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The Malefic Consumption

Name:

Origin:

Demonic / The Hollow

Infection Level:

Wasting

Overview & Cause

The Malefic Consumption, or colloquially known as "The Consumption", is caused by prolonged contact with demonic entities, or the use of Hollow Magic. Lesser demons infect the vessel of a host, burrowing down into skin, flesh, bone, and even inanimate objects and replacing it with a swarm. Demons are, in their very nature, parasytes. Similar to a virus they are a swarm of cell-like beings made up of information parasytes. The breakdown whatever they infest and send it's information and atomic structure back to the Hollow to be stored.

Demon's as most know them are simply an amalgamation of lesser demons that have come together as one being, held together by a core, a particularly powerful demonic parasyte. Having consumed enough informational material they develop personalities. These Greater demons, or amalgamations, can access a set amount of information amassed within the hollow to assume shapes. The information available to them is based upon the core's age and own affinities, and may grant it powers based upon the information received.

Symptoms

Small patches of skin begin to turn ashen and, eventually, black. Eye's begin to form on these patches that are a pinkish to red hue. Subject becomes more irritable or more likely to act upon primal impulses and intrusive thoughts. Eventually these swarms of demons burrow deeper and reach the veins of the subject, turning them black. The subjects blood on the affected parts will be replaced with demonic swarms and eventually they swarm will burrow deep enough to reach bone and replace entire bones, organs, and sections of skin.

As the swarm grows it will gain an intelligence and instincts upon which it acts. Impulses to consume more informational material will appear within the subject and they will become protective of the demonic swarm, wishing to feed it as it consumes parts of them. Eventually the demonic swarm will start its evolution into a greater demon. At this time it can either take over the host, or enter into a symbiotic relationship with them. This fully depends on the hosts strength of will, and has little to do with power or magical prowess. In fact the more magically inclined are at greater risk of being consumed as their own power feeds the demonic swarm.

Stage 1:

Small patches of skin turn ashen or grey. They are more irritable and likely to act upon their impulses and intrusive thoughts fed to them by the infant swarm.

Little abilities are gained from the swarm as it is in it's infancy. Host's may become more resilient and gain some measure of resistance to colder climates. They may feel a tingling or burning sensation while on hallowed ground.

Recovery is simple with only a single injection of holy water needed. Will painful it is not unbearably so.

Stage 2:

The swarm burrows deeper and enters the bloodstream of the host. Skin turns black and pinkish red slits in the skin begin to cover infected area. Eyes turn bloodshot and the veins within begin to darken. The swarm begins to gain sentience and self preservation instincts, being able to move and writhe. The swarm feeds it's host with more impulsive thoughts and the desire to collect more informational material to digest. The swarm begins to grow and become more visible. While in this stage the host begins to gain more measurable power from the demonic swarm, enough to become noticeable and, in many cases, add to their reluctance to get rid of the parasyte. Their resilience grows and the host's regenerative abilities gain a noticeable boost. Infected area's gain increased power and abilities. (For example an infected leg may grant additional speed and jump height.) Walking along hallowed ground causes intense, but not unbearable, pain to the host. Recovery, while difficult, is possible at this stage. It requires the removal of infected flesh and injections of holy water into the subject's veins. This process is extremely painful for the subject, and made even more difficult by the subject's unwillingness to be treated.

Stage 3:

Blood vessels within the host's eyes burst, causing them to cry bloodied tears almost constantly. The reddish slits and cuts within the infected area's skin open up into demonic eyes. The Swarm consumes the entire infected area and burrows into the bone. At this point the swarm has began to form the core of a greater demon within the host's body and a budding consciousness forms. The host's desires begin to align with the swarm's, which in turn are influenced by their host. Subject's report hearing another voice within their mind as the swarm begins to communicate directly. Subjects are more prone to violent acts and aggression.

This stage is wear the host begins to reap many benefits from their parasyte, while also beginning to lose themself if their will is weak. Their regenerative abilities skyrocket with even the most grievous wounds healing in mere hours as the lost material is replaced by a rapidly growing demonic swarm. Their strength is increased noticeably, yet the more noticeable change is in the cunning of the host. The host is immune to all but the most intense cold, as well as all diseases which are promptly consumed by the demonic swarm.

At this stage recovery is exceptionally difficult, requiring the removal of entire limbs, organs, and large swathes of skin. As well as frequent injections of holy water into the subject's veins.

Stage 4:

The demonic swarm has spread to large portions of the host's body. Small pseudo-limbs or tentacles begin to grow from infected flesh as the swarm begins to infest the subject's nervous system. The personality of the greater demon has fully formed and subject's report having another person within their minds. The swarm covers most of the host's body and clumps of lesser demons fall from infected area's like dripping liquid. If the subject's will is weak they will defer to the Greater Demon's influence at this point and become increasingly cruel and sadistic, emotions such as empathy or compassion becoming dulled. At this stage the host exhibits truly frightening abilities. Able to regenerate from even lethal wounds. They have a large measure of control over their own body, which as this point is largely made up of the malleable swarm of demons. They are able to form constructs out of the demonic swarm , such as turning their arms into large blades of bone, or even forming a sort of cloak around them to grant pseudo flight and protection. At this point recover is nigh impossible and any attempt at treatment has a high mortality rate. The swarm is so integrated in the host that separation is simply not feasible. Even if the majority of the demonic swarm is removed the subject would be required to take injections of pure holy water for the rest of their, extremely shortened, lifespan. This is not to mention the fact that one would have to contest with a near fully formed greater demon within the host that will not be very keen on it's own destruction through this treatment.

Stage 5:

The demonic swarm makes it's way into the host's brain, infecting it and completing it's evolution. By now the host has multiple pseudo limbs and tentacles growing from their body. It is at this point that the greater demon fully matures, the host's heart, or whatever passes for one, is replaced by the demonic core. This stage is when the host is either completely replaced by the demonic swarm, or is able to reach a stage of symbiosis with it. Whichever the case, the two become one.

At this stage the amalgamation is a highly deadly and cunning predator. Able to influence it's entire body into transformations, though these are based upon the informational material it has consumed. It is able to heal itself by absorbing genetic material, consuming other living beings to subsist. It no longer needs to eat or drink, but it must keep consuming other's to survive. It stores the information of whatever it consumes, able to transform it's appearance into the people it has eaten.

Recovery is impossible, by now their is no more distinction between host and parasyte and killing one will kill the other.

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The Malefic Consumption

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