odd, before being even permitted to set foot on the "Big Shelly" (Name of Mollusk, actually is in an asian tongue similar to vietnamese which just translates to "Big/Enormous Shell[pet name]") we had to bow and pay respects to the captain. While the Pirates on the boats look not very different to the Pirates of the Black Sands, the ones on the Flagship certainly do. All obese and grand in statue, in armor out of shell always eating something. The smell of odd things being fried in oil and slaves lamenting in cages filled the busy streets. It was hard to tell whether one was on a ship or in a city at times.
In the West Great Magnats wish for castles, while grand Pirates wish for grand ships. The East's Heavy Eater had both. Entering the Palace reminiscent of a cheap imitation of those found in the Celestial Empire we were asked to bow once more and remove our shoes and all present weapons. We complied, as surrounded by so many, no amount of weapons could protect one. Wandering the inside were servants eternally offering us food. It is considered a great insult to refuse food gifted to you, as such we ate. Finally we entered the grand ballroom taken up by the Glutton himself 1/3rd just him, 1/3rd the servants serving him. The rest was a grand dining table prepared for us. Once again, we bow. The high Glutton bows back.
"There is no need for that my lord, it is custom to bow to a lord while in his castle in our land, no need for him to bow." - I replied as politely as possible
"If an equal bows before you, you bow before them. This is the custom of this land. You showed the respect I deserve bowing to me the captain when you set foot on the ship and to me the lord when you entered my palace. You speak on Behalf of the Black-Flags, now let's talk as equals." - the voice of the Fat Man rang inside our head. As he continued to eat.
Me and my compatriots looked puzzled, magic which invades one's mind is rare and taxing. Why would one use it out of mere convenience? The Glutton sat there food being presented to him without break. That which he judged worthy he sprinkled with salt and ate, that which he did not judge worthy he either ate or had it thrown to the slaves.
"You my lord are a Captain I represent a 10 000 Captains. A 10 000 captains which you have insulted, by raiding waters they consider theirs. I wish to understand why, so it does not have to come to unneeded hostilities." - I uttered this prepared reply, with fear and angst.
"Among you Raiders of the West, no matter the fleet or ships all Captains are to be seen equal, but equal only in dignity, not responsibility." - a pile of black flags is brought out and thrown on the ground - "If I am no more than a mere captain of your ilk, then I have broken the unspoken agreement 67 times fewer than you pirates of the West. Now watch your words, for even if I am a kind man I am also one who does not wish their dignity insulted."
Indeed piles of black flags amassed over decades. It was then when fear struck me, but also a sense of opportunity.
"If their punishment was death, then shan't it too be yours?"
A hearty laughter filled the room, from the true mouth of the Glutton. "We both know justice lies on the side of the strong. If you have the power to justly punish me then do so! Great sailors are valued, I don't put them to death. Willy nily. For the wished to raid in the east I let them, but that is under my flag and in my name. If you did not comply then you met your punishment. Here I would ask, if you truly wish for me to join the Council?"
His answer had, put me on the spot. If I was to be fair I should agree, but one captain as strong as this joining a council of thousands... what would stop him from putting us under his hegemony? I had to relent.
"No, my lord. No punishment or war is in order then. The Council has overstepped it's boundaries and we wish to return to the old Unspoken Agreement. May, I know though why you have staged 2 rare massive raids so recently? Rarely does the 'Big Shelly' herself participate in raids so why 2 so close by." - I accepted my defeat, and he accepted it graciously. At least my 2nd mission had to now be fulfilled accordingly.
"Tell be, Captain of the Black Flags. What is the difference between a pirate fleet and a state?"
"I do not follow."
"A nation gains soldiers from it's kin. From raising kids. From the men of the land. A nation bitten and wounded has the luxury of calm and and rest and rebuilding after a defeat. A fleet stands on the shoulders of it's myth. No more is needed than one grand defeat, for your men to loose hope. For them to leave. A fleet cannot sit idly by after a defeat. It has no luxury, so if you ask why? It's to keep up the myth. In most recent memory I am not Glutton the Looser of Dan-Dio. I am Glutton the devouter of Giants!"
Another healthy laugh followed from his mouth, as he took a second to neat eat. For one to attack not because he is strong, but because he is weak. An odd form of wisdom rarely found in the west.
I have chosen to return to the West, but only 70 of the protective vessels chose to follow me, the rest joining the Glutton's fleet willingly. On the way back we raided relentlessly so I may not return without a victory.
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