#also the horns are just part of the helmet. for stabbin'

[ntls-24722]

Voma, the lampliker

another case of me ruining things with lore

CW/TW: ↓ detailed description of drug use, addiction, and withdrawal (I realize that I really should've been putting this earlier... my apologies)

SO, PROPER NAMES: they are called the Possessed.

They're a spiritual zebraman militia who chew this fungus, a bioluminescent, poisonous stimulant in order to stain the inside of their mouth with the bioluminescence and get a high from it. They believe that the glowing mouths of Debu is the source of their strength and power, and by chewing the fungus they get that power too, which is partially correct - chewing it, they don't need to sleep or eat, get visions or hallucinations, and are working at 200% capacity while on it, becoming "possessed" by the Debu spirit (which is often said to be the source of their sudden bursts of violence...).

However, unbeknownst to the zebramen, this has awful effects on their body, as you could imagine. The Possessed are given the Possesion fruit (they call it a fruit, they are incorrect,) constantly - so they barely sleep at all, barely eat at all, outright collapse from exhaustion or drop dead out of nowhere, have seizures, chew at their fingers (sometimes they break or chew them completely off), they become nauseous and can barely hold down what little food they do eat, and their hallucinations and psychosis often scare them and lead them to depression and paranoia over everything/everyone. And if they survive THAT until retirement, they're going to have withdrawals for the rest of their life

One big symptom though, is the rotting of their teeth! The fungus is acidic and chewing it constantly has eroded their teeth into falling out, which is bad, but is especially bad considering that the zebramen are constantly showing their teeth! They have lips and can close them, but by default they're smiling. The Possessed either hide their bottom faces with cloth or unnaturally close their lips shut.

I imagine statues or sculptures of the Possessed look a lot like sumerian devotive statues... huge eyes because they're held so wide during possession that their scleras are constantly visible, and tight lips.