Taint

The taint is a type of disease that resides inside every Cimmerian, with no exceptions besides half-breeds. History has determined that the taint itself came from Darkness, the Cimmerian creator himself. Involuntarily, Darkness gave the Cimmerians the taint when he created them, not knowing that upon their creation that he also gave them his darkness and wicked blood. The taint is the reason why so many fear and despise the Cimmerian race. Going even farther back, is the belief that the taint is part of the element known as Chaoxian, a material existing in the ring orbit of Jiwenia Intro and gave birth to Darkness. Much of the element is unknown but it is believed that the material is alive, causing many to believe that the taint is a parasitic disease.
Though only Cimmerians are born with such disease, other living things that come in contact with it can also contract it. Whereas Cimmerians can live with it, no risk of dying, the same can’t be said about others. This also includes half-Cimmerian individuals, if they come into contact with the taint, they will suffer the same as any other non-Cimmerian species, though there are notable differences.

Transmission & Vectors

Cimmerian Reaction

As previously stated, the taint lies dormant in all Cimmerians, and it is only when an individual commits heinous and evil acts, does it awaken. It’s not known what the relation between the actions and the taint actually is, but many believe that it’s a link between the brain. Many Cimmerians can feel the difference when their taint is dormant to when it awakens. For Cimmerians, the more they commit evil acts and decisions, the more the taint grows. After a while, it begins to take over the body, like a parasite taking over its host. The Cimmerian can still go on living their life, but their decisions and intentions become twisted and dark. It is believed that the taint takes control over the brain’s frontal lobe, and though it’s not known if it has a mind of its own, it alters the decision-making ability of the individual. Whether dormant or fully controlling the host, a Cimmerian can live a full life no matter the status of their taint.

Nature Reaction

As the taint grows, it has the power to infect the Cimmerian’s surroundings. Regarding nature, it doesn’t necessarily kill it but twists it into wicked things. The color slowly begins to fade from the land, and the environment becomes twisted, and an air of eeriness begins to set in. Many describe the air like a foul, putrid stench. A fog will sometimes set in and cover parts of the land as well.

Dry lake. Environment Concept. by Sergey Vasnev

Though flora can still grow, if one tries to garden or plant, then it will naturally not develop, or it will become diseased, poisoning those who ingest it, though there are exceptions to this (see Genetic Resistance). The size of an area, the amount of magic in said area, and how much taint the Cimmerians occupying the space possess – all attribute to how fast the taint takes to the land. Most places can take a century to shift, while others can change in less than a decade.

Sentient Being Reaction

For sentient beings, the taint is far less kind. If infected with the taint, the creature will continue to go about life, not truly knowing of the infection. The taint slowly takes over their mind, similar to how it does with Cimmerians, infecting the frontal lobe and the decision-making ability. The only difference is that once the taint is inside another, it will not stop, no matter how exposed the individual was. During this time, the individual will begin to act out violently, and their aggressiveness will only grow.
After it has taken over the mind, it begins to spread and mutate the skin, turning the skin a paler and duller color than it originally was. Dark splotches and vein traces will start to appear, and as it gets worse, the being will also begin to bleed internally and externally. In some areas, boils and sores will also occur. Their eyes slowly start to lose the color, and the pupil will disappear, taking on a more diseased look. The figure will surely look like a walking corpse. Unless a self-inflicted death occurs, the infected being can live for a couple more years before the taint finally consumes them, and they pass.

Treatment

Slowing the Process

For Cimmerians who have awakened the taint, in the early stages, the taint can go back into an almost hibernation stage if the Cimmerian chooses noble and honest decisions from then on. No matter the current stage of any Cimmerian, making decisions such as these can drastically slow down the taint. Though, as the taint grows stronger, it is harder to make such decisions since the taint begins to control the decision-making part of the brain. Likewise, the taint can be sped up if the infected individual makes evil decisions, regardless of the stage.
There is some Kre magic that can significantly slow down the taint within infected beings, though it is pointless to use on Cimmerians.

Natural Resistance

There are a few flora, creatures, and species that seem to have a natural resistance to the taint. In Deathrose Woods, Rahni noticed there were a few clearings and places that were unaffected by the taint, standing out awkwardly next to all the infected areas. Creatures that are raised in taint infected regions seem to have a natural resistance to it as well; this consists of – but not limited to: Dragons, Drakes, Heilo Steppe Lizards, Horses, and types of birds.
Though many species will fall victim to the taint, Maji and Rekilese are the only species that seem to be immune to such thing, though this word is used loosely. Maji do not seem affected by it, but they can get sick, a sickness that they can get over, it is almost like the flu to them. While the Rekilese’s gems might turn different colors, but otherwise, they will be okay. And even some find that these gems are more valuable as the taint in these gems cannot infect its surroundings.

Genetic Resistance

It is possible that one generation can get infected by the taint if they ingest taint contaminated food. Though many may die from this, those that do survive and have children can pass a gene mutation that allows them to be immune to the taint and its effects. This has only been seen in modern Arakeanee, seeing that they were forced to eat diseased plants or nothing at all.
In the first generation of Arakeanee, many died while only a handful contracted the taint, and as they continued their tolerance, slowly began building their immunity. As these Arakeanee had children, the generations built up more of a tolerance and saw fewer deaths. Though it’s not known what this will do to other species, it has actually given modern Arakeanee new abilities.

Cure

Some Maji’s can heal infected flora from the taint with their magic, successfully getting rid of it. This recovered land becomes immune to the taint. Also, if it is in its early stages and Cimmerians leave the infected area, the taint will die out, and the land that was once infected can grow back, and though it might not be totally immune, it will be less prone to fall to the taint than before.

History

It’s not precisely known when the Cimmerian race discovered that they held a genetic disease within them, or how they figured out that performing acts of evil is what ‘activates’ the taint. The first Cimmerians began to realize this when their land began to shift more and more, now known as the Dead Lands, for its lack of color and deathly appearance. As the race grew older, more scientists and professors began to look deeper into the Cimmerian's history, finding out what awakens the taint and how it spreads.

Taint

The Bloody by Navate

Type

Genetic

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Common

Affected Species

• Cimmerian