An Informative Pamphlet

[tearsofademon]

α (Alpha) Stigma and You
how to coexist with a ticking time bomb



What is the α Stigma?
The α Stigma is one of five kinds of magic eyes native to the Menoris continent, and the most common of them. Most commonly found in children with dark hair and dark eyes, these eyes allow the bearer to see the true nature of the world around him, and to instantly analyze any magic he sees. And copy it, if he has the resources available. Some consider it to be one of the weaker kinds of magic eyes, though that's mostly because most bearers don't live long enough to reach their full potential.

When active, an α Stigma appears as runed five-pointed stars on the eyes, glowing red. Just like the image above!

Why is it dangerous?
When an α Stigma bearer undergoes sufficient emotional trauma (or certain other special circumstances occur), he is overcome by despair and enters a berserk state, seeking to destroy the truth and everything around him. Friend, foe, human, beast, mountain, nothing matters to a berserking α Stigma. He will continue to destroy, continue to kill, until stopped.

You can tell that an α Stigma bearer has gone berserk if the stars in his eyes are shining so brightly that the world around him turns red. Though, the manic expression and wild, insane laughter tend to be a good indication as well.

Is there any way to stop it?
The best cure is to prevent an α Stigma from berserking in the first place. Naturally, not antagonizing him or putting him in a situation that would traumatize him to begin with would be the most useful solution, but this is a surprisingly uncommon tactic, and besides, trauma is sometimes unavoidable anyway.

At the very start of a berserk state, there's a brief period when the bearer begins to go mad but hasn't completely lost himself yet. If you knock him out and close his eyes while this is happening, he will regain his sanity when he wakes up (though he will probably need someone to calm him down at that point).

If the bearer has passed the point of no return, sadly there is nothing to be done except kill them. It is impossible for a normal α Stigma bearer to return to normal after berserking, and the only bearer who has ever returned is a) not a normal bearer in the slightest, and b) currently chained to this table, being forced to hand out pamphlets on pain of lack of sleep. (Should you run into this exception while he's berserk, however, you can bring him back simply by closing his eyes. Though, that requires getting close enough to begin with...)

What do you do if you encounter a berserking α Stigma bearer?
1. DON'T PANIC! Panicking will only draw his attention to you and make your chances of escape that much smaller.
2. Don't run away unless you have above-average speed and reaction times. Again, this will only draw his attention to you. Instead, keep to the shadows, back away slowly so as not to be noticed, and when all else fails, playing dead might work.
3. Never underestimate a berserking α Stigma. Especially one who is alive past his teenage years. Do so at the risk of your own funeral.
4. In the case of the exception, calling out to him might bring him to his senses long enough for you to approach. However, never assume that he's back to himself completely until his eyes have been shut.

With your help, everyone can coexist peacefully!

This public service announcement sponsored by the Committee for Friendly Understanding of Differences.