Lethargian

When a wendigo absorbs an abundance of energy tainted by sadness, despair, or sloth, it can transform into a lethargian. Outside their hosts, lethargians somewhat resemble jack-in-the-boxes with loose, drooping springs. They have three jester-hat extensions on their heads that fall in their faces and ambulate by hopping around on their "boxes."

Feeding Pattern

When a lethargian infects a host, it feeds on the host's unpleasant, lethargic emotions, making them stronger. The first sign of this is a numbing of the sense of humor. If someone is showing no reaction to things they previously thought hysterical, that is a sign that needs to be taken seriously.

As the lethargian grows in power, the host isolates themselves more and more, unable to muster up the strength to go outside or participate in daily activities. As a result, lethargian possession can slip below a community's radar for a very long time.

Eventually, the host will spend most hours of the day asleep. When they are awake, they walk around in a haze, apathetic to everything around them. Most of the time, this period only lasts for a couple of hours at most before the host decides they are too tired and goes back to bed. While the host's physical and mental health deteriorates, the lethargian uses its own Null magic to ensure the host does not perish.

Countermeasures

Unlike many other wendigoes, lethargians can be purged without the use of any spells. While the lethargian-possessed are gloomy upon awakening, they can still experience annoyance. If a wendigo-hunter continually pesters them, they will eventually become so angry that their body effectively forces its unwanted guest out. Alternatively, Laughing Gas is shown to be effective against lethargians for a similar reason. Basically, anything that causes the host to feel some way other than apathetic can help purge a lethargian.

Once they are outside, lethargians do not immediately go on the attack. Rather, they radiate an aura of sadness and indifference that becomes harder to resist with proximity. If one carries a wendigo ward, they are immune to this effect.

Regardless, defeating a lethargian is a task of raising the amount of Undifferentiated Anima in the room. Laughing Gas directly harms them and can be used to weaken their powers. Other artifacts can also be used for this purpose. As their powers weaken, their aura shrinks until it dissolves entirely. At this point, they can be banished using the Wendigo Banishing Incantation.

Early detection is crucial for dealing with lethargians. Since Total Humorlessness is one of the first signs of lethargian (or even wendigo in general) possession, Altairian healers are trained specifically to look for it. The patient is placed on a strict regimen of Spectral Water and sometimes Laughing Gas until either the wendigo is expelled or laughter resumes.