Astris Contagion Conspiracy Theory

While the Defenders of Creation are disbanded and their leaders have rescinded their ideology, certain erroneous and even harmful beliefs still plague Aravun Yashelin society today because of them. Principal amongst them is the Astris Contagion.
The Astris Contagion was a conspiracy theory that formed the basis of the organization's ideology. It proposed that people who were exposed to Astris individuals were susceptible to an incurable, transmissible mental disease. This disease supposedly caused people, especially the Yashelin, to act erratically under the pretense of trying to better society.
The Defenders of Creation blamed the actions of infected individuals for any and all social unrest. The First War, for example, would never have happened if only Heyir had continued to quarantine from Areta Maikir, the only known infected individual on the planet of Aravu at the time after the Astris Genocide.

Identifying the Astris Contagion

Cause

According to the conspiracy theory, the Astris contagion could be acquired in one of two ways:

1. Exposure to an Astris person
2. Exposure to non-Astris people who acquired the illness from an Astris person

The exact method in which a person became infected was never specified by the conspirators, none of whom were competent medical professionals.

Symptoms

The hallmark symptom of someone who was either at risk of infection or in its earliest stages was a vocal disagreement with the tenants of the Defenders of Creation in any way.
The point of no return for those infected with the Astris Contagion was a political stance that promoted any tolerance of any sort towards the Astris people, their progenitors, and their allies.

Treating Infections

Prevention

The only way to avoid infection with the Astris Contagion was by following a strict quarantine from anyone suspected of carrying the disease. Calir's Bakery and Bar, for example, banned numerous individuals from the premises under the pretense of this conspiracy theory.
If social contact with infected individuals was unavoidable, people who believed this lie were encouraged to keep their distance and their conversations short. If physical contact was unavoidable, they were told they should wash themselves immediately and even go so far as to burn the clothes they were wearing.

"Domini!" Eve called excitedly, stopping their quick escape by pulling on their sleeve. "Your work is fascinating. Can I shadow you sometime?"
Domini backs away in a flash, just short of slapping her hand away. "Of course! I'd love that. Let's double back with Coran, though, alright?"
"Sounds good!"
Their shirt does not survive the ride home. Shame, they really loved that one.

Annihilation

Ideally, the Defenders of Creation would be allowed to murder all infected individuals. This would not only be a major public service, but it would be for the infected people's own good as well. In a world where all sources of infection were exterminated, there would be nothing more to worry about... If only the Astris Contagion actually existed and wasn't fabricated for their own paranoid political gain.
This method was impossible and highly illegal, against the wishes of the very deity they claimed to "defend." After all, that same deity had commanded them to stand down thousands of years ago upon the failure of the Astris Genocide. Nevertheless, they persisted. As a result of an attempted annhilation on Aravun soil of infected individuals which ended in spectacular failure, the Ida disbanded and deprecated the group and its leaders.

Conspirators

First conspired by Domini

Believers

Defenders of Creation
An overwhelming amount of ordinary Yashelin people

Vectors

All Astris and those who have been in contact with them for an extended period of time, but especially:
Nanatu Zylpeiros (Astris intruder, natural carrier),
Areta Maikir (Yashelin carrier, ground zero), and
Bee (Yashelin carrier, major opponent of the Defenders of Creation)

Shunned Victims

All Yashelin who have been in direct contact with the Astris for an extended period of time OR have disagreed extensively with the Defenders of Creation even without direct exposure to the Astris.

The Tiniest Kernel of Truth

The Defenders of Creation based this horrific conspiracy theory upon the fact that the Astris are able to pass Kivrian diseases, such as the flu, to the Yashelin, who had been otherwise immune up until that point.

Author's Note: Ezeki

The Astris Contagion Conspiracy Theory is one of the worst inventions to have ever left a Yashelin person's imagination. If you are still convinced that there is any truth to this theory, let me state my thesis for you more simply: the Astris Contagion is a load of shit. You have been taken advantage of by the Defenders of Creation, an organization of the most violent and terrified of us who meant to take us all down with them. I'm sorry.