Theriocephaly

Overview

Theriocephaly describes the mixing of a human body with an animal head, as it appears in art as well as certain mythologies. In modern times it is also used to describe the addition of animal parts to a human body in general and serves as name both for the related field of study, as well as the medical condition. Though thought to be a ludacris idea even still at the end of the 19th century, it is now an unfortunate reality, made possible accidentally as well as intentionally by the mutagenic effects of the Diesel Haze.

Intentional

Under controlled conditions some animal parts could prove quite useful when made available to a human subject.

It is an unfortunate truth that many students of theriocephaly find few opportunities to study anything but the aftermath of a haze mutation, as such it is easy to find those of them willing to oversee and aid in voluntary experiments. Thanks to that a number of fairly routine animal to human transplants have become available on the black market.

But anyone interested should be aware that such things are better left hidden from the broader populace.

• Sableback

A fur transplant from sables, lynxes and minks to aid the human body in withstanding cold temperatures and water. This is an attractive modification for whalers or north sea fishers who spend large amounts of time in freezing waters. The fur and skin is removed from the still living animals and applied in patches to the skin of the recipient. Usually this requires between 20 to 40 fur coats to cover most of the body of an individual. Due to the price of said animals and the horror inflicted on them it is not a procedure for the faint hearted.

• Newt-eyes

Despite the name this transplant is named not for the desired aspect gained from newts but from its side effect. A large chunk off flesh is removed from the recipients shoulder and a newts head and upper body are quickly transplanted under the effects of haze. Over the course of several minutes this leads to the flesh of the newt replacing the missing flesh, leaving a patch of newt eyes and skin in its place. The recipient now enjoys improved regenerative properties of these creatures and is even capable of regrowing limbs over time.

The recipients skin is slowly being overtaken by newt scales as his new abilities aid in wound regeneration and while he does not need to keep his new skin moist, he does require an increased intake of water and nutrients.

• Amalgamation

Though it is technically possible for this to happen accidentally, but the more common form is an extreme curative measure. Amalgamation is the term used for melding parts of a human to another human. Often this can be a more viable but risky option for Haze victims, or for example those who have lost limbs, than kybernetics.

With the slow disappearance of societal barriers in regards to a persons gender it has also become a way for people to transform themselves into what they consider to be their true form. A determined person with access to fresh body parts of the opposite gender and a dedicated and talented sawbone could exchange their biological gender for the opposite or even a combination. It is important to note though that this is by no means an easy procedure. It carries great risks for the body and mind and it can be difficult to aquire said body parts legally.

Accidentally

Eel patches

Particularly common in population centres surrounding the most poluted parts of the River Themse in England. People often fall unconcious on their way to or from the many taverns that line the river, often leading to some of the more curious eels that live in the river approaching them. If that coincides with a Haze event the drunkard often wakes up finding patches of his skin replaced by eel skin. Unlike many other creatures, eels seem to meld completely with the human body, leaving no animal mind or any features other than its skin behind.

Surface parasites

Farmers, especially those with large herds of cows, horses, sheep etc. that find themselves surprised by an occurance of Diesel Haze often find themselves attacked by large swarms of parasitic flies. These insects instinctually flee before the phenomenon and seek shelter wherever possible, be it a house, hollow tree or a poorly protected farmer. These Unfortunates find themselves accosted by often hundreds of flies attempting to crawl into any available orifice or burrow into soft tissue. once the Haze has passed a part of the swarm may leave but some will find themselves fused with their new host, replacing eyes, skin with previously open wounds, the inside of the mouth. Further invasions down the esophagus more than often result in a slow death. It is a matter of opinion if those that survive the initial infection are the fortunate ones.

Mantid disfigurment

Sometimes Haze mutations lead to stranger effects than a mere melding of creatures. When mantids and humans meld an effect often occurs which leads to a complete absorption of the insect and an adaption of one or both arms to resemble mantid claws. Unfortunately the resemblance is not immediately clear as the transformation does not adapt the human arm to an insect claw but rather moves one of the two forearms bones forward, extends the pointer finger and arragnes the remaining fingers as arm spikes.

Curiously the first recorded case of this phenomenon was observed on a farmer that had previously lost an arm, though the transformation was gruesome to say the least, it resulted in a restoration of his lost arm, though as a makeshift mantid claw.