Spewers

The spewer is so dangerous for a number of reasons- I mean any big fat demon stuffed full of toxic gas is bound to be dangerous, but this species poses a unique threat. In case you needed a reminder, the most important thing to remember when dealing with poisonous gas is to avoid breathing any of it in. Now imagine what would happen if you were trapped in the lair of a creature that lives and breathes poison gas. Not very fun, I can assure you that...

— Patrick Graham, Demonologist

Many sentient mortals believe that the utilization of chemical-based weaponry, specifically toxic gases, is morally repugnant. Demons, on the other hand, do not share such sentiments in the slightest. Any form of brutality, no matter how immoral it may seem to creatures not born from the suffering of all Creation, is an open option to the demon hordes. Not only does it include the use of chemical weapons, but wholeheartedly encourages its use.

Though not the only species to use it, a prime example of a poisonous demon is the fetid spewer.

For a species as dread-inducing as the spewer, the form it possesses makes the stories of encounters sound like jokes or pointless old wives' tales. The spewer is a fat hairy creature that looks like an anthropomorphic mole with the bloated head of a seahorse attached to its body. A combination of its rotund body shape, large clawed hands, bugged-out eyes, and long tube-shaped snout make what is a biological hazard look like a cartoon character. The fact that these demons can often be seen scratching their bulbous stomachs with their oversized claws does not help improve their image either.

However, the appearance of the demon matters little when encountered in the wild. Spewers, just like any other species of demon, will respond to any mortal creature with instant hostility and will react accordingly. The primary attack a spewer will use against another creature is a blast of toxic gas from its mouth. Its body behaves in a similar fashion to aerosolized can of cleaning solution where it will breathe outward and a thick cloud of gas comes shooting out. Even the most light exhale can send a deadly amount of the gas trapped with a spewer's body outward where its victims can breathe it in. The gas within a spewer's body is potent enough to kill an adult human within minutes of inhaling even a small amount.

To make the situation far worse, the spewer will typically kill using traps it creates using its thick claws. This species is an ambush killer, digging pitfalls across the demon world as well as any mortal world they have been cast away to. These hidden pits are connected to the burrows of the demon, providing it easy access to any unfortunate creature that had fallen in. Once it finds its next victim or victims it will unleash a barrage of its gas on the trapped creatures.

Filthy Homemakers

The spewer is also a deeply unclean creature as the gas within its body invites infectious diseases to spread throughout its form. The dens of this species are littered with the corpses of their victims, none of which the demon actually feeds on. Though the spewer lives for the thrill of the hunt, they never actually partake in any of the creatures they capture. Instead they allow biting insects and microscopic decomposers to handle the deceased which floods their cavernous homes with repulsive gasses and diseases clinging to the rotting flesh.

To ensure a proper amount of rot enters the den, a spewer may travel up to the surface to collect objects such as animal carcasses or any kind of waste to place about their lairs in a haphazard fashion. Not only does this makes the den more hospitable for the demon itself, but also for other swarms of tiny biting insects which always seem to surround the creature.

One true oddity in spewer behavior is their tendency to live in pairs. The den of two spewers living together tend to be much larger in size and scope which allows for more rancid air and swarms of biting flies. They do not seem to work together in any capacity nor do they actively hunt together. The pair simply live together, basking in a shared putrefaction.

Though many believed spewers worked to cover up any activated traps with thin layers of dirt and mud to reset the traps and bring more potential bodies into their lair, the truth is that they clog up any holes they locate simply to trap the rotting miasma and further still the air around them. They will also place large objects at any entrances to their dens with the same effect in mind. When the burrows have reached a satisfactory level of rancid, a spewer will spend most of its time sitting around and soaking in the results of its hard work while it waits for more unexpecting travelers to happen upon its fine little abode.

One might expect these nasty beasts would have to bathe in the squalor they had created on their own, but many other creatures also find such living arrangements appealing. It should be no surprise that all of the creatures known to share a space with spewers are also demons. The species that share the space with these demons already tend to enjoy living underground such as pests or lesser bloodwyrms which allows them to live in the same space while minimizing the amount of time they actually spend around the creature that built their home. The spewers don't mind even when they find a couple freeloaders chewing on their latest kills.

As the old saying goes, "the more the merrier".

The Early Settlers

Because this species exhibits an obsession with building deep poisonous burrows, the spewer has earned an essential role in colonizing mortal worlds. While other weak demons like the grunt or ripper wander the surface world to draw the attention of the natives, the spewer will sneak away to the dark corners of the world and get straight to work. The mere presence of demons within a mortal world weakens the fabric of reality over time until it is weak enough for full tears to be made. Structures created by demons within these worlds such as warp-nests increase the speed at which reality decays.

A den built by a spewer is a perfect example of this phenomenon. The spewer obsesses over keeping its home hidden from the world above as a means of keeping its precious stink all to itself which makes finding and destroying these burrows much harder for mortals who would rather not be invaded by the demon hordes. While within their lairs, the spewer becomes an extreme danger both due to its ability to tunnel about with ease and the inhospitable environment it thrives in being nigh impossible for fleshy mortals to trek through.

Another reason they have proven to be ideal colonists is the tendency for other demons to flock towards their homes. As more demons accumulate within the same spot, the energy produced within the area increases exponentially, causing an even greater rate of corruption from a single demon. More of them are often sent into newly conquered worlds to maintain a firm grasp and spread fear through the remaining mortal population.

It is often a very effective method of intimidation.