Transmorphification Syndrome

Transmorphification Syndrome is an affliction that, once it occurs to a living thing, is impossible to reverse. It is the end result of an unprepared life-form being infused with a level of Mana that their bodies cannot handle on it's own. To compensate for this, the Mana begins to transform the living thing's body, a process that acts quickly and often results in the individual becoming Transformed, resembling something far different than that of their original form.

Transmission & Vectors

Transmorphification Syndrome occurs when any form of life that has Resolve within it is exposed to heavy amounts of Mana, far more than a body can handle. Although species that have a higher tolerance for Mana or are practitioners of magic, such as Elves and Arcanists respectively, have a lower chance of becoming Transformed, it's still a potent risk that they have to deal with if they're not cautious.

Causes

^{For Machina, there is a digitalized variation of Transmorphification Syndrome that results in various mutations to their code and hardware. For this, please see Irregularant Behavior}

Transmorphification typically takes on many different forms, often relating to the environment an infected person is in, or on various aspects of their soul. The specifics are not entirely well known despite research by organizations such as ARC due to the nature and makeup of the soul, as well as environments varying wildly between individuals. Although there are many cases of people undergoing similar end-states of Transmorphification, no one is 1-to-1 the same with the other.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Transmorphification Syndrome are fast-acting, occurring within the first 24 hours of manifestation and lasting for anywhere from a week to a month. These symptoms include:

• Expulsion of mana from various orifices.
• Glowing eyes.
• Pains throughout the body.
• Blood turning Devoidia in color.

Oftentimes, these symptoms will give raise to other conditions that are exacerbated by supernatural causes, such as Root Growth Sickness or Crystaline Edenite Growth Syndrome. In the event of these conditions occurring, immediate medical attention will be needed.

Treatment

Once Transmorphism begins, there is no cure. Although tests have been done to remove as much mana as possible from people undergoing Transmorphism, the end result typically ends with them being half-transformed, with any changes to the body remaining. At this point, assistance from Ceramists is typically needed to ensure that any changes, interrupted or otherwise, done to the body aren't lethal to the Transformed or to those around them.

Prognosis

Essentially, by the time the Transmorphification wears off, the person afflicted with it will have become Transformed. Transformed individuals go by a wide-range of forms and shapes, with the most common forms having been Mandragorians and Werewolves.

Affected Groups

Although any species can end up affected by Transmorphfication, there are a few particular notes to be made of various species or infected groups:

Dragons

Dragons, due to their nature as massive creatures that metaphorically breathe immense amounts of Resolve, regularly undergo bouts of Transmorphification, their forms shifting and changing at a rapid pace.

Cambrions

Cambrions have been noted to experience Transformorphification at higher frequencies than ordinary Humans and Demons. This is suggested to be as a result of a Demon's natural ability to absorb Mana from the enviroment around them, an issue with which Cambrions struggle with regularly.

Prevention

Since it only occurs when an individual is exposed to an extraordinary amount of Mana, practitioners of magic typically need to practice safety when making use of Mana in any capacity. Absorption of Mana in smaller doses to build up a higher resistance to it is a typical way to go about it, as well as using tools or materials that allow for the usage of Mana in other forms. Edenite, for example, has worked well for the creation of tools for casting and working with Mana.

History

The earliest recorded instance of a creature undergoing Transmorphification can be found in ancient history books on Terra Eclipsis, describing how in 102 S.E., The Dragon King wished to create powerful weapons to use in his war against the Elves. To succeed in this, The Dragon King would forcibly abduct various species throughout the realms and experiment on them. Although this would bring about many horrors such as Living Towers and Draa'ken, this would also result in the creation of various individuals who would become transformed beasts, controlled by the will of the Dragon King.

For eons afterward, Transformed species and individuals would be uncommon sightings, often giving rise to the stories of various cryptids that have existed throughout history. It's often speculated that Jackalopes were originally the result of a transformed Hare that was able to create offspring. In other cases, such as the Loch Ness Monster, it's been suggested that it is a transformed fish or, in more fringe claims, a transformed Dragon, though this theory is considered to be shaky due to it's supposed longevity and the existence of Jörmungandr being conflated with Nessie.

The Bloom and The Withering both brought about massive cases of Transmorphification after they occurred. With The Bloom, these cases occurred as a result of unprepared, inexperienced, or just plain unlucky humans experimenting with magic and getting themselves into trouble with Magic. With The Withering, however, Transmorphification would occur across all of the realms, with massive groups being transformed simply from being exposed to the high and potent levels of Mana that had spread across the realms.

Although nowadays the cases have died down thanks to a reduction in high mana levels and various forms of safety being established (such as the usage of underground passageways between locations and promotion of means to cleanse mana from one's bloodstream, among other things), the risk of being Transformed is still high and, although there are many who treat Transformed as they would their neighbors and friends, there are still groups who would see the Transformed as monsters despite the fact that they've been turned into beasts against their will.

Various Transformed individuals live amongst the people, though many of them would often prefer to live in areas that are more hospitable to their new forms. For example, Mandragorians will often live out in forested areas such as parks or farms, due to their bodies having become plant-like in nature.

Left: Ordinary blood sample.
Right: Transformed Blood 24 Hrs after symptoms appear.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Common