Black-Blood Syndrome

"Black-Blood Syndrome, or 'vakad miventer' in Daemonic, is a rare congenital syndrome that gives a Daemon dark blood, in contrast to our characteristically-clear blood. It is associated with parthogenesis; since the elites oft have children this way, it has another name, 'vavak vela': royal blue, or Blue-Blood. This is due to the Human idiom 'nobility bleeds blue'."
---Comment from a Daemon with the condition: Ke'tlan, Elektrik Lith of Soul

Transmission & Vectors

Black Blood Syndrome is a genetic anomaly associated with the blood protein Zeiloglobin. It is theorized that, in individuals with a large amount of recessive DNA, the genetic code associated with this protein becomes involuntarily altered by the recessive code surrounding it.

As it is a malfunction within the genes of the individual during embryonic development, it cannot be transmitted outside of that specific case. It is a condition that proliferates in parthenogenetic children due to their multi-threaded DNA only being influenced by a single Parent; it can be "avoided" via multi-parent fertilization.

Causes

The cause of Black-Blood Syndrome seems to be a mutation in response to the steady progression of human takeover. A Daemon's zieloglobin is typically clear, with a slight tint that hints at the Ziel's elemental attunement. When a Daemon bleeds, the zieloglobin will drop its 'camouflage' and emit a vivid coloration, unless they are near a Human: in this specific case, the blood's color becomes resemblant of a human's due to specific pheromones.

For those with Vakad Miventer, however, their blood is fairly opaque, and when it bleeds through it is near-black, which is where the syndrome gets its name from. It shifts its color to a deep red when near humans, however.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Black-Blood Syndrome are fairly cosmetic, and easy to diagnose after birth. It has very limited health complications with terrestrial Daemon; for flying Daemon, the only worrying symptoms are those associated with temperature. Compared to other syndromes, it is fairly easy to live with the condition.

Characteristic symptoms of Black-Blood Syndrome include:

Palms and lips that share the color of the Daemon's alignment

Dark and/or visible veins, especially when under a light

A lower tolerance to temperature changes

Blood that's near-black when shed

Other conditions that may arise from the syndrome include:

Thalassemia: a below-average count in blood cells, which causes weakness and fatigue

Aura-deficient anemia: poor absorption of Aura (which is required for Zieloglobin production)

Hemophilia: a tendency to bleed or bruise more than usual, due to clot-deficient blood

Note that, although Black-Blood Syndrome lacks many complications, certain sequelae hold their own risks.

Treatment

Black-Blood Syndrome cannot be cured, as it is a congenital syndrome; it can, however, be prevented from further proliferating in the youth of an afflicted individual. This includes multi-parent coupling, using a non-Black Blood as the dam of the Child, or-- more grimly-- not having any children.

Its more debilitating symptoms can, however, be managed. Wearing proper garments during the hot or cold seasons can help an individual better regulate their body temperature. Some believe that meditative therapy can also assist in monitoring the quality of blood cells in an individual, when using a similarly-attuned Ziel crystal.

Affected Groups

Individuals most susceptible to being born with Black-Blood Syndrome include those with limited gene matrixes; this means that lineages with limited gene variation-- either through parthenogenesis, incest, or highly-controlled coupling [e.g. elites coupling only with elites] -- are more likely to pass on the syndrome than others.

Type

Genetic

Origin

Mutated

Cycle

Chronic, Congenital

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species