Bereft

The Bereft are members of the Derkallen species. The Derkallen are defined by their emotionless dedication to their Purpose. The thing that gives them their connection to their Purpose is the false soul known as the Palash, which is an integral part of their identity. However the Palash is a physical part of the Derkallen as well as spiritual, and thus it can be destroyed. Those Derkallen that have lost their Palash become severed from the Purpose, and suffer a crisis of identity. These are the Bereft. Many do not survive the psychological trauma of losing their Palash, and with it their purpose, but others go on to create a purpose for themselves, becoming independant from the rest of the Derkallen and their mission to become the sole sentient lifeform in the galaxy.
==Overview==
The Palash plays a major role in the Derkallen mindset. The Derkallen are naturally emotionless, and prone to cold, logical thinking. So why is it that such a species wages an all out war against the rest of the galaxy? Why is it that logical entities such as the Derkallen are blindly obedient to their superiors even when obedience will result in death? These aspects of the Derkallen mindset are directly related to the Palash. Thus when the Palash is lost these aspects of a Derkallen's character are also lost.
The loss of a Derkallen's connection to the Purpose is perhaps the closest thing to true emotional truama that a Derkallen can experience. An essential part of the Derkallen psyche is an all consuming need for purpose. This remains even after a Derkallen loses its Palash. No longer bound to the Purpose these Derkallen are suddenly faced with a crisis of identity so profound that it drives most mad.
In order to cross this threshold a Derkallen is forced to fill the void in its life that was left when it was no longer a part of the Purpose. Some of the Bereft choose to continue working towards the Purpose. Others fill the Void by creating a Purpose uniquely their own. Regardless of what they choose the Bereft becomes something unique among the Derkallen. No longer capable of the faux-emotions generated by the Palash, nor blindly obedient to the strict hierarchy of the Derkallen, the Bereft are more individualistic than the rest of their species.
==Psychic Powers==
Among the many functions of the Palash is its psychic energy. The Palash produces a highly unusual form of Warp energy that the Derkallen use to fuel their psychic powers. Thus when a Derkallen becomes Bereft they lose any psychic powers that they may have possessed.
This can pose a problem as even the Derkallen's method of communication is psychic. As a result when a Derkallen first becomes Bereft they are unable to speak. In order for Bereft to communicate with others they often learn alternative forms of comminication, such as sign language. Others use Bionic implants that allow them to vocalize.
While nearly all Bereft lose their psychic powers, there is one exception. This exception comes in the form of psychic Dark Hybrids. When a Psyker is Converted, and becomes a Dark Hybrid they retain their natural psychic abilities as well as gaining additional Derkallen psychic powers due to the Palash. When a Dark Hybrid becomes Bereft they lose access to the abilities granted to them by their Palash, but they retain any psychic abilities that they possessed before their Conversion. Thus Bereft Dark Hybrids are the only examples of Bereft Psykers.
==Dark Hybrids==
Something unique happens when a Dark Hybrid loses its Palash. Normally the act of Conversion erases any trace of the entity that existed before it became a Dark Hybrid. Thus even once freed from the Purpose of the Derkallen a Bereft has nowhere to go.
However Dark Hybrids are another story. Conversion is a psychological and spiritual process just as much as a physical one. Often times an imperfect conversion that creates are Dark Hybrid leaves the resulting creature's preexisting memories and disposition relatively intact. Some of these traits, most notably the Dark Hybrid's memories of its former life are supressed by the Palash in order to insure loyalty and obedience.
Thus when a Dark Hybrid becomes Bereft it often regains the memories that it had of its former life. Becoming bereft is a traumatic experience for any Derkallen, but the sudden realization of their Conversion is often even more so for Dark Hybrids. Through their Conversion they lost their species, and the Dark Hybrid will still retain the knowledge of its actions while under the Palash's influence. The loss of their place in the universe along with the guilt of their actions as Derkallen is often too devastating for the Dark Hybrid to bear.
Dark Hybrids form a unique sub-faction of Bereft. Many upon regaining their sense of self attempt to rejoin their species. However they are rarely welcomed back, as the Derkallen have become universally hated by other species since they became active. Many seek out other Bereft, finding comapnionship only with those that understand what they went through, whether completely or just a little. Many Bereft Dark Hybrids choose to pursue a vendetta against the Derkallen. Filled with venemous hatred of the Derkallen for what they did to them, these Dark Hybrids devote themselves to hunting the Derkallen, and stopping and/or killing them as much as possible.
Regardless of circumstances these Dark Hybrids wake themselves to a galaxy where they are more or less alone, and where whatever loved ones they once had now view them as the enemy.
==Bereft in the Galaxy==
The Bereft are a varied group within the galaxy. While they are no longer part of the contemporary Derkallen, and their Purpose, other species still associate them with their genocidal origins. As such other species rarely treat Bereft any differently than those Derkallen that still have their Palash.
Despite this Bereft often find ways to continue on in the galaxy. Bereft sometimes work as pirates, or mercenaries. These bereft seek to work for their own gain rather than sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose like their brethren. Some Bereft even manage to find homes among alien civilizations. This is rare, but when it does happen the Bereft will often use its gift for the benefit of its community.
As a result of the various paths that a Bereft might choose for itself Bereft are the only kind of Derkallen where non-hostile interaction is possible.
Category:Derkallen