They didn't used to be this way, you know. They used to be omens that called upon dreams. Now they've becom the nightmares.
Hollows, as generally known, are peaceful creatures, known for their shimmering skin and 1000 yard stare. they roam the desert passivly, obeying the call of some unknown force, unbothered by reality anymore.
Song Hollows, however, have decended into an unparalleled feralness that can tear down cities when incited.
Cause
Seeing as Song Hollows are derivitive of normal Hollows, they originally are formed through the Waw Song and being
Song Struck. what makes them violent, however, is still unknown.
[subcontainer]Song hollows are made through actual consumption of waw crystal rather than just listening to the song. this is what turns them feral, a changing of flesh to actual crystal. if the consuption and contact continues for too long, the Song Hollows turn into the waw trees. [/subcontainer]
Symptoms
The first stage is, as mentioned many times before, is a simple Hollows: shambling, passive, beautiful. ordinary in a way. however, the calling signs are still there. often times, a potential song hollow has crystalized completely over particularly boney areas, like the knuckles, jaw, and hairline.
Transition
After an undetermined amount of time, these crystalized patched grow and take on more characteristics of
Waw Crystal such as glowing and producing music. Over time, these patches grow, slowly creeping over the entire hollows till their whole body glows and sings with every breath of the wind.
During this, the Hollow will leave the waw forest and venture out into the desert, gathering up with other Song Hollows to create a hoard that shambles through the emptyness and lingers behind dunes. once in a group, it appeares that the Song Hollows link up conciousness, displaying hive mind behavior.
The End
The change is complete once the crystal stops spreading. This process can take from a week to several years. As it is now, there is no physical or magical explaination for the durration.
behavior
Treatment
Unfortunately, at any stage of the process there is no know treatment. Some people insist keeping a Hollows away from a hoard delays the crystalization, but the person's mind has already fled so the point of this dely is nonexistant. Still, reasurchers continue to search for some way of prevention or reversal.
Cultural Effect
Krekkonian reform
After the outbreak in 598, Krekkon went through a structure shift, turning the nation into a series of defined city states rather than the collective nation it had been before. For a while, these Song Hollows made travel nearly impossible. however, once the nation got used to their threat and figure out how to deal with them, preparations were made and the hoards were dealt with. ie, the locals figured out how to live along side them.
Specific traveling paths were developed and are currently maintained, along with people that specialize in desert crossings and trade protection. Song Hollows existance, while terrifying and dangerous, did open up a whole new realm of industry for Krekkonians to support their often lavish lifestyles.
External Warieness
Understandably, the outside world is a little less understanding of the Song Hollows than Krekkonians. To them, these creatures are new and dangerous every time they appear on the horizon or crowd around a closed city gate at dawn. Due to them, people tend to avoid Krekkon and the Nuoj if they can. If they can't however, they pay quite handsomly for the promised protection offered by Krekkonians.
History
First appearance
they first became publically known around 589 when the outbreak happened, but it's suspected that Song Hollows have been alive since the mid 500's. unfortuneatly, there is no way to verify this suspicition.
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