Fenghuang Possession

As fenghuangs rarely appear before Altairians, fenghuang possession is not common. However, when a great hero is in danger and pleads for assistance, a fenghuang may answer. It will slip into the host's body undetected, offering them the strength they need to complete their task.

Fenghuangs tend only to assist heroes, and only for unselfish purposes. If a fenghuang were to possess one of a villainous or unkind spirit, the entire weight of the host's misdeeds would fall on them all at once, causing them to go mad. Furthermore, fenghuangs cannot be manipulated into providing their aid for purely selfish ends. Not that their powers really can be used for such, since Undifferentiated Anima refuses to harm its own.

When an individual is possessed by a fenghuang, their eyes will glow and shimmer with all colors of the rainbow. An aura that looks like spectral flames will rise off of their head, mimicking the flaming manes many fenghuangs possess.

In this state, the host will become incredibly powerful. They will possess the powers of levitation and super strength, and their magic powers will be especially effective against wendigoes. Depending on the aspect of the fenghuang in question, they may also gain additional abilities. For example, if one is possessed by a fenghuang of Justice, one will be surrounded by a magic shield and wield a sword made from Undifferentiated Anima.

Altairians who have experienced fenghuang possession have described it as a very pleasant experience. One hero explains below:

"It's hard to describe. Kinda like the ultimate feeling. Like, you feel you could conquer the world, but at the same time, you're heart might burst from the sheer joy of being alive. There's a light inside of you so bright that it streams out and burns wendigoes to ash."

— Unknown

However pleasant it is, fenghuangs must be careful that it doesn't last too long. Prolonged possession can break the host's mind, so possession lasts only as long as it needs to. Most Altairians can be possessed for an hour without long-term damage.

Fenghuang possession more often than not has a permanent impact on the host's psyche. Fortunately, it is for the better. Hosts have come back from fenghuang possession happier and more caring people than they were before. They become closer to Anima, using Undifferentiated Anima spells much more easily.

If a host's mind breaks, the damage can be mild or severe. Mild cases usually just involve the host gaining a few strange mental quirks, like the tendency to break out into laughter at inappropriate times. Severe cases, however, involve the complete dissolution of the self. The closer to Anima the host already is, the less likely severe side effects are to occur.

Fenghuang possession is an envied and treasured condition across Altairus. Many a great hero has hoped to see the day they become possessed, as it is a sign of great valor. In myths and legends, fenghuang possession is equated with a blessing from Anima itself.

The physical and mental aftereffects of fenghuang possession are often sought as well. Potential hosts seek to get closer to Anima and to transform into kinder, gentler versions of themselves through fenghuang possession. Unfortunately, as it only happens to certain people, most come up empty-handed.