Vices

Artwork by Aloulore & Cheshie-Doodles

The Birth of the Vices

Long ago, when the Kingdom of Duvyal was still in its infancy, famine had struck their lands. Crops barely grew, hunting and fishing was scarce, and many of its people were hungry, weak, and ill. The kingdom was in a state of despair. The queen at the time was desperate to help her people, and did all she could to lift their spirits. “This shall pass!” She cried. “Don’t give into despair and hopelessness!” She begged. But her voice fell onto deaf ears. The many Starkin were too tired and weak. Too run down and run thin. They couldn’t see anything past the veil of sorrow that fell over all of them. And too did their queen find herself falling into such pain and sorrow. Yet, she couldn’t allow herself to. The feeling brought as much dread into her heart. She needed to be strong for her people. If only she could make it go away. Shove it all away. Yes. Bottle it all away. The queen spent day and night crafting a new and powerful spell, one she was excited to share with her people. “This will be the answer to our problems!” She proclaimed to her people as they were gathered before her. With a glorious flash and a wave of warmth, everyone felt their pain vanish. They felt calm. They felt at ease. For the first time in forever, it felt like they could think and see past the veil. With their sorrow and pain pushed aside, it was easier to figure out solutions for their problems. It was easier to cherish every little meal they did have, and to keep their heads and hopes up through their illnesses. Yes, it seemed like they had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, a light that shone only brighter as the famine finally passed. The crops flourished, the hunting and fishing were plentiful, and the Starkins were healthier than ever. The Queen was hailed and adored, thanked endlessly for her efforts. How foolish they had been to let their sorrows blind them! Oh how short sighted they had been! And how short sighted they still were. The spell was thought by the kingdom to destroy negative feelings. To be rid of them completely. To only feel happiness and hope and be rid of pain. Only the Queen knew it simply bottled it away. She didn’t see a point in telling. It had worked. And she was so sure there was no way such soul crushing emotions could ever escape. She had been so very sure. So one day, when a young Starkin’s heart was broken beyond repair, when no matter how hard they reasoned, how hard they tried, they couldn’t see a bright side and had no reason to be happy, but they couldn’t feel anything else other than joy; They broke. It started in the town square, hundreds of Starkin watched on in silent horror as the poor thing screamed out in pain. Watched on as tears began to darken and run thick. As it began to sputter from their mouth, their chest, and burn away the feathers on their wings. The others could only watch as it consumed them whole, turning a deep, abyssal blue and formless. Yet it quickly turned them into a beast. It morphed to the shape of the tormented Starkin…but different. Their face twisted into one of sorrow and agony. They could only cry and wail as they grew into a hulking size and lumbered toward the crowd with a cry. And with this one transformation; a chain reaction began. A starkin changed into a beast with a mask of fear. One into a beast with a face twisted in rage. Another with a face of panic. And another whose face was filled with dread. The magic was coming undone, and in turn, all the years of negativity that had been forced down, exploded outward in a most violent and volatile form. Once word reached the Queen, she rushed out in a panic. She watched as these beasts attacked, forcing those they came into contact with to turn into beats just like them. With many of the Starkin unable to feel fear, they didn’t think to run and flee. The Queen had realized her horrible mistake. She undid her spell, and commanded her people to flee into her palace, ordering the guard to keep them safe. She alone stood between her people and the monsters. And yet, as she watched on, her heart shattered. This was her fault. Her doing. She had caused this. What she thought would save her people and keep them safe, instead destroyed dozens, and hundreds of families. She did all she could to undo the spell on them, but they were too far gone. It had no effect. So all she could do was watch on in silent pain and horror as they continued to lumber toward her. She was sure her people were next. Her whole kingdom, destroyed by her hand. So overcome with pain, shame, and sorrow, she simply fell to her knees. All the power in the world came undone by her broken heart. As the beasts lumbered ever closer, she accepted her fate. She wept for her child, not yet even hatched. Wept for her people, forced to watch such horrors. And wept for herself, and her foolishness. She had accepted it all, and turned numb to it all. All she felt now was pure apathy. She awaited what she felt was her rightful end. Yet it never came. The beasts had stopped. Silently bobbing and swaying their heads about for several moments, before turning and leaving into the mountains and woods. The queen watched silently as they left, and only once gone out of sight did she dare run to check on her people. Many wounded, hurt, and scared both inside and out, but alive. She was hailed a hero to her people, but she did not accept this title. She was no hero, not while those monsters, her creations, were still out there.

Queen Nahima was a famed and controversial queen in the history of Duyval. Many hate and blame her for unleashing the beasts known as “Vices'' onto the world. Others hail her for researching them so deeply and heavily as to find a way to combat them, and to cure the early stages of turning. Regardless of how many feel about this Queen, one thing is certain, her and the monsters known as “Vices” are forever interlinked in the minds of all who live in the world of Urroa.

What are Vices?

Vices are large, lumbering beasts that feed on Starkin, and can sense strong emotions of any kind. While coming to be in the same way, Vices have many forms depending on the strong negative emotion they were born from. They all are, however, very much blind and depend on those they stumble across to feel strongly at the sight of their terrifying form. It was Queen Nahime who accidentally discovered, and later confirmed, that feeling completely nothing is the only way to remain hidden to these beasts. It’s said that even if they’re so close upon you that you can taste their breath, you must feel completely nothing and remain completely calm to come out safe.

Those who do come in contact with the Vices, and can’t help but feel panic, but manage to come out alive, are told to go to a healer as soon as they are away from the Vice. As it is very possible to become tainted by, and slowly turn into one.

Types of Vices

SORROW

These are a deep, dark blue much like a body of water where you can not see the bottom. Their eyes are a midnight blue, with cheek markings of matching color that looks like a trail of tears. They tend to slink low and lumber about the ground. What was once their wings now hang in limp tatters as they drag across the ground. They are the slowest and least aggressive form of Vice, but should still be avoided. What they lack physically they make up for magically. Those who are too close when they hear their heart shattering wail, find themselves overcome with such intense sorrow, they fall to their knees and buckle under its weight. If you are not prepared to battle sorrow, you will be consumed by it.

WRATH

These are a deep, burning crimson much like a sky that has been consumed by flames. Their eyes are a striking ruby red, outlined by flame-like patterns of the same color. They’re constantly hunched and tense, looking all too ready to lash out at anything that crosses them. What was once their wings are now spiky appendages held up high and ready to come down on anything. They are the fastest and most aggressive of the Vices, and are told to be reported immediately if seen. They are to only be handled by the Hunters or the Guard, and those who find themselves unlucky enough to end up within proximity of one, are told to hide, cover your ears, feel nothing, and pray it leaves the area soon. Their cries can be heard for miles, causing massive headaches and irritation. If you are not properly taught how to handle Wrath, you will find yourself blindly lashing out, acting foolishly, and becoming easy prey for it.

FEAR/PANIC

While this Vice is known by two names, it works the same. These vices are a deep dark color, like the long dark shadows that stretch across everything as night falls. Their eyes are a deep indigo, and hard to miss due to how they’re always open wide, almost unnaturally wide. This Vice often gives the false impression of being able to see, but just like the others it is blind. It slinks around in the dark and the shadows, only really active at night. It stays close to the ground, yet is tense. Its head constantly up and sniffing and darting about, This Vice often causes grave injuries in new recruits for the Guards and Hunters. With its name and how it acts, it seems like it’d be as easy to handle. Just scare it off. But just like anyone in a dangerous situation, it’s in a constant state of Fight or Flight. And it’ll always choose to fight. One must always remember, there is nothing more frightening or dangerous than something or someone, fully believing it’s fighting for its life.

OBSESSION

Possibly the most dangerous of the Vices. Obsession’s form has never been properly documented, many who come across it or hunt it often saying it looks different every time. But enough eye witness accounts have been gathered over the years to get a good general idea of what it looks like. It’s a shadowy, almost formless mass, like the sight of a silhouette you catch a glimpse of from the corner of your eye, with piercing white eyes. Yet every time someone turns their full gaze upon them, it changes. And it always changes into something dangerous, big or small. Maybe it’s that one someone whom your heart never fully let go of. Or someone who scorned you, someone who left a pain in your heart that never fully healed. Sometimes it’s even something as simple as that book you had lost in your youth that changed you for the better that you never stopped trying to find again. No one knows how, but Obsession knows what lies in your mind, what your mind can’t let go off. Of all the Vices, none have taken as many hunters or guards like Obsession has. If you don’t know how to let go, you’ll always be taken under.

SLOTH

Closed and waiting Sloth

This dark green Vice looks as if it's own body is holding it back. With wrapped skin pulling it's limbs and head down, it hobbles along as if it can hardly move. It's large oversized wings drag on the ground, weighing it down and preventing flight. It prefers to stay in one place, huddled down and wrapped in it's own flesh, letting time pass it by. These Vice keep still and quiet, the lobes of their trap-jaw clamped shut until something comes by. Once close, the jaws will open and latch onto their prey. Once it strikes, this vice is hard to escape. It will wrap it's wings around it to shield itself as it rakes at it's prey with razor sharp claws and teeth. Those that escape this vice's jaws find themselves unable to go far, as if weighed down by their own ambitions. This vice has taken many hunters and guards who have tried to flee only to have their energy sapped away by it's nectar. Overcome with the weight of failure or the severity of the task at hand, they slow to a crawl. Only with a good sense of self-discipline can one overcome the weight of idleness.

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Vice Influences

By coming in close proximity with Vices, Starkin of all ages can begin to take on a closer appearance to them. To obtain these, simply draw your Starkin coming across the corresponding Vice.

These influences can either disappear or worsen over time. A month after gaining the first influence, depending on whether your Starkin seeks treatment or if they allow the emotions to fester, determines whether they are cured or continue to grow closer to a Vice's appearance. (You chose which way it goes, there aren't specific mechanics going one way or the other, just the wait time of 1 month between stages!)

After reaching the third stage, they can either cure an upgrade each month, or keep all three.

The color of each influence are typical that of the Starkin's magic, but this isn't always the case.

While a Starkin is afflicted with an influence, their magic is more dangerous and sporadic. Therapy is mandatory for them. Whether or not it helps though...