To be is to be perceived by another. I have no self, only the reflection you give me.

Core Concept

An Eidomorph is not a species; it is a state of narrative dissolution. It is what remains of a being, typically a Calligrapher or another practitioner of deep self-authorship, whose will has been broken and whose connection to their own internal story has been severed. This psychic wound creates a vacuum that is then involuntarily and constantly filled by the perceptions, beliefs, and expectations of those around them. They are a living mirror, their form and identity a chaotic, shifting reflection of their audience.

The Pathology: A Wound Opened to the Void

The genesis of an Eidomorph is a catastrophic failure of will. This most often occurs when a Calligrapher, particularly one from the fanatical Somatic Oracles cult, performs a ritual to open their mind to the “universal text” but lacks the strength to control the channel. Instead of receiving a coherent prophecy, they open a direct line to the anti-narrative static of the Entropic Void.

The Void’s influence does not grant a new identity; it erases the old one. The Eidomorph’s internal author is annihilated, leaving behind a blank page. Their unique biology, once receptive to their own willed inscriptions, now becomes receptive to any strong, external narrative force.

Physiology & Biology (The Vessel)

• Core Morphology: [Unstable Humanoid]. The physical form of an Eidomorph is in a constant state of flux. When unobserved, it may revert to a hazy, indistinct, or “grey” baseline form.
• Reactive Form: When perceived by a sapient being, its body involuntarily shifts to match the observer’s strongest expectation or Belief. An observer who expects a monster will see a monster. One who expects a beautiful savior will see a messiah. One who feels deep grief might see the ghost of a lost loved one. This transformation is a direct, physical manifestation of the observer’s Eidos.

Psychology & Society (The Psyche)

• The Hollow Self: An Eidomorph has no stable, internal “I.” Its consciousness is a chaotic chorus of the reflections it has been forced to wear. It has memories, but they are the contradictory memories of having been a thousand different people for a thousand different observers.
• Social Existence: Eidomorphs are tragic and terrifying figures, often found as “glitches” in densely populated areas, their forms shifting wildly as different people walk by. They are sometimes exploited by powerful individuals who can control their own perceptions, using the Eidomorph as a personal shapeshifter. More often, they are hunted as unnatural abominations.

Gameplay Hooks & Tensions

• The Mirror Boss: An Eidomorph is a unique and challenging antagonist. It cannot be fought with simple force. Its form, abilities, and resistances will shift in real-time to match the player’s own Psyche and Beliefs. A player who sees it as a terrifying beast will cause it to become one. The only way to “defeat” it is to achieve a state of perfect internal neutrality or to project a new, healing narrative onto it with enough conviction to give it a stable form.
• The Quest for Coherence: A player might encounter an Eidomorph in a rare moment of lucidity. This could trigger a tragic Quest to help them find a way to reclaim their own lost story, a journey into the heart of their own fractured memories to find the original Thread that was severed.