Another entry in the Grimoire.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet
In worlds where fire can be summoned with a thought and a word, where demons are dragged from other realities to wreak havoc in our own,
is it so strange to consider that a species may have evolved to live, unseen, among those that it preys upon? Lesser species are often
tricked with clever illusions that fool the senses, that baffle long-honed defenses, slipping right past them, as though they belonged.
Byta, though she would rarely admit it openly, is a member of one of these species. Few things mark her as anything but 'human',
but most immediately noticable would be her vivid, almost glowing purple-red eyes, utterly lacking in pupil. Otherwise,
she could easily be mistaken for a typical, if buxom and attractive, human girl. Flowing black hair falls in a long, perfectly straight
cascade to her hips, contrasting vividly with her pale, perfect skin. Typically, she's clad in a very standard 'school uniform',
a white blouse with short sleeves, a deep blue tie, and a pleated, navy skirt, as well as black loafers.
The dark-haired girl is soft-spoken and kind, ready to offer a smile and a sympathetic ear to most anyone. While this friendly
personality is certainly more than skin-deep, she's also an unapologetic predator. Those who get close enough,
usually within a handful of feet or less, would begin to realize that the lightest motion of her long, flowing hair sets it
aglow with rich, blue luminescense that sparkles and dances across it's length in waves.
And yet, when close enough to her, that seems.. almost normal. Fitting.
Byta is, in truth, a member of an elusive species called 'mutatavore' by the few who have studied them, and between themselves,
known as the Forandrii.
What little is known of her kind is a confusing mess of 'science' and wild speculation, thanks to the Forandrii's secretive
nature and the difficulty of studying them against their will. Best guesses seem to lead toward:
Lure-based Predation: The nature of the Forandrii is to lure their prey in with sexual attraction,
to use their naturally luminescent hair as to catch attention and once their intended prey is close enough, link with them, whether it
be mentally, spiritually, or emotionally, allowing them to begin to put their target under their control. Of note is that those who do
not end up in extremely close proximity tend for quickly forget that the fact that their hair and eyes seemed to glow at all,
or find themselves accepting this as 'normal.
Empathic Link: Legend hold that the Forandrii are capable of extending their minds and thoughts, to sense the emotions and
intents of those in near proximity to them. This allows them to act with a free hand in manipulating and adjusting their hunting
patterns to best suit the prey that they've chosen. It's uncertain how deep this link goes, though whispered rumor says the longer
one is in their presence, the deeper the connection becomes.
Emotional Maniuplation: This trait is theorized, due to their ability to link with the emotions and thoughts of others. As they
link with their prey, they can generate emotions in themselves, and using the connection with their target, feed feelings and attitudes
to them, while making the thoughts seem normal, native to their own mind. Again, the depth of this ability isn't known, though it's
currently thought that with enough time, they can drive people to make decisions that run contrary to their deepest held beliefs.
Hypnotic Presence: Similar to their other talents, but otherwise thought seperate, something in their appearance, movements, or
perhaps a secondary purpose for their glowing hair and mesmerizing eyes is to soothe concerns of those they've approached. In short
order, most people in a Forandrii's presence become friendly and sociable, viewing the Forandrii as a friend, or perhaps even more, and
accepting the actions of the predator as 'normal', despite usual social and personal conventions.
Perception Alteration: It is important to remember, around the Forandrii, everything is not always as it seems.
It remains an open question as to whether they are capable of altering the state of things, to appear as though they are where they
are not, or summon objects seemingly from nothing, or if their powers are simply a matter of convincing those around them that such
things have happened, but the result in the end, is the same. Able to alter their location seemingly at a whim, and create objects from
thin air, it's a terrifying power to consider the extent of.