Geist Affliction
The Geist Affliction is an enigmatic condition that is deeply connected with the Vapors of Sereoth.
Ordinarily harmless and inaccessible to Melathi Species, breathing the Vapors in will not result in anything strange or abnormal. They merely transmutes themselves into pure oxygen once it reaches the lungs. Otherwise, Wellsprings would be far more dangerous than they already were. The few who are damaged provide a good answer of the alternative.
This affection, whose origin and cause of transmission is a mystery that refuses to reveal itself, makes the Vapors accessible to unfortunate Melathi Individuals and turn them into Geist Breathers.
Enigmatic in nature
No clear patterns concerning the Geist Affliction have been discernable, despite literally millennia of research, as if it simply does not want to be discovered until it is too late. Some have proposed that it very well might be something, some type of intelligence, that controls it but they are more often than not scoffed at.
The Name
The Geist Affliction — formerly known as Sereoth Suffocation Affliction — was renamed after Hagel Geist, whose actions unintentionally resulted in an unprecedented spread of the ailment. Thousands of dead, many more injured, and a handful of which had their lives forever changed. It all shock Varldstan Cericor to its core. Both literally and on a societal level. All of it because one man desired great power. Something he in the end received, though not in the way he had strived for.
Symptoms of the Geist Affliction
First symptoms
When one becomes Afflicted, it will begin innocently enough. Symptoms include a dry and itchy throat, along with coughing and teary eyes. This will become the norm for the next few weeks and most will disregard it as simple hay fever.
One may start to become concerned when one will find it difficult to breathe for a few seconds every day, which will slowly increase to about a full minute at least twice a day.
After a few days of this, one will feel a faint pain in every nerve, as if they have done an extensive physical exercise. Accompanying this is tiredness and thirst. After an additional few days, the climax will begin.
Endgame symptoms
It will begin suddenly and without prior warning. A sudden panic attack, which will last for several minutes and is followed by suffocation for a few seconds. Afterward, things will calm down for a few hours until it will start again. After the third panic attack, Vapors of Sereoth will begin to manifest around them.
The Final Stage
Geist Suffocation
Unless the afflicted receives what is known as a Geist Mask, they will, at worst, succumb to suffocation within minutes after the Vapors of Sereoth manifest around them. Some, however, do manage to survive for a few hours. This suffocation process severely damages their lungs, which is said to feel as if one is breathing fire and the Geist Afflicted will instinctively begin to hyperventilate.
Medically induced loss of consciousness is recommended
Within a few seconds, this will cause the Vapors of Sereoth to manifest around them in a thick and colorful gas cloud around them, with a fair amount appearing to be expelled from their mouth with every haphazard gasp for breath. It will then stay around the Geist Afflicted and swirl around them in a slow whirlwind motion, before becoming transparent and reacting violently with the immediate surroundings.
It may corrode both metal and flesh in seconds, or ignite and cause an explosion of sparks that are hot enough to melt steel.
Astralphysical Geist Diffusion Reaction
During this whole suffocation process, the Vapors of Sereoth will react violently with the metaphysical form of the Geist Afflicted. This is known as an Astralphysical Geist Diffusion Reaction or Asgedire Event. As it is ongoing it will alter their physical form on a subatomic level akin to a transmutation process, while simultanuasly altering their Lykil Constellation that causes their skin to gleam with a sharp lavender shade. After a few seconds of this, it will appear that portions of their body gives off Vapors of Sereoth, as if it slowly looses its solid form and become diffuse and incorporeal.
The pain this causes is said to be akin to having molten metal flowing through one's veins. Inevitably, this causes the affected individual to go into shock and fall into a coma, though depending on what happens next it may last for days or mere seconds.
Suffocate and Die
Going critical
If the process is not stopped within seconds, the Geist Afflicted will reach a critical condition and their metaphysical and physical form will evaporate in a violent explosion. Euthanasia is recommended to be initiated immediately.
Aftermath
The area where the Geist Afflicted died will be covered in transparent Vapors of Sereoth for at least 48 hours. They have adverse effects on primarily flesh and bone, which begin to erode after being exposed to direct contact.
Survive and breath
Going stable
If the process is stopped, the violent reaction will subdue slowly over a period of several hours. The lavender colored gleam will fade, like red hot metal cooling down in a cold breeze.
A majority of the Vapors of Sereoth that surrounds them will gradually become faint and disappear, while a small portion will be drawn into the Geist Breather.
Partial diffusion
Portions of their body will still appear incorporeal and look like the Vapors themselves; they will irregularly become solid for a few minutes, before becoming diffuse again. When the Geist's body have cooled down to manageable temperatures, only small centimeter wide portions of their body will still be incorporeal and it will last until they wake up again.
It is recommended that one is placed into a medically induced coma for two days to allow them to heal both physically and metaphysically.
Recovery
After making a full recovery, the Geist Breather receives their own — temporary — Geist Mask in a celebration ceremony that usually involves Fika. Thereafter, months of check-ups are required — and enforced — by law and they also receive a Confidant to help them become familiar with their new situation and to better control their Diffusion, which will periodically happen to a portion of their body without any prior warning.
Geist Breathers
Geist Breathers are the Melathi who have survived the Geist Affliction and are able to manipulate the Vapors of Sereoth.
Capabilities of the Geist Breathers
While most think that all of the Geist Breather's peculiar capabilities is done through the Vapors of Sereoth, it does appear there are some who have come to be thanks to the Geist Affliction. Careful experiments have shown that these capabilities are still accessible without the Vapors of Sereoth.
Abnormal lifespans
It has shown that Geist Breathers have abnormal long lifespans, excluding instances where they may die of suffocation, or perish from a knife to the chest or a bullet to the head. How long appear to vary from specimen to specimen, but most receive, at the very least, an additional two centuries to their lifespan.
Regenerative Capabilities
Another interesting capability given by the Geist Affliction is that Geist Breathers have more potent regenerative capabilities.
Wounds and diseases that would take months to recover from only take mere weeks, but they cannot regrow limbs or survive severe blood loss. Not without using the Advanced Forms of the Vapors of Sereoth.
Unfortunately, their lungs can not be healed as they were what was primarily affected by the Geist Affliction.
Holding One's Breath
Geist Breathers are exceptionally good at holding their breath, and for unnaturally long periods. The longest time documented — with preparations made — have been 64 minutes. During more hectic moments, they can keep their breath for about 39 to 45 minutes.
The best results achieved are after they meditate and slow down their breathing and heartbeat as much as is possible for someone to be considered alive. It usually takes about three minutes to complete.
"You can scroll me.
Primal Vapor Suffocation.
Asgedire Affliction.
Sereoth Breathers.
Volatile Breathers.
Volatile Suffocators.
Lykil
Lykil is similar to the Chakras of Mésvéstell and the Canthus of Miand and concern the connections that keeps one's metaphysical form together.
Find them in Cericor
Where would one most likely have luck finding a Melathi Sereor String Wielder?
According to current sources, those who are native to Varldstan Cericor; either those who are born within the City or its Valley. .
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