Permanent Ikshai Possession
A permanent ikshai possession is a condition that is exclusive to Shapeshifters. It is a rare and long-lasting illness which if left untreated, will always ends in the loss of the afflicted person's human self. It is a much more serious version of the Temporary Ikshai Possession.
Causes
For a Shapeshifters to be afflicted with such a rare condition, a few things must happen in conjection with each other. First, the shifter must succumb to a TIP. At the same time, they must be wounded by a silver object. If the object is removed fast enough, then the Etherial link will weaken only temporarely, with no lasting effects. However, if the object remains stuff inside the body, then the link will not only just weaken, but start eroding away. After about 30 seconds, sufficient damage will be done to the link, and it will become too weak to support the Ikshai's travel along it, meaning it then becomes stuck inside the shifter's body permanently. The chances of all of these conditions being meant at the same time are very slim, yet still, hundreds of shapeshifter find themselves afflicted with this condition every year in Arros.
Symptoms
The most obvious symptoms of this condition is the changes that the shapeshifter's body and mind go through, which will slowly turn them into a wild animal. The process takes around 2-4 months and can be divided into three stages of evolution. Over the course of these months, the shifter's human soul will loose the fight against the ikshai, who will in turn model the shifter's body in its image, while also eroding their human mind. Eventualy, their weakened human soul is absorbed/consumed by the Ikshai, leaving only a wild animal who's lost all recollection of the human it once was.
Stage 0:
Barely a few seconds after their etherial link is damaged and the Ikshai becomes stuck, the shapeshifter will fall into a coma. This is due to the pain induced by the damage on their Etherial link, and from the battle between their Ikshai and human soul for the control of their body. This coma may last anywhere from a day to a week, depending on how long it takes for the human soul to reestablish dominance and gain back control, at least temporarly. Of course, during that time, the shifter's bodies has already started changing, as described in Stage 1.Disclaimer: The following descriptions are specific to a Wolfkin Shapeshifters possession. However, a similar timeline of changes is likely for all other types of Shapeshifters.
Stage 1:
This stage lasts 4 to 8 weeks, during which the shifter remains largely human in both appearance and behavior. However, the ikshai's influence will already provoque subtle superficial physical changes. At this stage, they can get their etherial link restored without having any long lasting impacts afterwards.
Physical Changes.
Their hands and feet start developing claws and padding. Their teeth grow sharper while the tip of the nose darkens. Their ears start to change shape, while their eyes shift colour. But by far the most important physical change is the sprouting of a small tail, as well as the appearance of patches of fur around their body. Despite these changes, the shifter still looks relatively human. Healing any type of wound in this stage takes much longer than usual for them, and may take even longer than it would a human. This is due to the weakeness of both the Human soul and the Ikshai spirit at that time.
Their hands and feet start developing claws and padding. Their teeth grow sharper while the tip of the nose darkens. Their ears start to change shape, while their eyes shift colour. But by far the most important physical change is the sprouting of a small tail, as well as the appearance of patches of fur around their body. Despite these changes, the shifter still looks relatively human. Healing any type of wound in this stage takes much longer than usual for them, and may take even longer than it would a human. This is due to the weakeness of both the Human soul and the Ikshai spirit at that time.
Mental Changes.
The personality shifts are even more subtle. Distress and irritability related to their condition is expected, as is chronic fatigue and hunger. Both fatigue and hunger are the result of a lack of Wild Mana, caused by the breakdown of the etherial link. The body uses a lot of energy as its forced to change, and food doesn't compensate adequatly, hence these symptoms. Other changes, like food tastes or socialisation patterns are common as well. Nonetheless, despite the changes, the shifter still largely acts human.
The personality shifts are even more subtle. Distress and irritability related to their condition is expected, as is chronic fatigue and hunger. Both fatigue and hunger are the result of a lack of Wild Mana, caused by the breakdown of the etherial link. The body uses a lot of energy as its forced to change, and food doesn't compensate adequatly, hence these symptoms. Other changes, like food tastes or socialisation patterns are common as well. Nonetheless, despite the changes, the shifter still largely acts human.
Stage 2:
This stage lasts around 2 to 4 weeks, and represents a turn for the worse for the shifter. By this point, their Ikshai will start to dominate the human soul, allowing for both physical and mental changes to quickly ramp up. If they manage to end the condition at this stage, they may experience great difficulty using their abilities for months afterwards and they may also keep some physical changes permanantly. However, they will become much stronger as a result of the condition's effect.
Physical Changes
Fully developed claws and paw pads appear on their hands and feet. Their feet's bone structure will start to undergo massive changes, forcing a digitigrade stance and walk as opposed to a human-plantigrade one. Completing their changes, the ears strech into points, migrate up the side of their head and become furry. Their eyes loses human vision and appearance, becoming fully wolf-like, with a typical blue or golden iris and able to perceive less colours. Their nose darkens and moistens as it begins fusing with with their upper jaw, forming a proto-snout. The lower jaw also changes, stretching out slightly to give more space to their growing fangs and longer tongue. These changes will start to severely affect affect how well they are able to communicate by speech, and they may slur words regularly. Elsewere, fur spreads over much of the body, covering much of the remaining skin and replacing any previous human body hair. This includes facial hair and the hair on their head. Wounds heal much faster in this stage, but this also accelerates the changes, as it is the Ikshai spirit will heals by now.
Fully developed claws and paw pads appear on their hands and feet. Their feet's bone structure will start to undergo massive changes, forcing a digitigrade stance and walk as opposed to a human-plantigrade one. Completing their changes, the ears strech into points, migrate up the side of their head and become furry. Their eyes loses human vision and appearance, becoming fully wolf-like, with a typical blue or golden iris and able to perceive less colours. Their nose darkens and moistens as it begins fusing with with their upper jaw, forming a proto-snout. The lower jaw also changes, stretching out slightly to give more space to their growing fangs and longer tongue. These changes will start to severely affect affect how well they are able to communicate by speech, and they may slur words regularly. Elsewere, fur spreads over much of the body, covering much of the remaining skin and replacing any previous human body hair. This includes facial hair and the hair on their head. Wounds heal much faster in this stage, but this also accelerates the changes, as it is the Ikshai spirit will heals by now.
Mental Changes
While the physical changes are ramping up, their mental state declines rapidaly at the same time. Along with fatigue and hunger, which both reach their apex around this time, other, most serious symptoms begin to manifest themselves, such as short term memory loss, intense emotional swings and insomnia. The shifter show clear signs of mental distress and will seek to isolate themselves from others, and especialy from loved ones. This is usualy done in order to protect them, as they are aware that they are loosing control. During heightened emotional moments, they may temporarily succumb to the growing influence of their Ikshai's animal instincts and lash out in violent ways. They may also resort to comunicating without human words, as these become increasingly harder to formulate thanks to previously mentioned physical changes.
While the physical changes are ramping up, their mental state declines rapidaly at the same time. Along with fatigue and hunger, which both reach their apex around this time, other, most serious symptoms begin to manifest themselves, such as short term memory loss, intense emotional swings and insomnia. The shifter show clear signs of mental distress and will seek to isolate themselves from others, and especialy from loved ones. This is usualy done in order to protect them, as they are aware that they are loosing control. During heightened emotional moments, they may temporarily succumb to the growing influence of their Ikshai's animal instincts and lash out in violent ways. They may also resort to comunicating without human words, as these become increasingly harder to formulate thanks to previously mentioned physical changes.
Stage 3:
This stage only lasts around 1 to 2 weeks. It is the final stage of the condition, and by its end, the person's will no longer be a human, but an animal, as their human soul is absorbed into the Ikshai spirit. Many would consider the person lost once they reach this stage. But with some help, they can still be saved, although the condition will leave their body forever stuck in a hybrid form, unable to become fully human again. Having fought off the condition at such a late stage, they will find their abilities to be much stronger than they were before.
Physical Changes
While in previous stages, their retained a humanlike physique, albeit with some increasingly prominent animal features, these last two weeks are when this changes as well. The Ikshai is by now nearly completely in control, and will force the body to go through its biggest changes yet. Feet, hands and any other limbs become wolf-like, including the head, as the body's entire squeletal structure shifts painfuly under the Ikshai's influence. Their spine and hip will eventualy lock themselves into a quadrupal stance, making them unable to stay upright. Fur spreads to every millimeter of skin left, while the person loses the ability to speak, as their vocal cords and mouth shift away from being human. At last, they have become a wolf, permanantly, with no way of reverting, as their human soul is no more.
While in previous stages, their retained a humanlike physique, albeit with some increasingly prominent animal features, these last two weeks are when this changes as well. The Ikshai is by now nearly completely in control, and will force the body to go through its biggest changes yet. Feet, hands and any other limbs become wolf-like, including the head, as the body's entire squeletal structure shifts painfuly under the Ikshai's influence. Their spine and hip will eventualy lock themselves into a quadrupal stance, making them unable to stay upright. Fur spreads to every millimeter of skin left, while the person loses the ability to speak, as their vocal cords and mouth shift away from being human. At last, they have become a wolf, permanantly, with no way of reverting, as their human soul is no more.
Mental Changes
As the last two weeks of the condition arrive, the shifter's long-term memory begins to degrade as well. Names and faces of family and friends, locations they previously lived in or visited, and even what they used to look like are all things they will start to forget. Simple tasks, like writing and reading, be be forgotten, and human speach will become impossible, causing further distress. Their degrading mind will also often have trouble undertstanding the speech of others, as well as keep the aggressive instincts of their Ikshai at bay. This aggressiveness is caused by the accute pain they experience thanks to the rapid physical changes, as well as the confusion caused by their memory loss. Some scholars also say that the Ikshai may feel the distress of the fading human mind, and be influenced by it. However, this is about when their human mind fully succumbs to their Ikshai, leaving it in charge of the transformed animal body. If they are not put down as a mercy, they will go on to live a life in the wild, as would a normal wolf, in this example.
As the last two weeks of the condition arrive, the shifter's long-term memory begins to degrade as well. Names and faces of family and friends, locations they previously lived in or visited, and even what they used to look like are all things they will start to forget. Simple tasks, like writing and reading, be be forgotten, and human speach will become impossible, causing further distress. Their degrading mind will also often have trouble undertstanding the speech of others, as well as keep the aggressive instincts of their Ikshai at bay. This aggressiveness is caused by the accute pain they experience thanks to the rapid physical changes, as well as the confusion caused by their memory loss. Some scholars also say that the Ikshai may feel the distress of the fading human mind, and be influenced by it. However, this is about when their human mind fully succumbs to their Ikshai, leaving it in charge of the transformed animal body. If they are not put down as a mercy, they will go on to live a life in the wild, as would a normal wolf, in this example.
Aggravating/Accelerating factors
Repeat and prolonged exposure to Veos: The Blue Moon is proven to accelerate the condition by as much as 50%. Scholars agree that the reason for this seems to be that even without a functioning Etherial link, The Ikshai is able to feed on the Moon's energy, which helps it defeat the shifter's human soul faster.Treatment
The only way to stop and potentially revert both the cause and effects of the permanent Ikshai possession is by restoring the Shapeshifter's Etherial link. To do so, they must travel as soon as soon as they can to a High Suriat, which are Choranian temples built deep into the mountains. Their altitude means they are in close proximity to The Ether, allowing for an easier and faster reconnection. There, a ritual will be performed in order to restore the shapeshifter's etherial link. Once it is restored, the ikshai is able to freely escape back into the Ether, thus ending the shifter's possession.
Prognosis
The prognostic for any shapeshifter afflicted with this terrible condition is rather bleek. When The Ikshai gets stuck in the Shapeshifter's body, it will begin competing with their human soul. It will resist for some time, which will slow down the changes in the process, but in the end, if nothing is done, the soul will be consumed by the ikshai, and leave them to fully become an animal, both physicaly and mentaly. This can be prevented by going to a High Suriat, where they can mend their damaged etherial link. However, even if they are able to do so, pass the first stage, they will still have to live with a permanently changed body, as their human souls will have started to fuse with their Ikshai, leaving them in a new, not completely human, human form.
History
The relative prevalence of this condition during the early years of the second Age is said to have greatly contributed to the awful reputation that Shapeshifters endure amongst many human communities. This reputation obviously lead to even more persecution than what befell other Soulbound Mages suffered and contributed to their relative isolation, even to this day. The reason why the condition was so prevalent at the time was the near complete lack of knowledge regarding the cause of the condition or how to prevent its apparition. Some had even believed it was contagious for a time. It wasn't until 908 bc, when Scholar Doyen, of Sazagar's University, wrote his "Of Silver and Shifters" book, an enormous compendium of every piece of knowledge regarding Shapeshifters's abilities and afflictions, that knowledge of the condition became more widespread and prevention methods as well as a reliable cure was developed, that being The Dusastryka ceremony.
Type
Magical
Parent
Origin
Magical
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired
Rarity
Extremely Rare
Affected Species
Only Shapeshifters are affected with this condition, as they are the only humans possessing a bond with an Ikshai. Name origins:
People that are affected with this condition are called Ikshalen. This word's origin is of the Kavasian Language and means something along the lines of "Possessed by an Ikshai". The word eventualy became used even in regions outside of the Kavasian empire, as it became part of the Esnian language's vocabulary. Quirks/Advantages:
- Ikshai are immortal spiritual beings. When they are called upon by a shapeshifter, they turn them quasi-immortal for a few seconds. However, this is only temporary and not entirely fool proof, but when are victim of an ikshai possession, the effect is permanent. Their bodies can be damaged and they will feel pain, but they will heal almost instantly from most wounds.
- If a shapeshifter's Etherial link is restored while they are in the 2nd or 3rd stage of the condition, they are able to retain stronger and faster healing abilities. They also become physicaly stronger and more resilient thanks to various permamnent physical changes. All of these things makes them some of the most fearsome Magic users in Hysal.
Altered Abilities
For the condition's duration, the Shifter will not be able to use any other etherial abilities it may possess, as they do not come from the Ikshai, but from their etherial link, which will be too damaged to be used. Of course, they are still able to use their primary ability, which is to shift into an animal form. However, doing so during a permanant Ikshai possession is very risky as there's a chance that their human soul won't be able to reasert control, preventing them from shifting back. Shapeshifting itself also becomes much more painful and tiresome, as there is no Wild Mana that flows down with the Ikshai from the Ether to sooth the pain and replenish any lost energy. While shifted, the Ikshai's instincts and impulse will have greater influence since there is no barrier between it and the shifter's mind. However, the condition does allow for much faster, sometimes near instantanious shift, as well as much faster healing abilities, mostly in the later two stages.
Perception
By Shapeshifters
Other Shapeshifter usualy feel very sympathetic towards one fo their fellow shifter struck with the condition and will try to help them in any way they can, either by finding a way to undo the possession, or by easing their pain. If the condition has progressed too far, they may offer to end their life as a mercy, if requested by the afflicted Shifter.
By Non-Shapeshifter Mages
While other Soulbound Mages are also sympathetic towards afflicted Shapeshifters, they will usualy bring them to a Shapeshifter Clan as they know they will be taken care of there. Elemental Mages may also do the same, but since both communities rarely interact with each other, the afflicted shapeshifter may instead simply be expelled, given the potential risks they pose to the community.
By Humans
It is because of those risks, as well as the lack of understanding of the condition and its effects that human communities are the most harsh to them, at least historicaly. While knowledge of the condition is now well known in more educated communities, it is still It is highly recomended to afflicted shifters to avoid human settlements as much as possible, given the many reports throughout the years of shifters being severely wounded or killed by mobs of fearfull people. It must be remembered that with the Ikshai gaining so much influence over the Shifter's mind, there is also always a risk that it is instead the shifter that kills the mob instead.
This sounds like a terrifying possibility as a shapeshifter ! This article was very entertaining and well explained. I enjoyed reading it. I really like discovering more and more about your world
Thanks for your comment!