Erymanthus, the Blood-Ape, Demon of the First Circle An erymanthus has the body of a massive, gnarled ape. Tufts of rust-red fur spatter its rubbery black hide, while jagged spurs of black bone jut from its shoulders, spine and skull. Its heavy, twisted limbs end in great black talons, and its pupil-less eyes glow as golden as a snake’s. Though its shambling gait appears clumsy, it moves with uncanny speed to match its unnatural strength. When pressing itself to its utmost, the blood-ape can leap or strike faster than the eye can see, or bellow with such force that its voice alone shatters stone or steel. Most erymanthoi prefer to remain in physical form. Even when compelled to dematerialize, their thick animal stench hangs heavy on the air. Their snuffling and grunting like- wise remains audible, as does the scrape and thump of their lumbering gait, and one can sometimes catch glimps- es of them out of the corner of the eye. These vicious, brutal creatures prize hot fresh gore. While a few have unusually eclectic or catholic tastes, most favor the blood of humans and cats. This craving makes them difficult to control. If a blood-ape grows hungry enough, only its master’s express command will hold it back from satiating its appetite.
