Confliction

What is Confliction?

Simply put, it is what turns eagles into gryphons, snakes into dragons, and humans into more beastly renditions of themselves.
Confliction is a core part of Aypavoc, and became widespread in the Post-Reckoning eras. The six seasons correspond to the six Divine Beasts, and one's birth season defines their eye color and the temptation they will desire to fulfill their whole life; whether they fight or embrace the transformation is up to them. Confliction can affect any mammal, bird, or reptile; plants, fish, and insects do not seem to experience it, though as part of the environment, they can be corrupted by the presence of other highly Conflicted creatures.
As such, it is common to judge a man by the color of his eyes, whether or not he plays in to the Divine Beasts' urges.

Contributing Factors to Confliction

While the reason for the connection between Confliction and the Divine Beasts differs based on religious beliefs, it is generally accepted that Confliction is the outwards appearance of impurity in the soul. In Beastsworn culture, this impurity is highly desirable and seen as divine. In Akagawa, it is seen as vile and a sign of a weak will. In Yuanlin, it is mostly an inconvenience to one's profession to suddenly sprout claws or the like, though certain trades encourage it. The Varayi of Atonement, who are already tainted to their core by nature of their creation, cannot Conflict any further and simply find the mortal phenomenon fascinating.
Impurity is invited into one's soul during acts of violence, especially the taking of life, and during disrespectful acts towards the spirits of the natural world. It is also created when following the Divine Beasts' vices to excess: destruction, grief, helplessness, greed, paranoia, and apathy.
The closer one gets to the center and deepest part of the island, the more muddied the waters are with the spirits of the departed as they are parted from their mortal worries and suffering. These central waters can make one quite ill, at risk of possession, and contribute towards Confliction.

The Hector Scale

A qualitative measurement of one's Confliction.
0 - Unconflicted. Recognizably a member of its species, with no noticeable alterations.
1 - Color. Fur or hair takes on an unnatural hue reminiscent to the patron Divine Beast's sacred color. Minor behavioral changes may occur.
2 - Minor Physical. Small changes occur, such as enlarged fangs or claws. Patterns such as spots or stripes may emerge. Negative emotions are heightened, particularly those relating to the creature's Conflict.
3 - Major Physical. Various limbs are altered in form, or new ones grow, such as tails or wings. The pull of their Conflict is nearly irresistible. Further Confliction is borderline unavoidable, but may be possible through elimination of temptations or physical restraints.
4 - Monstrous. At this point, the original creature becomes functionally unrecognizable, consumed by their mutations. They are a danger to all living things around them, and are consumed by the negative aspects of their Conflict.
5 - Tainted. The creature develops an active magical aura and is capable of wielding their corresponding element without any catalyst save for their own twisted body. Creatures at this stage are also known as the Fallen.

Symptoms of Confliction

Consecrated - Crimson eyed creatures. - Reddish coats or manes; stripes; enlarged fangs; greater size; slit pupils; fur; cat-like ears; slender tails; paws; gaping rows of teeth bursting from the flesh. Increase in aggressive, protective, and territorial behavior, as well as a rise in predatory instincts.
Fastidious - Amber eyed creatures. - Golden coats or manes; eye spots; fur; dog-like ears; stocky or curled tails; paws; pustules and growths over the body, which erupt in the form of extraneous eyes. Increase in obsessive or sorrowful behavior.
Elden - Green eyed creatures. - Dirty coats or manes; thin layer of moss growing over skin or fur; rectangular pupils; antlers; hooves; symbiotic flora growing extensively over skin, even rooting in the circulatory system. Increase in jealous or desperate behavior.
Varisian - Blue eyed creatures. - Brilliant sapphire coats or manes; sprouting feathers over extremities; loss of bone mass; talons; wings; beaks; additional pairs of wings. Fascination with trinkets and hoarding.
Meticulous - Lavender eyed creatures. - Dusky coats or manes; muted patterns; fur; enlarged claws; smaller size; larger eyes; small rounded or long rabbit-like ears; variable tails; smoky trails; additional limbs. Increase in paranoia, anxiety, insomnia, and hallucinations.
Irreverent - Silver eyed creatures. - Bleak, grey coats or manes; gradient or solid colors; scales; slitted pupils; bony protrusions; slender tails; featherless wings; exposed ribcages. Increase in lethargy, hypersomnia, and depression.

Purification

Confliction is cleansed through the passage of death or certain acts of atonement and purification, though the latter measures cannot reverse the symptoms of Confliction, only delay further progression. Cosmetic surgeons can remove or disguise certain changes, though these generally lead to life-threatening complications following further transformation.
In Akagawa and Yuanlin, priests of the faith can offer assistance for those who wish to purge their souls of the seeds of Confliction. These priests often cast restorative or protective magic without even knowing it, using crucibles passed down through the generations as sacred relics and appealing to nearby shrine spirits or using the devout's blood.
Common daily rituals conducted by worshippers include following steady habits, using familiar items, prayer, carrying amulets of protection or talismans that ward against evil spirits, and covering reflective surfaces when not in use so they do not serve as portals to the other side. The Conflicted or those who have recently suffered loss are to be avoided. Objects which host good spirits are venerated and kept appeased for protection against evil. Certain objects are not to be moved or tampered with for fear of angering the dormant spirits trapped within, and thus roads and buildings will curve around them.
Barriers fill an important role in designating sacred spaces and boundaries. People are taught to surround their shrines and the places they frequent with protective idols of their region's god, fences, ropes, archways, and talismans to keep Confliction from lingering and entering their hearts. Before passing through such barriers, people bow to strip themselves of any ill will which may have tainted them. Crossways especially are guarded by talismans to stop the spirits traveling along them from turning towards their goal.
In rarer cases, a ritual may be carried out that returns the impure to the place where the corruption occurred, makes offerings and prayers, then ties three stones from the area to the clothing of the affected. When the spirit is pure, the stones are then offered to the ancestors for safeguarding.
Because water transfers spiritual energy, the low-flowing waters can be dangerous and corrupt, but the pure water of the mountaintops and rainfall can be purifying.