The Beast of Payne Road

The Beast of Payne Road was an entity encountered by the cell on the road in Stokes county that bears its namesake as well as the surrounding forest where it made its home in a small "church". The Beast was a very large creature, with shaggy white fur, sharp teeth and claws, and an ape-like face. In many ways it resembled a sasquatch, but with abilities not typically attributed to such a creature and a very unnatural aura. The hunt began when a man named James received a package with a letter from M, the address of the safe house, and an abnormally large claw from a creature he could not identify. After coming to the safe house and meeting with the cell, they did some investigation to discover that it matched internet stories of the Beast of Payne Road. Payne Road had many superstitions and legends, but one of its most persistent as that of the Beast. Going up there to take a look, they found themselves out in the forest searching, where they happened upon a very old and dilapidated church. Inside they found symbols they did not recognize as well as an alter with toys and blood on it. Beneath the floorboards of the place there were the clothes of children that seemingly went back nearly one hundred years. As they left, they encountered the Beast itself, and managed to put it down, yet sustaining quite a lot of damage themselves. Trying to do some more research they uncovered the fact that the road had an oddly heightened amount of success stories for such a small area, and putting that together with the creature surmised that there must be a connection. Doing some recon at the street in an abandoned house, they happened upon Cassie, and she helped them connect the dots with the old Payne Road legend. It appeared that sometime in the 1800's a man named Payne owned a plantation in that area. He had made some deal with an entity after discovering his daughter sleeping with a slave, and sacrificed the slaves to the creature in exchange for success. The inhabitants of the street were apparently continuing the tradition by giving up their children every some many years to gain wealth, fame, and glory. They made the connection that the Beast had a connection with the Payne family line, and traced it to its last remnant, Sheriff Beau Turner. Needing Cassie's journal for further information the team went back to Payne road but encountered the Sheriff who was waiting for them. There they had their final stand-off with the Sheriff, his men, and the Beast. Once the Sheriff was killed, the Beast was slain as well, and the power enchanting the street was finished.

## Abilities Displayed

The Beast displayed the following abilities:

- Enhanced strengh.

- Enhanced stamina.

- Enhanced speed.

- Claws.

- Ability to stretch its limbs in nearly an endless capacity.

- Ability to return to life through its worshippers.

- When put down temporarily, its body turned to a rotting deer carcass. When put down permanently it faded into a red mist.

- Ability to grant success to those who sacrificed to it.

- Life force connected to the Payne family, most importantly its last member Beau Turner

## Final Outcome

The Beast was put to its end when Carl shot Sheriff Turner in the head with a shotgun. The Beast suffered the same wounds, then vanished in a red mist, its magic undone.