Soul-Rotted
A soul-rotted being is one who walks among the living, nearly like any other. However, they are incapable of life, aging, and even death. The food they eat turns to ash in their mouth, and drink dries the throat rather than quenches its greatest desire. To slake its everlusting thirst. A soul-rotted being often craves blood, the fresher the better, but not like a vampire, but more to get a taste of a soul. While they cannot drain a soul, and require it to be done on their behalf, they do not require it to live or sustain their mortal vessels.
It is a state of marbled perfection almost, the pique of the being's physical prowess. But with none of the enjoyment that could come from it. They themselves have no soul, but bear inexrible guilt over their own creation. They feel hollow and cursed, as they should for their transgressions.
Transmission & Vectors
It can only afflict someone who has a Harvest Ceremony preformed where they are the Receptive Vessel. It begins with the first ceremony, but does not take full hold for many cycles. Or in the case of one, it happened all at once, when used upon the Receptive Vessel's near-death. No one knows exactly what part of that horrific instance caused the Soul-Rot to take over as quickly as it did then. Those who knew of the greusome event had many speculations as to the answer.
It fortunately cannot be passed by simple transmission means, as it requires great time and exposure till the infection fully takes hold. But once it has, it's too late.
Causes
When a Receptive Vessel has collected the Harvest several times throughout their ever-extending lives, eventually they fall to a kind of maddness. Some fall within the first two or three rituals, while others retain their minds and souls for many infusions.
Symptoms
A constant appetite, no sense of hot or cold. Hollow eyes and a constant pang of saddness to their very being. Often, a faint smell of ash or even fainter, sulfer can waft from the physically perfect structure.
Treatment
Soul-vessels can stave off the hunger and ease the thirst for some time, but only keeping one's self as close to living as possible, the goulish effects of the maddness will be kept at bay.
Prognosis
Walking the land in a constant undeath, fearing little but endless suffering and social inadequecy. They will not die, but continue to wither inwardly, begging for a way to end their suffering. Unfortunately, they are quite litterally rejected by deaths, unseen to them as if nonexistant to the Gods.
Sequela
The only current carrier presents mostly humanlike. However, should he fall into maddness again he will wither and show his great age, blue icy skin will pronouce his ailment. A sadness envelopes his every move and the desire to leave society will become ever stronger. He seeks to prolong his current state as long as possible to finish his mission, so for now only his eyes betray the Soul-Rot.
Affected Groups
Only the Proto-Humans were known to truly have been affected. However, whispers of older, greater, more malignant beings that still haunt the oppresive dark corners hint that others might fall prey as well.
Hosts & Carriers
There is some essence of passing on the Soul-Rot through breeding. As more "pure" bloodlines aged, and their souls departed peice by peice, their last few offspring were often warped. Not quite abomonations, but they came out seemingly hollow. And oh.. so.. hungry.
Prevention
One can simply not look in in to dark rituls that end in stealing the souls of people to keep yourself alive and youthful for all time.
Epidemiology
It begins to spread like a madness, everyone in the know wanting a taste of the grand power. When the king began to let people pay for the use of the ritual, it began to corrupt even faster than it once had when he used it as as a justified means to an end.
History
Soul-Rot was only ever heard of as legends, once in Establishing Era and it ravaged the nobility of the Proto-Human society. A tribal king, turned conquering and unifying hero introduced it after a horrific ceremony following a tragic accident.
Cultural Reception
Originally amongst the Proto-Humans it was welcomed by the nobility. Many had wanted a taste of the power, and the King's long and bright reign established it as a blessing upon them all. When he opened the gates to allow others to partake, many began to see it as a sign of wealth and reputation. It began a caste system of sorts, and those who participated in several ceremonies became considered pure. However, along the course of further centuries, they began to lose themselves, and their abilities to continue their bloodlines became impossible. As this was discovered, an anger and jealousy began to creep into their hearts. Malice bred contempt and the true hold of the Rot became clear. It was manifested in chaos and blood, and hailed a great culling in the land.
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