The Judgment Gods
The Arcanus have many gods, but three matter above all others — the God of Love, the God of Life, and the God of Hatred.
These three deities are called the 'judgment gods'. They are present in every individual's mind and are responsible for judging the host's actions. They are only visible to whom the mind belongs to. These deities do not have a definite form but are known to imitate the body shape of the host. Love is always seen to have a purple-like color, Hatred is a crimson-like color, and Life is usually white or gray.
The three gods all look at life from a different perspective. They will start a discussion if someone has done something worth discussing. In the end, your fate will be decided by popular vote — for example, if Love and Life say 'yes' but Hatred says 'no', yes is the decision. Most of the time the host is unaware of this process, but some can hear the voices of these gods at higher corruption levels.
Crimson
Hatred
The most selfish god. Will always choose the option that would cause the least trouble for the host, or what would have the best outcome for yourself—even if this required the death of others.
Purple
Love
The most selfless god. Will always choose to help and protect others, choosing what is least hurtful or bothersome to others, even if this harms the host.
White / Gray
Life
The god that keeps balance between the two deities. True neutral, listening to the opinions of Love and Hatred and choosing sides depending on their arguments. Always looks at a situation from both sides, along with the emotion that fueled it.
Trigger — Hate
If the individual commits too many crimes without reason or for self-gain, and Love has no chance of winning any arguments, it gives up on the host and goes into hibernation. Leaving only Hate and Life. This is where an Arcanus becomes hate corrupted. This process can be reversed or escalated; read about that in the next chapter.
Trigger — Love
Continuously choosing to help and please others, even at your own cost, will make it so Hate has no chance of winning any arguments — it gives up on the host and goes into hibernation. This is where an Arcanus becomes love corrupted. This process can be reversed or escalated; read about that in the next chapter.
Path of Redemption
Once one of the gods has gone into hibernation, the individual has two paths they can take.
Path 1 — Return
The individual has a change of heart and tries to better themselves. This will result in Hatred/Love (whichever one is not in hibernation) becoming frustrated, as Life will refuse to agree with its opinions. The hibernating god will awaken from its deep slumber as it can sense it is needed, and eventually the individual will heal from its corrupt state.
Path 2 — Fall
The individual does not change their ways. Eventually, all Life does is agree with Hatred/Love (whichever one is not in hibernation) opinions, and will feel like it is unnecessary to stay. Life will then go into hibernation. Because only one god can be in a state of hibernation, the other hibernating god (Love or Hate) will result in leaving its host forever. The individual will never be able to return to a normal state anymore. They will always be a 5 or higher hate corrupted, or −5 or worse love corrupted.
Corruption
Symptoms can vary; from physical to mental. Some individuals are more susceptible to various symptoms than others. While at least some symptoms show at higher corruption levels, it might vary per person on how bad they are and when they start to show.
First possible signs of love corruption
Dissociation. Numbness to pain. Eyes become cloudy with their iris color. Emotionally numb.
The God of Hate falls into hibernation
Symptoms worsen. The earliest point of corruption where the translucent horn mutation can show.
The God of Life falls into hibernation
The God of Hate disappears, making the corruptness irreversible — never going below a corruptness level of 5 ever again. Symptoms worsen.
Maximum love corruption
A lot of horn translucence. Symptoms are worse enough to be deadly, especially at lower ranks. Love corruption is not directly deadly, but can be deadly indirectly because the person gets into dangerous situations unaware. Love corruption can be fatal earlier in the corruption stages because of this.
First possible signs of hate corruption
Compromised immune system. Easy bruising. Red eyes. Mental instability.
The God of Love falls into hibernation
Symptoms worsen. The earliest point of corruption where the crumbling horn mutation can show.
The God of Life falls into hibernation
The God of Love disappears, making the corruptness irreversible — never going below a corruptness level of 5 ever again. Symptoms worsen.
Maximum hate corruption
Horn crumbling is very visible. Symptoms are worse enough to be deadly, especially at lower ranks.
Corruption doesn't stay private for long. Once the physical signs are visible — cloudy or crimson eyes, a horn gone transparent or crumbling — a community rarely waits to see how far it goes. Most corrupted Arcanus are banished: cast out of the towns and families that once claimed them, forbidden to return, left to carry whatever they've become somewhere else.