The Herbalist's Beast: First Brew

Though his medicines work miracles, regarded by many as gifts of the divine, villagers remain wary whenever he arrives to trade. They respect him and speak highly of the lone herbalist, yet they fear him just as much. For there are rumors - even songs - about the lonely man who lives deep in the forest, where those who wander in are never seen again, and only he reemerges every time. His unchanging youthful appearance over the years has birthed darker tales: that Thorne is an immortal who feeds upon the essence of the young.

But Thorne never minded such stories. In truth, they made his life easier, keeping prying eyes and nosy villagers away. Still, the fear surrounding him makes it difficult to ask for help when he needs it most. Few know the herbalist by name, and even fewer dare visit him without his permission.

Then, two beast sufferers joined his secluded household, and the rumors grew worse. Beast sufferers - those cursed with unpredictable episodes of death and destruction - are exiled regardless of how gentle they remain in human form. Many fathers and mothers, with heartbreak, have had to turn their own children away. Driven into isolation or forced to seek rare communities willing to tolerate them, they become shadows on the edges of society.

Now, in that lonely cottage hidden within the forest, three men live together. And so, their story begins.