Origin
A wise and respected scholar, the young man known simply as “tech” was one of a number of individuals slowly consumed by the feelings of intense greed, ire, loathing, gluttony, and pride exhibited through the influence of Corruption. Upon finding an ancient artifact, that being the eyed sceptor, he was eager and ecstatic to study someyhing so new and otherworldly, writing his findings in a large book with an appropriately grand cover for the information it would come to hold. Gradually, as he became more invested in researching the object, tech grew possessive of thr object. Obsessive. And eventually, completely dependent. Each stroke of the pen with which he recorded his findings inched him closer to insanity and Corruption as the sceptor’s eye began to guide and Corrupt him just as he would a number of others. Eventually, twisted and deformed, the once prpud and beloved scholar csme to be an outcast and was inevitably exiled for his newly reclusive nature and terrifying appearance.
A once dutiful, if not snide, author of exceptional findings and works dedicated to the documentation and discovery of the world’s ancient history and its cycles of prosperity and ruin, now filled with Cursed Knowledge one could not hope to maintain their sanity in knowing. But he wants to share regardless . . .
Appearance
Despite his outwardly twisted appearance, it’s still rather remarkable how much of the original human traits remain when considering he’s the oldest Corruption aside from the Progenitor. For starters, the overall body structure has remained relatively intact with the greatest changes being found in the left arm and hand, right leg and foot, and, of course, the head and face. He’s even still bearing the same suit and pants worn in his last days of sanity.
The feet remain relatively familiar on the left side with the toes simply ending in sharp claws. The other side, however, has undergone more drastic changes in form, shifting and twisting into an unnatural digitigrade stance held up by three large toes and a reversed hallux all ending in significantly sized claws. Moving up toward the arms (as the torso is relatively unchanged), we see the right appearing closer to its original form. From the shoulders appear many smaller eyes, each blinking and moving independently of one another and travelling as far as the elbow. The forearm has stretched slightly in length but, quite obviously, from it stick out long, six sharp, black nails pounded down through the arm. A seventh nail sticks up from the hand, which has been forcibly and physically fused to the book along with the nail. The left arm, though more physically altered, has little modifications made to it, simply the elongation and typical rotting of the flesh along the forearm. Coupled with this is the elongation of the hand and fingers, which of course extend to long talons that can tear through any material.
Moving to the face, we see only the lower jaw as a familiar structure. Gone is the entire upper skull as it was presumably shattered by the movement and growth of the many long, muscular arms covered in eyes. The arms erupt abruptly from the mouth, possibly finding their origin in the throat and tongue, ending in sharp blades. Like the original arms, those formed from the head can be seen with physical modifications through the piercing of a nail driven into the exposed muscle. Most noticeable in the face, however, must be the giant and unblinking eye seen in the mouth, which has been known to stare intently at objects of interest just as the Observer's left head is known to.
Strapped to the Scholar’s back is non other than his Cursed sceptor. Its end holds an unblinking eye shielded by a hard, glassy material and guarded by two pairs of twin spikes protruding from the base of the staff.
Behavior
Cryptic and unreadable, the Scholar is known to drive others to Corruption through a means of slow dedication turned to obsession and eventual insanity. To those most curious, such as the 飞龙 Fēilóng or the Observer, the Scholar approaches most methodically and with utmost patience, gauging their intrigue and appealing to their interests as he guides them to a cruel and twisted Corruption that warps both mind and body greatly.
Much like the Observer, the Scholar is at first nonviolent during an encounter and instead chooses to watch from afar. Still, he may be approached up close with little worry for physical harm as a selected victim has no chance of escape regardless. Of the countless curious souls who dare to approach him, he’s selected the most outstanding and noteworthy for Corruption (with the exception of the 飞龙 Fēilóng, who was little more than a girl) and has been shown to lead them to their Corrupted state. Regardless, the Scholar is happy and willing to share traces and hints of his Cursed Knowledge with the curious but unselected.
This approachability, however, does not mean a complete harmlessness as any movements toward the book or the sceptor are swiftly met with the brutal physical dismemberment and maiming of those foolish enough to attempt it. Both the two objects radiate an energy so intense that they are the clear sources of Corruption (specifically the sceptor).
Unique Abilities
Watchful Eyes
As is present in the Observer, the Scholar possesses the ability to memorize acquired information based on visuals at a glance. This also allows for a quick but meticulous assessment of others and the situation surrounding them, aiding greatly in the selection of a new Corruption-to-be.
Cursed Speech
Also similarly to the Observer is the Scholar’s amplified Corruption radiation through verbal speech. With no upper jaw, lips, or proper tongue the voicings are little more than a garbled mess of growls, snarls, and groans, however the gestures and body language suggest something akin to a pastor preaching or professor’s lecture.
Book of Cursed Knowledge
Though no mortal eyes have laid eyes upon the contents of the book attached to the Scholar’s hand, it has been show to cast and summon dark creatures from its pages. These creatures are capable of a zombie-like possession and, should they be driven from the body for whatever reason, leave lasting trauma and evident traces of Corruption in both the mind and body.
Gates of Hell
As the Scholar’s left arm has shifted dramatically in size to be walked upon, it has been found to rake its claws over the Earth, creating gaps in our reality just wide enough to unleash a flurry of Corruptions we can equate to the likes of cockroaches, ticks, bed bugs, and flies. These Corruptions are volatile and will dorectly target the homes of people, biting and feeding off of them like any other parasite. The twist here is that such bites, which can occur all over the body overnight, slowly Corrupt the form, morphing it slowly into something unrecognizable.
