Cryptum

Nature: A consciousness inhabiting a reanimated human, Alium or kin body
Appearance: Identical to the host species, often bearing the damage that killed it
Scars: Silver. Wounds a Cryptum survives close in silver scars
Tell: Silver scarring, and often an earthy or faintly iron smell
Decay: Halted at the moment a Cryptum wakes
Sleep: Not required, though they still need food
City: Polyandrium, home to more than half the known population

A Cryptum is a consciousness inhabiting a reanimated body of another species — human, Alium or kin, the only three known to host one. They look like whatever they inhabit, often still carrying the damage that killed it, and the wounds they survive close in silver scars. Many smell faintly earthy or of iron.

What they are not

They are not anima. The body was raised as one and worked as one, and the word stops applying at the moment of waking: an anima is moved by someone else, and a Cryptum acts under their own power. See Death and the Anima for what the raising is and who does it.

Decay stops the moment a Cryptum wakes. They do not need sleep, though they do need food. Their senses work as anyone's does, and older Cryptum often report sharper senses than a human's, sometimes with synesthetic effects.

Population and standing

Roughly 50,000 on Aropria, against about a million ordinary anima. Public opinion runs against them by a wide margin, and they are the continent's most persecuted people — which is much of why more than half of them live in Polyandrium.

In their own words

Dennian Aewhol

Cryptum at a glance:

Most Cryptum appear identical to the host species its consciousness inhabits, whether it be human, alium or kin[^1], but many do smell earthy or slightly of iron. Since they use reanimated bodies as hosts, Cryptum bodies will frequently show signs of decay and trauma from when the body was previously killed/died, left buried and decomposing, and reanimated for intensive labor, although the lumbering clumsiness inherent to their previous form is present at birth disappears over the course of a couple of years. Though sections of the body may retain damage or mars from when it was previously alive, the active state of decay is halted when a Cryptum awakens[^2].

Cryptum vs Human

While they have no need to sleep in order to sustain themselves, they do require sustenance, can see like normal, and perceive most of our senses in the same manner. In fact, older Cryptum are reported to have even sharper senses than most humans and several can develop synesthesia-like responses[^3]. Another keen difference is in the endurance of the two species. Humans are notable for being one of the creatures with the most endurance out of any animal, but Cryptum have an even larger lead than we do. Despite these differences, they still share the same vital structure as their still living counterparts.

Injury and Aversion to Violence

Although they have a natural regeneration, a Cryptum that loses a limb loses it for good, and while sinews, muscle and skin are renewable, bones are not. In fact, any and all damage dealt to a Cryptum is somewhat permanent as the tissues that reseal the wounds are heavily scarred. Older Cryptum therefore lead a supremely cautious lifestyle, and as a whole their species is more disturbed with violence than others. The sensations they can perceive become more substantial than humans over time, and as such pain aversion becomes a prominent trait with their kind.

Common Appearance

Many societies view Cryptum in a negative light. In order to bypass this, certain Cryptum will use disguises, the rarest of which being a fleshmask that changes the entire appearance of the wearer. Very little is known about how many are in circulation at this time or the exact details of their usability. For the rest who do not use these treasured implements, Cryptum who have to interact with a new township will oftentimes wear excessive and concealing clothing and perfumes, and may disguise themselves as merchants, peddlers, traders, and even lepers. Tribal markings, tattoos, and ritual scars are all heavily frowned upon by all but the most deviant of Cryptum and will rarely be seen on a host body post awakening. While scarring can be prevalent, and loss of limb more common than most (as anima sometimes reanimate only partially whole), a low but steady demand for simple prosthetics allows those unlucky Cryptum some semblance of normalcy. Surprisingly enough, Cryptum that lose limbs and have access to these prosthetics seem to have an easier time disguising themselves than those with access to all their limbs.

Cryptum ecology and psychology:

Cryptum are a fascinating species of beings. They are enigmatic lifeforms and, similar to synthoids and primordials, are imbued with life from a process beyond natural understanding. Rather than a naturally gestating fetus or a calcified congruence core, if left to its own devices, an anima servitor has a small chance of being imbued with a spark of consciousness and will. Cryptum are therefore the only known species that must have a ‘parent’ of a different species than their own.

Awakening Cryptum and Infancy

Granted, the chance of being imbued with a spark is low, and very few anima ever discover self-awareness. Of the recorded approximate million anima on the continent, only about 50,000 Cryptum are reported to exist, and this number is a rough estimate at best. The early stages of their creation are slow and lumbering, and this is the point where Cryptum are most likely to die. A reawakened Cryptum has no memories of its previous life, although muscle memory, motor functionality, and language seem to be retained to a degree. It is a general hypothesis among researchers and scholars that in the process of reawakening, the host body for the Cryptum only regains functionality over the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. This would explain why Cryptum do not need to breathe or sleep as they self-regulate mainly through congruence, and while they require sustenance, the amount of raw material required to remain active is significantly less than that of their other living counterparts. To that end, Cryptum are rigid carnivores, and will eat meat to gain the raw material needed to replenish wounds and wear[^4].

A Cryptum’s emergence is fraught with peril for its first couple of years. When the necromaster that raised it dies, or otherwise leaves the anima to its own devices for extended periods of time[^5], there is a small chance of a spark of awakening being imparted to that fateful anima. It then begins its infancy alone or surrounded by empty husks still standing vigil, which quickly often become the young Cryptum’s first meal, as instinct drives them to replenish themselves with meat. At this stage, a Cryptum has the mental faculties of a curious 5-year-old, as either enough of the brain is left intact to already have a pool of basic functions to pull from, or the congruence which keeps them alive provides the drive behind their early enhanced intellect. Regardless of why they are able to be particularly adept at surviving without a parent or guiding figure, it does not change the fact that in these opening moments of life a Cryptum is still horribly maladjusted towards survival. It lumbers like its unintelligent kin, cannot yet fully grasp cause and effect, and, the most potentially fatal flaw, has little control of its own nervous system.

When a Cryptum is injured, unlike most dead flesh, the material that makes up a Cryptum’s body will do its best to weave itself back together, albeit with much scarring. After such an event, Cryptum will feel a vastly increased hunger for meat in order to gain the necessary replacement tissues that will heal itself. In their flailing infancy, Cryptum are more prone towards accidental injury from their lack of control and mental processing power, which will often further drive them to make dangerous, aggressive decisions[^6]. This in turn makes many lone Cryptum seen as dangerous individuals and adds to the general distrust and open loathing levied against them.

Adolescence

Their adolescence begins after this initial period of self discovery[^7] and focuses on expanding their social adaptability. This period is generally the shortest of a Cryptum’s life, spanning anywhere from between a few months to as long as a couple of years, as they have a much broader vocabulary than toddlers and children of the other species at this stage and are able to convey messages, wants, and meanings more easily. This allows for quick growth in social interactions should the Cryptum find itself among other sapients.

Many Cryptum inevitably develop a sense of wanderlust that leads to them attempting to find ways to broaden their horizons, and in this exploratory period, which usually begins during adolescence, they attempt to find interests to sate their appetite. Unlike their human counterparts, a Cryptum needs to spend much less of its time on upkeep and survival. As long as a bare minimum of food is maintained, a Cryptum may live in comfort. So while a human may spend almost its entire life devoted to survival (sleeping, eating, finding food, etc.), a Cryptum spends maybe a tenth of that time doing the same. This leads to extended periods of alertness, which inevitably lead to boredom and stagnation if not countered with stimulation.

Cryptum and the pursuit of stimulation:

By adulthood, generally achieved a mere five years after their awakening, Cryptum truly begin suffering from extreme boredom, and will frequently begin developing their own set of ‘needs’ that, while seemingly unimportant to other species’ survival, is imperative for a Cryptum’s mental state to remain healthy. At this point, many branch into philosophy, artistry, and crafts, and become almost obsessive of their work of choice. Many Cryptum are pioneers of their fields, and I’ve had the singular honor of speaking with their best and brightest. As they are able to dedicate more time to their pursuits than us humans, what would otherwise be a passion or hobby becomes a soul-fueling need.

With age comes the resurgence of a heightened nervous system, and perceptions become more vibrant and intense, leading to many of the Cryptum delving deeply into the higher arts. While dedication to other causes such as science and technology are present, they are remarkably less practiced than their more easily observable counterparts, such as through artistry.

Cryptum that live to the end of their natural lifespans begin to feel the effects of an overdeveloped nervous system, as it never loses its growth period and enters a state of degeneration. This leads to a sort of reverse-alzheimers, known as tumotōm, with brilliant flashes of artisanship, ideas, and many capstone achievements oftentimes occurring just before a Cryptum dies. Those with stronger connections to congruence seem to be able to stave off the negative effects of aging while being able to reap the benefits of heightened sensation. While most Cryptum die within the first few years of life, they can live up to 80 years if properly looked after, and the oldest surviving Cryptum was reported to be over 120 years old.

In dedication to their eclectic drive and paired with their aversion to other more judgemental communities, a vast majority of recognized Cryptum have formed their own city-state called Polyandrium. Those Cryptum not lost to wanderlust frequently find themselves drawn to the promises offered of this utopian founding.

Polyandrium

More than half of all Cryptum on Aropria live in Polyandrium, a secluded city in the Grimmrend Mountains. Its own page carries the detail.

[^1]: Currently the only known species to be able to host Cryptum are Humans, Alium and Kin.

[^2]: It is hypothesized that the congruence that stabilizes and maintains a Cryptum captures an image of the host body and projects a false future for itself. This partially explains why they regenerate despite being composed of dead flesh, why they are damaged in the same vital areas as humans and allium, and why Cryptum may be killed and have a rather mundane life-expectancy.

[^3]: Through congruence, Cryptum regain use of their host bodies' nervous system, and while said congruence halts the decline of other bodily functions, it in fact keeps growing the nervous system. Older Cryptum suffer from many neurological conditions that stem from overstimulation.

[^4]: Recently it has come to light that in travels Cryptum will eat stand-ins for meat from a specific mushroom. Details about the location and type of fungus used is limited, although when prepared as a travel agent, the taste has been reported to be quite similar to hardtack, with the consistency and texture of clay.

[^5]: Most Cryptum agree that they were awakened after several months of inaction, with the earliest records being only a mere handful of days. Although there are certain locations that have been buried preserved for countless ages that still have anima servitors, and in these ruins Cryptum have occasionally spawned, making dating their average awakening nearly impossible.

[^6]: There are many horror stories regarding flesh-eating monsters and anima that come to attack their masters. Many of these have a grounded basis, as in reality they are often in reference to accidents with fledgling Cryptum.

[^7]: Generally a Cryptum matures into adolescence in a couple of years, but extended isolation or frequent social interactions may cause this to change.

[^8]: It has been rumored among those in high society that it is beginning to be fashionable to send over young princelings and princesses for tutelage, especially if the family in question has already engaged in trade deals with their artisans.

[^9]: Cryptum refer to general assembly with the intent to make or observe laws and ideas as ‘things’, which has the unintended side effect of forcing communication in the city to be uncomfortably unambiguous at times.