BloodBane

Overview

BloodBane was a deadly bio-engineered disease created by the Mirok family scientists to aid in their rise to power, helping them seize control of the Kromas government. It was instrumental in the establishment of the Kromas Regency. While "BloodBane" is historically regarded as a single disease, in reality, multiple variants were created, each targeting specific genetic factors present only within families and groups who stood in opposition to the Miroks' ambition. These variants were meticulously engineered to ensure the swift and effective elimination of their rivals, allowing the Miroks to consolidate power with minimal collateral damage. *In cases where bloodlines had been mixed, those affected were not struck down to the same extent as the intended families but were left severely neurologically damaged from contracting the disease.

Catalyst & Origin

The first noted case of the disease surfaced following a grand political summit aimed at reforming the Kromas government in line with their main allies' political structure, the Illadrians. Previously, the Kromas had been focused on developing their military might and assisting other worlds in conflicts, a stance strongly supported by the Mirok family, who believed in their species' absolute authority and also had significalt stocks and invested interests in confinued arms production. Naturally, the Miroks utterly opposed the plans to reduce military funding and establish a more peace-keeping mentality. With the summit concluding with an overwhelming majority in favour of a more peaceful stance, the Mirok representative vowed there would be repercussions for showing "weakness."
While no attendees of the summit became sick immediately after attendance, it was not long before cases started to emerge. Initially dismissed as a rapidly onset strain of the common flu with an unusually high fatality rate, suspicions were raised among the population when the pattern of affliction became too precise to be natural.

Initial Outbreak

The initial outbreak saw the sudden and unexplained deaths of several prominent leaders and their kin, creating sudden power vacuums and chaos, which were quickly filled by Mirok family members or their supporters. Initially expecting the disease to be communicable, public gatherings and travel were severely restricted in an attempt to contain the spread, unbeknownst to those involved that it was already too late. Despite this, it was not long before people noticed the disease did not appear to be spreading outside of highly specific family groups, with the symptoms fairly hard to ignore. As BloodBane continued to claim lives, whispers of the disease's artificial origins began to circulate, though few dared to speak openly about this in fear of becoming its next victim.

Symptoms

• Initial Stage (1-2 days): Infected individuals experience mild flu-like symptoms - fever, fatigue, and body aches.
• Secondary Stage (3-5 days): Symptoms worsen with high fever, severe joint pain, and discoloured patches appearing on the skin from haemorrhaging blood vessels beneath the skin.
• Tertiary Stage (6-10 days): The infection spreads to the nervous system causing paralysis, intense pain, hallucinations, and seizures. In some cases, this stage proves fatal.
• Terminal Stage (11-14 days): In the final stage, survival hormones are released in bulk by the body's internal systems, prompting a strong survival response even as internal organs begin to fail. This leads to a slow and agonising death, with a mortality rate of 100% even with medical intervention.

Government Response

The Miroks, positioning themselves as the only hope against this new scourge, declared a state of emergency. Strict quarantine measures were put in place, with families encouraged to isolate together for their own protection, and the Miroks offering "expertise" to control the outbreak. Public fear was manipulated to justify increasingly authoritarian measures, with those succumbing to the disease being described as having contracted it by "not following established quarantine rules."

Impact on Society

BloodBane's introduction reshaped Kromas society from a supportive military ally to the wider universe into a totalitarian force.
Political Shift: The decimation of opposition to the Miroks' ambition allowed them and their supporters to establish the Kromas Regency, a totalitarian government with absolute power over their political landscape, creating a new ruling class. Social Unrest: While initially restless and riddled with fear and grief, the populace began to suspect foul play. Small resistance groups formed but were subsequently wiped out by the same disease, with entire bloodlines sometimes eradicated due to a single individual's involvement in the resistance.

Type

Viral