Arc

Roc starts their existence as a very strange, barely-human, predatory and borderline feral thing. Eventually, they mellow a little as they begin to desire human connections or want to grow beyond their baser instincts. This eventually develops into a pretty deep self-loathing, even as they get a handle on how to act more like a person. They eventually settle into a sort of socially-awkward, but generally on-the-level creature, well meaning but not entirely sure how to be good. They occasionally have bouts of more animalistic behavior, but typically they're a pretty nice person and come off as blunt but not mean, even if they're kind of willful.

Despite their usually-amicable nature, flashes of what they will later become shine through from time to time, particularly when they're upset or getting drawn into gossip. Eventually, however, everything comes crashing down—a massively destabilizing event occurs, and Roc snaps right in two—they downspiral rapidly until they become "broken." Violent and destructive, a broken Roc will generally spend the first segment of time when they've hit rock bottom trashing most of their previous friendships and hurting anyone and anything they can get their claws on.

Eventually, they settle. They become what they typically remain for a long period—a loner, cruel and spiteful but not actively hostile unless provoked. Those that stuck with them during this period of violent depression will find themselves graced with the newer version of Roc's loyalty—something that is, in all honestly, very unhealthy for Roc themselves. Roc, once broken, is almost eager to die for their friends, running their loyalty into a very dark depth that they don't seem to realize is a bad thing. After all, how can it be bad to be willing to help your friends when they ask for your assistance?

With a great deal of time and persistence, a friend of Roc's does have the ability to raise them up a bit from their new low, but they will never be a "good person" again—simply a mellowed bad one.

Themes

• The nature of humanity and personhood
• Despair
• Depression + self destructive behavior
• Struggling against one's darker impulses, and what happens when that struggle fails
• Self-loathing
• Introspection
• What does unhealthy devotion look like?
• What's left over when a "heart of gold" breaks