Fiendism

The bringer of the fiends

A harrowing disease that has begun spreading at an alarming rate in the recent years. It is believed to have originated from the depths of the infamous Stelliah cave systems. The disease itself is a small particle that enters the blood stream of a living organism and begins to alter the genetic make up of the living being. The particle always alters the genetic coding of the blood of the organism, turning it into a dark lavender color. This blood is turned into a more favorable environment for the particle to begin reproducing. Once there are more particles in the creatures body. They begin to alter more important parts of the genetic make up of the creature. These alterations seemingly happen at random and can cause incredible variations to the creatures body and mind.

Transmission & Vectors

The Vector

The vector for fiendism is a small particle that reproduces rapidly when exposed to blood. Once this vector enters the blood stream of a creature it begins giving off magical properties that begin altering the genetic make up of the being. In order to continuously produce these magical properties the particles need a constant stream of energy. This is the reasoning behind the voracious appetites and eating habits of many of the infected. The vector first entered the body of a stray miner that ventured deep into the cavernous labyrinth underneath Stelliah. The miner cut himself on a purple gem that he attempted to mine. The vector entered into the cut on his hand, and promptly began multiplying and altering the miners makeup.

Transmission

The vector was found in an undiscovered gem found deep within the caves of Stelliah. The current whereabouts of the gem are unknown as the only person to ever come into contact with it has turned into a level 6 fiend. But the active vector changes with the blood of its host in order to make it a more suitable environment for the reproduction of the the vector. The longer the vector remains in the blood of a creature more suitable the environment becomes and it multiples faster, causing more drastic mutations. The vector is only capable of being transmitted through the blood of a fiend that enters into a new creature.

Causes

The vector was originally part of a fungus that grew near a puddle of stagnant cave water. As the fungus grew, its roots ended up growing into and feeding off of a small pool of water that contained a high concentration of Ziel The Ziel then altered the properties of the fungus as it then began to crystalize and turned into the gem that then created the particle that is responsible for the disease.

Symptoms

Disruption

This is the level all of the victims of fiendism begin at. A person who is in this stage doesn't show any kind of symptoms or unusual behavior. This stage just strictly a phase in which the vector is rapidly multiplying in the hosts body.

Level 1 Fiend

After being in the disruption stage for about five days, the infected person proceeds to become a level 1 fiend. This consists of one minor mutation that's manifested in the victim. This can range from an extra finger to a disfigured tooth. By the time a person becomes a level 1 fiend the vector inside them usually has only multiplied enough to account for about half of a limb.

Level 2 Fiend

After a person spends about two weeks at level one they normally begin to notice the symptoms of level 2. By this time the disease has spread enough to account for an entire limbs worth of infection particles. Once a person reaches level 2 it is quite apparent they've been infected with fiendism. More obvious and disturbing alterations have been made to their genetics. Bones may have begun sprouting out of ones skin, or another mouth may have formed on their body. Once an infected reaches this stage they begin to almost have a constant feeling of hunger. They feel the need to consume their weight in food every day in order for the infection particles inside them to have enough energy to continue to alter their coding. Often times at this stage is where a person begins to become ostracized by the rest of their society. Often abandoned by friends, in fear of them becoming infected.

Level 3 Fiend

There is no certified timetable to account for the distance between level 2 and 3, it seems at this point the infection particles spread and alter genes at a speed that has to do with the persons body. At this stage an infected normally develops their signature mutation. All infected that reach this stage develop a unique quirk, ability or appendage that signifies they've arrived at this stage. By the time an infected reaches this stage they've been dealing with their ravenous hunger for so long they begin to reach desperate measures and often times resort to hunting down other intelligent life in order to satiate their hunger. Once an infected reaches this stage they're often considered not curable. This is because it is believed that there are too many particles in the infected to find and get rid of. There is no guaranteed way to extract all the particles, once a person reaches this stage they lose all chance of returning back to normal.

Level 4 Fiend

Level 4 occurs about two months after a person has reached level 3. At some point in time between the two levels a person has often begun to experience psychological effects. These can range from seeing things, hearing voices, losing the ability to understand language and a wide variety of other debilitating symptoms. At this stage it is often believed an infected loses all civility it had and turns into a fiend.

Level 5 Fiend

About a year since the initial infection of the person, they normally reach level 5. This level is signified by the increased visibility of the veins in the infected. By this point the infected's blood has completely begun producing the altered lavender blood and is visible through the skin. Once a person has reached this stage their blood is extremely dangerous to living creatures. If it were to enter another persons blood stream is guarantees infections. The blood is altered to a point where it is freezing cold, it becomes cold enough that it is capable of freezing things that it touches.

Level 6 Fiend

By this point in time the person has been infected for two years and is beyond recognizable from who they once were. Their entire genetic code has been re-written and they often don't even come close to resembling the species that they truly are. At this stage an infected will have grown a second signature mutation. A level 6 fiend is incredibly dangerous to even the most seasoned of fighters. Fighting a level 6 is an experience like no other, their bodies are altered beyond the point of understanding. The way they fight is completely unorthodox and unique to that specific fiend.

Treatment

It is currently believed that infected have about a month since their initial infection to receive treatment to prevent themselves from progressing further into a fiend. Often times this involves finding a cleric, priest or doctor that is capable of precisely detecting foreign magic particles within people. Once these particles are identified in an infected, the doctor has three options to choose from.

Option 1

The doctor performs a surgery that involves hunting down the magic particles through the blood streams of the infected and manually removing each particle. Every particle must be removed from the infected or else the surviving particles will simply multiply. The method take about an hour in the disruption stage. Three hours in a Level 1 fiend, and six hours in a level two fiend. It is an incredibly drawn out and inefficient process with tons of room for error. But it has been known to work.

Option 2

A skilled magic user, performs a new spell on the infected that has been specifically designed for foreign particles and objects inside a persons body. This spell Aliena Venari was designed by a female mage known as Morey Lull who is an incredibly skilled magical doctor currently residing in Wayside. The spells focus is identifying and eradicating all foreign objects/particles that are found in ones body.

Option 3

This option is by far the most disturbing and crude way of curing someone from fiendism. Amputation of the limb that contains all of the infection particles has been known to work. The only catch is that the limb being amputated must contain every single infection particle within it.

Affected Groups

Any creature that has flowing blood can be infected and mutated by this disease.

Hosts & Carriers

The original gem that is responsible for the disease is currently walked away in the National Hospital of Stelliah. They have their top researchers studying and experimenting with the gem in order to discover the properties of the infection particle.

Prevention

Maintaining ones distance from the infected is always an excellent way for a person to avoid potential infection. Although it isn't unheard of for some of the fiends to have mutations allowing them to attack a person from a far. But if you're forced to be in close proximity to an infected it is recommended to keep multiple layers of protected clothing on yourself. This is to protect against the possibility of getting cut. It is also recommended that if you know you will be working near an infected to bring clothing attire that covers up and all opening in the body such as ears, mouth and a persons nose. Any obvious ways of an infected's blood entering your body should be covered by some form of clothing that won't let seepage happen.

Epidemiology

Fiendism can only be spread through an infected's blood entering another persons body. This does make it quite difficult for the disease to spread at a rapid rate. But it remains challenging to cure due to the reproductive nature of the particle.
In regards to how the disease started, a miner was exploring deep into the depths of the cave systems of Stelliah when he came across a lavender crystal. He hadn't seen the crystal before and figured it could fetch him a weeks worth of pay. He used his pick axe to dislodge the crystal. While doing this a tiny fragment of the crystal got into his eye. That was all the infection particle needed to begin.

History

The miner was officially diagnosed with fiendism about two and a half weeks after his initial infection. By this time he had already reached Level 2 and had grown an extra two eyeballs in rather weird locations on his neck. The doctor who diagnosed him was intrigued by such an exotic disease and requested the miner come see him every week. The miner agreed and saw him every week for the next month. One day the miner came into the doctors office with a purplish liquid oozing out of his mouth. He stared at the doctor for a couple seconds, not saying a word. He gave a quiet gurgle and charged at him, pouncing onto the doctor and opened his mouth to reveal three rows of razor sharp teeth. As he pinned the doctor down he bit into him multiple times. A nurse hearing the commotion checked in on the doctor and his patient and screamed upon witnessing the attack. As she ran away to find help, the infected miner broke out a window and disappeared into the streets of Syndripe. Thus spreading the infection to the second ever person. This event occurred in 989 F.A. which is quite recent in Altherian history. The disease as since spread to Hestiah and Enithe .

Cultural Reception

Society began to panic when it was first revealed that this disease was spreading to other regions. The thought of slowly transforming into a hideous and ravenous creature created mass paranoia among the people of Altheria. Anyone with a birth defect was turned on, as they were believed to be early level fiends. Some of these poor people were hunted down and killed in hopes of stopping the disease. Open wounds and cuts became omens of misery and transformation. Many people actively prevent their kids from playing in parks of playgrounds in fear of them cutting themselves on something.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon

"I know not why it does this or what reason the gods have for cursing our lands with this disease. But I will find a way to cure you, I will return you to the beautiful person you once were my love. With the determination of an army I shall rid you of this vile ailment and turn the tide of this war against fiendism" - Morey Lull, Magical Doctor working on a spell cure