Arcane Abyss Sea, the Atlantean Infection AU

Curse users experience adverse effects when using their magic in the poisoned environment. Due to their fragility around water their travel is limited, but using their curse mayb put others or even themselves in danger/make them more susceptible to mutation.

And as stated before by another user, becoming mutated as an Atlantean may spell out certain doom. Their magic has not been squandered power wise, they can still raise hell, but there are many precautions they must take before deciding to use their curse.

As such, many curse users have isolated themselves in fear of hurting others.

This is pretty vague. Adverse effects as in…? I need to know whether they’re just slightly stronger mages or they’re more like that robot kid from Made In Abyss. Very powerful, but using power at a certain moment can be dangerous for both oneself and those around you.

Does this suggest curse users can lose control much easier?

I do remember that curse users inevitably start losing their mind. It’s only a matter of time. So, does the dark seas presence speed up that process? Using their curse spiking the process even further?

Still being debated tbh, the AU is still very rough.

I do like the idea that their sanity is very vulnerable in this situation, and as such they could accidentally lash out and do things they are unaware of in their trance. A curse user is a ticking time bomb surrounded by this much magic energy, and using their magic to their fullest capabilites could lead them further and further down the path to insanity.

With the environmental changes around them too, their curse is less in their control. They could accidentally cause events to happen around them, an example given was a spontaneous volcano eruption around Trigno, or just simply have their magic do things unintended (wrong direction, size, accidentally damaging themselves in the process, etc)

I do not know a lot about Sea Curse lore, so I’m very sorry that I am being so vague!

This clears a few things up, so I can proudly say that YES, curse users are pretty much done for.

That was the first thing that people raised eyebrows at when I introduced this AU, so it was swiftly discussed in detail under my first topic on this story.

Didn’t exactly want the curse users to clean up this whole ordeal in a day tops, so we had to make some changes

got bored so heres my take on the Forest of Cernunno

At first held up strong, cultists first held up at the coasts before slowly retreating into their camps, The shipwright that lived there bailed to Whitesummit early on and Gaul Treviri leaves.

Soon cultists start dying 1 by 1 in a siege against the Atlanteans, soon forced to abandon the lower camp and holds out at Cerynx’s hut.

Once they dwindle down to 7 (including Cernyx) they move up to the higher cliffs, but are killed one by one, eventually Cerynx is last one standing at the topmost cemetary.

After putting up a valiant fight, Cerynx eventually falls from heavy infection. Since Atlanteans cant really get up to where he is, and them sensing him being dead, they sort of just leave him be and go off.

Eventually, Cerynx rises again, now mutations based off of a mix of mantis shrimp and crocodile. His body is camouflaged with the swamp water, and lies in wait for any prey to step in, waiting to strike at whatever disturbs the water. His arms are also perma-imbued with his earth magic.

4 Likes

SOOO COOL!!!

Swamp beast Cernyx real, I can already feel The Horrors™ conjuring up in my little artist mind

its been a rough… decade since i written something, if i get the mood to, i might write a bit… kinda flesh out the situation in each island

I would love to read anything you or anyone else writes for this AU! It would be such an honor :DDD

yo thanks, but can you tell me something?

how did Fort Talos go down? this is assuming the Player took a completely different approach to the order situation, that is if they are alive at all

Question, how exactly does the infection work? Is it like based on injury? How bad would the would have to be if it is? If not, then how does it spread?

If it is injury-based, Fighting Style users are SCREEEWWWED.

The Player actually had nothing to do with it!

Lets be real, the player + morden in canon snuck WAY too easily into Talos, so I wouldnt be surprised if they could hold up against a massive horde of Atlanteans

Alr, i am in the mood for it so i will write Ch-0, this will take a day or two, or three, or forever because i am perfectionist

Yep, it’s injury based!

Though humans can still turn into Atlanteans due to exposure to magic poisoning like in canon, but it takes a lot longer than something like a bite.

Take your time! I will be excitedly waiting to see what you cook!!

Is there any cure or other form of prevention?

The Order is currently working on one (no specifics yet) but right now they’ve been able to stall Morden and Calvus’s mutations.

Prevention through a swift death is necessary if the victim has been suffering with an injury for a long time. Otherwise, amputation may be another option, though risky. However, non magic builds rejoice! It takes longer for the illness to spread throughout the blood as magic users seem to mutate faster.

Painful, though at least tier 3 healing potions can supposedly regrow limbs.

… unless you’re removing that from the AU just to be sadistic.