Progress update - What's been going on

 Attempting to move the project along at a quicker and more efficient pace whilst also attempting to resolve issues found within previous iterations of the cognitive disorder creatures and documenting images that are completed into an InDesign document to start filling out pages for the completed concept art book have been the main goals for my week by week process.

Going back to my Dermatillomania creature as a starting point in ensuring the creatures look monstrous and sinister to best represent the torment and daily battles an individual must endure when diagnosed with a cognitive disorder I began to produce more finalised visuals on pages that could be scanned in to photoshop for editing before being able to be placed into a suitable composition on a page within InDesign to allow for the images to 'breathe' as well as allow for notes to be taken by the imagined artist/author of the concept art book to give more depth to the product for readers to feel more immersed into this world.

Using all the previous research into the symptoms as well as exploratory iterative sketches to determine how knowledge of these symptoms could be best represented through functional forms of already existing creatures led toward the combination of velociraptors, lizards (in particular the chameleons' unique eyes as well as the reptilian ability to shed skin), and birds of prey such as falcons and eagles. Understanding the skeletal anatomy of the creature helped with the manipulation of the form to best fit the creature's look in terms of realism adding to a more immersive experience but also allowing for the development of knowledge for the author on this journey. It also helped in the design process after I had decided on the path of having the creatures' exposed anatomy due to the affliction of picking skin being so severe that it led to a more monstrous appearance like this.

Here you can see a zoomed-out view of the InDesign file with the textured background that makes it feel like aged papyrus as well as a stand-in for the linocut patterns that I wish to adorn the pages to give it a narrative feel that harkens back to ancient Greece for their relevance to psychology and philosophy. Having a working document like this allows me to find gaps within the development in each creature as well as cross-analyse each creature to see which ones have a stronger amount of lore than others and which of them should be developed further to enhance the experience of readers.

I had already discussed including other world-building elements into the book as a way of understanding the author's travels through this world and interacting with other citizens to gain a further understanding of the creatures before being able to make finalised observational drawings of them and the surrounding habitat. One of the features of this was to incorporate groups of individuals who coexisted within the environments of the creature and how they impacted each other, from materials gathered from the hunting of these creatures that could be utilised into apparel, tools, and weapons. As I started to sketch out ideas for this particular 'tribal' group, started with the basic sort of equipment you may find in any standard RPG or exploratory game with swords and shields, etc, however, this developed into understanding more of the sort of people these were and what level of technology they had and how they lived should also be visible in the choice of tools they would craft. An interesting serendipitous moment occurred looking into African tribes and learning about ritualistic scarification processes that they undertook which created a juxtaposition between them and those who suffer from the Dermatillomania disorder who try to intentionally 'smooth' their skin. Thus these tribesmen would be in direct conflict with the symptoms of this disorder. This formed the directives of more low-skill and material production of weapons and tools so clubs over swords etc, as well as shamanistic apparel and embellishments. Looking into scavenging the ripped-off skin of the creature to form the robes of these individuals similar to African tribesmen wear.

I had also begun the developmental process for other cognitive disorder creatures whilst waiting for technicians to fix issues I was starting to have with the installation process of a plug-in for Bookwright into the InDesign software at the studio computers that was halting my process of attaching my completed images into a book PDF for my final deliverable. One creature of interest during this process was the Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swings between depressive and manic episodes. Since Type 1 and Type 2 have distinct differences - Type 1 includes full manic episodes that must last a minimum of 7 days for a diagnosis, while Type 2 features hypomania and more intense depressive states. With this information and similarity in how some of the symptoms may appear or be triggered I felt the two creatures should be linked in some way either through their design or a game mechanic. Possibile resolutions to this concept included;

- Two distinct but related creatures (like counterparts or a duality based species similar to the eevee line of evolutions in pokemon).

- A single creature with transformative phases (shifting between manic and depressive forms).

- A parasitic or symbiotic relationship (one entity influencing another).

Looking into research journals produced by L.B.Alloy from studies conducted in 2011 showing the transition rates and causes for individuals diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 2, where 17.4% of the individuals were observed transitioning into Type 1. Also having Cyclothymia or Bipolar Disorder not otherwise stated as prior form to the Type 2 disorder as this was often the case for individuals diagnosed with Type 2, it felt like a single creature that went through a transformative phase during the game with certain criteria being met to cause the changes that best represented real world conditions was the best response to the research during the creative design process.

I began to break down the development of the creature with both narrative elements for the book as well as mechanical opportunities this research could produce for in-game.

Specific Triggers Required – The player must engage in actions that mirror real-life factors contributing to a transition from Type 2 to Type 1. This could include:

• Prolonged exposure to extreme environmental conditions (e.g., continuous light to simulate sleep deprivation).
• Overloading the creature with sensory or stress-based stimuli.
• A build-up of micro-triggers over multiple encounters rather than a single battle.

Narrative Weight & Empathy – Instead of treating the metamorphosis as a simple "power-up," the event should feel tragic and unsettling. The transformation should be violent, disorienting, and painful, reinforcing the struggle of those who experience severe manic episodes. The journal entry could reflect the protagonist’s regret or discomfort at witnessing it. They have a regret that can alter their future reactions throughout the journal or lead into the next creature if it is a mood based disorder such as Dysthymia.

Cultural & In-Game Perspective – The locals may see metamorphosis as something to be avoided or even feared. Perhaps they have traditions in place to prevent the creature from transitioning, mirroring real-world management strategies for bipolar disorder. This would add layers to the player's decision—forcing transformation isn't just about getting rare materials; it carries ethical and emotional weight. This lead to a stronger resulting decision of having two conflicting parties that co-exist within the same environment as the Bipolar creature to represent different facets of real world society when it comes to those who have empathy for the symptoms and those who have pre-conceived notions of them or a sever lack of empathy for those who suffer from disorders only witnessing the stigmatic perceptions. A group that hold the Bipolar type 2 creature in reverence and wish to preserve its state of being and not cause further harm or trauma to the creature, and a second group that ignore the warning signs of the symptoms the creature represents and force a change into to type 1 Bipolar to gain better materials with no care for the trauma inflicted upon the creature.

Using this information during my creative process, i sought out relevant real world animal anatomy and features to successfully craft a set of creatures for these three stages of Cyclothymia/Bipolar not otherwise stated (BP-NOS), Bipolar type 2, Bipolar type 1. Initially looking at the life cycle of a caterpillar into a butterfly/moth but instead utilising the features of tadpoles to frogs due to the amphibian species being representative of the water based creatures I wanted for mood disorders - linking back to conventional use of blue and water for depression and my own necessity for common themes within creature designs to create a trend for the different fields of disorders. Then producing a hard shelled insectoid based creature bursting from the type 2 bipolar creatures like how some real world wasps do this when laying their eggs in the bodies of other insects and creatures to illustrate how the manic episode erupts from under a low mood individual when transitioning from type 2 to type 1. 

Since the narrative elements of the journal were becoming stronger and allowing for deeper research and and increase in interesting design elements for the project with elements like individual groups and apparel and tools i pursued typing out the foreword by the author of the book whilst beginning to formulate an idea of who this individual could be and how they're own understandings of these symptoms would change during the journey that could bring about change in the readers as well as players of the game.

Foreword by Elias Corvayn

"To observe is to understand, to understand is to endure."

When I first set quill to parchment, I did so not as a scholar, nor as a hunter, but as a witness. The creatures documented within these pages are not mere beasts to be slain or trophies to be mounted—they are living reflections of the world that shaped them, much as we are shaped by forces unseen. Their existence is not a mistake, nor an aberration, but a testament to survival in a world that often does not comprehend them.

I have wandered from the drowned depths of the Abyssal Reaches to the scorched plateaus of the Titan’s Maw, through civilizations ancient and thriving, each with their own legends, customs, and burdens. In every corner of this land, I have seen how these creatures are revered, feared, and misunderstood. Some whisper of their origins in hushed voices, as if uttering their names might summon them forth. Others carve their likenesses into stone and bone, preserving their forms long after their bodies have faded into dust.

And yet, what I have found—what I wish for you to find in these pages—is not fear, nor pity, but understanding. These creatures, strange and formidable as they may be, are bound to the same cycle of existence as we are. Their behaviors, their adaptations, even their struggles—they are mirrors of the mind, echoing the unseen afflictions that shape those who walk upon two legs.

My path is not that of my predecessors in the Scholarium of Vauris. While others buried themselves in archives, content to study only the remnants left by those who dared venture beyond the walls of academia, I found myself restless—haunted by the knowledge that what we recorded was incomplete. The scholars of Vauris spoke of these creatures in terms of myth and superstition, relying on secondhand accounts and the remnants of long-dead hunters. Their theories were intricate, their treatises exhaustive, but they lacked the weight of truth. How could one claim to understand the nature of something they had never seen with their own eyes? I knew that to truly grasp the reality of these beings, I could not remain in the Scholarium’s ivory halls. I had to go where others dared not.

Convincing the Scholarium to sanction my journey was no small feat. My superiors saw little merit in risking a learned mind on what they deemed a fool’s errand. I spent seasons gathering accounts, cross-referencing old texts with the fragmented testimonies of wanderers and hunters, constructing a thesis so thorough that they could not ignore it. I argued that our knowledge was stagnating, that we had become too comfortable accepting conjecture as fact. Knowledge without experience is a house of cards, and I would not let our understanding of these creatures crumble under the weight of assumption. I proposed my expedition not as an act of defiance, but as a necessity—to preserve what little true knowledge remained before time and fear erased it entirely.

Some called my pursuit reckless, others arrogant, but in the end, the Scholarium could not deny the logic of my words. They granted me the right to embark on this journey, though with little more than a meager stipend and a warning that they would not intervene should my fate turn grim. And so, I set forth alone, guided by curiosity and a quiet defiance of the limits others had placed upon me.

This journal is no mere collection of sketches and observations. It is a chronicle of my journey into the unknown, of my attempts to bridge the gap between myth and reality. It is a record of the knowledge I have gathered, not to wield as a weapon, but to wield as wisdom. May these pages serve as both guide and warning, as invitation and caution.

For those who would take up the hunt, I ask only this—look beyond the surface. In understanding these creatures, we may yet learn to understand ourselves.

—Elias Corvayn, Scholarium of Vauris