Monster Hunters journal

The Slump

A parallel dimension looking near exactly the same as our own, the slump is what we call a parasitic dimension. The life force is slowly drained from you here, the will to go on is the only stopping you from death in this plane of existence.

Have you ever seen those images of "Liminal spaces?" That's what the Slump looks like, Furniture is almost all gone, and the sun never peeks itself over the horizon. Eternal black clouds swirl in the air as the moon barely illuminates the ground below.

The people who come here are all suffering from some pre-existing torment. Whether that be Crippling depression, eating disorders, addictions, or various other mental or physical problems. It's hard to escape the Slump.

The only way out is through sheer willpower, and sometimes luck. The way in is easier to fall into than getting out. Misery is the key to entering the Slump, you cant be happy and enter.

This topic is a bit more sensitive for me, I fell into it. Was in a dark place, and just found myself in it. But that's not something I'm willing to divulge to the masses.

I said this place steals your life force, but it really drains you of your blood. It starts slowly, the pores on your skin start leaking blood, and as time goes on it speeds up. If you stay too long you are drained of enough blood you become incapacitated, and your body locks up and gets drained until you... I would say die, but you can't die here. But I get to that

The creatures here are all human, every single thing here is a person trapped in the Slump as well. The newer ones ask, if not beg for help, most are trapped in a headspace of despair so deadlocked on their psyches that all they can do is stare forward at nothing. Having entirely given up on life. 

Some however become worse versions of themselves. Sadistic, narcissistic, and sometimes murderous. Doesn't matter though, can't die in the Slump. You lose body parts they stay gone, that is until you 'die.'

Once you sustain enough damage you fall to the ground and an intense pain shoots through you, it feels worse than anything that anyone can experience. Trust me here, I've experienced it, more than enough times.

But once the pain starts your body flashed bright white, and suddenly you're back to normal. Physically that is. Mental deterioration is assured here if you stay long enough that is. Some just go catatonic, some just start screaming, and never stop.

The way you escape is tricky. I don't really know how myself, I don't think anyone does for sure. But once you do, you wake up where you were when you entered, as if no time has passed at all.

The data on the Slump isn't substantial, we barely have anything on it. why it exists, how it exists, or even how many are stuck there.

That place takes a severe toll on your mental health, some people who come back start to exhibit odd tendencies, like sudden laughter, and the inability to feel fear. There are more, but lord knows how long how it'll take to list them all. -Void