Regeneration
Regeneration is a benign universal healthcare virus which trades an increased metabolism for a more complex and powerful regenerative capability in the host. While its public spread was controversial, it has nonetheless become normalized and the fights against have been long forgotten.
You have to be a Luddite to fear Regeneration. We are so fragile without it! We could repair bone and mend skin, sure, but it was messy, with Regen we can restore entire failed organs. Overnight we lost our weakness to liver failure from alcohol, and I think that alone is worth a toast. Bottoms up!
Origin
The exact origin of the Regeneration Virus is almost certainly the Verin Haimarchy—they were the first to explore viral anti-senescence viruses, after all, which lead to the creation of Sathiidism during the Ancient Haimarchy.
The fact that it rolled out with few issues, aside from social ramifications, suggests that hundreds of years went into the preparation. Why they distributed it universally rather than locally remains a mystery.
Effects
Tackling Senescence
There are many sources to senescence, such as cellular senescence, genomic instability, epigenetic alterations, and more (read more here) and the difference forms of regeneration tackle different ones, in different parts of the body, in different ways. These efforts add up over multiple and various treatments to restore the host to a projected and improved prime health state.
Later, Longer Prime
Due to the complexity of regeneration, it isn't given to anyone whose body has yet to finish maturity. For those who have it from birth, it tends to not fully implement until their late 20s, and may delay its full affect as far as their thirties. Their prime on regeneration is greater than their natural prime—they are more focused, energized, and bounce back from illness more quickly.
Regen Sickness
One of the downsides (and perhaps the only) of Regeneration is regen sickness, which is a sort of localized cancer-esque growths which can stack up throughout the entire body as the person ages.
Removing these growths can often be a long, expensive, and painstaking process, and the risk of them goes up with each tier of regeneration.
Tiers of Regen
Hover each Sophont for additional info.
The natural regeneration of most Sophont. Repairs cuts, scrapes, and trauma, and fractures if carefully set.
Verin • Sazashi • Human
The ubiquitous regen of the modern era. The body locks up and squeezes bone back into place. Some organs regrow naturally.
Verin • Sazashi • Human | Sources
Can restore organs and missing limbs, and even regenerate from some brain damage.
Verin • Sazashi • Human | Sources
Total Restoration from an Absolute Phylactery. Functional immortality.
Sources
Numbers reflect a healthy lifestyle and good medical access. Regeneration does not protect against Moral Senescence.
Comments
Author's Notes
To-do