The Judgment of the Vrok’sha

"Vish'talah, so horrified was she by the gruesome flesh and savagery of the Vrok'sha,
that she forbade her heavenly light from ever touching their forms,
thus rendering them invisible to the mortal eye."

Excerpt from 'The Judgment of the Vrok'sha'

Summary

In the beginning, when man first roamed the vast forests of Arkros, they were preyed upon by a monstrous race known as the Vrok'sha.
The Vrok'sha were imbued with enough strength to rip Bison in half, a hide that was impervious to both axe and arrow, and a cunning to match man's own. Devastation trailed in their wake as they wreaked havoc upon the meager dwellings of man.
The Vish'coh, desperate and afraid, prayed to Til'ko, the sun god, for his aid. And Til'ko, feeling pity for mankind, descended from the heavens and cursed the Vrok'sha. He bound them to mortal forms, forcing them to walk as men whenever daylight shone upon the world. Thus, the Vrok'sha's true nature was consigned to the night, along with their savagery and violence.
The savagery of the Vrok’sha only deepened, as they now could only unleash their true nature beneath the night’s gaze. And Vish'talah, the moon goddess, horrified by the increasing depravity of the Vrok’sha, forbade a single ray of her heavenly light from touching their terrible flesh.
The Vrok'sha still roam the woodlands under the cover of darkness to this day, devouring anything and anyone in their path to satiate their restless existence.

Historical Basis

To date, the only grains of truth proved by historical evidence from this myth is that the Vrok’sha are indeed real, and that they do walk as men in broad daylight. There is no historical evidence for the mystical origins of the Vrok'sha, or for the presence of the Vish'coh gods Til'ko and Vish'talah.
Some Historians point to the nearly miraculous and daily metamorphosis the Vrok’sha undergo as proof for their mythological origins. However, while the Vrok’shas extensive and daily morphological change is perplexing and not fully understood, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest this transformation is indeed the result of magic, instead of some unknown biological mechanism.

Spread

The myth is well known within the Vish'coh communities, used as a cautionary tale against hunting alone at night. The tale is not well known outside of these communities, however, as the few documents transcribing this myth remain locked away within the dusty archives of Blackwood.

Variations & Mutation

In some versions of this myth, the Vrok’sha are men whose bodies are cursed to reflect the darkness trapped in their souls at night.
Other versions say that the Vrok’sha were once the bestial side of man, which was cast out by the Sun god, Til'ko. The Vrok'sha then walked as men in broad daylight to mock Til'ko.

Cultural Reception

Generally, the Pyntoss masses see this myth as a tall tale used to frighten children, a fairy tale.
The Vish’coh, however, see it as a cautionary tale against both cruelty and hubris. They point to the Vrok’sha, who, for their cruelty against mankind, had their true forms twisted and bent by the gods. And so shall man be cursed, they say, should he exact the same cruelty upon the natural world.
And the proud hunter who goes to hunt them alone, these monsters who embody the very meaning of their name (For the readers sake, the literal translation of Vrok’sha is ‘Savage one’) and who cannot be seen by mortal eyes, will suffer a terrible fate indeed. Strength resides in numbers, not pride.

In Literature

Only a few documents have ever transcribed this tale, as the Vish'coh do not have a written language. Instead, the Vish’coh have a strong tradition of oral storytelling. Some of these tales feature Vrok’sha, tales such as Hunter’s Pride, The Journey of Zan’thos, and the Vish’coh’s creation story.

In Art

Outside of traditional Vish'coh art, there are few depictions of the Vrok'sha, with one notable mention being Thames J.'s The Hunt, a coal sketch of multiple Vrok'sha hunting down a lumbering Nak'tosh.

Date of First Recording

It is unknown when exactly this legend originated, as it is passed down orally. However, the first written transcription occured around 1635, written by explorer Thames J.

Date of Setting

The legend supposedly occurs shortly after the creation of man.

Related Species

• Humans
• The Vrok’sha

Related Locations

• Vish'na