Turmoil

Turmoil is one of the secondary protagonists of Louse. They are a rejected growth of Rot, and seek to help Null end it.

History
Turmoil was originally a growth of Rot; however, when they were created, they were shunned by Rot for an unknown reason. Rather than tell them their intended function, they were simply called Turmoil. Rot quickly shut off communication with them, forcing them to wander the tunnels of Rot alone. While wandering the tunnels, they occasionally found Pilgrims that wished to join Rot. One of these pilgrims gave them something that allowed their left eye to emanate a dim glow; although it is not confirmed, it appears to be a Blot.

After Null nullified the Eye of Rot, all that remained was a pile of dust and their old eye. They prepared to squish it; however, before they could, Turmoil approached them from the darkness, asking if they could have it. When Null saw them, they did not immediately know their name, despite them immediately knowing the Love of Rot's name. They asked who Turmoil was, and they revealed their name as Turmoil, before asking if Null was lost. Despite the Blot telling Null to end Turmoil, they told them they were here to end Rot. Turmoil was taken aback by this, before saying that Null was not like the other pilgrims, and saying that they could help end Rot if they were given the eye. The Blot furiously told Null not to do so, but they did anyways, giving it to Turmoil. A blinding light appeared for a brief moment, at which point Turmoil got the eye under control.

Turning around, they illuminated two passages. They explained that one led down to the Bones of Rot and the Heart of Rot, while the other led up to the Face of Rot and the Brain of Rot. Null chose to go up, so the two began to journey up to the Face.

As the two of them traveled, Turmoil asked Null what their name was. Attempting to answer with Null resulted in the game breaking, causing it to load alternate paths that were not taken. One of these alternate paths showed Turmoil being instantly crushed by Null as soon as they revealed themself; this resulted in the Blot saying that they understand that Null is truly the one to end Rot. After the game returned to normal, Turmoil thanked Null for telling them their name as the two continued up the path.

Soon after, the path leveled off in a cavernous room. Turmoil shined their light around, seeing nothing, and said they might be able to sneak through; however, Null heard humming behind them, and turned around to see the Sound of Rot. When they got Turmoil's attention, Turmoil turned around and shined its light directly on it, causing it to stop humming. They warned Null to back away slowly; however, the Sound then rushed Turmoil, wrapping itself around them as the Face descended from the ceiling. The Face claimed that Turmoil had led Null to it. Turmoil, in defiance, shouted for Null to do what they came to do; however, in doing so, they used Null's name, which the Face took note of. The Blot appeared to Null and told them it was a betrayal, and demanded they end all around them; instead, they chose to focus on the Face, throwing a vial at it. When they did so, they grabbed Null and turned them around, revealing that Turmoil was being absorbed by the Sound. The Blot then left Null to restrain the Face, letting them go free; however, it started to be nullified by the same vial that nullified the Face. Faced with the choice between either saving Turmoil or helping the Blot, Null chose to save Turmoil. They stabbed the Sound through its mask, forcing it to fall to the ground as its mask shattered, although it left its tendrils behind. Faced with the choice of either finishing off the Sound or helping Turmoil, Null chose to help Turmoil, tearing the tendrils the Sound left off of them. When all was said and done, Turmoil was scarred, but otherwise unharmed.

After Null grabbed the nearly dead Blot from the remains of the Face, Turmoil asked Null if they wanted to rest a moment or keep going, to which they replied keep going. They then picked up a shard of the Sound's mitestone mask; they said they didn't know what the material was, and asked if they should have it, which Null affirmed. Now that both of them were armed with shards, the two of them turned towards a tunnel in the back of the room. Turmoil said that it led to the Brain, and that they never visited it, before the two continued down the tunnel.

As the two walked down the passage, the way behind them sealed shut, with a voice saying that it would like to talk to them. They emerged in a room that held the Brain, who said that it was not interested in hurting either of them, and instead wished to talk. Null consulted Turmoil, who said that they were scared but would follow Null; the Brain then revealed that it knew both of them had the means to end it, while reiterating its desire to talk before they made a decision on whether to nullify it or not. Null stayed silent as it revealed it knew that they killed their fellow Pilgrims; they knew that Null's Old Friend didn't tell them to do it, but that they did it to reach the Brain. They then warned that there would be unexpected consequences if it died, while looking at Turmoil.

Instead of letting the Brain continue, Null decided to nullify it, much to the Brain's disappointment. After it began to dissolve from the vial Null threw at it, it asked them how many bad decisions they could continue to make, while turning to Turmoil to tell them that "Turmoil ends." It also spoke to them in a way that Null could not understand, telling them that their true name was the Seed of Rot, along with something else that is currently unknown. It then fully dissolved.

After it dissolved, the room around them began to pulsate as Turmoil looked on in shock. They told Null that killing the Brain didn't end Rot, but instead just left it without a presence to maintain it, allowing it to grow uncontrollably. They then apologized for not knowing this would happen. As Rot began to grow more and nearly take Null, Turmoil climbed into the shell the Brain left behind, causing a blinding white light to appear, before leaving Null to float through an endless white void. A giant eye then appeared in the void as the voice of Turmoil spoke. They told Null that they slowed Rot's spread, but that the Brain's influence still surrounds them, so they should end the Heart as soon as they could. Null asked what the white void was; Turmoil looked around and explained that it was a vast network of connections to the rest of Rot that the Brain maintained, but that they were all destroyed with its death. It then said that it could reopen any connections that would be helpful if Null would allow it to, which Null agreed to; after this, the light faded, revealing Turmoil in the shell of the Brain. After the light faded, Turmoil said that the way out of the room is open again, and explained that they would stay there to keep control of the Rot's spread. As Null began to leave, the partially recovered Blot revealed it heard that the Brain told something to Turmoil in a way Null could not understand, but that its senses were too damaged to hear what. Null asked Turmoil what was said, and they calmly revealed that the Brain told them their intended function, which was the Seed of Rot. However, they rejected this title, saying that they are Turmoil. They then asked Null to hurry to end the Heart. As Null left, the Blot revealed that more was said; however, when they turned back around, the way back to Turmoil was closed.

Turmoil is currently alive.

Theories
As Turmoil's intended name was the Seed of Rot, it is possible that they are what grows new Rot if Rot were to ever fail, allowing it to perpetuate itself endlessly, as it claimed. If this is the case, then ending the Heart without also ending Turmoil may result in Rot restarting at some point in the future; this cycle may have already happened a countless number of times. However, Turmoil actively rejected that labeling and prefers the name Turmoil, indicating that even if this is their intended function, they may choose not to do so.