Black Blood Poisoning

The Dark Elves

"Hundreds of them now roam the streets of Faenamel. Family, friends, all lost to the shades, left as empty husks controlled by a malicious puppet master hiding in the shadows. Though I was one of the few to escape, the images of my neighbors being turned into such monsters will haunt me 'til the end of my days.

— Journal of a survivor of the Faenamel Attack

Black Blood Poisoning is a condition that can effect Fae when they come in contact with Shade blood, and turn them into corrupted, mind-controlled slaves known as Dark Elves.

Transmission & Vectors

Inktober Day 2 - Mindless by Ibby Wondrous

Inktober 2019, Kyski Nuvari as a Dark Elf.

Black Blood poisoning is spread through the blood. This is done when a shade injects their own blood into the body of the victim, where it will spread through the body rapidly through the vascular system. Thanks to the shade's complete control of their blood, they can do this easily by using their claws to stab through the flesh and pump their own blood through. One of the most talented of these are the scorpion Elite Shade known as SulevS, who uses his stinger to inject his blood.
In order for the process to be truly effective, a lot of blood needs to be injected, which can take a few minutes.

Thankfully, a trained solider can probably deal with the demon before too much damage is done. However, unprotected civilians at are far greater risk.
Shades who infect an elf can control and manipulate them like a puppet. The shadow demon --now the puppet master-- can even control multiple dark elves at once. The drawback however, is the elf constantly has to treat the blood inside of each elf like a part of it's body. With it's body split up into so many pieces, it's considerably weaker on it's own. Additionally, the shade can not exist too far away from a settlement, or his control over the elves will weaken.
Destroying a the puppet masters physical form will also destroy all of his blood, including that inside of the dark elves, freeing them. However this is not a guarantee the elf will ever be normal again.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on how much black blood managed to get in the elf's system.

Very Low Amount

If a very small amount of blood entered the blood stream, at most the wound will swell up and turn a bruised color and be kind of itchy. Minor headaches and muscle soreness can occur, but at this level, the body will soon burn up the blood and the victim can recover.

Moderately Low Amount

This much blood can cause the elf to start to feel a little unwell. The wound will swell up grotesquely and ooze black blood. It will need to be bandaged to prevent infection. The afflicted will also feel pretty dizzy, have more intense headaches, lethargy and an unusual feeling of anxiety and paranoia. They may also start to be a bit pale. Oddly, the afflicted's body temperature may decrease by 1-2 degrees. Rest is required for recovery at this point.

Moderate Amount

At this point, the afflicted will start to become physically and mentally effected. The afflicted at this point will start to become dark and pale in their skin, and their hair and irises will have started to turn white. Their veins will start to become visible through their skin with dark fluid. Their body temperature will drop to the point of being classified as hypothermia. Shivering, twitching and convulsing is a common thing to see at this stage.
Mental conditions at this point are even worse. The afflicted of this level have reported intense feelings of dread and paranoia, like the feeling they are going to die. Many start to become delusional, and claim to hear whispering voices that tell them to do horrible things. They will become irrational and some will attempt to fight off those trying to help them and need to be restrained. Debilitating migraines are regular occurrences.

High Amount

With enough black blood in an elf's system, the will be completely at the mercy of the infection. At this point, the afflicted are refereed to as Dark Elves due to the dramatic change in appearance the black blood's corruption causes. They're skin will become a dark grey color, and their hair will have turned completely white. Their irises will disappear and their eyes will glow, as if possessed. Their black veins will become even more visible through their skin.
Oddly, their body temperature will decrease below what normally survivable, and their skin will be frigid to the touch. Their hearts will beat unusually slowly as well. The wound entry point will also completely seal up, and eventually heal. Lastly, if they are injured, their blood will be a very dark color, and unusually thick and viscus. They also tend to leak blood their their eyes, nose and mouth.
Left on their own they are unresponsive and will simply moan, cry, or scream while convulsing in place. They will go about a their basic routine in a trance-like state. They also will start to attack 'intruders' on sight. They when they speak, it will be in a very technical, monotone tone. They move as if they are being physically controlled by something.
The Dark Elves still remember things like their own names, the names of others, their jobs, their skills, etc. They seem to even be able to recognize the faces of people they know, but they will still attack regardless of the relationship with the person. As well, despite having most of their memories, it is as if the dark elf has had their personality and free will wiped, and replaced with fear and aggression.

Excessively High Amount

If an elf is pumped full of too much blood, it will completely dilute their blood, making it impossible for the body to use it. Elves do not last long at this point, typically having seizures and vomiting up black fluid until they die.

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by IbbyWondrous

An example of a completely corrupted Dark elf. (Perviously a Wood Elf.)

Cause

Shadow Demon

Type

Physiological

Parent

Magical Mutation

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species

• Elf

History

During Vahit's invasion of The Empire, he would capture certain villages to use as bases. While he would let the humans go, he would attempt to slaughter every elf his army could get his hands on.
Eventually, it was discovered that the shadow demon's black blood could be used to infect and control mortals. Vahit decided to start enslaving groups of elves to use to guard his captured cities during the day, when he and his demons would normally be harmed by the light. Dark Elf settlements are usually war ravaged villages with destroyed buildings and dead plants everywhere. They tend to be covered in black blood as well.
Faenamel is one of these villages.

Cultural Perception

At first elves reasonable panicked as they were sure there would be an epidemic of Dark Elves. Many people thought it was contagious, so many captured villages received no aid from The Empire's forces due to the belief that it was too dangerous to go to those areas. However, as Vahit's army slowed to a halt, so did the spread of the condition.
Many villages are still ravaged with the condition to this day, and people have took to referring to the dark elves as if they were their own race.

Treatment

by Ibby Wondrous

At low levels, black blood poisoning can be treated with a little rest, and will usually clear up on it's own.
In more severe cases, an elf may need to be brought to an infirmary and have healing light magic cast on them in order to properly recover.
If the afflicted has become a full blown dark elf, they will need to be restrained and a heavy amount of light magic therapy to dispel the dark energy. This can end up being painful for the dark elf and the process can take weeks. Most don't find it worth it to attempt it, as it is such a long process, and dangerous as the Dark Elf will be doing everything in it's power to avoid it.
Another way of healing a dark elf is to destroy their 'puppet master', however this is also a difficult task since the Dark elves may not let you near the shade controlling them.
Even if they recover, the elf may no longer be the same, and will probably have suffered brain damage and major mental trauma. Some 'recovered' victims have ended up in vegetative states as a result.

"That darkness never goes away. That fear and despair stays in your soul forever, waiting for the moment of weakness in which it can return... Recovered Dark Elf

Prognosis

Physically, Dark Elves can live a relatively healthy life and survive for decades, as even in a possessed state they will perform basic actions to keep them alive, such as eating, sleeping, bathing, etc.
Mentally however, the longer they stay in this state, the more corrupted their mind becomes, decreasing their chances of ever making a full recovery.

Prevention

It can be prevented easily by fighting off a shadow demon before they can pump you with too much blood. Light Magic enchanted items tend to also protect people from being attacked or being infected.