thecreaturecodex:

“Anthropophagi”
©

Andrew L. Paciorek, accessed from his Strange Lands website here

[Another great source for weird creatures are the “histories” of classical authors like Herodotus and Pliny the Elder. Due to the respect granted to ancient texts, things like headless men and dog-headed men were taken as fact in Europe for centuries.]

Blemmyae
This muscular humanoid clutches
his fists in anticipation. Remarkably, he has no head; instead, a grimacing
face is set into his bared chest.

Blemmyae
are wicked creatures native to the highlands of tropical regions. Although
distantly related to humans, some manner of magical mutation has caused them to
be born without heads—their faces are set firmly in their chests. Blemmyae are
raiders and scavengers, living off of the spoils of other civilizations rather
than advancing their own culture.

Most
blemmyae live in caves high on cliff faces, all the better to keep an eye out
for passing caravans or travelers. Blemmyae may occasionally domesticate
animals for meat and milk, but only those with as sure of feet as they, such as
goats or sheep. Although blemmyae savagery is legendary, their disdain for
technology renders them vulnerable to an organized defense. Most armor is
useless without the chest covered, and many blemmyae consider the use of melee
weapons a sign of weakness, preferring to feel the breaking of bones beneath
their hard fists.

The
blemmyae are not an organized people—their tribes are ruled by a simple
doctrine of might makes right. Few blemmyae tribes are religious, but those
that are are the most dangerous, as spiritual blemmyae prefer gods of elemental
chaos and destruction. A blemmyae stands about four and a half feet in height
but is stocky and muscular, weighing about 160 pounds.

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