theveryworstthing:

Some call them Scarewoes but the name never really caught on. A few of
the Jewish families call then golems, and that’s very close. Most people
just call them sentries. They’ve been around longer than anyone living
can remember and only come out in the short transition period between
fall and winter. No one know why this is the time that they feel the
need to start their work, but like any scarecrow, they are meant to
guard their crop from things that would prey upon it. They are only so
strange because the people of Heanhouse County are a strange crop with
very strange pests indeed.

These are the Heanhouse County sentries:

The Three Legged Puppy- sentry of the defenseless and unaware, peace maker: A being who is either very old or very young, They make friends everywhere they go! Their usual haunts are schools, the hospital, the nursing home, the vet clinic, the animal shelter, the dark corners, the bridge, the houses with rooms where people lie very still and try not to cry, and the soup kitchen. Wherever there are creatures who would have no one think twice about their death, injury, or sudden disappearance, the Puppy makes their rounds. They enjoy helping and listening and solving problems. Even the hard problems like the one that left teeth marks on the ankles and muddy drag marks on the pajamas of the Williams’ girl every other night last winter. That problem became two thick red smears on the walls that the town still doesn’t really talk about. There have been no problems like it since. In the Puppy’s leisure time, They like to go down to the library and sit in on book clubs or let the children read to them. Also, they don’t eat or drink, but if everyone else is partaking, they like to have a little cup or bowl with a small stone in it so they can sit next to their pretend snack and feel included. A warm soft friend.

The White Crow- sentry of thin places, truth seeker: Its territory is more erratic than the others. It’s seen in the church, the graveyard, the harvested fields, the abandoned campsites, the courthouse steps, the liquor store, the motel, the riverbanks (but only at the deepest or shallowest bits), The library, near the tree that the richest family in town should be ashamed about, next to the well where Theo was seen last, and in the yards of people who just can’t sleep. It enjoys talking to people who think they are witches and gives useful gifts to those with useful talents. Its bones are made from coils of rope and it can smell like warm molasses or boiling tar depending on What You Did. Its creator meant for it to talk in rhyme and construct beautiful riddles for those that would seek it out, but it feels like that’s all a waste or time and will only put on an alluringly vague trickster persona if someone is being a real asshole and its got the time to mess with them.

The Post Man- sentry of paths, message deliverer: He strolls down every road, trail, and walkway that needs watching and of course frequents the post office (he calls the postal workers his brethren). There are less paths that need watching than you would think, but there are much more than you would hope. A friendly fellow, he’s open to a nice chat if you walk beside him, as he likes to report on the interesting things he sees on his travels. All of his messages aren’t nice ones but the bad ones are always worth knowing, and as long as he doesn’t have to step away from his path and lead you off for a A Word in private, everything is fine. Also, he’s a beautiful singer and will often show up to festivals or craft nights at the rec center to converse with the artisans and musicians. If you want to get on his good side, find him a nice scrap of fabric for his scarf. His neck is so thin. So cold.

Mae asked for autumn golems and he_walks asked for ‘a creature that only appears in the few days between fall’s end and winter’s beginning’ over on patreon so i combined them!.