Vale of Creatures

The Vale of Creatures is the region that divides the domains of Slaanesh and Nurgle within the Realm of Chaos. As its name implies, this area is a breeding ground for all manner of horrible monsters, mutated beasts, and Daemons of bewildering forms. The land itself is a desolate plain, punctuated with needle-like towers and hideous trees that seem to be composed of living, mutated creatures. Colours here shift and transform between muted tones and loud, vibrant hues that appear sickly in their extravagance. Sound has no power here. Noises are quickly swallowed up in the stillness and silence of the Vale of Creatures, so a person must shout to be heard—but even this comes across as a hollow whisper. The horrible sounds of rutting Daemons are reduced to soft murmurs of decadence and depravity. This silence is not that of the peace of the grave, nor ease at labours’ end. It is the malicious, plotting silence that occurs before evil acts begin.

Eventually, however, this silence is broken by the sound of a hundred-thousand angry bees, seemingly coming from all directions. The very ground itself heaves and twists, vomiting forth an army of misshapen creatures. The lives of these beasts are brief. Lumpy and hideous, they twist and writhe in pleasure at their birthing, and then turn to each other in search of further depravity. When one falls exhausted from its unlovely exertions, its fellows chuckle at its fate. The body is quickly torn apart by its kin, and the remains are reabsorbed into the ground, where the cycle repeats again. The trees of the Vale perform similar rites, producing an eternal flux of faces, limbs, and other twisted forms. A few of these creatures manage to escape their bonds and roam the open plains, sometimes taking to the air on bat-like wings. Anyone unlucky enough to find himself exposed within the Vale of Creatures risks being violated by its inhabitants, his body used to fertilise the ground, serving as compost and material for the rest.

The Vale of Creatures is representative of both Nurgle and Slaanesh: Nurgle, for the Vale’s fecundity; Slaanesh for the experiences found here. As these two powers conflict, so too do the spawn of the Vale. While most of the foul beasts birthed in the Vale of Creatures do not survive, those that are strong enough to make it on their own bolster the armies of Chaos. Some stumble out of the Vale and seek out others of their kind to join in unsavoury unions and bring misery to the lands of mankind.

Nature’s Revolt Those that witness the depravity of the Vale of Creatures come to question the “natural order” of plants and animals and see the corruption that resides within nature. Someone with this affliction sees mutation in every animal and every plant. Horses appear covered in sores, sheep bear additional limbs, and birds sprout two or more heads. Plants grow and writhe in unspeakable ways, their fruit gross and withered. Trees seem to move in unholy unison and their branches appear as wicked arms. Strangely, however, creatures already bearing the stigma of mutation appear normal and proper to the victim.

Upon entering the Vale of Creatures, mortals of weak will grow delirious, becoming more primitive over time. At the beginning of each day, they become increasingly at risk of becoming averse to approaching normal animals. They never willingly enters woods, rides horses, or associates with dogs, livestock and the like. Even those of stronger stuff become uncomfortable near near anything animalistic in nature.

Victims with this madness typically confine themselves to the largest cities, where they can avoid most animals and woodlands. Most actually prefer to live in basements and other underground locations. When this insanity becomes unbearable, they actually seek out confinement to sanatoriums, prisons, and other places where they do not have to view the hideous corruption of nature.