Voidwalkers

"To the god that thought it was a good idea to add beholders, mind flayers and now Voidwalkers into the Material Plane, I hope you kill yourself." - Carvelli Goldwalker, famous Elvish bard

Inspiration from the Voidwoken in Laurien Studios' "Divinity Original Sin 2", header taken from League of Legends, by Riot Games

The Voidwalkers are alien, insectoid-like creatures that are rumored to come from the same plane of existence as beholders or mind flayers. They have invaded the Material Plane so that they can feast on the Waylines that helped created the Material Plane and all the magical phenomenon that made it possible. Whether it was by coincidence or maybe it was manifested by the people's fears, the Voidwalkers are the latest rendition of a popular myth meant to scare children for disobedience, but the variations told there often involve consuming music, strength or other raw materials. When the first Voidwalker attack occured in 1013 A.F.T, what was once a myth to many became a legitament threat. Many people still do not believe in the existence of the Voidwalkers, and the majority of Targonia's population will never live long enough to see one themselves, but a few individuals report that they attack nearby settlements when Source was used, primarily by a Sourcerer. This led the international community to outright outlaw the use of Source and all known Sourcerers to be imprisoned in the name of public safety. It is still unknown whether these actions will prevent the Voidwalkers, or that they even exist in the first place, being nothing more than illusions from a mage or a hallucination or a mistelling with a mythical creature, but as time passes, with the recent upheaval of people beginning to develop Voidshatter and new forms of Voidwalkers reportedly beginning to show up, what started out as a myth to scare children, is now a reality that scares all of Targonia.

Summary

Somewhere out in the multiverse lies a plane of existence where the creation of ungodly horrors come from. Many believe this is home to the aberrations like mind flayers and beholders, where ancient gods like The Great Old Ones reside, and where a new invasive lifeform as originated from. These are the Voikwalkers, strange insectoid-like creatures that have come to the Material Plane to feast on the Waylines that make magic possible as well as the ability to communicate with the divine. Their hungry is never sated, and that they terrorize the Material Plane to continue their feast uninterrupted.

Historical Basis

The concept of insectoid-like creatures bringing about the end of the Material Plane as far older than the first recorded Voidwalker attack in 1013 A.F.T. Multiple cultures and races have their own separate versions of weird, alien creatures that come to devour, and what they devour is unique to the actual culture. For Elves, it was the ability to enjoy the arts, for orcs, it was the strength of the individual, and for dwarves, it was the raw ingots. These tales were primarily used to scare children in their respective cultures, like how music is valued to the elves in the same way combat was to the orcs or the craftsmanship was to the orcs. They each adopted the concept of insects because all cultures viewed insects as parasites that feed off from other creatures in order to survive. Should a child commit a naughty behavior or act, and the consequences of that act range from these creatures taking away these valuable assets to becoming the insect itself and stealing the values of others.

Spread

Voidwalkers are now a common myth/truth told throughout Targonia, as attacks have been reported from the deepest forests of Springlend to even the cold icefields of Zidatzu.

Variations & Mutation

Unlike other myths, there were multiple variations of the idea of alien insectoids consuming important values of society, but when the first incident with the Voidwalkers became publicly known, they all begin to converge on each other into a universal myth (or truth, depending on how unlucky you are).

Cultural Reception

While a Voidwalker attack is extremely rare and most commoners will live fulfilling lives without ever hearing about them, it causes international panic and paranoia. Since these attacks seemed random, many people fear for an attack that could end their livelihoods. When the discovery was made that Voidwalkers appeared sometimes mere minutes after Source was used by a Sourcerer, that paranoia turned into anger, as the commoners wished for the extinction of the Sourcerers.

In Literature

While the first incident with the Voidwalkers was not the one that created the genre, it popularized the Horror genre as a way to tell stories. Many horror stories involve Voidwalkers as a way to symbolize the sins the character committed, and how that consumed their lives all the way to death. It also opened up the propsect of different Voidwalker types, like those that can talk to individuals or those that can morph into inhuman creatures

Date of Setting

1013 A.F.T