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| The Shadow Mark |
A disease that affects both body and mind. It is known for its crawling black mark on the skin and how it is affected by the sufferer's mental state.
On each Shadow Mark sufferer is a single black mark on a certain point on their skin (can be anywhere, varies by individual). When they become emotionally/mentally agitated or distressed, the Mark spreads from that point and across their skin. It returns to normal once they are in a stable state again, and any extension of the Mark disappears, but the original Mark remains.
THE SYMPTOMS: A WAKING NIGHTMARE
The spreading of the Mark causes localized pain (aching, burning, stabbing sensations) on the skin and organs, and is accompanied by mental torment. Mentally, the sufferer spirals and can easily lose control of their emotions if they aren't careful--this typically causes intense anxiety, depression and unease.
Another hallmark symptom is something I call "daymares": something between hallucinations and dreaming that play on the fears of the sufferer. You see terrifying images, scenes, and bad memories before your eyes as if you are actually there, and zone out in the process--sort of like a flashback, but some of them are not rooted in reality or correct memories. You can have a flashback of a happy memory and the daymare will make it terrifying, perhaps by adding a disaster or something gruesome.
On each Shadow Mark sufferer is a single black mark on a certain point on their skin (can be anywhere, varies by individual). When they become emotionally/mentally agitated or distressed, the Mark spreads from that point and across their skin. It returns to normal once they are in a stable state again, and any extension of the Mark disappears, but the original Mark remains.
THE SYMPTOMS: A WAKING NIGHTMARE
The spreading of the Mark causes localized pain (aching, burning, stabbing sensations) on the skin and organs, and is accompanied by mental torment. Mentally, the sufferer spirals and can easily lose control of their emotions if they aren't careful--this typically causes intense anxiety, depression and unease.
Another hallmark symptom is something I call "daymares": something between hallucinations and dreaming that play on the fears of the sufferer. You see terrifying images, scenes, and bad memories before your eyes as if you are actually there, and zone out in the process--sort of like a flashback, but some of them are not rooted in reality or correct memories. You can have a flashback of a happy memory and the daymare will make it terrifying, perhaps by adding a disaster or something gruesome.
The Shadow Mark also disrupts aura balance and magic abilities. The moonish are particularly vulnerable so it is the most prevalent in that population, but Vaelian people can contract it too.
Then again, people keep telling me it’s only my perspective, and that it is false. They claim I am being cared for, and that these thoughts originate from some strange affliction I have, but I don’t know whether to believe them or not. Don’t we all have an affliction of the soul? Why point that out when everyone else has it, too? I don’t understand these men. The glint of malice in their eyes tells me that I should either stay away, or I may have to take drastic measures to defend myself."
"Why are humans so selfish? Why do they not have pity on the weak? When a selfless person (a rare specimen) does something for someone else, do they receive a reward? Are the debts of the selfish man paid? No. The selfless starve for their work. Kindnesses are overlooked, and everyone else takes more than they give.
Then again, people keep telling me it’s only my perspective, and that it is false. They claim I am being cared for, and that these thoughts originate from some strange affliction I have, but I don’t know whether to believe them or not. Don’t we all have an affliction of the soul? Why point that out when everyone else has it, too? I don’t understand these men. The glint of malice in their eyes tells me that I should either stay away, or I may have to take drastic measures to defend myself."
--From the journal of a Shadow Mark (stage 2) sufferer
