Dark Side Corruption: An OOC Guide

[Joslae]

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Introduction

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This will serve as the OOC guide to Dark Side corruption for House Horuset roleplay, a quick source that you can refer back to if you find yourself questioning your corruption. The Dark Side is a tool of great power, but one that demands a great sacrifice. It can be described as a roaring flame of power in a cold night; its heat is alluring in the frigid air. It is also like a strong narcotic; it is addictive. Those who taste the power that comes with it wish to have more, as their bodies and minds are slowly consumed. We know this, and we also know the decaying touch of the Dark Side. This guide will just serve to explain that corruption and decay in further detail. I will split this guide into four main parts: the Origin, the Mind, the Body, and the Pure. Mind and Body will focus on Humans and other near-human species as a baseline. The Pure will focus more on the Sith Purebloods.

The guide here is to be taken as a minimum requirement: if you wish to explore it deeper with your character, then you are free to. Some characters may lean more into the mental aspects of Dark Side Corruption, taken by paranoia and the shadows of unseen enemies; while others may experience great physical degradation, withering away while their mind sharpens.

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The Origin

The path to Power is that of the absolute. Those who do not commit their very being into this pursuit will yield middling effects. To rise above what you are, you must actively call upon your own well of emotions. Fear, anger, hatred, these are mere tools that can help to manifest the Dark Side in one's very essence. The purest display of it is that of Lightning, as your fingers darken, while what's left in your wake is nothing but ashes or to become ashes yourself.

However, it is not the only way of doing so. A Warrior who channels their rage to empower their flesh with the Force will become an unstoppable juggernaut, to whom injuries are nothing more than fuel. A Mentalist will use cunning and deception to either trick their opponent into giving them what they want or play with their fears, as their mind comes undone. All in the way of domination over the weak and unworthy. For the Dark Side is everywhere, and all it takes is to simply reach it, but also to know how to do it. This can be done internally but also externally, where exposure to a Nexus or be on the receiving end of such might will plant the first seeds. And the greater the effort, the greater the results - but as with everything - it will always come with a price; only a few will ever dare to pay it in full.

Anger is not the only emotion that may fuel the Dark Side if it is called upon, however. Fear, misery, despair- all have their place. Even the positive emotions of joy, gladness, excitement, hope, and even love play their part, for the Dark Side touches all, and there is no limit to the emotions a Sith may call upon—though some are undoubtedly more potent to channel. The Dark Side may indeed be channelled in many ways, and it expresses itself in a similar variety. After all, each individual's emotions and connections are unique and personal to them.

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The Mind

With use, the Dark Side will embed itself into the mind of the user; a hungry parasite eating away at the consciousness. Even just exposure can trigger this decaying effect. The Dark Side will whisper sweet promises and deadly lies to the user, turning them away from people and bringing their negative emotions to higher levels. A Dark Side user may often stop trusting those around them, even their closest friends, and with time, they may see only enemies in the shadows. Other times, a once peaceful man may be roused to anger by small details or inconveniences. Paranoia and anger go hand in hand with those descending into darkness. For those truly steeped in the Dark Side for long periods of time, insanity may be the only outcome, the complete destruction of the mind so that no sensible thought is possible. However, with Force Users, the total insanity often stems from traumatic or disturbing experiences. As for non-Force Users exposed to the Dark Side, total insanity may be all that awaits them. This may be temporary or permanent, depending on the length of exposure and the strength.

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The Body

The body is where the Dark Side corrupts the most, and it is what people think of when the Dark Side is mentioned.

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"Will I eventually be physically transformed?"
"Into some aged, pale-skinned, raspy-voiced, yellow-eyed monster, you mean. Such as the one you see before you. Surely you are acquainted with the lore: King Ommin of Onderon, Darths Sion and Nihilus. But whether it will happen to you, I can't say. Know this, though, Sidious, that the power of the dark side does not debilitate the practitioner so much as it debilitates those who lack it. The power of the dark side is an illness no true Sith would ever wish to be cured of."

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The power of the Dark Side will take its toll on a body. This happens because the Dark Side is such a strong source of power, and no mortal body can sustain that for long. Any Sith who wishes to make use of Dark Side abilities such as Force Lightning, Sith Sorcery, or Sith Alchemy must accept the truth of corruption; either accept the price in its whole or fail due to moderation.

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Spoiler: No Corruption

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At the start of one studying the Dark Side, they may show no signs of it, at least none on the outside. At this stage, their body is still at peak performance, and they are perfectly healthy. How long this stage may last is entirely dependent on the user; if they insist on giving in to their anger and hate or using Dark Side powers near daily, then this may only be a footnote for them. Towards the end of this stage, a common sight is the sulfuric yellow eyes, which appear in moments of highest anger and then fade with time. Once this has been noted, the rest of the corruption will soon follow.

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Spoiler: Temptation

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After the initial immersion into the Dark Side, the eyes may adopt the changed colour permanently, then be joined by a ring of blood red or orange. Orange or red eyes are also common in some users, though often not until the final stages are reached. The whites of the eyes may also show more blood vessels. This stage of corruption is perhaps the most common among Dark Sided users, as it is yet to affect them in a huge way, but it is fully noticeable. They may start to feel tired with less effort.

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Spoiler: Imperilment

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The 'point of no return' for most users. The eyes continue to change as the whites usually turn grey, black, or sometimes red, and the skin around the eyes begins to darken. Their skin grows a bit paler, and their body slowly degrades. This means it may have a harder time naturally healing injuries or may start to push out some cybernetic pieces. The voice may be altered, sounding lower or raspier. The addictive nature of the Dark Side has fully consumed the user at this point, and if they do not stop themselves through sheer willpower, the Dark Side will continue to eat away at their body.

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Spoiler: Submission

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The final stage of corruption is only reached by those who have fully dedicated themselves to the Dark Side. Their skin is so pale that veins and blood vessels easily show through the skin on the face, as well as the skin texture becoming mottled and rough. They begin to age rapidly, and their bodies reject most outside influences, such as medical equipment or cybernetics. The body may become physically weaker, but spiritually stronger. It should be repeated that it requires a lifetime of study and dedication to fall this far.

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The Pure

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The Sith Purebloods are a species that is born from the Dark Side, and thus has some barriers against its decaying touch. In the end, however, a Pureblood will end up just as corrupted as a human or Twi'lek. Therefore, this may not show as much or manifest more slowly. A Sith Pureblood is born with different eye colours, though the dark skin around the eyes or the changing of colour for the whites may still occur with age and experience. Their skin also becomes less pale and less ragged, and they may not experience the same visible ageing effects, though they may certainly still feel aged on the inside. However, the important piece of information to consider is that the Purebloods have a natural resistance, and it will take hold more slowly. Those final stages of Corruption, however, are just as potent; when a Pureblood gets to that stage, the Corruption will be sudden and devastating.

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Extra Information

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And just some final pieces of information. One does not have to use Dark Side powers to gain Corruption. It can also come from exposure to a Dark Side Nexus or other strong forces of the Dark Side, or even using neutral-aligned powers with negative intentions. The Corruption discussed above will apply all the same to all the various aliens of the galaxy. The Dark Side corrupts all things. There are other ways the Dark Side can affect a body, such as sustaining one for an unnatural length of time, but this is beyond this guide. And there are ways to reduce corruption or even hide it, and these methods should be explored by your characters.