On Mutants and Mutations

In my works for the good lady I have often encountered, and even treated those suffering from that which we call mutation. Over the years I have developed some thoughts about the nature of mutation and of the mutant, and feel they must be recorded for future guidance and use as we further come to understand such things. I acknowledge my views may not be shared by others or popular, but still I think recording them is important. What follows is based on years of work and research and recorded with the best of intentions.

On the nature of mutation

I have come to view mutation as more of an illness, a disease than any other infliction, often caused by the influence of the Fly Lord indeed, but not in and of itself a mark of a person’s personal corruption.

As a disease it may be an untreatable, an uncurable one, but not one that the patient can necessarily by blamed for.

However, disease or not, infection or not, a mutation does bring something with it, a weakness, an opening of body and mind, to allow more of its essence to enter. Like a doorway to the patient has been opened and can never be fully closed again – the risk of more slipping in will always be there, and worse than for those who remain uninfected.

And this openness, this doorway to the mind and soul of the patient can be used, manipulated. I have heard tales of those infected feeling a call to a place, a dark altar that they feel an overpowering need to answer – the more infected they are, the stronger the call. They find themselves driven to reach the totem, to follow wherever it leads, to harm any who stand in their way.

Never though have I located one of these totems, every story I have heard is third of fourth hand at least – possibly because people do not want to admit contact with a mutant. I followed down those leads I could, but beyond strange caves, or a stone in the forest, never really found anything. This totem was either never there or had been moved long before I arrived. I did often sense a wrongness in these places though, a touch of the Fly Lord maybe.

On the nature of the mutant

I also have come to believe that in and of itself being inflicted by the disease that is mutation, one’s personality, one’s outlook on life doesn’t change. In my travels I have come across and attempted to treat, unfortunately with no success, a number of mutants.

All have been perfectly normal, mutation aside. They talk and behave as any other person, and indeed in the one case where I knew the patient before they mutated, they were the same individual, nothing about their personality had changed at all.

More it is the outside factors, the reactions of others that drives a person inflicted by mutation out into the wilds, to scrounge a living in any way they can – including by killing and stealing if need be. And I believe it is this which has helped give rise to the overwhelming fear of the mutant.

However, it may be that a life of exile is all that awaits a person inflicted by mutation. The door is opened, the influence of the Fly Lord may only grow, so it is entirely possible that it becomes inevitable that once inflicted eventually you will pose as a threat to others.

My own infliction

Alas it appears that my own studies have been my downfall. My attempts to seek out and treat those inflicted has exposed me time and time again to that which a human should not see. I too am now infected, and whilst I still feel as myself, I will not put others at risk. I intend to head North, find somewhere secluded to live out my days – away from all others.

Ulrich Fiddlere, devotee of Shallya