The Horror in the Darkness
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To Create a Corrupted Force Nexus on Dathomir.
- Image Credit: XIII
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: N/A
- Nexus Name: The Cursed Blessing
- Nexus Alignment: Dark
- Location: Dathomir
- Affiliation: The Witch Kingdoms
- Size: Small
- Strength: Strong
- Accessibility: The Nexus is located deep within the Red Hills, standing as a lone dark grove, haunted by corrupted beasts from the Nexus and other spooky creatures such as The Creeping Ghouls and the occasional visit by the Dread Wraiths who have an unhealthy attraction to the grove, making accessibility almost nearly impossible. It is difficult to find, less one is already privy to the Nexus' location, essentially making it hidden to outsiders. Due to the strength of the Nexus, it tends to corrupt almost all sentients with the dark side of the Force or can cause uneasiness and other mental applications to those that come in contact with the nexus.
- Description: The dark grove is a collection of twisted and macabre looking trees, where most of the flora is either dead or has the taint of the dark side affecting, changing the once colorful foliage into a gloomy, death-like state.
The effect of this Nexus is two based. The first effect is that it will corrupt any who comes in contact with it, beast and sentient alike. Those associated with the Lightside will be fully tempted by the Darkside, where only a strong will can fight off the corruption. In beasts, it causes them to become more aggressive and violent, attacking anything in sight, including their own packs. For those attuned to the Darkside, it will corrupt them further, pushing them further from redemption, whilst granting them a beneficial boost in Darksided abilities. Those neutral, not possessing the ability to utilize the Force, it causes them to feel nausea, uneasiness, and other bodily discomforts; and possibly aggressive.
The second effect strikes at the mentality and will of individuals. Beasts caught in the web of the Nexus, they grow in confusion and nervousness, which leads to the first effect on them. For all other sentients, Force wielders or not, it attacks the mind similar to that of Force Fear, Force Horror, and Force Insanity, drawing on their most fearful and tragic memories, forcing them to relive them over and over again. Only a strong will and mind can possibly negate the effects, and though there are certain sentients that are immune to such mental assaults, they can possibly still feel something, or see something, but not as defined as those other sentients. Also, this effect can be partially negated by technological devices, implants, and cybernetics. For some, recovery has been robbed from them; left with a fragile mind that is riddled with both madness and deep-rooted insanity.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Black Lake: Inside the dark grove is a lake that is as black as midnight. The lake is void of life, and it is believed to drink from the lake will result in an instant, painful death. Other theories by the Nightsisters believe the lake's color comes from the blood of the Fanged God, a poisonous curse to any who drinks from its waters, with similar results.
- Whispering Tree: Among the center of the dark grove stands a single erect tree, where its branches are of rot and its leaves resembling that of putrid flesh. The mystery of the tree lies within the tales of those that gazed upon the tree was the eerie voice that seems to radiate from a disembodied voice. Most of the tales describe the whispers as incomprehensible but frightening in tones. There are many speculations as to what the voice is, most of the Nightsisters believe it was the dying words of the Fanged God.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
It is not clear how the Nexus and effects came to be, but among the lore of the Nightsisters, the Nexus and its dark grove is a by-product from 20BBY during The Massacre of the Nightsisters where the Nightsisters nearly suffered a genocidal catastrophic event. According to the lore, the Nexus was formed by the spirits of the dead Nightsisters, where Mother Dathomir wept her tears into the dark grove adding to the formation of the nexus. Others believe it was formed as retribution against all those that sought the extinction of the Nightsisters by The Fanged God who was depicted as Mortis (Son) who also died in 20BBY.
Whatever lore is correct, the nexus was formed by the tragic events that nearly led to the extinction of Dathomir's daughters. It is also believed among most of the Nightsister Clans and Covens that the Nexus grows stronger with every death of a Dathomir daughter. The Nexus, and its dark grove, is considered sacred ground, to be protected against intruders, interlopers, and curious minds. Unlike the Nardithi Cluster which is owned and protected by the Nardithi Nightsister Coven, the Nexus is open to all Nightsisters from every Clan and Coven seeking to make the pilgrimage to the dark grove, at the risk of their own lives and mental stability.
The Cursed Blessing Force Nexus is unlike any known Nexus, where most Nexus' seek to enhance or aid individuals; this Nexus seeks to break an individual down, for the exception of those who study the philosophies of the dark side. To a dark sider, the Nexus is a flourishing presence to bask in, whilst those on the other spectrum of the Force's alignment scale are at risk of losing themselves; and to that curious individual who seeks exploration of the dark grove and the Nexus, do so at the cost of mental destruction.