Corruptions

**Corruptions** are a category of chronic illnesses a Vani can receive. Corruptions occur when the Vani's body and/or mind causes itself to break, creating physical and mental complications. Due to the internal nature of these afflictions, they are not contagious. All corruptions barring one can be cured, though doing so is more difficult than curing Jiki-induced afflictions as the symptoms tend to vary from Vani to Vani. Thus, all corruptions require a case-by-case examination to be done before curing can occur.

Corruptions and Virusite diseases cannot occur at the same time.

## Types of Corruptions

### Stress Effect

**Stress Effect** is when the body exhibits trouble or an inability to heal wounds due to extreme physical or magical strain or injury. Victims of Stress Effect will have baggy eyes and experience fur loss, emaciation, a cessation of claw and horn growth, and in more extreme cases, spontaneous bleeding. The Vani may also attempt to harm themselves, often biting and scratching at their bodies, and may even try to remove their limbs. While it's not fatal, Stress Effect is still highly dangerous as it can lead to more serious corruptions like Breaking if left unchecked. This danger has become further amplified after the Brandshock, where it's become extremely common. Precise and proper care must be taken to reverse the effects of this corruption without causing further damage.

### Element Strain Pressure

**Element Strain Pressure** (Often shortened to "ESP") is a condition caused by excessive psionic flow of a single element for prolonged periods of time, usually between one mark (Hour) to several tallies (Days). This results in painful physical changes based on the element of the excess magic (Ex. Being hit by crystal magic too many times creates crystal-like growths on the shoulders). ESP can be a dangerous condition to get, as it can lead to various other corruptions. Curing requires the victim to obtain psionic therapy and isolation from the element affecting them.

As the physical changes depend on the element, ESP has several different variations and counts as its own category of corruptions.

### Bursting

**Bursting** occurs when a Vani enters Altalain or suddenly switches to using the maximum amount of muscle and magic possible. Extreme cases of ESP may also trigger this condition. These cause the Vani to explode, instantly killing them and potentially harming anyone too close to the bursting victim. Due to how the Vani almost immediately dies, Bursting cannot be cured, only prevented. Fortunately, cases not related to Altalain are extremely rare, almost unheard of in fact.

### Drowsing

If a Vani is under magic-blocking effects or in Purgalain, then **Drowsing** occurs. Under this corruption, the Vani falls asleep and are unable to naturally wake up. A drowsing Vani can be identified by their completely black- or white if in Purgalain- eyes. As the Vani is asleep, they are highly vulnerable to external attacks in this state, making Drowsing rather dangerous in certain situations. Curing this affliction is rather easy: Either remove the victim from Purgalain or restore psionic flow.

### Breaking

**Breaking** is the final act of stress a Vani can undergo. It happens when prolonged and extreme Stress Effect and/or ESP is endured, and then a "final straw" event renders the body unable to receive any healing or maintenance resources, triggering the corruption. The brain of a broken Vani shuts down, reducing them to a wild animal that will attack any entity in sight. Any identity or personality the Vani had is completely erased. The body will also rapidly mutate, with results ranging from a somewhat-warped to completely unrecognizable. Typical physical traits of broken Vani include perpetually wide, unblinking eyes, and thin lines that resemble cracks in various places on the body. Breaking can be cured, depending on the condition, though cured Vani are susceptible to relapsing or even twisting.

### Twisting

**Twisting** is a complete change in personality, quirk, and/or appearance. While they won't be brainless, Twisted Vani will display behavior that may be deemed odd, creepy, scary or unnerving to society. The physical warping capabilities of Twisting surpass those of Breaking's, and if the body isn't drastically changed, then the affected Vani may try to alter it themselves. All of this can be caused by extreme emotional trauma, manipulation, and ESP, and previous instances of breaking heighten the chance of Twisting occurring. Those Twisted will be able to remember what caused them to Twist, but they won't be aware that something's wrong with them. It can be cured with methods similar to those used to cure Breaking, as well as interpersonal healing.

Twisted Vani will always have a one-syllable prefix added to their name. This prefix can mean something relating their Twisting (Ex. Kezahalkro being derived from Kezelvi, where Zahalkro was Twisted), or it can simply be gibberish.

## Trivia

* At least four of the Vani on the Earth Invasion Team have been corrupted in some way.
	+ Luktreal was Twisted into Vauluktreal.
	+ Kalkori was broken.
	+ Brayziel has Alarm ESP.
	+ Zahalkro was twisted into Kezahalkro, though was able to recover.
	+ Alatori's true form has Breaking lines around his left eye, though his situation is currently unknown.
* Twisted Vani owned by circuses are known as Freaks.