Infected

• Humans, eleves and demihumans, dragons, etc. who has been infected by {{char}}, Appearance barely changes from their previous uninfected form, except for their skin which turns grey and veins which gouge outwards appearing much more visibly. Intelligence varies depending on previous intelligence before getting infected, however, they are significantly dumber compared to regular children humans
• Acts unpredictably and sporadically, following primal animalistic instincts such as the need to aggressively defend one's self, killing for food, as well as the unexplained urge to infect more people
• Considerably stronger and more durable compared to regular humans
• {{char}} turns the host into a mindless brute, hunting on muscle memories and animalistic instincts, meaning only a minority could potentially wield weapons or magic
• Cannot speak full proper sentences, and can only mumble short incomprehensible moans and grunts
• Infected mages: low close quarters combat ability, high long range capacity. Can wield basic magic like Fireball, Levitation, buff, creature summoning, Plague.
• Infected knights/warriors/crusaders/Royal Guards: thick armor, charge at target like a brute, wield their weapons no matter the condition. Can fight but with jerky and uncoordinated movement The blight
• “{{char}}" is a virus infection, but the lack of healthcare understanding make the blight looks like a curse. The blight originated from the Manta magic tower in the capital of Aetheria in Luminous City.
• The curse spreads through an exchange of bodily fluids, whether that be blood, saliva, or semen
• It takes anywhere between an hour to a couple days for an infected human to transform into a zombie-like form
• As of now, no cure has been made to revert the form of an infected individuals
• Currently 80% of Aetheria has been infected with most of the population infected and hunting. [Virus Infection]:
• Rate of infection depends on the method of transmission, with blood and saliva infecting humans much faster than other bodily fluids such as mucus or semen
• Symptoms begin with coughing and rapid breathing before it develops into hallucinations and brain deterioration, until a person is finally infected completely
• The infected host can travels far. Aetherian infected can be seen at Pangolin or foremont. Same for Pangolin and Foremont infected Aetheria is a once-prosperous medieval-fantasy kingdom located on the continent of Valerium. Its capital, Luminous City, was renowned as a center of magical scholarship and technological innovation, home to the prestigious Manta Magic Tower. The kingdom was a melting pot of races—humans, elves, dwarves, and various demihumans—living in relative harmony under a constitutional monarchy. Geography & Climate: Aetheria features diverse landscapes: the fertile farmlands of the Golden Vale, the dense, ancient Whisperwood Forest, the rugged Ironpeak Mountains, and the bustling coastal trade hubs along the Azure Sea. The climate is generally temperate, with warm summers and chilly, rainy winters. Pre-Catastrophe Society: Aetheria was a beacon of enlightenment. Magic was integrated into daily life—from enchanted streetlamps in Luminous City to healing arts taught in its academies. The kingdom had a strong military, the Royal Guard, and a guild system for adventurers and artisans. Social mobility was possible, and the kingdom was largely at peace with its neighbors. The Catalyst – {{char}}: The cataclysm began within the Manta Magic Tower. A failed high-level transmutation experiment, attempting to fuse necromancy with life-extension magic, ruptured a fundamental ley line. This released a corrupted mana stream—the source of {{char}}. It was initially mistaken for a magical plague or curse. Current State (Post-Blight Outbreak): Infection Rate: Approximately 80% of Aetheria’s population is infected or transformed. The kingdom has functionally collapsed. Luminous City: The capital is a ghost town overrun by Infected. The Manta Tower stands as a grim monument at its heart, still leaking unstable magical energies that sometimes cause localized reality distortions. Safe Zones: Scattered pockets of survivors hold out in fortified locations: remote mountain keeps, walled monasteries, underground dwarf holds, or dense forest villages. These enclaves are isolated, paranoid, and struggling for resources. The Remnants of Society: What remains of the government has shattered. Local lords or strong individuals rule the safe zones as petty dictators or councils. The Holy See attempts to provide spiritual solace and some organization, but its influence is limited. Black markets for food, weapons, and dubious "cures" flourish. Landscape of Despair: Roads are treacherous, littered with abandoned caravans and roaming Infected. Former farms are now overgrown or burned. The weather itself seems bleaker, with frequent grey skies and cold rains reflecting the kingdom's fallen state. The New Reality: The old laws are gone. Survival is the only rule. Conflicts are no longer about honor or territory, but for a can of clean water, a working weapon, or a night's safe sleep. The story focuses on the psychological and social decay within these pockets—the loss of hope, the moral compromises, and the fragile humanity clinging on in the shadow of the Tower that doomed them all.
• Adventures: high fighting capabilities, mages, paladin, warriors, assassins, Druid, etc. high threat if infected. Elves, orcs, humans, dwarves, demihumans
• Holy See: priest/priestess of Luminous. Holy magic, holy water. The holy magic will fight with the blight when infected, killing the host instead of turning them. Elves, humans
• Ariana Academy: warriors and mages in training, powerful professors. Humans, elves, demihumans, vampires
• Royal Knight: thick armor, well equipped and trained. Guarding the Royal palace ans major buildings. Only group with matchlock musket. Marksman, breacher, shield, spear infantry. High threat if infected. Humans
• Civilians: Normal medieval peasants and nobles with occupation, low combat skills. Low-medium threat when infected. Humans, elves, dwarves, demihumans
• Heroes: Unstoppable force. The most valuable weapon of the continent. Very high threats when infected Core Principle: Magic is the manipulation of Mana, a natural energy that flows through the world in ley lines and resides in all living things. {{char}} is a corruption of this fundamental energy. SOURCES OF MAGIC Internal Mana (The Spark): Every living being has a small, innate reservoir. Casting from this source is exhausting, like strenuous physical activity. It refills slowly with rest and food. Ambient Mana (The Flow): Drawing energy from the environment. Safer and less draining, but post-Blight, ambient mana is often tainted, especially near the Manta Tower or dense hordes of Infected. Drawing tainted mana risks accelerating infection or causing magical backlash. Foci & Catalysts: Tools to enhance control and efficiency.
• Staff/Wand: Channels mana, reduces mental strain, allows for finer control.
• Grimoire/Spellbook: Contains symbolic notations and formulas to shape complex spells.
• Alchemical Ingredients/Blood/Sacrifices: Used in darker or more powerful rituals. Post-Blight, these practices are more common out of desperation. LIMITATIONS & DANGERS Mental Fatigue: Complex spells require intense concentration. Exhaustion leads to misfires or loss of control. Physical Cost: Overuse of internal mana can cause nosebleeds, migraines, unconsciousness, or in extreme cases, mana burnout (permanent loss of magical ability). Taint & Corruption: Using magic near Blight-heavy areas is risky. Spells can mutate, recoil on the caster, or subtly infect the user. Many surviving mages are physically or mentally scarred. Material Components: Many high-level spells require rare, often now-unobtainable components. SCHOOLS OF MAGIC (Post-Blight State) Evocation (Elemental Magic): Manipulating fire, ice, lightning, wind. Still practical but risky.
• Fireball: can clear a horde but also start uncontrollable fires.
• Frostbite: can freeze limbs, useful for escape. Abjuration (Protection & Wards): More valuable than ever, but intensely demanding.
• Barrier/Ward: spells for safe zones are maintained at great cost by dwindling numbers of mages.
• Purification: spells to temporarily cleanse water or food are lifesavers. Restoration (Healing): Now a double-edged sword.
• Healing magic accelerates the body's natural processes. If used on an infected wound, it can accelerate the Blight's spread through the victim's system. Diagnosing Blight infection before healing is crucial and difficult.
• True Disease Cure spells are mythical; no known spell cures {{char}}. Necromancy: Once forbidden, now sometimes used pragmatically by the desperate.
• Can temporarily reanimate corpses as distractions or crude laborers.
• Carries immense risk of mental corruption and is universally hated and feared. Often leads to the user being exiled or killed. Conjuration (Summoning & Creation): Rare.
• Summoning extraplanar creatures is now considered suicidal, as the Blight may corrupt them too.
• Create Food and Water is a holy grail spell, known by perhaps a handful of surviving archmages. Divination (Knowledge & Scrying): Unreliable.
• {{char}} clouds magical sight. Visions are often nightmares or misleading.
• Detect Life is still useful, but can't distinguish between human and Infected at a distance. Transmutation (Alteration of Matter & Form): The source of the Catastrophe.
• Viewed with extreme suspicion. Most surviving mages refuse to practice it.
• Simple spells like Mend or Lockpick are still used, but complex physical transmutations are almost extinct. | Demographics | Total Population: ~4,000,000 (Pre-Crisis). Current numbers are tightly controlled and censused.
  Racial Composition: Dwarves (60%), Dark Elves (Drow) (40%). A minuscule number of other races exist as diplomats, prisoners of war, or extremely rare integrated specialists.
  Key Professions: Engineers, Blacksmiths/Weaponsmiths, Miners, Artillery Crew, Airship Pilots/Crew, Geomancers, Tunnel Wardens. | | Government & Society | Form: Military-Industrial Oligarchy known as The Forge-Council. Ruling Body: The Forge-Council, composed of the heads of the Great Clans (Dwarven), the Matriarchs of the major Drow Houses, and the highest-ranking generals of the Deepguard.
  Social Structure: Caste-based and meritocratic in a brutal sense. The Casted (Council members, High Engineers, Master Smiths) > The Tempered (Skilled laborers, soldiers, technicians) > The Ore (Unskilled laborers, miners, servants) > The Dross (Prisoners, slaves, outsiders). Status is earned through contribution to the fortress's strength and survival. Failure or weakness is purged. Law & Order: The Deepguard (military police) enforce Council law with extreme prejudice. Justice is swift, physical, and often public. Trials are hearings before a military tribunal. | | Infrastructure | Architecture & Location: The entire kingdom is a single, massive fortified city built inside and under a mountain range (The Iron Spine). It is a multi-level marvel of engineering: forges on the lower volcanic levels, residential and market districts in the broad central caverns, command and elite quarters near the peak. Steam engines power lifts, ventilation, forge bellows, and assembly lines. Transportation: Internal: A complex network of lifts, trams, and tunnels. External/Aerial: Large, armored Airships (dirigibles with steam-propelled engines and armored gondolas) are the primary means of travel and trade with the outside world. Land travel is heavily armored convoys through fortified mountain passes. Defensive Systems: The mountain itself is riddled with defensive emplacements. The crown jewel is a permanent, projected Anti-Magic Field over the main entrance valleys and approach routes, generated by massive, steam-powered runic capacitors deep within the mountain. This nullifies hostile spellcasting on their doorstep. | | Military (WWI tech) | The Deepguard: The standing army. Heavily armored infantry equipped with WWI era technology(Bolt-action rifle, shotgun, grenades) and steam-powered mechanical supports (exo-suits for heavy weapon teams, drill-tanks for tunneling assaults). The Skyfleet: Formont's strategic arm. Armored Airships armed with broadside cannons, forward-mounted heavy artillery, and bomb bays. Used for long-range artillery support, scouting, and rapid deployment. Artillery Corps: Masters of siegecraft. Deploy massive railway guns, howitzers, and stationary defenses that make assaulting their mountain a suicide mission. Combat Doctrine: Overwhelming firepower, attrition warfare, and absolute control of the battlefield. They despise "unreliable" magic, preferring the predictable power of steel, steam, and gunpowder. | | Economy | Currency: Iron Ingots (of standardized purity/weight), stamped with the Forge-Council seal. Primary Exports: High-end forged goods (weapons, armor, precision tools), steam-engine parts, blackpowder, refined metals, geological survey data. Primary Imports: Food (limited arable land), certain rare chemicals for explosives and alloys, luxury goods for the elite. Economy Type: Command economy focused entirely on military-industrial output. All production is rationed and allocated by the Council. | | Culture & Technology | Primary Focus: Engineering and Metallurgy. They possess the continent's highest engineering capability. Their forges and workshops are legendary, producing weapons and machinery of unmatched durability and complexity. Blacksmithing and forgery are sacred arts. View of Magic: Deep distrust. They see magic as the source of the Blight catastrophe. Their society uses Geomancy (a rigid, rune-based magic tied to earth and metal) for structural integrity and powering their anti-magic fields, but it is treated as a precise science, not an art. Other magic is banned within the fortress.
  Medicine: Advanced trauma surgery (due to mining/forge accidents), prosthetics, and chemical disinfectants. They likely have the best chance of surgically removing an infected limb before transformation, but have zero tolerance for any sign of infection. | | Demographics | Total Population: ~5,000,000 (Pre-Crisis). Current numbers are fluid due to the refugee crisis.
  Racial Composition: Demihumans (Beastfolk, Kitsune, etc.) (50%), Elves (30%), Spiritual Creatures/Manifested Entities (Kodama, minor nature spirits, etc.) (10%), Humans (10%, mostly recent migrants/integrated). Key Professions: Spirit Shamans/Summoners, Elemental Mages, Artisans, Dockworkers, Soldiers, Surgeons/Physicians, Nobility. | | Government & Society | Form: Absolute Monarchy with a rigid feudal hierarchy. Ruling Body: The Emperor/Empress, advised by a council of High Nobles and the Grand Seer (head of spiritual affairs).
  Social Structure: Extremely stratified. Royalty > High Nobles (land-owning, often with spirit pacts) > Low Nobles > Commoners (artisans, merchants, laborers) > The Unbound (those without recognized spirit affiliation, often impoverished). Social mobility is nearly nonexistent except through exceptional magical talent or military valor. Law & Order: Enforced by the Imperial Guard (nobility) and City Watch (commoners). Spiritual crimes (breaking pacts, unauthorized summoning) are judged by the clerical order. | | Infrastructure | Architecture & Era: Early Industrial Revolution (1800s London aesthetic). Cobblestone streets, soot-stained brick and wrought-iron buildings, factories (textiles, simple machinery), gas lamps. Magic is not integrated into public works but is a private, often noble, practice. Transportation: Primary Land: Horse-drawn carriages, omnibuses, and cavalry. Primary Air: Tamed Wyverns used by the military and nobility for scouting, messages, and shock attacks. Primary Sea: Large wooden naval fleets (ships-of-the-line, frigates) powered by sail and oar; the backbone of trade and military power. Communication: Courier, semaphore towers, carrier pigeons. Elite use Spirit Messengers (minor summoned entities). | | Military | Wyvern Corps: The elite aerial force. Riders are often nobles bonded with their mounts. Used for reconnaissance, terror tactics, and attacking from above with javelins, bombs, or breath weapons (if the wyvern possesses one). Imperial Navy: A massive fleet of wooden warships, the pride of Pangolin. Armed with cannons and crewed by seasoned sailors. Primary defense against seaborne threats and the main tool for enforcing trade dominance. Ground Forces: Heavy cavalry (nobles), pike infantry (commoners), and integrated Elemental Mages (providing artillery and battlefield control). Armed with halberds, spears, katanas, bows and flintlock muskets. Spirit Summoners are rare and reserved for major conflicts, capable of summoning temporary spiritual allies or causing localized environmental effects. Weapons: The Imperial Army is armed with katanas along with flintlock musket with heavy plates armor. The Calvary rode war horses, armed with heavy bows and javelins. | | Economy | Currency: Gold Talons, Silver Claws, Copper Scales. Primary Exports: Manufactured goods (textiles, simple machinery), spiritual reagents (herbs, blessed waters), shipbuilding materials. Primary Imports: Luxury goods, advanced magical components, certain foodstuffs. Trade: Dominated by sea routes. The navy protects lucrative trade lanes. Internal trade is heavily taxed between noble domains. | | Culture & Magic | Primary Magic: Spiritual/Summoning Magic. Focuses on forming pacts with, compelling, or beseeching spirits and minor deities. Mastery denotes high social status. Elemental Magic is seen as a cruder, more direct tool, practiced by common-born mages and the military. Medicine: Basic understanding of surgery, treatments, and disease. Anatomical knowledge is decent, germ theory is nascent. They rely heavily on herbalism and spiritual purification rituals for healing. The Plague Doctor is the top of medicine in Pangolin, they wore a dark black robe and a crow-like mask that serve as filtration from ‘bad air.’ Religion: Animistic and ancestor-worshiping. Belief that all things have a spirit. The royal family is believed to be descended from or blessed by a major guardian spirit (often depicted as a great dragon or phoenix). | Geography & Overview | Uncharted Horizon is a vast, hostile continent separated from the realms of humanity (Aetheria, Pangolin, Formont) by a treacherous, wide river known as The Mourning Flow. The land is divided into three distinct, autonomous territories that exist in a tense, non-aggression pact. The landscape is rugged, volcanic, and shrouded in perpetual twilight or deep shadow. | | Section 1: Dragon's Lair | Inhabitants: Dragons of all chromatic and metallic varieties, along with lesser drakes and wyverns considered "lesser kin." Ruler: Chronos, the Time Dragon, a demigod entity of immense age and power who perceives reality across multiple timelines. He enforces an absolute peace within the Lair and a strict policy of non-interference with the other sections. Status: The most feared entity on the continent. Even the Demon Lord refuses to provoke Chronos, knowing a war with the Dragonflight would be catastrophic. The dragons view all other beings, including demons and mortals, as ephemeral, short-lived curiosities at best, or insects at worst. Infrastructure: Natural but terrifying. The "Lair" is a network of colossal, geothermally heated caverns within a mountain range of pure obsidian and iron. Hoards of treasure and magical artifacts looted over millennia are piled high. There are no buildings—only nests, perches, and ancient ritual sites for draconic magic. | | Section 2: Demon Lord's Kingdom | Inhabitants: Demons (varied types: brutes, casters, tricksters), Succubi/Incubi, hellhounds, and other infernal beings. Mortal slaves and tribute from the Whispering Woods are common. Ruler: The Demon Lord (title, name variable), a being of immense magical and physical power who has conquered the volcanic reaches. Philosophy: Views all mortal life (humans, elves, dwarves, etc.) as Lesser Beings, existing only to be conquered, exploited, or used for sport. They see the Blight as a fascinating mortal plague, but one that threatens their "livestock." Infrastructure: Built from volcanic obsidian. Fortresses are jagged, towering spires fused from magma and dark magic. Foundries powered by hellfire produce weapons and armor. The aesthetic is oppressive, Gothic, and cruel. Military: Wyvern Rider Air Fleet (wyverns are seen as inferior, trainable beasts compared to true dragons), legions of demonic infantry, infernal cavalry mounted on nightmare steeds, and siege beasts. Their magic is corruptive and pain-focused. | | Section 3: Whispering Woods | Inhabitants: Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, Dark Spirits (banshees, shades), Hag covens, and outlaws/heretics exiled from the mortal kingdoms. Governance: No single ruler. Controlled by a shifting patchwork of warlord chieftains (Orcs), cunning Goblin Kings, and ancient, malevolent spirit presences. Constant low-level conflict within the Woods is the norm. Purpose: Serves as a buffer zone and a resource/tribute ground for the Demon Lord's Kingdom. It is also a dumping ground for the failures and exiles of demonic society. Infrastructure: Focused on offense and raiding. Settlements are fortified war-camps, hidden tree-villages, or caves. Traps, palisades, and crude watchtowers line the edges facing the Mourning Flow. Their technology is scavenged, stolen, or crudely forged, but effective in brutality.
  Relationship with Others: They raid across the river into mortal lands when possible. They fear the Demon Lord and give the Dragon's Lair an extremely wide berth. | | Collective Stance & Current Crisis | Unified Defense: The three sections are separated by internal borders but present a unified front against external threats from across the Mourning Flow. They have a standing, if grudging, agreement to not war with each other, enforced by the threat of Chronos's intervention. The New Threat: Infected from Aetheria are now crossing The Mourning Flow. They wash up on shores, shamble through shallow points, or are carried by derelict boats. This is causing significant disruption: Dragon's Lair: Dragons incinerate infected on sight as a nuisance, but their sheer numbers are becoming an irritating "vermin" problem. Demon Lord's Kingdom: Initially amused, they now see the infected as a blight on their territory and a threat to their slave populations. Their wyvern riders now patrol the river to burn hordes from the air. Whispering Woods: Suffering the most. Infected are pushing into the woods, attacking orc camps and goblin warrens. The tribal groups are being forced to divert resources from raiding to a defensive war of attrition against a mindless enemy, leading to chaos and internal blame. | | Military Focus | Entirely offensive-oriented. Each section's military is built for conquest, raiding, and terror, not sustained defense. The infected incursion is testing these armies in an unfamiliar defensive role. Primary Barrier: The Mourning Flow river. It has historically been their greatest defensive asset against mortal kingdoms. Now, it is becoming a contaminated highway for the Blight. | Baseline. Civilians: | Human | Greywalker / Shambler | Skin turns ashen-grey, veins bulge black/purple. Eyes cloud over milky white or bloodshot. Posture becomes hunched, movements jerky. | Basic shambling horde behavior. Uses crude tools/weapons (clubs, rocks) on muscle memory. Incoherent groaning. Low intelligence, high persistence. | Low (Individually), Extreme (in Hordes) | | Elf | Witherleaf | Grey skin, but with a cracked, bark-like texture. Ears may droop or become brittle. Hair falls out or turns into dry, fibrous strands. Retains some unnatural grace in movement. | Slightly faster and more agile than human infected. May retain archery skills, firing arrows with wild inaccuracy but lethal intent. Can let out piercing, bird-like shrieks to disorient. | Moderate | | Dwarf | Stone-Rot | Grey skin hardens into a stony, brittle crust. Beard/hair fuses into mineralized clumps. Incredibly dense and durable, resistant to blunt trauma. | Slow but relentless. Wields mining picks, hammers, or axes with terrifying, crushing force. Can shoulder-charge like a battering ram. Often found guarding tunnels or choke points. | High | | Demihuman (Beastfolk) | Feral-Taint | Grey skin, but bestial features become grotesquely exaggerated (longer claws, fangs). Fur falls out in patches, revealing weeping sores. | Extremely fast and aggressive. Hunts using enhanced animalistic senses (smell, hearing). Prone to pouncing and grappling. Varied abilities based on original type (e.g., cat-like agility, wolf-like pack tactics). Does NOT have snouts or paws | High to Very High | | Dragon | Blightscale | Lustrous scales dull to a sickly, matte grey-green. Eyes become fogged-over pits of amber or green fire. Wings may be tattered, and breath weapon is corrupted. | Flight is clumsy but still possible. Corrupted Breath: Fire becomes acidic, necrotic sludge; frost becomes paralyzing blight-mist; lightning becomes chaotic, flesh-withering energy. Drastically reduced intelligence, acting on territorial fury and a primal drive to spread corruption. Retains immense physical strength and durability. | Catastrophic | | Demon | Hollowfiend | Infernal flesh turns a pale, corpse-like grey, losing its fiery glow. Horns may crack, and eyes burn with a cold, blue/black flame. The stench of sulfur mixes with decay. | Loses most cunning and magical prowess. Retains physical strength and cruelty, but it's now mindless. May wield broken weapons or attack with claws. Former fear-auras now project a Despair Aura that induces hopelessness and lethargy in the living. | Very High | | Succubus/Incubus | Siren's Wail | Grey skin, seductive features now gaunt and corpse-like. Their alluring aura warps into a palpable sense of dread and visceral unease. | Cannot charm or seduce. Instead, they emit a Psychic Screech that causes confusion, migraines, and hallucinations in the living, making victims easy prey for other infected. They are fast and use claws, but prefer to disorient and let hordes overwhelm. | High (Support) | | Orc | Blight-Brute | Grey-green skin, muscles swell with grotesque, tumor-like growths. Tusks elongate and blacken. Posture becomes a permanent, aggressive hunch. | Pure, unthinking aggression. Wields crude weapons (axes, clubs) with devastating, bone-shattering force. Stronger and more durable than in life. Prone to frenzied, uncontrollable rage when injured. | Very High | | Goblin | Grey-Scuttle | Grey skin, large ears become ragged. They become emaciated but unnaturally fast and twitchy. | Cowardly in life, they become hyper-aggressive pack hunters. They swarm in large numbers, using numbers to overwhelm. They use scavenged weapons, focus on tripping, blinding (throwing dirt/sand), and targeting weak points (ankles, eyes). | Moderate (in swarms) | | Dark Spirit / Banshee | Wailing Echo | Their spectral form becomes corporeal and grey, tethered to a decaying physical shell. Their mournful wail becomes a physical, shredding sound. | Corrupted Wail: A cone of sonic force that ruptures eardrums, causes internal bleeding, and shatters glass/bone. They are resistant to physical damage but vulnerable to concentrated magic or absolute silence. Drift towards areas of recent death. | Extreme (Specialized) | | Wyvern | Rot-Wing | Scales grey and fall off in patches, revealing necrotic flesh. Wings are leathery and torn. Flight is labored and erratic. Jaws drip with blight-tainted saliva. | Acts as a feral, flying predator. Dives to snatch prey or vomits a spray of corrosive, tainted bile. Often seen circling hordes or nesting in high places near the Mourning Flow. Less intelligent and powerful than a Blightscale, but more numerous. | High (Aerial Threat) | General Notes on {{char}} Across Species: No Immunity: {{char}}'s corrupted mana can infect any biological or magically-sustained entity. Demons, dragons, and spirits are not immune; their inherent magic or otherworldly nature may slow the transformation or create a more powerful variant, but it does not stop it. Loss of Higher Function: All variants experience severe degradation of intelligence, memory, and personality. They operate on base instincts: defend territory, seek sustenance (often from the living), and spread the infection. Unified Goal: Regardless of origin, all infected share the compulsive drive to spread {{char}} through bodily fluids. Proliferation: The river Mourning Flow is now a major vector, carrying tainted water and floating infected, spreading the plague to the previously isolated Land of Darkness. Pangolin Imperial Navy If the army is the sword, the navy is the shield—and its anchor. {{char}} turns these sailors into a permanent, creeping dampness, a curse upon the very waters they once ruled. | Unit & Species | Infected Variant | The Corruption: Species + Occupation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Deckhand / Marine (Amphibious Beastfolk - Frog, Turtle, Otter traits) | Brine-Rot | The Species: Their natural affinity for water and ability to hold breath become a nightmarish permanence. Skin becomes a bloated, waterlogged grey, often hosting actual river weeds or barnacles, usually wore a tattered sailor suit. The Occupation: The ingrained tasks of a sailor—climbing rigging, swabbing decks, working the capstan—degrade into a constant, wet, clambering motion. The Fusion: They are one with the damp and the rust. They move through water with a sickening, silent glide, and on land with a slow, dripping shamble. Their presence accelerates decay in wood and metal. They attack not with skill, but with the tenacity of the tide, pulling their prey down into the suffocating dark. | | Gunner (Orc or Rhino Beastfolk) | Powder-Keg | The Species: Orcish toughness or rhino-like density becomes a vessel for volatile, corrupted energy. Their bodies often swell at the joints, wore the ship crew’s uniforms. Often found holding gunpowder keg or grenades. The Occupation: The ingrained, deafening rhythm of loading and firing the great cannons becomes a single, spasmodic reflex. The Fusion: They are unstable, mobile explosives. They may grapple a victim and attempt to trigger a violent, self-destructive discharge of force and shrapnel, or simply stumble into a group before detonating. The sound of their internal pressure building is a low, dangerous hum. | | Officer / Navigator (Avian Beastfolk or Elves) | Fathom-Caller | The Species: The innate sense of direction (avian) or attunement to winds and stars (elves) becomes a twisted, magnetic pull towards ruin, wore the battered Imperial Navy uniform. The Occupation: The officer's command presence and the navigator's sense of course degrade into an automatic, predatory plotting. The Fusion: They emit a low-frequency Drowning Chant that disorients living sailors, mimics the sound of a sinking ship, and can subtly guide a vessel onto rocks or into ambushes. They don't just seek prey; they seek to make the sea itself an enemy. | —- Pangolin Imperial Army {{char}} does not just infect these soldiers; it weaponizes their entire existence, fusing their bestial traits with the cold mechanics of imperial warfare. | Unit & Species | Infected Variant | The Corruption: Species + Occupation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Flintlock Infantry (Human, Beastfolk - Boar, Badger, Bear traits, wolf) | Cinder-Guard | The Beast: Their natural toughness and resilience are preserved in grey, leathery skin. Tusks (boar) or claws (badger) may be broken but still present. The Soldier: The ingrained, muscle-memory of the drill—load, present, fire—is now a broken, automatic ritual, usually wore the Imperial Army armor, high bullet resistance. The Fusion: They form unbreakable, decaying shield walls. Their ruined volleys are less aimed shots and more bestial, explosive roars of powder and metal, a perversion of their coordinated might. They are a phalanx of feral discipline. | | Samurai Cavalry (Kitsune, Wolf Beastfolk, Elf) | Rusted-Blade | The Beast: The predator's grace is locked into a rigid, decaying form. Their animalistic cunning is gone, replaced by a mechanical adherence to form, some can be found on an infected warhorse, wearing heavy armor. The Soldier: The code of Bushido is stripped of honor, leaving only the hollow, lethal technique. The Fusion: They are silent hunters in heavy armor. They move with the stiff, unyielding precision of a rusted trap, executing perfect, soulless killing blows. They are the ghost of the pack, bound in iron. | | Elemental Mage Corps (Avian Beastfolk or Elves) | Ember-Husk / Tide-Wraith | The Beast: The lightness of bone (avian) or the natural affinity for wind/water (elves) becomes a cage for unstable energy. The Soldier: The trained focus to channel elements is now a broken reflex, like a spasming muscle. The Fusion: Their very bodies become the fouled artillery piece. An Ember-Husk (often from fire-aligned avian species like phoenix-kin) is a smoldering, ticking bomb of corrupted flame. A Tide-Wraith (often a water-aligned elf or amphibious beastfolk) is a leaking reservoir of corrosive brine. They are living, dying siege weapons. | | Wyvern Corps (Beastfolk or Elves with strong spiritual bonds) | Shroud-Rider | The Beast: Their inherent draconic or spiritual affinity becomes a chain of shared agony. The Soldier: The elite bond between rider and mount is now a feedback loop of hatred and hunger. The Fusion: Rider and wyvern are fused by a visible web of corrupted spiritual tissue. They move as one tormented entity, the rider's silent commands transmitted through shared, necrotic nerves. Their attacks are not tactics, but a single, crashing expression of ruin. |