Grotesquerie - Dreg

Extract from the Grotesquerie - A Catalogue of Afflicted Forms The creature commonly called the Dreg is the most frequently encountered of the lesser manifestations of the Hunger, and for that reason is often the first against which the Living are forced to prove themselves. The name is one of common usage rather than formal classification, yet it has endured in both military and medical accounts, for the creature appears less as a new form than as the remainder of a man reduced to the lowest state of corruption. In most observed cases the Dreg is the remains of an adult male of ordinary stature who succumbed to the Bacterium in weakness rather than in frenzy. The flesh is often wasted, the posture stooped, and the motions uncertain, as though the body had been long exhausted before death overtook it. Unlike the more violent varieties of Hunger, the limbs are commonly intact, the clothing still worn, and the features sufficiently preserved to mislead the inexperienced at a distance. Many who first behold a Dreg take it for a sick or wounded man, and such error has cost lives. General Description The Dreg most often presents with the full form unbroken, though greatly diminished in vigour. The shoulders hang forward, the head is carried low, and the gait is slow and uneven, as if the joints no longer answer properly to the will. The flesh may appear pale, drawn, or discoloured, but seldom shows the violent rupture seen in stronger Hunger. Garments are frequently still upon the body, sometimes torn, sometimes merely hanging loose, which further contributes to the illusion that the creature yet lives. It is this resemblance to the former man that makes the Dreg more dangerous to the unwary than its strength alone would warrant. Disposition and Behaviour The Dreg advances without haste and with little sign of purpose, yet will continue forward so long as motion remains possible. It shows no regard for injury, nor any instinct for self-preservation. Blows that would cause a living man to fall back will often do no more than stagger it for a moment. When near enough, the creature will seize, strike, or grapple in a clumsy but persistent manner. Though not strong, its weight and insensibility to pain may still bring down one who loses his footing. In numbers, even Dregs may prove troublesome, for they do not tire, nor do they abandon their advance once begun. The chief danger lies not in their force, but in the hesitation they produce. Those who mistake them for harmless or already dead often allow them too near before acting. Weaknesses and Vulnerabilities The Dreg possesses little strength compared to other known forms of the Hunger and may be driven back with firm blows to the body. Its balance is poor, and it may be staggered or cast down without great effort. Such measures, however, seldom end the matter. The creature will often rise again unless properly finished. As with all recorded varieties, the surest means of dispatch is the destruction of the head. A shot or heavy strike to the skull ends motion quickly in the great majority of cases. Blows to the body may subdue, but should not be relied upon to conclude the encounter. Field Note The Dreg is commonly the first Hunger faced by those newly come into infected ground, and for this reason it serves as a harsh but necessary instruction. It is slow, ill-coordinated, and weak, yet it punishes uncertainty more readily than strength. He who meets it with resolve will find it easily dispatched. He who hesitates will soon learn that even the least of the Hunger is not to be taken for a man.