Strigilis: The Shoemaker's Scourge
Origin:
Strigilis is not born of infernal pacts or ancient bloodlines. Instead, it arose from the collective despair of countless cobblers throughout history, their unfulfilled dreams and broken tools coalescing into a single entity of pure, malevolent craftsmanship. Legends whisper of a cursed workshop in Kraków, Poland, where the first stirrings of Strigilis were felt, a place where the screams of overworked apprentices still echo in the night. The air itself seems to be infused with the scent of leather and the metallic tang of blood.
Bloodline:
Strigilis has no traditional bloodline. It is an entity formed from the essence of human suffering, a collective consciousness of frustrated artisans. Its power grows with each instance of ill-fitting footwear, each poorly stitched seam, each broken shoe. The very act of shoddy craftsmanship fuels its existence.
Authority:
Strigilis holds sway over all forms of footwear. It can manipulate shoes, boots, and sandals, imbuing them with unsettling sentience or twisting them into monstrous, flesh-eating constructs. It can also inflict excruciating pain through ill-fitting or damaged footwear, tormenting its victims with blisters, bunions, and agonizing pressure points.
Skills:
Strigilis’s skills are primarily focused on manipulating footwear and inflicting pain. It can:
- Animate footwear, turning shoes into walking, attacking entities.
- Cause debilitating foot conditions at will.
- Control the very structure and shape of footwear, creating agonizingly tight or painfully loose fits.
- Sense the craftsmanship of any footwear, instantly detecting shoddy workmanship.
Major Events:
- The Kraków Catastrophe (1688): A wave of unusual foot ailments swept through Kraków, crippling thousands. Scholars later linked the event to a surge of negative energy emanating from the cursed workshop, indicating the full emergence of Strigilis.
- The Parisian Promenade (1889): During the height of the Belle Époque, numerous elegantly dressed Parisians reported their shoes mysteriously tightening, causing extreme pain and public embarrassment. Strigilis’s influence was subtly spreading.
- The Great Shoe Rebellion (2042): A global surge in poorly made footwear, fueled by automation and disregard for quality, led to a massive outburst of Strigilis’s power. Millions suffered, and footwear became a symbol of fear and mistrust.