Chemborg
Transmission & Vectors
To become a Chemborg is more akin to embracing a state of being, rather than encounter a condition. They're not too unlike the Cyborg or Cyberkin, though rather than have mechanical and robotical parts implemented within their bodies - they are subjected to tubes of evolution enhancing chemicals, which are pumped into their veins with a hundered different syringes. The evolutions thereafter depend on the mutagen in play.
Causes
Through the two months of rapid evolution that the Chemborg have to hibernate within their so called hive, the subject will rapidly evolve from the mutagen splicing with the DNA of the cells to form new strains of genetical code - (which is by Arcathian technological understanding just the essence of one lifeforce mixed to another).
It's not only the mutagen which is pumped into the body though, as oxygen, water and nutrient pastes are also necessary to keep the evolving Chemborg alive. Not to mention physical enhancers as well, which help the muscles build and harden to stone, rather than degrade. Still, newly made Chemborg's will always need to slowly retrain themselves for a couple months after the treatment, to fix any imperfection which the process might have caused - often being balance and walking problems that last a three or four days.
Prognosis
The results of the mutations have several different strains based on the mutagen and the location within the body where the mutagen is planted. While a majority of experiments lead to fatal, worthless or even weird mutations, such as lizard scales, cat tails and other bodyparts who had no right to be where they ended up - a few combinations ended up with successful results and are now named within three sets of generations.
Generation T-1
Unrelenter - an intellectually, physically and mentally enhanced individual. WIth muscles and skin strong enough to prevent a rusty knife from cutting through a throat, legs powerfull enough to run twice as fast as a normal person - and superior enviromental awareness and often cold headed and creative thinking than most non modified people - although exceptions exist. The issue with unrelenters is that they need a myriad of enhancing drugs pumped through them to survive without withering away. Deathfier - an ''immortal'' individual who is capable of returning from an early grave to avenge their own demise. In turth, they're just equipped with several different backup organs, like two hearts, three lungs and a changing bloodflow which can find different routes if some veins are destroyed. The Deathfier soldiers fell out of Dyskhari popularity after only the third day in the field though, as headshots, decapitations or burning the body of one was a certain way to ensure they stayed dead. Generation T-2
Oxenhide - A hulking brute of a genetically modified soldier, based on being able to rather than return from the dead - take a lot of abuse as well as hold onto some massive weapons. They're unaturally big both in height and mass, with muscles that can punch up a metal door, combined by fast regenerative abilities with a thick enough hide and bulk to eat shells without dying anytime soon. Negatives is a vastly shortened lifespan due to increased risk of heart and cancer diseases. Chaemeleon - An often lean chemborg with odd eyes that can look in several different directions at the same time. Though this increases their perception and awareness, it's only a side effect of the camouflage skin they have - which allows them to meld into the scenery if they stand perfectly still. A perfect genetical strain for assassins and scouts. Merman - An amphibian strain, which gives the chemborg a pair of gils followed by fins down their arms, legs and back - in some rare cases even a lizardlike tail. These individuals can live on land for up to three weeks, before having to return to the sea, or if worst comes to shove take a few hours long bath with several changes of water to keep their moisture lest they dry to death. It's a perfect evolution for pirates. Generation A-1
Übervolved - A combination between the Unrelenter and Deathfier where the methodes have been refined to be far less costly, risky but still increasing the efficency of some mutations, where the übervolved is still stronger and more agile than the previous strain. Nor do they require drugs constantly pumped into their system, as extra organs fill functions to create the chemicals needed to both survive, but also make them far more aggressive and wild in sign of combat. Psycher - A heavily drug addled chemborg which skips the mutagen phase completely, as it revolves only on chemicals addling the brain to overclock the psyche to the point those of this strain become capable of channeling energy around them by thought, into psionic weapons or telekenesis. An art which has been mostly stolen from Velkorian cultural practices and speed through their usual years of training to achieve, to a month in stasis.
Unrelenter - an intellectually, physically and mentally enhanced individual. WIth muscles and skin strong enough to prevent a rusty knife from cutting through a throat, legs powerfull enough to run twice as fast as a normal person - and superior enviromental awareness and often cold headed and creative thinking than most non modified people - although exceptions exist. The issue with unrelenters is that they need a myriad of enhancing drugs pumped through them to survive without withering away. Deathfier - an ''immortal'' individual who is capable of returning from an early grave to avenge their own demise. In turth, they're just equipped with several different backup organs, like two hearts, three lungs and a changing bloodflow which can find different routes if some veins are destroyed. The Deathfier soldiers fell out of Dyskhari popularity after only the third day in the field though, as headshots, decapitations or burning the body of one was a certain way to ensure they stayed dead. Generation T-2
Oxenhide - A hulking brute of a genetically modified soldier, based on being able to rather than return from the dead - take a lot of abuse as well as hold onto some massive weapons. They're unaturally big both in height and mass, with muscles that can punch up a metal door, combined by fast regenerative abilities with a thick enough hide and bulk to eat shells without dying anytime soon. Negatives is a vastly shortened lifespan due to increased risk of heart and cancer diseases. Chaemeleon - An often lean chemborg with odd eyes that can look in several different directions at the same time. Though this increases their perception and awareness, it's only a side effect of the camouflage skin they have - which allows them to meld into the scenery if they stand perfectly still. A perfect genetical strain for assassins and scouts. Merman - An amphibian strain, which gives the chemborg a pair of gils followed by fins down their arms, legs and back - in some rare cases even a lizardlike tail. These individuals can live on land for up to three weeks, before having to return to the sea, or if worst comes to shove take a few hours long bath with several changes of water to keep their moisture lest they dry to death. It's a perfect evolution for pirates. Generation A-1
Übervolved - A combination between the Unrelenter and Deathfier where the methodes have been refined to be far less costly, risky but still increasing the efficency of some mutations, where the übervolved is still stronger and more agile than the previous strain. Nor do they require drugs constantly pumped into their system, as extra organs fill functions to create the chemicals needed to both survive, but also make them far more aggressive and wild in sign of combat. Psycher - A heavily drug addled chemborg which skips the mutagen phase completely, as it revolves only on chemicals addling the brain to overclock the psyche to the point those of this strain become capable of channeling energy around them by thought, into psionic weapons or telekenesis. An art which has been mostly stolen from Velkorian cultural practices and speed through their usual years of training to achieve, to a month in stasis.
History
The technology for creating chemborg's was never invented in the current day and age. It came from an ancient laboratory found at the first levels of the Kch'zhatan dungeons - before revolving guns and trains were even invented. It's technology is still being researched and is ill understood by moden day standards. Everything that have been achieved surrounding them comes from tomes and books retrieved from the old ruins, combined with senseless experimentation. Though as the old language has been mostly translated by now, the methodes of using the equipment has become vastly more successfull and safe.
As for the chemborg's themselves, they were created not only for the purpose of perfecting the Dyskhari warmachine, but to unlock the secrets of immortality, perfection and a surperior intellect. A way to raise their people up, to become a whole new ascended race, better than the rest of the elves. Hence why they were mostly kept secret untill quite recently, during the chemical revolution.
Before that event, they were only ever used as chesspieces to run the gauntlet for more knowledge, technology and odd artifacts in Kch'zhatan, killing off the weak where only the strains of the survivors were kept to experiment on. Thus - the old Matriarch of the House of Crocodiles and her son, the commander of the chemborg expeditionary forces secretly culled their experiments with knowing suicide missions - often sending Bladesisters to blow up passages and halls to enforce the squads to keep fighting tooth and nail, rather than go on the strategic retreat.
As this was learned by the soldiers down in the ruins, tensions sprung up through the House of Crocodile's lands in such a wildfire that a full on civil war broke out only weeks afterwards - namely the forementioned chemical revolution. A chain of bloody and violent events that lead to a lot of the technologies in creating the chemborgs being both destroyed and pilfered, accompanied with most of the knowledge gained from the T-1 generation being stolen - accompanied with all the scientists that didn't get slain, to later perform experiments in secret criminal bases and later on the Sinsteel Isle underneath The Eel and Arika Todeskranz guidance. Now known as generation T-2.
Generation A-1 was born shortly after generation T-2, standing for advanced rather than test - which followed the new generation of Crocodile loyalists. This time around though, the Household, seeing as most of the old bloodline was exterminated in the revolution, continued with the young and exiled cousin that took their place. At first, she had deemed it too cruel to continue the genetical experiments but was persuaded to persue her family's legacy after the Eel succumbed to mad ness and became a vicious pirate and slavedriver. Her task was not to create the perfect soldier though, even if she has been more successful in that regard than the rest. Taking that course of action not out of lust for power, but a belief it may be necessity in fighting both the abyss and taking down the Eel when the opportunity arises.
Cultural Reception
Depending on which generation a chemborg comes from, the Dyskhari people would react very differently - where the A-1 are seen as national heroes, knowingly sacrificing their old states to become protectors and defenders against the darkest of forces and the horrors of the beyond. In stark contrast, the T-2 are feared and despised, as they are mostly the products of the pirate legions underneath the Eel's command.
Type
Chemical Compound
Origin
Engineered
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired
Rarity
Rare
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