The Flock of the Above

A seemingly ordinary strain of the flu that leads to a sort of psychic connection with a mysterious, otherworldly force. The Above is a potent entity that acts less like a creature and more like a galing wind, a force that pushes the afflicted (the Flock) towards ever more dangerous, obsessive behavior. The Above is a Thing, easily on par with other nightmares like Dagon, the Lord Beneath the Ice, or the winds of fury that stir the hearts of the Gotha zombies.
== The Affliction ==
=== The Source ===
Before any affliction, there are storm clouds, and a cacophonous sound in the sky, like a rogue angel blowing a horn of war.
=== Main Stages ===
The Affliction begins in a Flu stage, progressing into Madness, Congregation, and Manifestation. In its flu stage, it is relatively vulnerable to regular, mundane treatments--rest, hydration, medication. it alters the subject in its later flu-like stages, acting more like a neurological disease.
In its madness stage, it begins replacing memories, personality, and senses of the afflicted (senses including visions from The Above). This also causes a phenomenon called Congregation, wherein the afflicted attempt to gather in dark, silent places.
Thirdly, the affliction reaches the Manifestation stage, wherein the victim, now a Flock member, can manifest psychic structures around their mouths and hands--beaks and claws respectively. Flock members seem to survive almost entirely on nasty things--particularly garbage and the flesh of other humans--although it is unknown if this is a full adaptation to decayed food, an exotic digestive system, or simply an entire replacement to the normal digestive system--i.e. they can only consume filth at this point, and will starve on fresh foods.
=== A Possible Fourth Stage ===
There is a possible "fourth stage" to the Affliction--Egg-Bearing. Those who reach this stage become "Egg-Bearers", who profess prophecies on the Above's behalf, and cough up strange, black eggs (see below).
== The Eggs ==
The eggs--borne by the egg-bearers--appear to be dark, solid basalt. However, when broken by a Flock member, it cracks like an egg, revealing a black "goo". This goo is used in transcendence rituals, wherein a Flock member is consumed alive by the Above.
== Themes ==
Overall, the Flock of the Above seems to be a sort of maltheistic equivalent to the sky burial process. Instead of recycling those who died of natural causes, this cult (and its patron deity) seems keen on proactively killing the living to feed themselves.
==References==
*Pyramid #3/73: Monster Hunters II, p.31-34
Category:Pyramid Vol 3 Articles
Category:J. Edward Tremlett
Category:Monster Hunters