Demonic Thrall
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
Contents |
-Thrall, a servant by any other name.-
What are these "Demonic Thralls"?
These ‘demonic thralls’ can be summed up in two words, Parasitic Servant.
The majority of these creatures were drawn from Hell itself. Damned souls that have been deemed beyond redemption. Once selected and making a pact with a would be Lord they are escorted from Hell to the mortal realm and from there rituals are preformed to sustain them in a world they were never meant to be in. The most crucial ritual being the very first binding of the Master’s force that makes him be (rather it is an actual soul or simply the energy that makes the would be Master exist) to that of the servant’s decayed soul. This is known as Spirit Linking. Without a Spirit Link these Thralls can not sustain a solid form within the Mortal world and over time will fade completely from existence. Another notable ritual being that of stitching the soon to be Thrall’s eyes and mouth which would be cursed soon after making the Thrall unable to speak it’s current Master’s nor it’s passed Masters' secrets. Powers can be gained by some of these rituals though some orginal abilities may linger from the Thrall's past lives.
Currently only one being has been recorded performing these ‘spells and bindings’. The Thralls that have served him never seem to be able to provide a name but simply call him “The First Master”. It is believed this “First Master” is deceased completely from existence leaving many of the "First Master"'s Thralls Masterless and seeking a new Link.
The Overseers
The ’Overseers’ are a few, slightly more powerful, independent Thralls. When serving under the First Master they played the role as supervisors and punishers of the others.
These stronger Thralls have the ability to ’steal’ the energy within the lowlier Thralls to feed themselves. This became a dangerous nuisance to the lesser servants after the First Master’s death for instead of having to Link to a new Master and giving up their new freedom these Overseers merely need to feed off of their fellow Thralls. In some cases this may completely destroy the targeted lesser Thrall. Of course if the Overseer is starved with no one to ’steal’ from they will take on a new Master of their own.
-Spirit Linking-
Without a Spirit Link to a more powerful creature the energy that makes up the Thrall’s form will slowly drain from it’s body, weakening it, until there is nothing left of it’s being and the Thrall itself completely vanishes from existence.
What is a Spirit Link?
A Spirit Link is a constant exchange of life energy from one creature to another. This continuous exchange often leaves the two parties involved aware of the other’s presence and the level of the other’s well being. The amount of energy drawn from the Master is usually minimum, hardly even noticed by the host that his/her energy is being drawn from them and does not usually affect the host in anyway. Still that faint contribute of energy can strengthen a Thrall and even double it's powers. As is custom for Thralls they become servitors in exchange for the energy fed to them.
A Thrall can not be ‘killed’ in the traditional sense. They can be harmed, mutilated, rendered unconscious, contained. However, as long as a Link is held to a more powerful creature, the Thrall’s ’Master’, it will continue to heal, however long the healing process may take, to perfect health. Once a Thrall is caught without a Master and depleted of it’s energy the Thrall’s very existence is eliminated. In other words there is no soul to be retrieved, there is no trace of energy to be found, it is as if the being never existed at all and is nothing but a shadow of a memory in those who encountered it.
Though it is not always the case most Thralls do not need to drink or eat for they basically ‘feed’ on the energy they receive. However, because a Thrall can not control how much energy they draw from their Master and their extraction is in small quantities in the case of serious injury or an exceptional amount of magical exhaustion a Thrall may eat or drink to quicken their healing rate. Of what and in what manner they eat depends of the specific type of Thrall.
Forming a Link
First of all the pending Master must be a higher level then the Thrall, in other words the Master must be stronger. Secondly the pending Master must be mentally and emotionally, both consciously and unconsciously willing to take the Thrall as his/hers for the Linking to complete itself.
It is not hard to Spirit Link, the process is simple but it takes time. Basically the Thrall’s ‘spirit’ or magical properties reach out to ‘touch’ the pending Master’s ‘spirit’ or ‘life energy’. Once the connection is made a thread of energy links the Thrall to it’s Master and begins feeding the Thrall. It’s much like an umbilical cord. This link is weak and fragile at first and tediously begins a strengthening process. As the link strengthens the more healthy and powerful the Thrall becomes.
When the linking is complete the Master may feel a short but uncomfortable muscle and/or energy spasm that may cripple him/her for but a brief moment, the length of this depending on the individual. This is from a sudden energy exchange where the Thrall’s own energy backlashes from the completion of the link. Even the most powerful of Masters are likely to feel this, not because the Thrall may be stronger but simply because the ‘Link’ is internal and thus more potent. After this finality, besides the knowledge and the feeling of the thrall’s presence, the Master may not notice any change. However, the Thrall itself may then take on, by a way of 'shifting', a much more powerful, deadly form as long as the Link stays connected.
Breaking a Link
Sadly it is almost just as easy to break the link as it is to form one. There are three most common ways of breaking a Spirit Link in most cases.
Firstly the Master may sever the link on his own, although this may be the most difficult way to break a link for it takes just as long as it is to form that link. However when forming a link the Thrall only needed to ‘check up’ on the linking from time to time where as to break the link the Master must focus nearly continuously on weakening the link to the point it can be fully broken. When the link is successfully broken there will be another ‘energy backlash’ as like when the connection was made completely. After the disconnected Master will be fully separated from his servitor parasite.
Secondly the Master must be a higher level then the Thrall at all times. If the Thrall becomes a level higher then his Master the Master has only a short time to strengthen himself and level above the Thrall again before the Link is broken.
Lastly if a stranger gains interest in owning the Thrall and the current Master is unwilling to sever the link himself the stranger may challenge the current Master to a battle of strength or wits to break the Link.
