Vess

[drawn august 2022]
Remake of illust/102884342

A vicious, feral creature that stalks the woods beyond civilization. Bits of scorched stone and earthy shell give hits to the form it once was. From within, an infernal heart pumps animalistic furry though it’s malleable body: a being composed of caramelized mortal flesh. The thrumming heat organ in her chest controls her fluidity.

Vess was created at some point within the last few decades though a macabre ritual. Her old Roman body was forcibly trapped within a rocky statue prison where it slowly decayed over time, and after it had been found and put on display, something caused her to reawaken and emerge as the grotesque creature she is now. After a small altercation she escaped into the woods. Any remains of the person she once was, was only a hazy memory to her now.

Only the here and now of survival: food, shelter, and replacement material for he body matter to her now, and survival at any cost dominates her mind. She’s sapient and plenty capable of deeper thought, but Vess is so terrified of dying that she doesn’t give herself the time. Constant panic. But she does under rare circumstance show a more human side, rare as it only occurs when she believes all her base survival needs are met. It’s also hard to see as Vess is extremely antisocial and defensive.

Beneath the feral creature dominated by its bottommost Maslowian needs, the actual person Vesuvius can be is more complex. She’s deceptively intelligent and finds pleasure in information. When she’s not worrying about if something’s a benefit or detriment she can enjoy something just for the sake of curiosity. She likes to record experiences by carving them on bark and stone, her favorites being hazy memories of her last life that come as dreams. To the sparse few that earn her trust, Vess can prove to be extremely protective and caring of one’s wellbeing, however in a dire situation she will (reluctantly) abandon them as survival instinct violently takes control.