The Darkness

The Dark makes contact with a sapient being every few years. He convinces them to come to his side by any means necessary, and convinces them that taking on his power will make them invincible. When he shares his power, it consumes the user, driving him mad. The Dark uses him to achieve his own ends, but eventually the host melts into shadow.

Transmission & Vectors

Through a blood ritual, a piece of the Dark parasitically attaches to the host's body, whispering into his ear. It usually takes on the form of an ink blot somewhere on the host's body or an unusually solid shadow.

Causes

Greed and dark magic.

Symptoms

Looking like you're talking to yourself, nightmares, hallucinations, sweating, greater than average strength and intelligence. As the darkness spreads: paranoia, intrusive thoughts, inability to sleep, veins showing through skin, obsessive behavior, schizophrenia, bodily deformities even as abilities increase.

Treatment

The Darkness can never be purged.

Prognosis

Dark power inevitably leads to insanity and undeath as a shadow creature.

Sequela

The children of those affected by the Dark will be deformed and otherwise lacking, but will also be stronger and have innate Dark powers; basically all of the effects without an active corrupting influence.

Affected Groups

Greedy or egotistical people, politicians, anyone who wants power and will do anything to get it.
Children of a host are often born with physical or mental abnormalities. (See Magnus).

Hosts & Carriers

Sapient beings.

Prevention

DON'T TALK TO TSICAR. DON'T LISTEN TO TSICAR. DON'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO TALK TO TSICAR. THIS HAS BEEN A PSA.

Epidemiology

The host can convince others to join him. This is usually unsuccessful-- no one listens to a creep with a shadow you can literally trip on.

History

Tsicar, evil king, knew of the Darkness from his time as a war god. He harnessed its corrupting influence as a way to gain an advantage against Oreh in the Shadow War. Being a god, he was able to master this force and use it on others.

Cultural Reception

Hosts are described as crazy and cast out. This is for the better.

Type

Parasitic

Parent

The Darkness

Children

• The Darkness

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare