Prof. Flannigan Henchwood

For the last twenty years Prof. Henchwood has been the chair of the Curious Wildlife Department at the Udenland Institute for Ambiguous Studies. In his capacity as chairman he has lead the way to a broader understanding of the unique life, and nonlife forms that surround us and occasionally inhabit our bodies. Prof. Henchwoods seminal work, the ever growing Henchwood Guides, have opened the eyes of many who, until reading these volumes, would react to the unknown by running from it, burning it with torches or hiring a exorcist.

As a lad growing up in the town of Thrunchdon on the Sea, one fateful summer he witnessed several of his fellow villagers carried off into sea by huge swarms of terrifying tentacled “monsters”. While most of the village choose to react with ignorance and fear over their loved ones most likely being eaten, young Flannigan saw this as an opportunity to try to understand the unknown. What were these creatures’ migration habits, their mating rituals and what did they eat? Other animals or was it only human flesh the desired? He convinced five of his reluctant friends to accompany him in a small boat out into the raging waters of the Tempest Sea in order to study these curious creatures, where he quickly learned, that yes, they only ate human flesh as three of his companions were quickly devoured. He also discovered, much to the towns relief, that the beasts were migratory and within a few days the swarm of “Barbed Cephalmonsters” (as Prof. Henchwood now designated them) moved on to begin feeding on the next village down the coast.

This was the beginning of what was to become a life long pursuit of the unexplained and misunderstood for Flannigan Henchwood. Prof. Henchwood traveled the world chasing any rumor or myth he heard that may lead him to a new and profound discovery. And still there is more to learn, fortunately Prof. Henchwood is more than willing to send the next generation of young explorers to their possible deaths in the search the undiscovered.

Since the loss of his right arm and his two legs below the knee, a lung, a portion of his liver and spleen, one eye and a few feet of his small intestine, Prof. Henchwood has required some aid in his search. Thanks to his esteemed position on the faculty at Udenland Institute he has at his disposal a group of enthusiastic students willing to do anything in the pursuit of a diploma. These brave and desperate individuals sally forth with sketchbooks in hand, documenting the strange and dangerous, hidden away in the lost corners of our world, continuing the important and necessary work of Professor Flannigan Henchwood.