Irkath

(a.k.a. The Unknown)

Irkath is an aspect of Zalikar and is the embodiment of secrecy and the unknown. He is considered a mental aspect and he exists within Irkath's Plane. Irkath consists of information, emotions and memories related to secrets, concealment, lost knowledge, the subconscious, forgotten memories and the general unknown. Understandably, this is one of the more mysterious and misunderstood aspects. In general, Irkath deals with the lack of, loss of or concealment of information and its counterpart is Kanilwyr, aspect of Lithmor.

All lost, forgotten or misperceived knowledge falls under this aspect. Also, all concealed information, especially secrets, fall under this as well. Finally, while Kanilwyr connects to the part of a person's mind that contains knowledge and memories, Irkath connects to one's subconscious and to those memories which are forgotten or even repressed. It even connects to a person's hidden nature or facts about someone which are secret even to them, sometimes even details of their fate or future.

Irkath's manifestations are extremely rare, even among other dark magics as those possessing these abilities are often ostracized—people are wary of those able to reveal their secrets. These Racial Magic are most often found in those living in or around the Tenebrous Chain or Festering Peninsula. These casters also tend to develop one or more personality quirks or tendencies of Irkath himself as a side effect of their connection to him.

Racial Manifestations

by Lee Stepp

During the Era of Legends, the Erlithmanil gifted many lifeforms with their magic. Millions of years later, every lifeform on Emynea possesses two of these blessings. As these abilities are passed down from parent to child genetically, they came to call these gifts Racial Magic. These are named by the aspect a caster is connected to and by how they can use it, how they manifest their connection.

Manifestations

Manipulation

Can compel the target to reveal specific hidden information or secrets or pull forward subconscious or forgotten memories. They can also manipulate targets to the opposite effects, forcing them to conceal information.

Aura

Can generate an area in which targets feel compelled to share secrets or concealed information and targets will be unable to lie. Alternately, they can force those around them to reveal their magic form or dispel magical disguises.

Shadow

Can tap into a target's mind space connected to Irkath and produce illusions of forgotten or repressed memories, their secrets or even illusions of things they do not know about themselves, their future and their fate.

Eye

Able to see emotions and thoughts related to lies, secrets or deception as an aura or glean information about these thoughts and emotions by staring into a target's eyes.

Sense

Able to feel when those around them are lying, hiding things or being deceptive and can glean information about these lies or deceptions by touching a target.

Binding

Able to bind a target from sharing or talking about certain information, knowledge or a even memory and they cannot share that they have been bound. Unlike other Bindings, they aren't limited in which memories or emotions they can bind, capable of restricting any memory, knowledge, etc. as this is the aspect of concealment. However, they are not able to make a memory unforgettable like other bindings.

Mind

Able to take on a meditative state, mentally entering the target's mind space connected to Irkath. This part of their brain is their subconscious and any secrets about their fate and future. Casters can experience thoughts, emotions and even memories stored here but cannot access the rest of the target's mind space. The mind they are invading can also resist and attempt to expell them, this becoming a battle of willpower and skill!

Vision

Able to take on a meditative state in which the caster can enter and explore Irkath's Plane, leaving their own body and seeming to astral project into the plane. They can peek through the portals of the plane and can parse through information and memories stored here. It can be difficult to maneuver a mental plane, especially one as cryptic, vague and obtuse as this onee. Irkath doesn't like giving up hist secrets freely and enjoys riddles and difficult to decipher metaphors. Most of these casters receive erratic and convoluted visions of cryptic knowledge, rarely cohesive.

Apathy

Can turn off a target's ability to feel emotions and recall memories related to Irkath and cannot access their own secrets or concealed knowledge. Simultaneously, they are unable to lie in this state, most targets considerably confused while under these effects. Casters can target individuals or create a general area of effect. They are immune to Irkath magic.

Empathy

Can temporarily connect the minds of targets and allow them access to each other's secrets, hidden knowledge and even concealed or repressed emotions. All those under the effect won't be able to hide anything from others caught up in the effect, able to freely parse their secrets and subconscious.

Shield

These casters are immune to all Irkath magic and can turn off their own access to their secrets, subconscious and lies.

Touch

Can compel a target to reveal a secret or lie via contact. A rarer version allows the caster to perceive the target's hidden nature via touch and expose the magic form of those they touch.

Step

Allows the caster to physically enter Irkath's Plane, using themselves or another experiencing these emotions as a portal, and explore the plane. They can enter mind spaces connected to the plane but this can be extremely dangerous.

This is the simplified explanation of these abilities. See Mental Manifestations for more details, limits and functions. Irkath and Zalikar can wield all of these abilities and some others.

Divine Domains

Irkath's Plane

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

by Lee Stepp

He appears very similar to Zalikar himself but as a mental aspect, he will often dramatically shift his appearance to suit his needs. This tends to differ based on whose mind he is visiting. Overall, he is tall, thin and gaunt with pale skin and blue eyes. He is also quite fond of taking up characteristics of an owl or even dressing as one, his favorite being the appearance of a plague doctor with an owl mask. Black, tarry maggots and worms are his minions and pets and often wriggle about his form if not comprising him entirely. They represent his secrets. He enjoys taking up blue eyes and they can be quite unsettling and piercing.

by Lee Stepp

Special abilities

Irkath automatically possesses every detail of all secrets, lies, deceptions and lost or forgotten knowledge. He is the unknown itself. He enjoys parsing these out to people like little forbidden candies, often leading people astray or corrupting them with forbidden knowledge. He himself is able to see and sense deception, feeding on secrets which eat away at people. Like many mental aspects, he is able to feed off of lies and deception as they occur, each instance having its own unique flavor. He can even glean shadows of a person's fate and future through his waters, by piecing together all of the undercurrents of the present world to estimate what future lays in wait. He once had the ability to divine the future in the form of fortune telling but this ability was passed down to Sylthari when she was born.

by Lee Stepp

Irkath is particularly mysterious as a mental aspect, connecting to the mind of every lifeform in regards to their secrets as well as to their subconscious. It's plane is also a storehouse to all lost or yet undiscovered knowledge. Irkath holds a peculiar position within the mind of Zalikar himself—it grants him one half of total omniscience. All lost, forgotten and concealed knowledge is automatically stored within Irkath's Plane and he is aware of all of it. The second half of this omniscience belongs to his counterpart, Kanilwyr. They have their own constant tug of war over knowledge, shifting as information is concealed or gleaned. Zalikar often uses this to his advantage, either constructing plans with this information in mind or even weaponizing it against those around him, using their secrets against them. It should be noted, however, that this mental plane is extremely confusing, symbolic, cryptic and convoluted. Information gleaned from it is difficult to decipher and understand. The plane itself is a maze of indirect and symbolic visions and connections between memories or information is seemingly nonsensical.

Mental characteristics

Intellectual Characteristics

by Lee Stepp

Aspects are pieces of the whole mind of their element and so Irkath embodies a piece of Zalikar. Generally, and unsurprisingly, Irkath is quite secretive in nature. He can be cryptic, quiet, concealiatory, scheming and mysterious. He has a good sense for deception and manipulation of information, even outside of his omniscience. He is skilled in extracting information and getting people to talk, deducing the truth with the smallest of hints. He is a master of redirection and a skilled liar. He is quite convincing, savvy and possesses a silver tongue. He behaves regally, dignified and deliberate, and believes himself quite wise. It is only his own sense of mischief and trickiness that breaks this facade.

He can be disarming and charismatic, making others feel safe in sharing what they know with him. He is in fact an excellent confidante, discreet and tight-lipped. Much like his brother Siptalis, he is a good listener and helpful in delving into one's past—in parsing through suppressed and traumatic memories. He enjoys helping people face their true nature alongside their inner demons. Irkath also enjoys speaking in riddles, hinting at grand secrets or poking holes at the deceptions people weave so carefully. He is unafraid to utilize blackmail to compel compliance or to manipulate or pressure people. He is extremely cryptic and deliberate with what he says, often lacing secrets into the conversation casually.