Overview
Lickspittle is a malformed Cairnskyr, a grotesque blend of bat and corpse crafted by The Master as a cruel mockery of life. Small, wiry, and pitifully weak, Litckspittle possesses a twisted cunning and unnatural speed that belie his feeble appearance. His role as The Master's jester and butler is both tragic and sinister, a reflection of his creator’s madness.
Origins
Legend holds that Lickspittle was once an abducted child, warped by vampiric magic into his current pitiful form. His malformed body is gangly and hunched, with wings too tattered for proper flight and claws too weak for serious combat. However, he retains enough of his original innocence to mimic a child's voice, making him a cruel tool for The Master to lure fresh prey into the forest.
Personality and Role
- Faithful Fool: Lickspittle’s loyalty to The Master is unwavering, rooted in equal parts fear and admiration. Despite enduring frequent cruelty, he serves with blind devotion, seeing his tormentor as both a god and a parent figure.
- Sinister Cunning: Though simple-minded and often ridiculed, Lickspittle exhibits flashes of cruel ingenuity, particularly in his role as a lure for unwary travelers.
- Toxic Relationship: The dynamic between The Master and Litckspittle is a disturbing reflection of dependency and abuse. One moment, The Master may shower him with praise and affection; the next, he hurls him aside in a fit of madness.
- Robe Warden: Lickspittle is in charge of The Master's precious ermine cloak, which is in fact a swarm of vampiric bats.
Abilities
- Voice Mimicry: Lickspittle’s childlike cries can mimic those of lost children, luring kindhearted victims into deadly ambushes.
- Speed and Evasion: Though incapable of fighting effectively, his agility allows him to dart away from threats or deliver messages swiftly.
- Emotional Manipulation: His pitiful appearance and whimpering demeanor often disarm would-be attackers or lure them into false security.
Role in the Hollowchest Coterie
As The Master’s longest-serving companion, Lickspittle plays a vital, if tragic, role in his court. He serves as a messenger, entertainer, and occasional bait for his master’s schemes. Though the other undead minions treat him with disdain, none dare harm him, for fear of their master’s wrath.
Notable Traits
- Malformed Physique: Weak and gangly, with a grotesque, pitiable appearance.
- Blind Devotion: Completely loyal to The Master, no matter how poorly he is treated.
- Pathetic Yet Dangerous: Despite his frailty, his cunning and mimicry make him a vital tool in The Master’s arsenal.
**"Beware the woods where shadows crawl,
The bat-child waits to snatch you all.
With twisted wings and piercing eyes,
He calls you home with sobs and cries."**
- Popular Pyrehaven nursery rhyme