Serpent Scourge

"The sounds of lashing and the breaking of furniture emanated from the medical hut. The door began to buckle with the weight of whatever was on the other side.
'Aptel? My friend?' I asked, voice quivering.
The only answer was a guttural snarl."

-Uton, only survivor of Pambala village

Serpent Scourge is a non-infectious disease afflicting tritons and caused by unknown means. Symptoms vary, though always result in a gradual though drastic mutation of the triton's body, including the fusion of the legs into a serpentine tale, the growth of serpent-like tendrils from the head, the growth of tendrils from the torso and most significantly: the total transformation of the afflicted into a cetus, a serpentine fish of immense proportions. The serpent scourge will also grievously degrade the triton's mind with the most effect on the ethical centres. This variably results in uncontrollable rage, psychopathy, insanity or complete loss of logical reasoning and language skills.
Previously this disorder was incredibly rare, however after the recent disappearance of the Majesties cases have increased exponentially. Many tritons fear that without divine intervention their entire species will eventually be reduced to violent and chaotic monstrosities.
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Transmission & Vectors

An altered form of serpent scourge can be acquired by consuming the blood of a cetus.
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Causes

It is not currently understood what causes the serpent scourge nor why certain tritons are afflicted with the scourge and others are not. It appears to emerge spontaneously in tritons regardless of age, sex, heritage, location or previously existing conditions.
It was widely believed by the Majestisure church that serpentism was the result of hidden psychological distress most likely caused by guilt over some grave transgression. As such it was the view of the church that most instances of the scourge was in fact a form of punishment for the afflicted triton's own moral failings. With rare exception no evidence for these presumed crimes have been discovered. With the massive uptick in cases since the Majesties' disappearance this view has largely fallen out of favour.
Some radical groups believe that the cetus form brought on by the scourge is in fact the natural state of the triton race which has been suppressed for millennia and that it is instead the absence of a "triton scourge" that enables the transformation. Many in these groups view the transformation as a positive, as cetus are incredibly powerful both physically and magically.
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Symptoms

The primary symptoms of the serpent scourge are extremely physiological and mental alterations into vicious sea monsters of varying form.

• Cetus: The general endpoint of the serpent scourge, a cetus is a serpentine fish creature measuring approximately 50m in length. It possesses large, razor-sharp teeth and large fins along its body. Though more at home in the sea, a cetus can survive on land for extended periods. It can fire jets of boiling water from its mouth, as well as control sea currents and conjure storms.
• Gorgon: Continuously ingesting large quantities of a cetus' blood results in an incomplete mutation, fusing the legs of the triton into a long tail while leaving the shape of the upper body largely intact. Prehensile tendrils with the appearance of snakes will grow from the triton's head. A gorgon can paralyse any living thing that meets its gaze. A triton who has not consumed sufficient blood to grow the head tendrils is commonly referred to as a naga.
• Siren: An offshoot of the serpent scourge with an unknown cause. A siren retains the body structure of a triton but increases in height to almost 4m and grows several long tendrils from its torso. Sirens can possess the minds of those that hear its song, summon torrential rain and levitate at will.
• Hydra: Only one hydra is known to exist and its relation to the serpent scourge is technically unconfirmed, however visual similarities between it and the cetus has led many to believe it to be an extremely advanced form of the disease. The hydra appears similarly to a cetus though even larger at 100 metres in length and in its middle it branches both ways, possessing seven heads and seven tails. It can conjure massive hurricanes, command sea creatures and regenerate any injury.

In addition to the obvious physical effects of the scourge, those afflicted lose many of their mental faculties. While a cetus can still communicate and reason, any semblance of compassion disappears from its mind and though it may remember the life it had as a triton it cares little for those it once loved. The oldest ceti suffer from major derangement and loss of identity.
Naga and gorgon appear to retain much of their former self, though due to the cult environment in which many undergo their transformation it is difficult to determine what is a psychological quirk brought on by the metamorphosis and what is the triton's own mentality, twisted by mundane means. Increased violent tendencies may be one such symptom.
No attempt to communicate or reason with a siren or the hydra has borne any fruit beyond death.
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Treatment

Despite the incredible strength and power of a cetus and other transformations, all save the hydra are still susceptible to physical harm and may be efficiently killed by several means, though rarely without major loss of life.
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Prognosis

Initial symptoms of the serpent scourge include headaches and nausea with auditory hallucinations occurring as the scourge progresses. The first visual effects are the elongation of the triton's claws and the discolouration of scale patches across the body, most commonly along the spine. Eventually the teeth will begin to lengthen and skin grow between the legs, fusing them together over time.
At a certain point the affliction will accelerate rapidly, grossly elongating the triton's body and mutating it into a serpentine cetus approximately 50 metres in length.
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A Cetus is struck down by Our Majesty of Elements

Type

Magical

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Congenital

Rarity

Extremely Rare

Affected Species

• Triton

*Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons