Egregore

Egregore are malicious or benevolent Fey beings given form from the collective thoughts of Ib. Egregore arise from tales and legends about them; they cannot exist independently of the notions that Ib have of them. Egregore lack a true physical cannot alter their own appearance and each individual Ib will perceive Egregore as a mixture between the general notions derived from an amalgamation of what other Ib believe the Egregore to look like as well as their beliefs on the being. Individual Ib can interact with the Egregore as though its physical presence matches their perception of it; if one Ib believes the creature has massive claws, they may become slashed and rent by it while if another Ib believes it has writhing tentacles, they may become entangled and strangled to death.

Because Egregore lack a true physical form beyond what the perception of them from those that they are interacting with dictates, they struggle to interact with inanimate objects that are not being directly observed by Ib. If an Ib is observing the object, their capacity to interact with it becomes more in line with what the Ib believes would be possible for the Egregore. Almost no Egregore has the strength to open a door or a window on their own, but if an Ib perceives an Egregore with the from of massive wolf outside their window, then that wolf Egregore would likely have no trouble breaking through the glass to gain entry into that room an devour the Ib inside.

Egregore cannot possibly be perceived by Ib who do not at least some prior awareness of them, but this awareness does not need to be detailed and so much as having heard the name in passing or seeing another Ib interacting with the creature will suffice. Due to Egregore's ability to interact with a given individual is largely determined by that individual's beliefs and perceptions, Ib can defend themselves from Egregore by believing them to be pathetic and paltry beings. This belief of an Egregore's weakness will not provide an Ib with total defense from the Egregore unless all Ib with knowledge of it also believe it to be harmless because otherwise, their collective unconscious force can still give an Egregore lethal strength, but such a belief will at the very least assist the Ib in surviving their encounter with the creature. Another way of combatting an Egregore is through total sensory deprivation. If an Ib has no means of perceiving an Egregore, then the Egregore has no means of harming them. Even eliminating only one of the senses can significantly impact the strength of an Egregore, with both sight and touch having the greatest effect.

An Egregore whose presence has not yet been noticed by any Ib in the area often struggles to fully manifest at first. The Egregore must initially provoke Ib to believe that it is present through subtle means, such as rustling tree branches and giving off a menacing aura that cause the Ib to believe that they are being watched. Once an initial level of tension has been reached, it then can become possible for an Egregore to make sounds that are associated with it or to appear in the corner of an Ib's eye. When it has been completely noticed by an Ib, it will then properly manifest in the area and be able to act normally and then be more readily perceived by others in the area.

## Notable Egregore

### Jack The Ripper

Jack the Ripper is a humanoid Egregore credited with countless brutal murders, especially targeting young ladies of the night. It is generally described as being a menacing figure clad in a concealing cloak. Those who have escaped the Ripper also attest that his darkened face is covered with scars, which he revels in having his victims describe to him before plunging his signature chef's knife into their bowels. The Ripper appears to let a fair number of his victims escape with only missing a few nonvital pieces of their body such as ears, noses, fingers, or toes; this is speculated to be so that they live to tell his tale and increase his strength. His victims that are not quite so fortunate to be used as his pawns are instead carved and dismembered in sickening ways that etch his name into the memory of anybody unfortunate enough to discover the remains.

### The Bandersnatch

The Bandersnatch is a bestial Egregore credited with snatching away livestock and children in rural areas. Unlike most Egregore who can only properly interact with Ib, it can manifest before domesticated animals. The Bandersnatch is commonly described as having the form of a ferocious dire badger with a massive, toothy maw and fearsome, impossibly long claws. The only trace it leaves of its victims is a pool of blood at the site in which they were snatched into its biting jaws.

### The Fairy Queen

The Fairy Queen is a benevolent Egregore that uses its powers to give children magical trinkets to help keep them safe in dangerous regions or to help them accomplish their dreams; the effects of these trinkets are influenced by the strength of belief that the wearer has in them. The Fairy Queen generally manifests in the form of an elderly female fairy inside of fairy rings, which she lures downtrodden children to through leaving a trail of prismatic stones.