Blood Chrysalis

Written for Prompt 19 (2019 Summer Camp)

Written by David_Ulph

Transmission & Vectors

Blood Chrysalis is purely an affliction that affects the cursed Bludalfar race of Alfar. However, it only passes through pure blooded Bludalfar, and if an individual is even only 1% non-Bludalfar, then they will not be affected by Blood Chrysalis. While statistics would suggest that over time as well as integration into the Great Western Empire, the instances of Blood Chrysalis would be significantly decreased, but the conservative Alfar culture has made sure this isn't the case.

Causes

The cause of Blood Chrysalis harks back to the creation of the Bludalfar race and the cursing of Thorolf Dragor of his Mylrondia Conclaves. When the Alfar deformed and mutated into what they are now, while the pain of accelerated evolution eventually ended, Blood Chrysalis was a development of the curse to prolong the pain of Thorolf's kin for his immortality.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Blood Chrysalis don't become apparent and develop until the individual reaches an elderly stage. Then, the elderly Bludalfar will know they are reaching old age when they feel great pain in their joints, with momentary "seizures" causing smaller joints such as ankles or fingers to seize up. As time goes on, the pain in the joints will progress to what feels like the skin itself burning in the light, with red skin growing paler and veins protruding more than before. As the skin burns and thins, the veins will visibly pulsate as pain rackets through the Bludalfar's body and the seizures grow more frequent. Ultimately, blood begins to seep out of nostrils and eyeducts before the affected dies from either old age or blood loss.

After the Bludalfar dies, the cadaver will be a lot more heavy than a usual dead body, with the name of the condition being the reason for this. When the body is cut open, the blood appears to have immediately coagulate after the heart stops, going so far as to crystallise in large spots leading many surgeons to believe this is the main source of burning sensation.

Treatment

As a genetic curse to the condition of being Bludalfar, there is no way to truly cure Blood Chrysalis, but apothecaries have discovered various ways to treat and ease the pain. The 'common rue' is a herb native to the south of Elgerlor that is already used in the medical profession to rub on skin sores. If lightly burned, the fumes can be smelled to soothe the bone aches and completely remove the risks of seizures which makes the early stages of Blood Chrysalis less painful. However, common rue has an extremely bitter taste and smell of fume, which is slightly poisonous to Bludalfar and so if consumed too much it will cause the affected Bludalfar to empty their stomach. In the later stages, this puke will be bloody and if the blood has crystallised, then it will cut the insides of the Bludalfar's throat.

Our eyes may restore, our skin may recolour, our bones may even reverse to a non-skeletal state over time, but our curse is rooted in our blood. For we are Bludalfar, and we must suffer the curse of the Dragon Emperor.

— A Bludalfar Scholar

Type

Genetic

Origin

Mutated

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Common

Affected Species

• Alfar