by Oz Mari G.
According to the Viscerebus legends, while he created humans out of clay, Prometheus made the first Viscerebus couple from his own liver, the soil and rocks of the Caucasus mountain where he was bound and tortured.
With his DNA, the Viscerebus inherited godlike traits of super strength, speed, senses, healing abilities and long life. Prometheus also imbued them with the ability to shape-shift so they can hide themselves from Zeus.
It was said that he created them out of his need for companions to distract himself from the pain of having his liver eaten every day by Aetos, and the loneliness during the regrowing of the organ every night.
During the day, the first Viscerebus were in their animal form, a feline and a canine, but they transform into their human form at night to keep Prometheus company. This is also why cats and dogs were regarded as the closest companions to humans. (See Origin – World of the Viscerebus Almanac)
Reflexive Transformation – also referred to as Auto-morphosis, the involuntary transformation or shape-shifting into the animal spirit of a Viscerebus. The vital instinct to hunt and secure sustenance triggers this transformation. This instinct, in turn, is triggered when a Viscerebus fails to consume sustenance, weakening the Crux, the subconscious and internal control of a Viscerebus to retain their human form. Once weakened, a Viscerebus’ human form becomes unstable. Once sustenance is consumed, Crux control is regained, and the Viscerebus can shift back to their human form with ease.
It is possible to induce a Reflexive Transformation through practice and meditation. (See Auto-morphosis, Impedio)
Shape-shifting – one of the primary traits of a Viscerebus. This is closely related to their need to consume human viscera. The viscera stabilises the human form of a Vis. The prolonged absence of a victus, usually three days, triggers the vital hunger and kicks in vital instinct to hunt. Once vital instinct is triggered, the Vis transforms reflexively into their Animus. A Vis has a conscious control of their shape-shifting at most times, through their Crux. (See Auto-morphosis, Reflexive Transformation. See All about the Vis – World of the Viscerebus Almanac.)
Supreme Viscerebus Tribunal – or the SVT. This is the primary ruling body of the Viscerebus. It is composed of previous and current Matriarch and Patriarchs from different Gentems all over the world. SVT functions as both the main legislative and judicial body of the Viscerebi. The execution of the laws, however, is the responsibility of each Gentem’s Tribunal. Members of the body meet bi-annual, where laws proposed by members are discussed and voted on. The main mandate of the Tribunal is to oversee the compliance of every Gentem in the upholding of the Veil of Secrecy. The SVT is the ultimate rule of law for the Viscerebi. (See Veil of Secrecy. See 5000BCE Constitution, Implementing Rules and Regulations – World of the Viscerebus Almanac).
Sustenance– or Victus. The blanket term used by Viscerebus to refer to human viscera that they take regularly. This is crucial to stabilising the human form of a Viscerebus. This is the term used by modern Viscerebus, as the term does not invite unnecessary questions and explanations. (See Crux, Auto-morphosis, Reflexive Transformation. See Victus, Vital hunger – World of the Viscerebus Almanac).
Transit—The program of relocating a Viscerebus and his/her family to maintain the Veil of Secrecy. A Viscerebus can be under a Life Transit, a mandatory, scheduled relocation every thirty years; or a Forcible Transit, unscheduled relocation because of the Viscerebus’ violation of the Veil. A Forcible Transit is equivalent to an exile in human government.
A Transitting Viscerebus is required to cut contact with any of their non-Veil-bound human or Erdia friends, relatives and connections. But they can keep contact with other Viscerebus and Veil-bound Erdia friends, relatives and connections.
A Transitting Viscerebus may keep his or her old name and profession, or may take on a new one. The new Transit location has to be in a different country or continent. A Transitting Viscerebus can return to their Patriam or previous Gentem after 100 years to ensure that any human they had a relationship with before are already dead. Visits to the Patriam and previous Gentems are permitted on brief holidays and only once every ten years. Veil of Secrecy restrictions apply. (See Veil of Secrecy. Gentem, See Patriam, Transit Program – World of the Viscerebus Almanac)
Veil of Secrecy—the inviolable law of the Tribunal to keep the existence of Viscerebus a secret from non-Viscerebus. The Law made exceptions to a) Human spouse; b) Human kids. However, the exceptions apply only if the above people prove themselves loyal to the Viscerebuskind and to the Veil.
The strict adherence to the Veil guides every interaction of a Viscerebus with humans and non-Veil-bound Erdias. The violation or breaking of the Veil would entail severe punishment that could cause the death of the human or the non-Veil-bound Erdia, and the violator is expected to execute the punishment. (See SVT, or Supreme Viscerebus Tribunal. See 5000BCE Constitution – World of the Viscerebus Almanac).
Victus – colloquially called as Sustenance. This is the blanket term for human viscera, heart, liver and kidney, that a Viscerebus must consume regularly to keep their Vital Hunger at bay and prevent involuntary transformation to their animal form.
This term had become less popular than its colloquial counterpart as humans who overheard ask question what it means. The Tribunal encourages the use of the term Sustenance in a public setting to avoid the questions. (See Sustenance, Crux, Auto-morphosis, Reflexive Transformation, Vital Hunger)
Viscerebus/Viscerebi (pl.)—or Viscera-eaters, colloquially known as Vis. They are a different species of human. They live two to three times longer than a human, are stronger, faster, and have quick healing abilities.
Physically, they look exactly like humans, but they can shape-shift into a land-based predator. The Viscerebus need to eat human viscera to stabilise their human form. To normal humans, they are monstrous man-eaters.
Viscerebi are known by many names in many cultures. And the descriptions vary because of the dilution of the truth engineered by the Tribunal to bury the existence of the Viscerebus under myth and lore. The common thread among these lores is the shape-shifting and the viscera-eating.
Most modern human societies have completely ignored the lores, but the belief persists in some pockets of rural communities all over the world. This is especially true in Asian countries, particularly the Philippines, where stories about Aswangs, the local name for Viscerebus, are still told to this day. (See Aswang)
Vital Hunger—the term used to refer to the need to consume Victus, or sustenance. The sensation is similar to physical hunger, but it pertains to the need of a Viscerebus to secure sustenance to keep their Crux strong and prevent an Auto-morphosis. This manifests if the Vis has neglected to consume sustenance for at least three days. This triggers the vital instinct to hunt, which, in turn, triggers the Auto-morphosis, or reflexive transformation.
The symptoms are usually a loss of energy and physical weakening of the Viscerebus. Some Vis develop physical hunger-like symptoms, like shaking and trembling. Vital hunger itself is not painful, but the accompanying pain comes from the battle between the body’s Crux and the vital instinct. (See Auto-morphosis, Crux, Reflexive Transformation, Vital Instinct)
Vital Instinct—the basic survival instinct of a Viscerebus to consume Victus, or human liver, heart or kidney. While this could be interchangeable to the term Vital Hunger, this refers to the instinct to hunt rather than the hunger to consume. This surfaces when a Viscerebus fails to partake of human viscera for over three days. At this point, there is a battle between the Vital Instinct and the Crux of the individual.
The stronger the Crux, the longer the Viscerebus can control the transformation. However, inevitably, the Vital Instinct wins, thus forcing an Auto-morphosis, or the reflexive transformation into the Viscerebus’ Animus. Once the Vital hunger is quenched, it restores the Crux control of the Viscerebus. (See Crux, Auto-morphosis, Reflexive Transformation, Vital Hunger).
Vondenad (Vondenada, f, Vondenado, m) – from the
Dutch word “vondeling”. The Viscerebus term for “foundling.” This refers to the Veil-bound offsprings of any male or female Viscerebus and Erdias that were abandoned by their parents. Although the term used is not the same as an orphan (Aulila) or a runaway (Reneweg), they are all taken into custody and become a ward of the Supreme Tribunal.
Unlike in human practices, most Vondenados and Vondenadas are immediately taken into the custody of the Tribunal. And they are assigned a foster family, or a Thetadom within thirty days. It is illegal to treat a Vondenado/Vondenada as an outsider while they are within the care of a foster family.
Foster parents (Theta and Thetos) are expected to care for their ward like their own child and teach them the ways of life and the rules of the Tribunal. They function like a mentor and a parent combine. A Viscerebus or Erdia family could only take on a maximum of one Vondenado or Vondenada every five years. Exceptions are made for siblings. They are usually placed together in one home.
Most foster parents end up adopting the child in their care. Adoption would only be approved when the child reaches the age of eighteen. However, the choice is left to the child whether they would like to be adopted or remain to be a protégé. More than half the Vondenado/Vondenadas opt for the latter because they do not feel like they belong, or they prefer the independence. (See Aulila, Reneweg, Thetadom, Thetas and Thetos – The World of the Viscerebus Almanac)
Note: All novels in the World of the Viscerebus series contain a glossary of terms used in the respective books. The full glossary of terms and other information can be found in the WORLD OF THE VISCEREBUS ALMANAC.
Afterword
Dear Reader,
I have built the World of the Viscerebus as richly as I could with stories that are exciting, entertaining and stimulating to the mind. Viscerebus is my global word for the viscera-eaters that are prevalent in various cultures, especially in Southeast Asia. They are known as Aswang in my country.
In this fantasy world, there is the main storyline, a trilogy: Rise of the Viscerebus, First Chronicle; Dawn of the Dual Apex, Second Chronicle, and InEquilibrium, Third Chronicle.
Then there are the companion novels namely Beasts of Prey, The Keeper, and two others that are still works in-progress.
To improve on this fantasy world further, your feedback is valuable to me. If you can please leave a review of my book on Amazon or through the email listed below, I would appreciate it very much.
Or, if you wish to be part of the select early readers of my works, please let me know via email at [email protected]. And follow me at Twitter @GraceGranlund, Instagram @Gogranlund, or Facebook Oz Mari Granlund
Thank you.
Oz Mari G.