Crao ⚠⛧°。. They/It (basically anything, tbh. They often feel feminine.) ๋࣭ ⭑⚠ .˳·˖✶⛧°。. ๋࣭ ⭑⛓·˖✶。. ๋࣭ ⭑.⛧ .˳˖. ⚠ [ CW: historical/personal trauma, religious g3nocide, death, disease, & segregation. If any of these bother you, maybe don't read the rest of this project! ] Crao is a corrupted highland cow. She lives in my world, Heiquies, same as Belle, in the wilds of Kosteame. Her parents were taken from her when she was young during the Sleeping age, placed in one of the many concentration camps at the time. Those who had been "Corrupted" or part of the Children of Gaea were put there to eradicate the so-called disease that was their religion-- worshipping the earth. Zovku Di Inoshidi, The Sleeping Age ๋࣭ ⭑⚠ .˳·˖✶⛧°。. ๋࣭ ⭑⛓·˖✶。. ๋࣭ ⭑.⛧ .˳˖. ⚠ A fierce emperor took control of the East, naming it the Eastern Empire (called in those days the Zadaddaya Empire) and enforcing an extremely nationalist and tyrannical rule. He called the Children of Gaea a weed in the holy garden of his empire, needing to be torn from the soil. At this time, Crao's parents had been in hiding. They had been found. It later found that they had been k1lled by the emperor's guard, under the hooves of it's armoured pack animals. Revenge. ๋࣭ ⭑⚠ .˳·˖✶⛧°。. ๋࣭ ⭑⛓·˖✶。. ๋࣭ ⭑.⛧ .˳˖. ⚠ Crao survived by the skin of their teeth and their parents sacrifices. At ten years old they fled to the deeper ends of the Wilds, the parts that the Children of Gaea and people of the Empire both feared the most. The great forest in the eye of the Wilds was corrupted. The leaves dripped venom, the fruits were laced with poison. Any that went there came back a changed person, sprouting leaves and eyes and other anomolies that many didn't want an explanation for. Those that went there and made it back were slain at the border of the empire, never to see within it's walls again. So they hid there. They survived for twenty long years, enough for anyone that remembered their face to be k1lled at the hands of the emperor and his servants. Long enough for a revolt to begin, leading to the death of the emperor and the establishment of a new rule, and a new age. When they had returned from the forest, the land was different. The people were... happy. But Crao's weight hadn't been lifted. They had survived with the sheer intent to slay the emperor, to bring peace to those that had lost so much like them. And now they couldn't exact that revenge. And the people in the New Wilds, Inoshidi, accepted Crao as they did many who had fled into the great forest and been tainted by it's bl0od red leaves and poisonous mark. Crao saw others with the signs that usually meant death or social suffocation, others that talked with them and didn't turn their backs or whisper when they thought it couldn't hear. And Lo, Their Trauma Broke, ๋࣭ ⭑⚠ .˳·˖✶⛧°。. ๋࣭ ⭑⛓·˖✶。. ๋࣭ ⭑.⛧ .˳˖. ⚠ The trauma and after effects of the Sleeping Age affected Crao's mental health a ton, as you may have inferred. In their weakened state, as a child and after being exposed to extreme mental and physical stressors, they became very susceptible to various disorders. One of which stuck with them and is still causing struggles in their everyday life. Crao now struggles with extreme mood swings. They deal with hypomania/mania and depression very often. You might know this disorder as Bipolar! I've done my best to research it and accurately portray it in their lore, but alas, I do not know how it actually feels, so I'm totally up to feedback! Crao now lives a semi-normal life with many people that help them as they and their city and all who were affected by the Zadaddaya Empire heal. Thank you for reading this horribly long lore segment!! I hope it was interesting, at least!! - - - Crao stumbled into the Tea Cafe, rubbing their face. "The usual, please..." they mumbled, slumping into a chair nearest the door with a sigh. They pulled their phone out, staring blankly at the time. Would they be here? They wouldn't blame them if they didn't come. Why would they? It's not like it was anything special. Crao shook its head, looking to the barista who was busy behind the counter. The shop was mostly empty apart from a couple busily chatting in a window seat. Crao set their jaw, feeling the eyes along their shoulder peel open in the sudden bloom of envy. - - -