Belonging to the deadly cult of Shura, Hollow Ones are a fearsome adversary on their own. To face down a small army of them would be suicidal in even the best of conditions. While they aren’t technically monsters themselves, they can still be considered dangerous at any given moment.
The cult of Shura is a relatively new threat to the land. After the giant crystal struck the land and created the Black Pit, a man known only as Kawano walked the different land,s preaching that the end of the world was upon them and only he had the key to salvation and eternal life. The weaker minds that he preached to followed him from place to place, helping to spread the word.
Named for the small region where Kawano eventually settled with his flock, the cult of Shura quietly grew in numbers and strength. Most people believed that the cult was harmless though and ignored them. Rumors began to spread of dark blood rituals and sacrifices being done in the middle of the night. By the time they realized what Kawano was actually up to, it was far too late.
Hollow Ones start as normal humanoids. After years of mental conditioning, the humanoid in question undergoes an incredibly painful ritual which involves them being strapped down to a rock slab. After a short chant, the victim has a hole drilled into their chest in which the larvae of a carnivorous Dusk Worm is inserted. This begins the extremely painful, physical bonding process.
Over time, the Dusk Worm eats away at the insides of its host and takes control of their body and mind, which effectively makes them into a hallowed out zombie, as the host’s skin and flesh start to rot over time. As time passes, the worm grows larger and larger. The Hallow Ones feel no pain and are incredibly difficult to kill. The only known ways to destroy them are by severing the head of the host or by destroying every last trace of the Dusk Worm inside the host (which is difficult since they have regenerative powers). In addition, the Dusk Worm is able to come out from it’s hollowed out host at will, and do as it pleases.