Veil-Touched

*a lexica entry by Finwis Krum*

**Alternate Names:** Abominations of the Veil

Individuals who get lost within the Veil usually find the end of their lives. They would start to lose themselves over time, both physically and spiritually, with the Veil slowly chipping away at their very souls, and therefore memories and core characteristics. Most beings lost within the Veil turn into Wraiths; only few survive at great cost, heavily influenced by the Veil and the negative energies within. Historians refer to this as a Veil-Infection.

Beings infected by the Veil can originate in any reality, world, or dimension. When fortunate enough to find a gateway out of the Veil into any dimension, or plane, Veil-Touched have an initial adjustment period with a high success rate, ensuring their further survival.

## General appearance

A Veil-Infection causes a mutation of genes and seems to drain the individual affected of energy and colour. Regardless of the species of origin, Veil-Touched are pale, their eyes grey and dim, leaving them either blind or with only the slightest bit of sight. Hair either becomes ashen-grey or falls out entirely. Even the blood will lose all colour and will be no more than a light grey shimmer. This, in combination with thin skin that lacks colour pigmentation, leads to clearly visible light grey or white glowing veins all over the body.

Veil-Touched have a weakened immune system that rapidly recovers once they leave the Veil; however, during the early stages of their adjustment period, they are especially vulnerable to fungal infections that often further their mutations, and can therefore alter their appearance once more.

**Average life span:** unknown, assumed unlimited

**Average height:** depending on species of origin

## Characteristics

Time in the Veil leaves most creatures dreadful and scarred. The loss of oneself reduces a Veil-Touched to the most basics of instincts for the sake of survival. Many develop predatory traits. Those with decades of footing in a reality outside the Veil do partially recover, but only enough to move forward despite the despair and pain within, not able to actually ever get rid of it. Cases of recovery of lost memories and soul fragments have never been documented.

## Magic and Abilities

As with many aspects of the Veil-Touched, their abilities strongly depend on their species of origin. Transformed by dreadful energies, most Veil-Touched develop magical abilities ranging from Fear Magic, Madness Magic, Pain Magic, and Nightmare Magic. In rare cases, Veil-Touched have been reported capable of Intangibility Magic and even Null Element Magic, mostly observed in Veil-Elves.

Those of demonic origin seem to clash with the negative energies of the Veil in a unique way, leaving them only capable of utilising other creature’s abilities. In these instances, Veil-Touched would absorb energies of another caster and then use them for themselves. This ability includes not only the magical spectrum but acoustic energies, too. Veil-Touched of demonic origin are only able to communicate by echoing what they heard recently.

## Veil-Infection

When lost in the Veil, for example after not being able to hold onto a proper linear anchor for any variety of reasons, chances of an individual finding a way out of the Veil are slim to impossible. Most beings find the end of their lives within the Veil and their souls turn into Wraiths. Those lucky enough to survive their stay in the Veil do become heavily influenced by the negative energies within. Historians would refer to this as a Veil-Infection. Beings infected by the Veil are categorized as Veil-Touched, and can originate in any reality, world, or dimension. When fortunate enough to find a gateway out of the Veil into any dimension, or plane, Veil-Touched have an initial adjustment period with a high success rate, ensuring their further survival.