Mistel

13th, The Amber Cold, 1698:
 

The night’s still foul. The rain has been falling in a torrent for about four days now. The patter of the water outside is almost loud enough to drown out the shrieks of that…. thing outside. I can still remember when this all started… I was gathering ingredients for my salves the healer had asked for. The fog was bad that day. You could hardly see three meters in front of you. I would’ve fallen down a slope into a small creek if I didn’t hear the snapping of branches behind me. The forest near our village was known to have the occasional mountain lion or black bear, but something felt off. The steps were too heavy to be a mountain lion and I thought I could make out ragged breathing which wouldn’t have been a bear.… Then I heard the shriek. 

It was loud and high. I can’t describe it as well as I’d like. It was almost like what you’d imagine a woman would sound like if each of her limbs were being broken one by one. The shrieks were awful.

I thought it really was a woman for a second, and I hesitated. That was when I saw it. At least, I saw its silhouette through the fog. It was tall and slender, and very boney, its body contorted horridly. I couldn’t move...

The next thing I remember was sprinting as fast as I could back to the village keep, shouting at the top of my voice. Some people came out to see what the problem was, but I could hardly speak. I just said we need to get into the keep and hide. Harek called me a “Crazy old herbalist,” and told me to “Go tell my fairy tales to the little shits in the square.” I never did like him. I hope he got torn apart.

It was then that I heard it again, and this time, so did everyone else. The same shriek, the same awful noise that started this whole damn thing. We all started running in different directions, most of us to the keep. Harek and Tarstan both ran off to their homes, to protect their families, I assume. Once the bulk of us were in the keep, we slammed the gates shut and turned to see what was happening. I could hear the yells and screams of the others that didn’t make it in time, as well as the terrible, gushing and tearing sound as the beast began to feed on its fallen victims. After a few moments of stunned silence, we all headed to the underkeep to stow ourselves away.

And that is where I find myself presently, writing this by candlelight with a piece of charcoal, surrounded by a bunch of stinking and scared townsfolk, and none of us knowing what to do or say to comfort each other. I suppose I’m writing this account down as a way to cope with this whole situation. Maybe I should keep this up, if we ever make it out of here. The food supply may not last as long as we need. I’ll see if I can’t sneak up to the courtyard in a few more days to see if that creature has left.

 

 

 

 

15th, The Amber Cold, 1698:

 

The creature is gone, finally. The rain and fog has dissipated from the village too, but I can still see it in the distance. I hope it leaves for good. When we came out from the keep, the first thing everybody noticed was the smell of wet, rotten flesh. As the gate was raised, I pushed past a few of the others and exited to the streets. It was there I saw several corpses lying face down in the mud. Some were ripped completely apart, others seemed to have been bitten at the neck and tossed around like a dog would after catching a squirrel. Even the livestock were killed. One of the barns I passed had its doors practically ripped from its hinges, and looking inside, I could see the headless bodies of sheep and cattle lying in pools of their own blood. As I was making the trek back to my home, I came across the body of Harek, an expression of pure terror still on his bloodied and bruised face. I’m ashamed to admit that I spat right in his cold, lifeless face.

I’m now sitting back in my home as I write this. I can hear the wails of women and children for their lost husbands and fathers.

Something must be done. Joachim mentioned a group of bejewelled men who live to save people like us from monsters. I should contact them. Maybe they can help us.

 

 

20th, The Amber Cold, 1698:

 

[!] Circular blotches cover parts of the page, as if someone was crying. 

It’s been almost a week now, and they haven’t sent word back. I guess we’re not worth their time; time isn’t plentiful for this village right now. I guess I’ll have to lay and wait for my inevitable end. Mother Nature sought to create a monster, now we must suffer from such consequences. 

 

 

 

21st, The Amber Cold, 1698:

 

No, I will not accept such an end. If Mother Nature wishes to create a monster to pillage and murder, then I will create a monster of my own to burn her creation into ashes. Maybe I can use some of the livestock from the family next door. The family’s dead anyway... I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.

 

6th, The Deep Cold, 1698:

 

[!] Alchemical ingredients, recipes, and equations would be scrawled neatly near the top of the page, along with instructions on how to prepare the animals for injection. All of this would then be followed by:

I think I’ve finally got a hang of it. The animal experiments have shown progress, though it is still imperfect. The animals that would normally be calm towards humans have taken on an aggressive attitude towards myself or anybody that approaches them. I must continue to experiment with different ingredients.

 

13th, The Deep Cold, 1698:

 

[!] A few new formulas would be written at the top of the next page, the succeeding entry reading:

I’ve managed to quell the “predatorial” demeanor, but I’m still not finished. On the positive side, some of the animals seem to have developed greater muscle mass, meaning that at least some of my formulas were correct. The eyes of my subjects have taken on a clouded, white color, as well, but they don’t appear to be blinded. As long as it’s working, I do not care what they look like. I can only hope the rest of my calculations were as accurate.
 

 

15th, The Deep Cold, 1698:

 

Something’s not quite right with the animals. I found one of the cattle that was most successful standing in the corner of its pen, looking off into nothing. I could see several abscesses on its skin where hair had fallen out. The hair also seems to have become patchy and the skin I can see has turned an extremely pale hue. It is definitely an odd development, but the rest of my formulas seem to have been effective. I must keep going. 
 

 

20th, The Deep Cold, 1698:

 

It seems that my formulas are proving to be quite effective. The cattle I’ve injected with the new series of serums are beginning to show even more growth in muscle mass. They also move together as they graze the grass, showing some form of intelligence. Though I can’t seem to figure out why their hair and skin are becoming more and more deformed. Maybe It’s time to use more than cattle...

 

1st, Snows Maiden, 1698:

 

I have no idea how I did this. Either the guards are far too worried about the monster or too drunk to see, but I’ve successfully acquired several human test subjects from the keep prison. Hopefully their bindings hold them down long enough for my procedure.
 

 

3rd, Snows Maiden, 1698:

 

[!] Sketches and formulas would be crudely written inside the pages, some with excessive markings through to scratch out the previous attempts.

Another Failure! This is the third prisoner to die to my formulas. Two suffocated from their own muscle mass, and the other’s aortic artery popped. I need a way to compensate from the weight increase, but I only have three left. I’m not going to give up just yet.
 

 

5th, Snows Maiden, 1698:

 

[!] Sketches and revised formulas would be hastily scrawled inside the pages, with a few particular sketches being circled.

FANTASTIC! It worked! They’re absolutely horrendous looking creatures, but they survived! It was a stupidly obvious mistake. Their souls just needed that last little bit of coaxing, so I crafted a potion to make it more malleable. I made certain to fix it this time, now I have a masterpiece. Unfortunately, only two managed to live; One male, one female. It might be wise to release the pair of them in case the monster overpowers one. I’ll have to do it when everyone is asleep. I can’t let anybody else see this. 

 

 

 

6th, Snows Maiden, 1698:

 

I’ve released the subjects in the forest with relative ease. Hopefully they react to the aggression of the monster, provided they find it. I’ll leave the cages at the site as well. Maybe if I’m lucky they’ll return to the cages.

 

 

8th, Snows Maiden, 1698:

 

[!] Frantic writing would be scribbled in the book.

If anyone finds this, DO NOT use these formulas. They’re not safe! They’ve turned on the village. They’re monsters.  Worse tha-

[!] The scrawl would abruptly halt, and the next few pages seem to be stained with a spattering of red liquid.

 

The descendants themselves differ from the common beasts of the wilderness because of their intellect and strength of mind. This being said, what if one could gain the strength of a lion while still holding on to their descendant mind? The transformation elixir is a wondrous concoction. It doesn’t act like a normal potion. It has, in fact, semi-magical properties, and through the use of liquid essence, the potion modifies the soul, making it moldable and easy to sculpt just as if it were clay, letting it flow more easily to greatly affect a specific ability for a longer period of time. This greater version is a failed experiment of achieving far greater powers than one should hold, the greater elixir is highly toxic and damaging to the body, only the Shikari have figured out a way to use this greater version.

 

Should one inhale this they would feel an immense pain inside their chest, so strong to make them fall to their knees and roll on the floor, their soul almost flowing out of their own body as they are taken by heavy convulsions, the veins blacken until the effects of the potion are over.

 

• Kids and Teens (Any race)

 

Death and organ failure is certain should a kid or teen inhale this elixir, no matter what.

 

• Adults (Any race)

 

The effects caused by the potion on adults are very damaging, but they are the most suited to undergo the Shikari transformation. If the potion’s effects are not acted upon within an hour’s time frame the subject would die, their soul cracking beyond repair.

 

-Base-

Aqua Vitae

 

-Symbols-

 

3 Liquid Essence Vials (Strong Aether, Symbol of Control)

Structure (Moderate, Earth, 3 Symbols of Structure)

Adaptability (Strong, Water, 4 Symbols Adaptability)

Fluidity (Moderate, Water, 3 Symbols of Fluidity)

 

-Non Symbol ingredients-

 

2 Hearts of a medium-sized beast or descendant, or 1 heart of a large-sized beast or descendant (Center of the anima, needed to alter the soul, the blood it contains must be drained as to avoid contamination with the framework).

4 still closed butterfly chrysalises. (The chrysalises have to be not older than 2 weeks)

1. Prepare your work surface with the needed tools: mortar and pestle, knives, alembics, pliers and spoons.

2. Clean everything thoroughly with a strong spirit of aqua vitae or the like to avoid any contamination. 

3. Start by preparing your alembic, dose your aqua vitae in half, pour part of it in and save the other for later, start the fire underneath the lower chamber, regulate the fire for slow and gradual heating, leaving it to rest for the time being. 

4. Start extracting the required symbols from your reagents, through the process Fission and several Distillations, and once that is done go back to the Alembic (Note that the Liquid essence doesn’t need any further processing). 

5. Open the lower chamber of the alembic, once the aqua vitae is brought to a simmer start pouring in your liquid essence vials, one at a time, with pauses in between until the aqua vitae and essence slowly bind together, the aqua vitae should begin giving off a light blue gleam, which will only get stronger with each vial added. 

6. Leave the mixture to rest for a couple of minutes until it goes back to a simmer, then add your first 3 Moderate Water Symbols of Fluidity, mix them together as the mixture slowly becomes of a darker shade of blue, leave this to rest as the alembic starts purifying the mixture which will flow out of the tube. 

7. Take a large Heart (Or 2 medium Hearts), cut it in half by the middle and hang it up above a jar to drain all the excess blood that might be present, you can save the collected blood for future processes. 

8. Take the almost drained heart and wash the blood excess with the previously dosed aqua vitae then let the aqua vitae evaporate.

9. Mash the heart inside a mortar and then add it to your simmering concoction in the alembic which will slowly start to change color to a blue-crimson color.

10. Continue by adding more symbols to the mixture, first the Moderate Earth Symbols of Structure and leave it to rest as the alembic distills the excess away, the color will be unaltered.

11. Take your 4 unhatched butterfly chrysalises and carefully apply a cut at the bottom while keeping them above a jar, a (usually) green liquid will start oozing out from the shell, make sure to collect it all and repeat the same with the other 3, then drain any organic materials present away from the green ooze.

12. Throw away the drained chrysalises and take the liquid that you’ve collected, pour it inside a small pot and start a fire underneath, carefully bring it to a light simmer to purify it, then add your Strong Water Symbols of Adaptability and bind them together which will create a dark green mixture.

13. Go back to your simmering concoction, pour in the purified chrysalises liquid and crank up the fire to bring it to a final boil, the color of the mixture will begin to change to a more blue color. The alembic will start distilling the excess which you can dispose of once it flows out of the tube.

14. Drain the liquid from any organic material inside the chamber, then collect the liquid inside a bottle. Away from the heat, the concoction will change to a purple color which gives off a strong magical gleam.

15. The elixir will now be turned into a vapor. Set the bottle containing the liquid over a fire, with a tube running from it to an upside-down bottle, let the concoction simmer slowly and let its vapors rise to the upside-down bottle.

16. Once no more vapor can fit within the bottle, act quickly and detach it from the tube, seal it and store it in a cold environment, the vapor will hold a purple color and glimmer lightly.

 

Effects:

The Shikari undergoing the transformation process will inhale this potion to allow their soul to be changed. The potion takes 5 emotes for it to take effect and only lasts for a total of 2 IRL hours.

 

Preparation:

 

Each step takes about 1-2 emotes to perform, once the product is finished it will be stored inside a bottle with a purple color, it gives off a light glimmer.

•  

  During the effects of the potion the person won't be able to move, stand, hold weapons or even cast magic, let alone fight, they will be only able to crawl until the effects are over.

• It can’t be taken by constructs or those who do not have a soul. If the soul is already affected in any way by a deity based magic or the like (Not prosthetic limbs) the potion will not take effect and will be expelled forcedly by the body (Great pain, vomiting…) as the deity is far more powerful than the alchemical concoction.

• Prosthetic limbs or other additions to the body do not receive the effects of the serums.

• The recipe is scarcely known and useless unless used for the Shikari transformation.

• Inhaling this by yourself if you are not undergoing the Shikari transformation is counted as suicide and means a PK.

• The soul while in this state will take far greater damage if wounded, magics such as Naztherak when first in contact with the skin will deal damage as if been in contact with it for far more (Emote as if the skin had already been in contact for 3-4 emotes), Even common steel weapons affect the soul directly which will be scarred upon being resurrected, leaving a scar where the wound had been dealt. Limbs or body parts still regrow if chopped off but they will hold a scar where they were cut.

• The ghost’s chilling touch and emotional effect on the person while under the Elixir will have a far greater effect on them. Ghosts are able to physically touch the person, they are able to deliver punches comparable to the strength of a voidal mage, drag or push the person with the strength of a human or scrape them with their fingers, armor or clothes will have no effect to protect from the ghost’s touch.

 

1 jar of crushed ants, half a jar of powdered bone marrow from a femur of a medium/large beast or creature + 1 Strong earth symbol of Strength, 1 Strong earth symbol of Structure, 1 Strong fire symbol of Power

 

3 Large female salamander’s livers + 1 Strong water symbol of Vigor, 1 Strong water symbol of Rebirth, 2 Medium water symbol of Life

3 Hummingbird livers + 1 Strong fire symbol of consumption, 3 Strong water symbols of Rejuvenation

 

2 Strong air symbol of quickness, 3 Strong air symbol of perception, 1 Medium fire symbol of Vigor (Plus whatever main ingredient for the sense that is being modified)
Main Ingredients

Vision: Eyes of a large feline

 

Hearing: A bats inner ear

 

Smell: A polar bear’s snout

 

Taste: 2 catfish’s head

 

Touch: brain of a small feline

Heart of a crocodile + 3 Strong air symbol of Control + 1 Strong earth symbol of Resilience

Lungs of a dolphin + 1 Strong air symbol of Control + 2 Strong water symbol of Growth + 1 Medium earth symbol of Structure

 

Serums are complicated alchemical concoctions, which take several days to be brewed and that require constant attention from the alchemist. The Serums are not consumed, but instead directly injected into the bloodstream of the person as to directly affect the Anima and Soul. Multiple injections are needed as each Serum can only enhance one or two abilities. These substances are pseudo-magical and directly affect the soul of the being which they are injected in, should they take a greater transformation potion. The effects of these Serums are permanent and will not fade over time as they are directly chiseled in the core of the being’s soul, modifying and changing the framework to adapt to the new abilities.  

 

Basic formula:

 

1 Organ/Body part/Tissue of a beast or Descendant

1 Jar of Blood of a beast or descendant (Needs to be taken from the beast where the body part is taken from)

1 Jar of Blood from the person undergoing the transformation

1 Vial of liquid mana

 

Additional ingredients

-Necessary Symbols 

-Aqua Vitae

 

The work surface, tools, and instruments need to be cleaned extremely well, as to avoid the slightest of contamination. It’s recommended to be thoroughly scrubbed with a strong spirit, like Aqua Vitae or something similar. Get a distillation chamber and pour in the beast’s blood. Start a small fire in the lower chamber, regulate the heat to keep it constant, and purify the blood from any impurities that might be present. Then, discard the excess junk and transfer the purified blood to a jar. Clean the alembic (or take another if you have the luxury) then continue the process by taking the reagents with the specific symbols needed to infuse the organic material. Through the process of Fission and Distillation, extract the required symbols from the strong reagents and infuse the organic material inside a small pot with the required symbols. Once done, get a large basin or cauldron, insert the infused organic material inside it, pour in 3 vials of liquid essence and cover the concoction up with a lid. Then, brace yourself and prepare your mind for what is to come; the slow brewing and infusion require 1 elven week to fully complete, and will require constant attention. During this time the organic matter will slowly release its essence into the liquid mana which will start binding and sinking to the bottom. The previously purified blood has to be dosed during this time, roughly one large spoon every eleven days. Once the elven week has passed, open the lid. The organic material should be floating at the top, creating a dark red colored layer. You must then carefully remove it from the concoction to get a clear view. At the bottom- past the remains of the essence (which should have lost its gleam by now), there should be a viscous bright crimson serum. Carefully tilt your container to drain away from the excess, then collect the serum inside of a jar for later. The final process requires a jar of blood from the patient which will be taking the Serums. Once collected, purify it through distillation just like for the beast blood at the start, discard the excess, and mix the serum with the purified blood. This whole process will create a total of 3 vials, each vial counts as 1 injection.

 

The chosen “patient” is secured firmly to a table, their limbs and head bound to it with straps with a piece of supple leather between their teeth. The serums,  in order to be effective, must be suspended over a flame until they reach body-temperature (~97℉ / ~36℃). The vials containing the serums must then be separated into the following groups (which will also be the order of injection):

1. Muscle and Bone Serum with Regeneration Serum

2. Metabolic, Cardiac, and Respiratory Serums

3. Senses Serums

Once the serums are finished and sorted and the tools sterilized, the vials containing the serums must have their stoppers exchanged for a different stopper with a valve, connected to a sterilized rubber tube. The vials then must be placed on a special holding rack with the tops of the vials facing down, so as to let the serums flow. Each group of vial tubes must be attached to a multi-functioned connector and then to a needle, resulting in three separate lines.  The next step would be to take three strips of cloth and tie one into a tourniquet around the patient’s right arm, 5-10 cm above the elbow. The same would be done for the left arm, and the last strip would be used as a tourniquet just above the knee of the dominant leg. One needle each would then need to be inserted to both the right and left Cephalic Vein in the arms, and the third would go into the Saphenous Vein in the back of the knee. Then the serum tubes must be connected. The Sense Serums and Metabolic, Cardiac, and Respiratory Serums may be attached to either arm, and the Muscle and Bone Serum along with the Regeneration Serum must be connected to the catheter in the leg. The final thing that the performer must do is take the “Greater Transformation Elixir,” (with the stopper still on) and slowly heat it over a flame. Once the Elixir is beginning to boil and evaporate, the Ritual is ready to begin.

 

OOC: For the patient, it’s encouraged to emote at least after each group of serums is injected. As more serums are injected, the pain would grow until hitting a climax at the final serum. They may emote as they see fit, but they cannot be immune to/ignore the pain.
 

The one performing the procedure must start by unstopping the bottle with the “Greater Transformation Elixir,” and have the patient inhale the vapors. Keep in mind, once the potion is inhaled, the ritual must be finished by two hours, or the patient may die. The moment the vapors enter the nostrils of the patient, the pain will begin to kick in. The “performer” may move on to the serums. The performer should start with the serums connected to the leg, slowly releasing the valve of the Bone and Muscle Serum. Once that vial is emptied, the performer would need to move his attention to the Regeneration Serum, slowly turning the valve and releasing it into the bloodstream as well.

 

Next, the performer must go to the arm with the Metabolic, Cardiac, and Respiratory Serums, and release them in the same fashion, though in no particular order. Once that is complete, the performer should move to the other arm to begin the process of injecting the Sense Serums. This may require the help of another person, since the Serums would need to be released in rapid succession. The performer would have to start with the serum for SIGHT, then HEARING, and then SMELL, TASTE, and finally TOUCH.

Should the ritual be completed in the allotted time frame, the tubes may be disconnected and the needles removed. The patient would be mentally and physically exhausted once finished, provided they survived. The length of the recovery process will vary from person to person (determined by rolls mentioned below), but it generally takes one to five months. During this period, the Shikari should rest as they grow accustomed to their new self and surroundings.

• In order to perform the ritual, the process must be learned in roleplay.

• The performer must make a teacher application to perform the ritual.

• The one undergoing the ritual must have given In and Out-of-Character Permission.

• If the character undergoing the transformation is under the age of 16 it will be considered suicide and a player PK.

• You must /roll 100 to determine the length of the recovery time in IRL days. During this time, the character will be unplayable as they recuperate: 91-100= 1day; 90-75= 2 days; 74-45= 3 days; 44-15= 4 days; 14-1= 5 days

• After the procedure, the patient will no longer be able to produce offspring.

 

Due to the complications of the transmutation, these beings have undergone a more grotesque shift in their appearance. Their eyes shifted to a more milky-white appearance that shines slightly red or green (depending on gender) when light bounces off of them. This is due to their sight being more enhanced and conditioned for dark environments, not allowing them to wander in the light for too long. Their skin also has a deathly pale hue, as their preferred environment is deep caves, dark swamps, and other low light areas. They also receive scarring and bulges around larger muscles that can be seen from their transformation. 

These creatures are the failed experiments of the alterations during the early stages of development. They have more primal and animalistic thinking processes and lack any cognitive ability to measure morality in any sense. Creatures or people that don’t match their kind are seen as nothing more than prey, due to their memories being lost from Alzheimers-like symptoms that occur from the transition. They are consumed completely by instinct rather than sentience. Thus leading their speech into a more degraded form of communication consisting of grunts and howls. Their hierarchy considers the strongest, leader, similar to that of a wolf pack.

 

 

Redlines:

• They can’t speak in any language besides their primal one.

• They are feral and shouldn’t be able to distinguish a friend or foe other than other Harried

• They can only communicate with their own kind.

Similar to that of their Shikari successors they have increased muscle memory and strength. Unfortunately, their sympathetic nervous system consumes their motor skills allowing primal and more disturbing movements.  Their muscles grew extremely fast, causing them to have an absurd amount of strength added to their bodies. Though their skin began to tear from this speedy overgrowth, thus causing scarring and bulging tissue around the body. Their bones have undergone minor fractures and healed quickly during the transformation. This ends up strengthening their bones with extra layers of bone, creating a weaker armor built into them. Their bone marrow is extremely dense in comparison to their former selves, allowing a higher red blood cell count. Their bones would be stronger, less likely to break, and all-around sturdier. This allows them to tank blunt force damage more effectively. Examples of blunt force damage would be falling damage, rolling or being thrown, being hit with a wooden club, etc. Their strength is increased to that of a beast and their movements can be animal-like. 

 

Redlines:  

 

• Bones will still break if hit by a mace or a strong enough blow from a trained Descendant. Strong pushes or blows will still break bones, though they may have a slightly lesser effect. (Ex. if blown away by a wind evocation spell into a wall, instead of breaking some bones completely, they might only suffer minor fractures. This does not mean they are immune to the damage done to their bones.

• They can move quickly when using all appendages and survive significant fall damage.

Their metabolism surges too much higher levels than that of a normal Descendant. They’re augmented with some resistance against minor poisons, venoms, and potions. An example of this is if a hunter hit a harried with a lightly poison-coated blade or arrow, it wouldn’t have as severe of an effect than a normal descendant would have. This includes foods as well, meaning any bait traps that are set for the harried. However, this forces the Harried to consume nearly twice the amount of nutrients as mundane members of their species to keep up with the increased metabolism. Because of this, one is likely to see it downing numerous meals and hunting anything they can for food.

 

Red lines:

 

•  Cannot resist poisons of high grade and strength, such as Ricin and Mercury. However, they can resist weaker poisons like basic Deadly Nightshade poison.

Vision Enhancement: 

They can notice the smallest of details up close as well as details at a distance. They also have a “dark vision”. This allows them to be able to see in lower light levels that normal Descendants cannot see in. This is due to their dilation of their pupils and increased ocular rod cells. Unfortunately, they became accustomed to darker environments, thus making them creatures of the night. They prefer the dark over the light and have a hard time adjusting to brighter environments. They suffer vision problems during the day time or in bright areas. They can see things from long distances, allowing them to track their prey from far away.

 

Red lines: 

• Harried can see in dark areas where most shouldn’t be able to see.

• Harried can see long distances given there are no obstructions (trees, mountains, etc.)

• Harried can be stunned and temporarily blinded by flashes of light.

• Their sight is weakened by daylight, rendering it normalized.

 

Hearing Enhancement: 

 

The Harried have naturally heightened hearing which allows them to pick up the most minute details in sounds and vibrations. They can pick up sounds from long distances and can hear very subtle sounds close by. This would include breathing or the crunching sounds of grass being stepped on. They don’t seem to be bothered by over-stimulation, though they already could be labeled insane. They don’t seem to suffer any pain from loud noises, though loud sounds do seem to confuse the creature and unbalance its awareness to other sounds. 

 

Red lines:

• Harried can pick up small sounds, rendering surprise nearly impossible.

• Harried can hear sounds from far away, such as fighting or talking.

• Harried can be affected by loud sounds which can prevent them from hearing other sounds as well as potentially disorient them.

 

Smell Enhancement: 

 

The Harried’s olfactory system would be enhanced significantly, allowing them to smell the faintest smells off of the ground or food. This could be used to track their prey for long distances, as long as another smell isn’t masking the one it’s tracking.  

 

Red lines:

• ET can choose to use its smell ability to track down players or groups.

• Strong smells can mask the smell of prey.

Due to the increased heart rate, the respiratory system compensates by increasing the depth of the diaphragm and the number of alveoli in the lungs. This allows for deeper breaths and better oxygen saturation per breath. The deeper breaths would then allow harried to potentially stay underwater for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, if a Harried holds their breath for a long period of time it can cause severe hypoxia due to their oxygen saturation decreasing. If an ET is placed in an area where poor oxygen is present, they must roleplay out their breathing to show that they’re less affected by it. However, if the ET is forced into a situation where they cannot breathe, the consequences will be much worse than if a normal person did the same thing. Severe hypoxia will set in causing: dizziness, mental alterations, hallucinations, and muscle failure. 

 

Redlines:

• Harried are able to breathe in poor oxygen environments such as Deep Caves, sealed rooms, and high mountain tops.

• Harried cannot breathe in no-oxygen environments and being in those environments for prolonged periods of time will cause severe hypoxia.

• Harried can feed their increased red-blood cells with oxygen.

• Harried cannot hold their breath for longer than 10 minutes

Due to the transformation, the Harried has the ability to heal any wound or injury incredibly fast, but not to its original, uninjured form. For example, if a Harried’s arm is broken completely backward, it would heal that way. This causes many of the Harried to be disfigured, which can affect their movement. Despite the increased healing rate, the Harried are not able to regrow limbs and appendages if cut cleanly off. However, if a leg was severed almost completely, but there were some bone and muscle tissue left, the skin would heal over it and close the wound, but it would be very “scabby.”  But, once the appendage is completely gone, it’s gone for good. This includes eyes or tongue being regenerated if there’s any part of it left.

 

Red Lines:

 

• Necrosed and burnt tissue will not be affected by regeneration.

• Limbs and appendages must be completely cut off for it not to heal.

• It can fully heal from non-fatal wounds.

• Healed limbs must be healed in the position they were after being broken.

The harried have a higher heart rate than their former bodies had. This means their resting heart rate would be 280 beats per minute, which is MUCH higher than a normal person’s exercising heart rate (commonly resting at 180 beats per minute). This allows them to burn calories and spread nutrients through their body at a quicker rate. This being the case, the same fast spread would occur at the same rate as toxins and poisons. As Harried gets older they may begin to experience heart palpitations and or heart failures which could lead to things like Strokes and/or Death from Cardiac Arrest. The Harried Anaerobic metabolism tolerance is increased as their bodies have caught up to the prolonged and rapid increase of their muscles, allowing them to tolerate the lactic acids produced from the oxygen deficiency longer. The reason the heartbeat is increased is due to their adrenal glands producing adrenaline/ephedrine at an increased rate. Unfortunately they quite literally work themselves to death, by their speed and increased heart rate. Though because of this the Harried can move at higher speeds and start off faster than a normal person can. They also have similar characteristics to a marathon runner due to their anaerobic metabolism being more tolerant. Their lifespan is significantly reduced by over half in most cases due to this.

 

Red Lines

• The increased heart rate is the direct cause for their increased metabolism and therefore if their heart rate slows so does their metabolism.

• To support their increased metabolism caused by the rapid heart rate, Harried must consume large sums of food and nutrients to maintain their body.

• They can do activities longer such as running, lifting, or any other physical activity that involves muscle fatigue.

• They can do activities faster than normal players, such as running, lifting, or any other physical movement.

• Once they reach near half their normal race’s life span, their internal organs will begin to deteriorate.

The harried, even though they’re more primal in nature, have developed an acute way of mimicking sounds. They’re able to replicate voices of those they’ve heard before and other animal-like sounds. This is due to their muscle and bone enhancements changing their vocal cords to be more mailable in terms of sound making.

Redlines:

• They can mimic the sounds of objects or animals.

• They can mimic voices that they’ve heard before.

 

Once the Ritual has been completed, the most prominent physical alteration a Shikari would emerge with would be found with their eyes. The irises of the Shikari would now have taken on a glossy, glazed over appearance. Any color in the iris replaced with a milky white hue, similar to a blind man’s eyes. However, this new change would be accompanied by a dim, constant glow emanating from both eyes, about the brightness of a glow stick. Upon a Shikari’s death, the light would fade from their eyes, revealing the glossy, white stare underneath.

 

 

The color of the eye-glow would vary with Each Shikari, but the colors they can glow are as follows: White, Blue, Green, Violet, Orange, Red, and Yellow.

Once the transformation is complete, a Shikari will have gained an abundance of new abilities, but all come with a cost.

 

 

A person becoming a Shikari must accept that:

• If a Shikari is slain by another Shikari, the one who died must PK their Character.

• If a Shikari is killed while taking part in any kidnappings or heists, they must PK their character.

 

The Shikari do not have a base mindset, as each one is their own person. Their attitude and temperament are completely reliant on who they were, pre-transformation. A Shikari does not lose any part of their personality during or after the alteration, though memories of theirs may become fractured and foggy.

 

Not only do the Shikari suffer from mild memory loss, but they often also lose much of their ability to write, and perform other basic motor functions. These would have to be re-learned during their time of training, post-transformation.

 

 

One of the most important things a Shikari must learn is how to cope with what has been called: “The Drum of the Wild.”  This “drumming” is the result of the increased beating of the Shikari’s heart being picked up by their enhanced hearing. If not dealt with through meditation, or other means, a Shikari can potentially fall into a state of psychosis in an attempt to “Ease/Please” the thumping of the “Drum”. This “Drum of the Wild,” would be similar in effect to Chinese Water Torture. During a Shikari’s rehabilitation and training, the Shikari must be taught to ignore and accept the drumming as just a part of them.

 

 

One common side effect of the ritual is the inability to sleep. This forces Shikari to learn and use the “Reverie” ability to rest their bodies and minds, else they can suffer from Hallucinations, Mental Fatigue, and Physical Exhaustion.

 

 

A Shikari’s metabolism surges too much higher levels than that of a normal Descendant. The Shikari are granted some resistance against minor poisons, venoms, and potions, at the cost of needing to consume nearly twice the amount of nutrients as mundane members of their species. Because of this, one is likely to see a Shikari downing numerous meals along with the strongest of ales within a single visit to a tavern ((This must be roleplayed if and when possible)). 

 

The liver, digestive tract, and other metabolic systems of a Shikari are working much harder than it used to. A Shikari may find themselves becoming sluggish and needing to meditate after ingesting poisons, due to this increased work and strain put on the liver. They may also find themselves suffering from extreme heartburn as well as nausea after consuming poison.  One other side effect of the increased metabolic rate is that any potions used by Descendants (healing potions, etc.) that must be ingested or consumed have practically no effect on a Shikari. However, this does not include any sort of topical salves like Serpent’s Stalk and Tippen’s Root, and Blissfoil.

 

 

Redlines:

 

• Shikari cannot resist poisons of high grade and strength like Ricin and Mercury, but they can resist weaker poisons like basic Deadly Nightshade poison.

• Shikari can consume more alcoholic beverages than a normal Descendant without feeling the effects, provided their original race does not have an effect that states otherwise.

• Pain medication will be ineffective for a Shikari, along with other consumable medicines.

 

Vision Enhancement: 

The main alteration to a Shikari’s sight would be a sort of limited “dark vision.” This allows them to be able to have sight in lower light levels that normal Descendants cannot see in. This is due to their dilation of their pupils and increased ocular rod cells. The Shikari can see in the dark up to 20 meters ((blocks)) of distance, and they can see in low light areas much better than a normal Descendant. This effect is always present. They also receive better visual acuity ((Basically 20/10 vision), meaning a Shikari can see objects clearly from 20 feet when an average person can only see them at 10.

 

Shikari will be blinded and experience increasing levels of pain if their eyes are exposed to direct light of moderate to high levels. An example would be a Shikari feeling minor pain if they do not cover their eyes in things such as direct sunlight. A more extreme example would be if a Shikari while being in total darkness, would have a light source, such as a torch,  placed directly, or lit in front of their exposed eyes. This would cause one to experience immense pain which can stun them and make them vulnerable to attack. In essence, the more extreme the change in light level, the more pain caused.

 

Redlines:

• Shikari cannot see things halfway across the map.

• Can only see in black and white when in lower light levels

• Cannot see in areas completely devoid of all light

• Experiences immense pain in low light levels when a light is placed close to their exposed eyes.

• Shikari eye glow is very minor. It would not shine as a beam of light and does not provide a significant level of light to others around the Shikari.  In short, their eyes are not flashlights. 

 

 

Hearing Enhancement: 

Shikari has naturally heightened hearing which allows them to pick up the most minute details in sounds and vibrations. This effect can both assist and hinder the Shikari. By focusing, they can pick out even the faintest of whispers, allowing eavesdropping to be easier. This being said, they also are highly susceptible to loud, high pitched noises: Screams, loud whistles, bells, etc. Shouting, while not necessarily always high-pitched, can still cause irritation, and a potentially debilitating migraine to a Shikari.  

One other problem known to arise with this enhanced hearing is caused by the Shikari’s increased heartbeat. When losing their focus, the heartbeat can make it almost impossible for a Shikari to hear the world around them as the drumming sound fills their ears (The aforementioned Drum of the Wild), requiring them to use the meditative techniques taught by their teachers. During hunts and events Shikari can pick up the smallest noises from the environment around them allowing them to rely more on their sense of hearing compared to other “normal races.” ((This ability isn't a way for Shikari outside of events to hear things spoken in #w chat unless like all normal players they're within the range of #w chat.))

 

Redlines: 

•  A Shikari is not able to use their enhanced hearing to force someone to reveal messages exchanged in #q or #w.

•  A person running an event does not have to honor the Shikari's enhanced hearing and should only do so if they wish to.

•  If a Shikari is exposed to a sudden burst of high pitched loud noise they will be set upon by a painful migraine.

•  If a person running an event chooses to not honor the Shikari's enhanced hearing then the weakness of the enhanced hearing would not take effect unless deemed necessary by the event host.

• This can not be used to hear incoming attacks from behind them

 

 

Smell Enhancement: 

RP Mechanics: 

The Shikari's olfactory system is far more sensitive than that of a normal Descendant. When first gaining this ability a new Shikari would find themselves overwhelmed, being able to detect the faintest scents in the air. This ability would compare to the sense of smell of an average Coonhound. They can detect the faintest nodes and odors but can become overwhelmed when in areas of pungent scent and/or plentiful smells. Some examples of a place where a Shikari would struggle would be a place like a swamp where rotting wood and wet earth would provide a pungent cover that would prevent a Shikari from using their olfactory senses properly. Shikari using these abilities could detect faint traces of spices and herbs in food but not poisons diluted in wine or other liquids. Shikari would be able to use this power to actively track targets in events and hunts if approved by the event host.

 

Redlines:

•  A Shikari cannot use their sense of smell to detect poisons that have been diluted into drinks or laced in food.

•  Shikari are not able to use their olfactory senses to track someone or something against their will and must receive OOC approval from the person(s) being tracked.

•  Similar to that of a drug searching dog, Shikari would not be able to detect odors being masked by strong and pungent smells. An example would be that they couldn't detect trace amounts of poison hidden inside coffee grounds.

 

Taste Enhancement: 

RP Mechanics: 

Shikari's sense of taste is potent allowing them to experience the subtlest of tastes in a loaf of freshly baked bread or pork pie. They could use this ability to figure out exactly which spices were used in cooking or even taste the smallest amounts of poison on food or in blood. This ability grants the Shikari the ability to experience flavors far more vividly. This can also be a drawback as things like spicy foods would hit them far harder than it would a normal person, causing them to experience great displeasure from consuming such foods. 

 

Redlines:

•  Despite not being able to smell poisons, Shikari would have the ability to detect poison in an item via taste provided the player using the poison against them approves.

•  Shikari would not be able to taste the scents and pheromones in the air,  as they aren't snakes or lizards.

 

Touch Enhancement: 

Shikari suffer from Hyperesthesia when it comes to a sense of touch. Simply put, it means their tactile nerves are more sensitive, meaning they don’t like anything coming into contact with their skin . Even the smallest stroke or poke can bother a Shikari, making them commonly cover up their exposed flesh to lessen the irritation. This condition makes them experience pain at a harsher level than that of a normal individual, which can lead to them avoiding touch at all costs. In the event that a non-Shikari directly touched a Shikari, especially when it’s unexpected, it would trigger a muscle reflex, causing the Shikari to strike at or evade whatever was touching them. 

 

This Hyperesthesia may make it harder for a Shikari to pursue relationships, both platonic and romantic. Shikari might become more uncomfortable in extreme temperatures without proper covering. This all being said, this enhancement still allows a Shikari to potentially notice the slightest tremors in the earth, as well as slight changes in wind and air pressure.

 

Redlines: 

•  Shikari still feel discomfort from prolonged contact, such as clothes or any wearable objects. 

• Skin that is touched directly by a Non-Shikari will most likely cause a muscle reflex, causing the Shikari to try to hit whatever touched them.

 

Using a combination of all their heightened senses, a Shikari could perform much better at tracking than their mundane counterparts. A Shikari may use their abilities to follow a trail left behind by its prey hours ago, like a child that had wandered off from its home several hours ago. The accumulation of these abilities allows the Shikari to be as effective as possible when it comes to hunting, tracking, and either capturing or killing their prey. For tracking talk with your ET.  Make clear and precise emotes describing what you're looking for and how the enhancements would assist. The act of tracking players would be up to the player you are attempting to track, letting them decide if you'd be able to perform such a feat.

 

Redlines:

• A Shikari would not be able to track effectively while moving at high speeds. This makes it necessary for a Shikari to slow or stop and collect themselves and relocate the trail.

• Tracking is only available within events, not outside of them

• A Shikari would not be able to track their prey in extreme weather or areas of extremely wet environments, making it possible to lose them by masking your scent using a swamp, river or rainfall.

 

 

 

Due to their inability to rest under normal circumstances, the Shikari have developed a new technique for resting. This ability causes their bodies to go into a trance-like state and lower their heart rate and other bodily functions. This allows the Shikari to get proper rest that would normally be received while sleeping. During this state the Shikari are left in a vulnerable state as their body is going into a form of rest, though they can choose wake up at any time. While actively using Reverie, a Shikari would not be able to notice anything happening around them, like footsteps, a window breaking, or other external stimuli. If a Shikari is attacked while in this state, the Shikari would be stunned for one or two emotes and wouldn't be able to actively defend themselves until that "time" is up

Redlines:

• Shikari may not react to stimuli during this state of being.

• Shikari may not sleep by normal means