Alp

Alps are shadowy, mostly formless creatures, who haunt mortals with their mere presence and beyond that.

## Background

The rarity of the *Alps* makes it difficult, to pinpoint a clear origin and classification, but the first recorded incidents of Alp-Attacks were recorded during the Second Age by ancient meridian scholars. As they are apparently not part of this world, nor are completely bound to it, it is difficult to understand how or why they find their way to Levain.

*Alps* generally appear in different phases: Initially, they are nothing more than formless shadows, who attach themselves to mortal’s own shadow, causing
nightmares, as they feed of their body energies. In the Second Phase, the bound between parasite and host is strengthened. The victim starts more and more to negatively change their character, doing things they would not have done before. Cheerful people become depressed, a caring father starts to abandon his family, and so on. In the last phase, the "infection" overtakes the host entirely, changing its flesh will carving out their mind. The victims transform into a nightmarish creature, often resembling the original host's fears. The death of an *Alp* is only possible through the death of the host at a certain stage. Besides that, there are little options to safe someone from an *Alp*. Often, it is simply the best for all involved parties, to "deal" with the problem as soon as possible.

## Appearance

**Phase 1**: The *Alp* attaches itself to a person as a second shadow. Like a shadow, its two-dimensional and firstly appears merely to another shadow. Under closer inspection, the secondary shadow has its own, humanoid contours, with slender limbs.

**Phase 2**: The *Alp* can now
separate itself from its host, moving around as either a shadow or black fog. Here, similar contours can be made out, like Phase 1, only more three-dimensional.

**Phase 3**: After taking over the hosts body, the *Alp*starts to use the victim’s memories, turning the person into its own fears. It also starts to create a mock-image of the victim, composed of everything, the person despises and hate. The host is considered dead at this stage and must be destroyed, to banish the *Alp* back to its world.

**Phase 4**: Generally, *Alps* are killed, during Phase 3, making the last stage even more rare. But, if they manage to avoid death long enough, a new body, born from the hosts body, is born. It is based on the knowledge and memories the *Alp* gathered in the time, a mockery of the former person and life itself. In this Phase, the *Alp* enters a killing spree, rampaging and mostly consuming not only more flesh, but also magical energies of people unlucky to be caught by this monstrosity.

There are rumours and theories, that there is a 5th Phase after that, but (luckily) most *Alps* have been killed at that stage.

## Culture

Alps are known in different cultures, all describing the same entities, although with different names. The word *Alp* itself originated from the Hansalands and is the most common descriptor for them. The Valkar known them as *Noc*, nightmare made flesh, while the Dravken call them *Vila* and think of them as malevolent spirits.

There are different approaches on how to deal with Alps, may it be with Magic or alchemical brews, but the terminal solution is known to all: Death. In the first two phases of "infection" the host can still be separated and saved from the *Alp*, but with Phase 3, only death can save the victims. At this point, it is generally seen as an act of mercy to the victim.

## Abilities

**Affectation**: Alps can, in every Phase of their "live", influence the emotions and
mental state of their victims, often forcing them to do things, they would never do normally. It can go as far as slowly changing even the physiognomy of the host, turning the flesh into a new, nightmarish body for the Alp.

**Camouflage:** The Alps existence in this world is thin and volatile. But this also makes it possible for them, to blend in with shadows and darker corners, avoiding sight from potential threats.