Vampirism

⚠️ Content Note: This page contains descriptions of blood-based parasitism, biological mutation, and mild sexual transmission themes.

Vampirism is caused by a rare microscopic organism that feeds on blood and gradually alters its host's biology through successive stages of evolution.

Origin and Transmission

Initially, the organism was a simple blood-borne parasite. Over time, it evolved to integrate itself into the host's DNA. One of the first visible changes in infected hosts is the replacement of normal canine teeth with specialized fangs. These fangs are adapted to pierce the veins of other creatures, allowing the organism to pass from host to victim via blood.

In its early stages, the organism does not compel the host to consume blood. However, it eventually developed mechanisms that encourage and enable blood consumption, providing nutritional benefits to the organism and increasing transmission opportunities.

Life and Death

Over time, the organism gained the ability to keep a host biologically active even after clinical death, resulting in a state of undeath. These "undead vampires" are sustained entirely by the organism and can no longer eat normal food, as their digestive systems deteriorate. They are also significantly weakened by exposure to sunlight.

In contrast, "living vampires" retain more of their original biology. They may exhibit enhanced abilities but are not dependent on blood for survival and can function normally in sunlight and with standard food intake.

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Advanced Adaptations

As evolution continued, the organism developed several advanced traits:

• Neuro-social Manipulation: It began influencing brain regions associated with social interaction, making vampires more charismatic and persuasive.
• Magic Field Manipulation: Small internal organs evolved to interact with the magic field, enhancing magical abilities. These organs emit magic waves, altering the host's appearance to be more attractive to potential mates based on the host's soul's perception of attractiveness.
• Sexual Transmission: To increase propagation, the organism also adapted to be transmitted sexually.

Eventually, hosts gained the ability to fly through an evolved magic-based organ, further improving their ability to find food and mates.

Thralls

A more recent development is the creation of thralls. The organism produces a smaller, semi-dormant variant that functions like a magical parasitic fungus. This variant can infect another being's brain, subtly controlling behavior to ensure obedience to the vampire. Through magical communication between the vampire and the parasite, some powers can even be granted to thralls.

If a vampire dies, any thralls they created remain alive. The parasite within them becomes active, turning all thralls into vampires.

#1F01CC

When first contact was made with #1F01CC ⚠️, the organism hadn't yet evolved a way to interact with their DNA. This led to some severe problems when the first #1F01CC ⚠️ to be infected by this organism was infected. Eventually, the organism evolved to be able to handle their DNA. It creates growths that can explode with blood, allowing transmission. Over time, the organism also evolves a way to create long, retractable bars that extend from just below the elbows to the backs (or rarely fronts) of the hands. Small tooth-like structures occasionally appear on the face as well, but this is very rare.