The Gloom

All things that are twisted and wicked are the creations of the Gloom, a power far beyond our understanding that seeks to snuff out the light from our world and plunge everything into darkness once more. - Radiant Kerosa Lennor

The Gloom has been said to have existed long before the first rays of the Radiant Dawn ever came to bring life with it. Rather than accepting the light, it has plotted and planned to remove it and return all things into eternal darkness like it once was. Using the powers that it has to try and corrupt everything

Manifestation

Everywhere and Nowhere

The Gloom is a force trapped between the natural and the otherworldly. It makes its home wherever it goes in the darkest places that the world has to offer. Everything dark, from the night to a person's shadow, is only considered the natural part of it that most people see daily. It shows its more twisted side when it gains power, says a place or an individual. Due to the circumstances of its existence, it cannot be destroyed nor removed, only held back to ensure that it cannot spread its influence.

All That is Dark

The Gloom represents everything the light and its people have sworn to fight against its power. For that reason, emotions such as fear and anger exist, among many others. It exists to whisper in the minds of all who give in to its will and do terrible things, along with the creatures it creates, to spread its influence as far as possible. If it wasn't for the power of the Radiants and other powers that are used to keep its influence under control it would have consumed the world a long time ago. However, its powers become limited if negative emotions and dark thoughts are strong enough in certain places to be able to spread.

Localization

Powers of Corruption

Whenever the Gloom surfaces, it will only lead to one thing, the corruption of anything it touches. However, the effects will vary depending on the mental state or how strong their emotions are. The power of a Radiant tends to keep most of it a bay but can only do so much and will often find its way through cracks that creak themselves. It targets individuals who hold darkness in their hearts or people going through emotional troubles in their lives. It can also be found affecting the land and wildlife in its strong enough to kill all plant life often and turn animals into vicious creatures known as Darken that only desire to kill and consume.

Gloom Rifts

But there are some instances where the power of the light is not enough to banish the Gloom as it has left a strong influence on an area. These are known as a Gloom Rift and are considered places where the forces of the Gloom are most potent. While these rifts can be closed with time, when they are active, everything in its range becomes a breeding ground for Darken, and the likelihood of corruption increases substantially. These places are blockaded to keep anything from coming in or out while it is active. Making it one most dangerous places to be in, all while trying to keep the Gloom from spreading ever further. It requires powerful defensive barriers of Radiance to keep the rift from spreading and hopefully receiving with time. But rift should never take it lightly as the Darken could breach the defenses and run wild before being stopped. Rifts can last for months or even years before they are finally closed and the corruption vanishes, and the land can heal from it.

Type

Metaphysical, Divine

Eternal Desire

Darkness by Serg Souleiman

The Gloom only desires to consume everything in its path and become a part of it. Its desire is its greatest strength and weakness as it has at times become predictable in its methods. This led to precautions to halt its spread and ensure that it does not influence anyone susceptible to its power. It does not stop people from being influenced by their own dark desires that manifest with them and use their advantage for their will to be carried out.

Twisted Power

The ashen oak by Victor Neumann

The power of the Gloom is not to be underestimated as anyone can be influenced no matter how strong their will is. Those that do fall to its influence are often known as Darken or other cases Gloomlings as they fall to its power. Those that do will transform into monstrous creatures that are manifest by the individual's strongest negative emotion or darkest desire if they let influence them for too long. They will then be consumed by it and turned into an avatar of that emotion or desire. In their new form, they will carry out the will of the Gloom through the powers granted to them and spread its misery to others. The creatures will continue to do so unless they are killed or cleansed and brought back to their regular sleeves, but it is often difficult as most are too far gone and are consumed by it, unable to escape.