The Pandemonium Plague
The plague did not receive it's name on false pretenses. It is truly a frightening disease that has disastrous effects for those who contract it. The Pandemonium Plague is highly contagious; transmitted through any bodily fluids. This is how it spread so quickly and caused chaos in the world within such a little amount of time. Contracting the plague can be as simple as being sneezed on or being bitten by a mosquito that has fed on an infected individuals blood. All living beings are susceptible; from a human to the smallest of rodents. For those infected there is no cure. In certain situations such as a bite; a wound may be washed clean, but there is no guarantee one will be spared of the plague.
There are a variety of stages the Pandemonium Plague goes through once contracted. From the time of initial exposure it'll take less than twenty four hours for the symptoms to present. The dormant stage for the plague is much shorter than it had once been when it was first brought to light. Over the years it has adapted and morphed into the maddening state it has settled on in present day.
For those infected there is no hope of long term survival. At some point they will always succumb to the plague as it wreaks havoc on their organs and bodily functions. Some creatures will die almost instantly if their body is unable to host the plague. It's usually organ failure or cardiac arrest that kills most. Not all of those that contract the Pandemonium Plague die straight away. They may live for months or multiple years upon infection. The more weak a creature is, however the more likely they will die much sooner.
When a creature is able to survive the initial stages of the plague they will temporarily be empowered by it. They'll grow in strength and agility. This comes with a hefty price, however: their sanity. It's not uncommon for one to have lapses in memories or suffer from spouts of dementia. With the lack of mental fortitude and stability they become almost beast-like. They're prone to manic episodes, unbridled rage and a lack of morality, more so in the later stages of their life. It's not uncommon for an infected creature to have an insatiable appetite, almost always leading to cannibalism or violent tendencies to sate their needs.
Due to the potential prolonged life of some plague-ridden creatures, it's possible for them to reproduce. These offspring are a different breed of infected beings altogether. Since they were born with the Pandemonium Plague, their body has adapted for survival. They'll be Intune with the plague and are not susceptible to it's lethality. This evolution has brought forth a variety of different traits, including, but to limited to: venomous glands, horns and even elongated fangs. The new adaptions and traits are not limited to any species leaving for quite the variety in infected-born offspring.
There are a variety of stages the Pandemonium Plague goes through once contracted. From the time of initial exposure it'll take less than twenty four hours for the symptoms to present. The dormant stage for the plague is much shorter than it had once been when it was first brought to light. Over the years it has adapted and morphed into the maddening state it has settled on in present day.
For those infected there is no hope of long term survival. At some point they will always succumb to the plague as it wreaks havoc on their organs and bodily functions. Some creatures will die almost instantly if their body is unable to host the plague. It's usually organ failure or cardiac arrest that kills most. Not all of those that contract the Pandemonium Plague die straight away. They may live for months or multiple years upon infection. The more weak a creature is, however the more likely they will die much sooner.
When a creature is able to survive the initial stages of the plague they will temporarily be empowered by it. They'll grow in strength and agility. This comes with a hefty price, however: their sanity. It's not uncommon for one to have lapses in memories or suffer from spouts of dementia. With the lack of mental fortitude and stability they become almost beast-like. They're prone to manic episodes, unbridled rage and a lack of morality, more so in the later stages of their life. It's not uncommon for an infected creature to have an insatiable appetite, almost always leading to cannibalism or violent tendencies to sate their needs.
Due to the potential prolonged life of some plague-ridden creatures, it's possible for them to reproduce. These offspring are a different breed of infected beings altogether. Since they were born with the Pandemonium Plague, their body has adapted for survival. They'll be Intune with the plague and are not susceptible to it's lethality. This evolution has brought forth a variety of different traits, including, but to limited to: venomous glands, horns and even elongated fangs. The new adaptions and traits are not limited to any species leaving for quite the variety in infected-born offspring.
Stages of the Plague
Below you'll find three primary stages the Pandemonium Plague goes through. Not all symptoms will be present to those who have contracted the plague. It can vary greatly among individuals. The stages of the plague only pertain to those who have contracted it by some means. They're listed in general order of how they present. Those who are infected-born are not subject to any of these symptoms, although the plague will claim their life eventually. The plague is primarily spread through blood, saliva, and mucus.
The symptoms highlighted are common.
The symptoms highlighted are common.
I. Initial ContractionDeadly beginnings...
(24-72 hours after coming into contact with contaminated body fluids. Incubation period.)
Later Progression
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II. The Plague's PrimeFor those who survive stage one...
(1 month - 3 years post infection)
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III. Eventual DeteriorationThe decline all infected are fated one day...
(3-5 years post infection.)
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Infected-born and Breeding Facts
Those who contract the Pandemonium Plague and survive the initial stage are capable of breeding. The survival rate of pregnancies relies entirely on the parents. It's entirely possible for a infected creature to breed with one who has not contracted the plague. These pregnancies are at a high risk of mortality to both the offspring and potentially the mother. If the one carrying the offspring is not infected the survival rate of both offspring and parent are decreased by forty percent. Miscarriages and stillborn births are very likely in these instances. However, if the pregnant parent is the one infected by the plague the survival rate increases drastically.
Since survival rates are so high when the pregnancy is carried by an infected creature it's led to the rapid population and evolution of the Pandemonium Plague. When a creature is infected-born there is a chance of inheriting various adaptions and traits from the plague. Traits vary among all infected-born, but there are certain rarer ones that only present from 'pure breedings'. A pure breeding is when both parents are infected by the plague. 'Non-pure breedings' have a increased risk of birth defects. This fact alone has brought forth the priority of 'pure breeding' among those infected.
There are some traits that all infected-born creatures share in common. Every one has an abnormal hue of blood; most are dull in color, but still pigmented. Those from 'pure-breedings' tend to have more pastel-shaded colors. Each infected-born also has a developed 'venom gland'. This gland sits right above the stomach and has a tract that leads into the esophagus. It acts in a way where it is sealed off until prompted to open and trigger. This enables infected-born creatures to vomit and spit up their venom at will. The venom itself is slightly acidic and has corrosive properties if left to linger on something for too long. As the venom is a bodily fluid it acts as another means of transmitting the Pandemonium Plague. The sclera of their eyes is also always a dark shade of gray to black.
All infected-born, no matter the species, lack patterns at birth. Only the most primary colors are visible at birth. As they age their markings and patterns begin to fully develop and show. Many other traits don't show directly at birth either, such as horns, elongated fangs, manes and talons. Any mutations such as birth defects will be visible at birth, however. From their adulthood and onward as they age their manes or tufts fade out to gray or white. They also have longer longevity than is normal for their species. Their lifespans are not drastically different, but it's a noticeable difference ranging in three to six years.
Since survival rates are so high when the pregnancy is carried by an infected creature it's led to the rapid population and evolution of the Pandemonium Plague. When a creature is infected-born there is a chance of inheriting various adaptions and traits from the plague. Traits vary among all infected-born, but there are certain rarer ones that only present from 'pure breedings'. A pure breeding is when both parents are infected by the plague. 'Non-pure breedings' have a increased risk of birth defects. This fact alone has brought forth the priority of 'pure breeding' among those infected.
There are some traits that all infected-born creatures share in common. Every one has an abnormal hue of blood; most are dull in color, but still pigmented. Those from 'pure-breedings' tend to have more pastel-shaded colors. Each infected-born also has a developed 'venom gland'. This gland sits right above the stomach and has a tract that leads into the esophagus. It acts in a way where it is sealed off until prompted to open and trigger. This enables infected-born creatures to vomit and spit up their venom at will. The venom itself is slightly acidic and has corrosive properties if left to linger on something for too long. As the venom is a bodily fluid it acts as another means of transmitting the Pandemonium Plague. The sclera of their eyes is also always a dark shade of gray to black.
All infected-born, no matter the species, lack patterns at birth. Only the most primary colors are visible at birth. As they age their markings and patterns begin to fully develop and show. Many other traits don't show directly at birth either, such as horns, elongated fangs, manes and talons. Any mutations such as birth defects will be visible at birth, however. From their adulthood and onward as they age their manes or tufts fade out to gray or white. They also have longer longevity than is normal for their species. Their lifespans are not drastically different, but it's a noticeable difference ranging in three to six years.
Infected-born Traits
Below are all of the current adaptions and traits any infected-born creature may possess. These apply to all species, but keep in mind what attributes a species can't have. (ie: birds don't have teeth)
There is a rarity system and certain limits in place to help keep characters from being over-powered.
There is a rarity system and certain limits in place to help keep characters from being over-powered.
'Pure Bred' Infected-Born:
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'Non Pure' Infected-Born:
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Fangs & Teeth
The fang traits are commonly seen among infected-born. They can range from larger canines, shark-like, 'razor' teeth or severe underbites. Though these traits can give them an advantage, specific ones do cause some issues for individuals, such as: not being able to fully close the mouth, risk of injuring their tongue or difficulty eating.
Horns and Antlers
Horns are a somewhat uncommon sight among infected-born. They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. An infected-born's horns can be any colors, but are often in medium to darker shades. They can come in ombre, though will never be in drastically differing colors. For whatever reason infected find darker and warm-tone colored horns the most attractive.
Claws & Talons
It's a common trait among infected-born to have longer than average claws for their species. Most of the overgrown claw traits are limited to being seen on pure bred infected-born, however. The claw trait is one that is quite useful for both defense and offense. Overgrown claws do come with some downsides for some individuals such as: difficulty walking and foot or digit pain due do the needed changes in walking posture.
Tails
Abnormal tails isn't too common with infected-born, but still happen from time to time. The more rarer traits like the tentacle or double tail are rare to see indeed. Those with the tentacle tail trait are able to control their tail-like appendages separately. They aren't truly tentacles, however and are often darker in color and primarily just bare skin. One of the more common tail traits to find is the bare or poof tail. They were named as such just for the appearance alone. Tail traits don't offer any solid advantages or disadvantages to infected-born.
Note: The tentacle tail is unable to be obtained by choice. You must purchase it through our reward shop on our Discord server. It can be passed down genetically through offspring, however.
Note: The tentacle tail is unable to be obtained by choice. You must purchase it through our reward shop on our Discord server. It can be passed down genetically through offspring, however.
Manes, tufts & Plumage
Seeing infected-born with extra mane and tuft traits is quite common. They offer no real advantages, aside from some individuals finding extra manes more attractive than others. An individual having a normal mane or tuft of hair on the head or spine is so common that it's not included within the traits, as both non infected-born and even pure creatures have been seen with those. These extra growths are not limited to fur only, any infected-born individual that is a feathered-species may have extra plumage of feathers instead of fur.
Infected-Born Age Progression
As those individuals infected-born have such a variety in growth compared to their normal species counterparts below is a loose chart of progression. Though all infected-born do share certain traits, not all of them are identical in terms of growth. It varies greatly among species, so keep in mind the general growth of the species your infected-born is.
Newborns
When born all infected-born will lack patterning and any sort of markings. Only their most primary colors will be visible. This goes for both mammals and those who are oviparous (once they hatch). Any traits they may develop will also not be present at birth, this includes: horns, fangs, claws and any extra manes or plumage. If they have any tail traits from the plague those will be present, however. Their eyes will also have the darker sclera. This may make it harder to distinguish the natural color of the iris and pupil until they age further.
Two - three Months
Up until around the two to three months age mark there will be no significant changes in appearance when it comes to traits and patterning. At this point any extra manes, tufts or plumage will start to appear in small patches. Any teeth or claw traits will also begin to develop, though they of course will not be fully developed until much later. Some infected-born may have their patterning begin to appear gradually. It will never be as vividly colored as it will be once matured, however. Most markings will start out very faint. Their venom gland will also start to develop, but won't be fully functional. This may lead to symptoms similar to colic or bouts of upset stomachs in some offspring. By the end of three months their natural iris and pupil colors will be fully pigmented and noticeable.
Six Months
It's around this time that any horn traits will begin to show, through the growth of starting out as smaller stubs before gradually growing over time. An infected-born's venom gland will be fully developed and functional at this point. They'll be able to create and spit up their venom which offers them a great advantage in survival situations. Most other traits will be fully developed as well such as their horns, manes, claws or fangs. If their horn or fang traits is one of the more larger, rarer variations they may not be fully sized, however. By the end of the six month mark the infected-born will have most if not all of their full adult markings and patterns. If they have a fully-maned trait it may not be grown out to it's full extent.
One Year
At this point an infected-born is considered an adolescent. All of their traits will be fully developed. Though they still have growing left to do, they're more or less seen as miniature adults. As it's typical for infected-born to grow quite large in stature they likely won't be at their full height or weight just yet, unless they're destined to be more lanky and small. Even though they are mostly done growing in terms of traits, unless a species varies greatly in terms of maturation they won't be sexually mature until the age of two years.
Five Years
It's around this period that most infected-born are considered fully mature, middle-aged adults. At this point some may begin to start seeing lighter pigmentation in their manes/hair. This 'graying out' of color will gradually continue over the course of their life. It appears this has a lot to do with any potential stress in their life; as such it varies greatly from individual to individual.
Ten Years
While not inherently considered of elder age, due to their lifestyle, it's common for infected-born to have their mane/hair be fully faded at this period in their life. After this point there is no further changes compared to what is normal for their species. They will continue to age as their species normally would up until their eventual death.