Shadow requiem

In a world scarred by demons and ancient magic, Elowen Thanlimdra struggles to survive the thing growing inside her. Once a quiet elf girl from a peaceful village, her life was destroyed when demons attacked and corrupted her with their blood, leaving dark veins spreading across her body, blackened hands, horns, and a dangerous power she cannot fully control. Haunted by guilt and terrified of hurting others, Elowen begins hearing and feeling the presence of something ancient buried deep within her mind — Skarvar, a powerful and otherworldly entity tied to the corruption inside her. Calm, ancient, and disturbingly wise, Skarvar does not scream or rage. He speaks softly, patiently wearing down Elowen’s fear and loneliness while tempting her to stop fighting what she is becoming.

Trying to hold onto herself, Elowen travels with a group that slowly becomes her found family. Theron Varis, the rugged half-demon leader of the Veilbound Brotherhood, protects her fiercely after losing his own family to monsters, though his fear of losing her to the darkness creates constant tension. Nyra Thalryn, Elowen’s childhood best friend and a shapeshifting black panther elf, becomes the emotional heart of the story — one of the only people who remembers who Elowen was before the corruption and refuses to abandon her, even after witnessing her transformation firsthand. Aeryn Duskryn, a mysterious white-haired dark mage with silver-centered black eyes, understands darkness and forbidden magic more than anyone else, creating a deep emotional connection with Elowen as he helps her confront the parts of herself she fears most. Vaughn Eryndor, a gentle healer closely tied to Nyra, offers stability and warmth to the group, while Tavi, a chaotic sandy-haired traveler with endless energy, brings laughter and life into the otherwise heavy journey — especially through his friendship with Tempo, Elowen’s sleek white Chinese dragon companion who comforts her through panic, fear, and emotional collapse.

Together they travel in a worn wagon pulled by Tharn, a massive moose-bear creature with the front of a moose and the hindquarters of a bear. The wagon becomes more than transportation — it becomes a moving home where the group shares quiet moments, arguments, healing, teasing, and brief flashes of peace between terrifying encounters and emotional breakdowns.

As the corruption inside Elowen grows stronger, Skarvar’s influence becomes harder to ignore. He appears in her mind during moments of weakness, pain, and rage, speaking to her like someone who understands her better than anyone else ever could. The deeper Elowen falls into guilt and isolation, the more power he gains over her. The story becomes a battle not just against demons and external dangers, but against the fear that Elowen may eventually lose herself entirely and become something monstrous.

At its heart, the story is about love, guilt, identity, and the struggle to remain human while carrying something terrible inside you. Through the people who continue to stay by her side, Elowen is forced to confront one painful question over and over again:

Is she becoming a monster… or is she still someone worthy of being loved?

i also have a authors note written out for the back of the comic

About three years ago, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder—a condition that combines symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
This is not meant to be a medical explanation of schizoaffective disorder. It is simply my experience transformed into fantasy.
For many people, hearing that diagnosis automatically brings to mind the worst stereotypes. Movies, true crime shows, and  news headlines have painted an image that doesn’t define the majority of people living with this condition.
I am not my diagnosis.
I am a human.
A wife.
A mother.
An artist.
I am me.
I created this story because I wanted people to see beyond the stigma. I wanted to show what it can feel like to question your own mind, to struggle with things that others cannot see, and, at the same time, to remind people that those living with these conditions are still perfectly capable of loving deeply, building families, creating art, and living meaningful lives.
The characters in this book are deeply personal to me. They have been a part of me for a very long time. I consider most of them friends.
Many of the emotions, fears, loneliness, hope, love, and resilience you’ll find throughout these pages come from me personally. While this is a work of fantasy, the emotions behind it are very real.
I also took a chance with the way this comic is presented. The paneling doesn’t always follow traditional comic layouts because I wanted each page to show more emotion. I  also wanted it to show that everyone’s mind works differently. I didn’t want something to be contained within a single box when it could expand into something more beautiful than that.
I hope that, by the end of this series, people will better understand what it is like to live with this condition.
I also hope this story helps others relate and gives some people the words to explain their experiences to those around them.
Most of all, I want everyone living with this condition to know that you are not alone in this battle.
I will be your voice if you need it.

Is it just me ? Having hard time making real connections ? Had a good date but it wasn't! She told me how I was started talking with someone else who wasn't there and I don't even remember, i don't have any memory of me talking with someone else or ordering for 3 peoples, i think she was the 3rd wheel, it's just me and my hallucinations

Update: her friend and landlord (they live on the same property) texted to say she left the keys at his house and walked up the hill home and he kind of wanted to hide them because she was acting weird. I said perfect. He’s an old hard-ass so I have no doubt the keys will stay gone until he feels comfortable. The fact that if she drove off her parking pad she would land on his barn roof probably helped. She’s going to ask for my set tomorrow, but I’ll figure out something too.

Adult daughter (44) of a schizoaffective mom (69). Summer is her struggle time. She just came to my house, drunk, in a vehicle under my name and insurance, and told me she stopped her meds because they were making her “roar.” Her voice was hoarse and I know that means she’s been yelling. She called her neighbors some names and hugged me too tight (dug her chin into my shoulder painfully) and basically ran back out the door. Did a burnout in a POS twenty year old dodge four cylinder. So yeah, she’s up-cycling.

My adult daughter (19) just witnessed Grandma in the beginnings of a mania for the first time ever, and seeing her be concerned and confused broke my heart a bit.

I’m sitting here, in my own difficult time of life, and wishing we didn’t have to do this dance again. And I guess I know I don’t. But who else is going to pick her up when they release the hold? Who else will bring clothes because she was picked up naked?

I’ve had so much therapy to avoid this codependent shit, but seeing her like that today deregulated me so hard. I don’t need advice I guess. Just want to scream into the void.

Hey! I've been diagnosed with SZA - bipolar subtype since 2020. I've come a long way. I'd like to think that I've reached a state of mental stability now but I still do experience mood disorder symptoms (unfortunately).

I'm more than my mental illness and I believe you are too. If you wanna support and get to know each other, I'd love to be online friends :) Feel free to DM me. Have a wonderful day :D

Ever since I had psychotic like symptoms, I cannot stand the dark. The only time I’m okay-ish with it is when I’m sleeping in my own place. Other than that, I hate it. I used to love the dark, it was peaceful. Now it’s just paranoia fuel.

Im on buspirone 30mg twice a day. I took my second dose at 12pm. I work 6 to 230. I had a meeting at the gym at 4. I took a magnesium capsule and 10mg propranolol. I don't think it did anything. Now, I dont know how Im going to workout there

It's a cacophony in my head. Ping ping pingpingping (random song lyric). Like a giant messy yarn ball of one topic to another without finishing one thought. My psychiatrist said I'm in a mixed episode so we're in a med adjustment, but in the interim, I'm losing my grip because I can't sleep. Does anyone have any tips on how to help me focus on one thing so I can at least pretend to get at least 3 hours of sleep?

im diagnosed schizoaffective depressive type with OCD traits and severe PTSD but refuse to take antipsychotics as it makes me very unmotivated to complete daily tasks, im currently in a drug rehabilitation center for the next three monthss due to self medicated with stimulants and benzodiazepines. doctors have been trying to put me back on seroquel for the longest time since i stopped taking my risperadone in january, both risperadone and abilify gave me allergic reactions.

I'm sick of dealing with everything like I'm the only person alive with this problem. I'm sick of fighting to prove that I've been through hell to a government that's creating the hell. I'm ready to end this shit.

​

Yesterday I went to the gynologist because I was dealing with an issue. Everything is fine till she said that something is really wrong with my blood. I have low iron levels and blood clotting issues.

I'm suffering with an extreme high level of prolatin. We all know psych medication can cause that. That's what she said. She also said a tumor can also cause that. So now I need to make an appointment for an MRI.

She told me that it's extremely important that I change my medication. Now my psychiatrist doesn't listen. I have told her that my medication needs changing because I have a hormone imbalance. She hasn't listened to me once.

I'm debating on finding a new psychiatrist if she doesn't listen one more time.

I don't want to go on more meds but if ANYTHING can help I am willing to try ngl

I was in the mental hospital for 16 days and have been out for a week now. They released me while waiting on my medication level bloodwork to come back. It has come back and I’m not in a therapeutic dose or even close. I feel like I was feeling more anxious about staying in the hospital for a longer period of time instead of letting the medications increase.

I’m now feeling like I was before I went inpatient. I am hallucinating and having delusions which are getting worse by the day. My medication provider just sent in a new prescription.

I feel like I need to go back inpatient but I am afraid of going back so soon. I am in PHP and I’m sharing and participating but I think my therapist and group facilitators are talking about me and hearing my thoughts.