The Devil's horn

This deadly virus is the plague of the Eastern continent. Although cases are getting rarer, is is progressing faster. We have seen terrible things happen to the infected.

Transmission & Vectors

The Devil's Horn is transmitted by being bitten by an infected tuskrosect, essentially an alien mosquito. The virus enters dormancy while inside the bug's system, but once transmitted to another host, if reactivates and becomes the plague it is.

Causes

A definitive answer is still being looked for, although the most common answers are that is is either created by the tuskrosect (unlikely) or it is contained in an ashy substance that weakly streams out of The Great Scar. Opon the ash touching water, the virus is released to infect a tuskrosect larvae.

Symptoms

At first the symptoms are subtle, and then gradually increase. It starts with increased aggression and blood shot eyes. After a few days of this, a small black stalk sprouts from the upper arm. This is a definitive sign of infection. After this, they experience flu-like symptoms and hallucinations as the stalk continues to grow until it is around four inches long.

Treatment

Many have tried in vain to pull off the stalk once it appears, it will sometimes break off, only to regrow bigger than before. So far, the only thing that can be done is cure the symptoms by the use of ground Fungilope horn and a strange plant sap. As for the actual virus, nothing can be done.

Prognosis

Once the victim dies, unless the body is eaten or absorbed by the Tree Spirits, the virus will continue to grow, and, upon reaching maturity, if you could call it that, it breaks out of the host as a monstrous virus, able to transmit new viruses to more hosts. This process is thought to be why there are so few Animoterrans left.

Sequela

Of all the symptoms contracted from the virus, hallucinations are probably the worst. As far as we know, the infected pictures predators or other dangers mostly, probably in an attempt to isolate themselves, they give the virus a more stable host.

Affected Groups

Most animals on the Eastern continent seem to be susceptible to the virus. Cave dwelling creatures and the dream catchers are the only ones to have a defense against it.

Hosts & Carriers

The only known carriers are the tuskrosect, which seem to be unharmed by the virus.

Prevention

No prevention in known other than killing any and all tuskrosect that come even close. Oddly enough, however, cave-dwelling creatures are not effected by this virus, although they have been observed being bitten by infected bugs.

Epidemiology

After the virus's 'breakout' of the host, they search for the nearest water source, where they release more viruses into the water, this time, to infect everything. A deadly pathogen, that brings the whole Eastern continent to it's knees every time it is released.

History

It is unknown when the first case was reported, but they must have been terrified by the resulting monster. The only historical thing known about it is a legend, 'the catcher of dreams is the only one who may destroy the one who gives the unwanted'. The most realistic assumption is that the Dream catcher, a large flying animal, has a natural defence against the virus.

Cultural Reception

Once a victim dies of the virus, the body is brought before the Great Tree, a giant neon tree that is home to Tree spirits, protectors and absorbers of the infected. They come down from the branches and absorb the body, and thus the virus, of the infected, leaving nothing behind.

Type

Viral

Origin

Mutated

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Rare