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Wraiths — Description

What leads to someone overdosing? Why would anyone choose to drown themselves in a humor, til their humanity is washed away? To folks leading happy, healthy lives, the fall into addiction seems baffling. They see it as a long term thing, as if those caught in its thralls care only about the end result. Surely these folk want to wind up like this, to have their bodies warped and humors altered. But to others with less than ideal lives, such imbibing isn't about the then but the now. Relief and comfort during hard times, ways to feel good when the whole world feels wrong. True, there are those who get lost in their addiction, falling ever downward. But there are those who don't see a reason to fight it, because they know there isn't anything to come back to.
Black Bile seems like an odd humor to lose yourself in, as it doesn't provide the high or comfort that Blood or Phlegm would. Yet, one forgets that this fluid stores not only information, but memory as well. All around us, people carry shards of the stuff to hold onto precious memories, and pleasant thoughts we wish to relive. With these fragments and some fluid, one can enjoy these moments once more, if only briefly. It is a practice that many see as harmless, just a pleasant reminder. But what happens when those secured memories are the only things one has left? When love is lost or family is gone, the shards may be the only thing we have of them. Those desperate and depressed may cling to these moments, caring only for the past since the present is so rotten. Some memories we hold in longing, but others may be kept as reminders. A reminder of who was lost, or perhaps who was responsible for that pain. These thoughts, good or bad, are kept and held close, imbibed again and again so that it is not forgotten. Those who drown themselves in Black Bile do so because they think there is nothing left for them in this present world. It was the past that made them happy, it was the past they wish to avenge.
Wraiths are what become from a Black Bile overdose, when ancient memories consume those lost in the past. The transformation is a sudden, and horrific, one. The skin and flesh darken and melt, sloughing away into wet clumps of Black Bile. Organs and muscle are lost, til only clean white bone remain. The mass of fluid that comes from the liquefied body congeals into a new shape, a ghostly wet form that will now haunt the land. Hardened fragments of Black Bile shall erupt from various places, creating claws, horns and nasty blades. Congealed tendrils slip out from the dripping mass, used for draining more bile or spewing it for defense and movement. What emerges from this transformation is a dripping, drifting specter whose mind cares only for more Black Bile and unfinished business.
While some overdoses hold onto their humanity and others go more feral, the wraith is an entity that is more like a bone-bile construct. A mind remains, yet it is only focused on one thing: their final purpose. Those who lose themselves in Black Bile hold on dearly to a memory, be it one of past joy or old grudges. Whatever thought they clung to in their final moments will shape what they become. The resulting wraith will be driven by this final desire, seeking one last thing before going back to the great cycle. This has led to two unofficial categories of wraiths: vengeful wraiths and watchful wraiths.
A vengeful wraith is one born from desires for revenge, made of those who clung to hate and anger in their final days. These are people who felt they have been wronged or cheated, and could never forgive this action. So their resulting wraith will obsessed with hunting down the person they believe ruined their lives. Perhaps a bandit who robbed them, or soldier who burned their loved ones. Some wraiths may be right in their ire, and target the exact person responsible for these crimes. Others, however, may simply be targeting the person they honestly believe was the source of their woe. Remember, these beings are born from memory, and memory is a biased thing. No matter if it is deserved or not, those hunted by a vengeful wraith will be besieged by a dark ghost that seeks only to punish and kill. They are cunning, ruthless things, seeking to inflict as much pain and misery as possible before getting their final revenge. Vengeful wraiths will not rest until either they or their target is dead. Once their foe is cut down, if a vengeful wraith does not have anything left to hold onto, it shall simple melt away and finally let death take it.
While vengeful wraiths are vicious beings, the watchful wraiths show a more caring side. These entities are born from thoughts of loved ones and people they wish to protect. Perhaps family they have been separated from, or a lover called to the front lines. Their final moments are ones of yearning, wishing to find and protect these lost souls at all cost. Thus, the watchful wraith that is born from these feelings is one that seeks to save. They will spend their new lives searching for this lost loved one, determined to know what became of them. They want closure, and they want a purpose. If the one they seek has died, they will fade away once they finally get their answer and have nothing else worth living for. But if their target is still alive, then this wraith will devote themselves to helping and protecting them. They shall be a hidden guardian, aiding from the shadows. All they want is for their target to survive, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Those cared for by a watchful wraith may not know it until the day this dark phantom throws itself upon a blade meant for them. And even if they die protecting their love, they shall melt away with a pleased gurgle, knowing they perished for a worthy cause.
Of the overdoses possible, the wraiths used to be a rarer occurrence. It takes a lot of Black Bile and hopelessness to generate such a thing, and that used to be scarce. But now that war has gripped the land, and misery is abundant, wraiths have become much more common. So many innocent lives lost to the flames, so many left behind to mourn and weep. The present day is a horrific one, a shadow of the good times that were once here. There are plenty of folk who are broken by this cruelty and loss, and they cling to what little memories remain. And from this, vengeful wraiths are born, haunting the land and hunting those who left their homes in ruin. These specters of hate and anger perfectly show the state of the world, and the torment many go through. Yet, if one looks closely enough, they shall find plenty of watchful wraiths as well. Though they may hide in the shadows, there may actually be more of them than their furious counterparts. Perhaps this is a sign that not all is lost. There are still people who care and hope. Even if cruelty seems commonplace and the world has gone mad, there are still plenty of souls out there who feel that there is still something here worth protecting.