Beastiary Whispering Gloom

[The Narrator]

Whispering Gloom​ species size type habitat alignment insect six-foot wingspan mysterious inhabitant mountainous caves and ravines neutral​ If you hear the whispers, it's already too late. The Whispering Gloom is moth that is a large, bizarre creature, its lavender-black wingspan measuring nearly six feet in diameter. Its body is covered in a soft downy fur, further enhancing its silhouette. This moth thrives in the shadows cast by deep chasms, mesas, or cavern entrances where the sun rarely penetrates. At first glance, the Whispering Gloom Moth appears passive, resting among the rocks and caved-in ruins. However, it is surprisingly nimble and ferocious when threatened. Its most notable attribute is its skill for communication, as it can manipulate the dust particles suspended above it, twisting and morphing the fragments into sandy symbols and visions of dire portent and despair, along with a mournful whispering that is incomprehensible but temptingly almost decipherable. Paired with its haunting messages, the Whispering Gloom Moth's talons are tipped with poison that triggers nightmarish visions of imminent mortality. The toxin can lower psychological defenses, leaving victims more susceptible to the moth's haunting murmurs. Despite this, the creature can be beneficial to the right kind of adventurer. Collecting the poison could be used to create a serum that might make its target quite paranoid, or send them into a sleep of fitful night terrors. One might even use it to face their own fears as a rite of passage as some of the desert tribes who revere and protect the ancient creatures do. ​ original artist ⠀​