Use these signs to show players that the Vhal are close. Start small and build up.
A husk is a person the Vhal have touched. The body still walks and obeys, but the person is gone. Husks do not speak. Their skin turns grey and cold. They follow orders from the Vhal and sometimes from the Unbound. Holy light burns them.
Ships near the Dark Rim are found drifting with no air bubble. Some are empty. Some carry husk crews that stand at their posts and do nothing until someone comes aboard.
An aether crystal touched by the Vhal turns black and holds no power. A black crystal in a ship's engine means something went wrong. Miners on the Dark Rim find more black crystal every month. Someone is selling it at the Night Bazaar.
A star the Vhal touch goes dark. The sun of Hush went dark in year 870. Sailors near the Dark Rim now report small stars going out.
A cold spot is a patch of deck or room that is much colder than the rest, with no reason. Lamps in a cold spot burn low. Crews on the Dark Rim now find cold spots on their ships. Some crews leave a ship that has one.
Aether currents that suddenly go weak.
Animals that refuse to go near a place or a person.
Mages who find their spells harder to cast.
People who dream of a dark ring and wake up cold.
Early in a campaign, show one small sign at a time.
Let the players find a sign before any NPC explains it.
The Order believes the signs. Most other factions do not.
The Unbound welcome the signs.