Refraction

The Madness of the Stars

Who could fathom the hateful scorn of the swirling stars!? Their blight and malignity is beyond mortal comprehension!

- Unknown

The Far Realm contains a number of dangerous parasites, but none other than the Krystamuli can extend their blight beyond the borders of their own world. It is believed by the denizens of the Far Realm that the Krystamuli were originally brought into being by Atheron, the keeper of the Starlit Lantern. Some believe he did this maliciously, while others believe he wished to disperse the corrupt power of the lantern to weaken it; However, what is for certain is that the influence of the Starlit Lantern was dispersed throughout the crystalline fields of Atheron, and they have been spreading ever since. Through this great foulness, the fields gained a twisted mind of their own and wished to spread that mind to everything around them. This transmission of will is known as Refraction by inhabitants of the Wraith Globe.

Transmission & Vectors

The way in which the Krystamuli spread to and through a host is a horrific process. Even the small shard from the parasite' crystalline structure can pierce into the skin or armor of an unaware passerby, sealing their fate. From there, the shard physically grows, snaking and branching through the host's body and shifting its insides however it wishes. Consuming shards of the Krystamuli can also cause transmission of Refraction.

Symptoms

For denizens of the Far Realm, the mental alteration that Refraction causes often means a slow and torturous death of the mind. However, the effects that this madness can cause on the natives of the Wraith Globe are far less lethal. At first, the symptoms of Refraction are purely physical. As the parasite snakes its way deeper into the victim, they will begin to experience muscle spasms, sluggish movement, and internal disarray (such as stomach aches). However, as the disease starts to latch onto the mind things will get significantly more bizarre. Memory, the senses, and instinctual actions will begin to act strangely as the Krystamuli attaches itself to those portions of the brain. Common symptoms of this stage include experiencing memories through the senses, which can include visual, auditory, or olfactory hallucinations, with visual hallucinations being the most common. Soon afterward, the alignment of the victim will begin to slowly shift over the next few weeks while the physical symptoms and pain subside. When the victim is extremely stressed or vulnerable these earlier symptoms may resurface temporarily. In the end, the victim will not be the same, either physically or mentally. Through its internal tinkering, the Krystamuli can often irrevocably change the physical cycles of the host, occasionally causing death in the earlier stages of the disease.

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However, this is not even the most dangerous form that the blight of the Krystamuli can take. When the parasite attempt to latch onto the mind of a creature that no longer has a mind of either the Far Realm or the Wraith Globe, it reaches into the animal instincts of that creature. More often than not, these instincts revolve around self-preservation and the destruction of anything that is not like itself, and so one the Starry Eyes are born. They are of neither the Wraith Globe nor the Far Realm, and so they loath both. They are of neither the Wraith Globe nor the Far Realm, and so they can only live on the border between those two realms.

Treatment

Beyond some extremely rare tonics found within the Far Realm, Refraction can only be prevented in its earliest stages, when the shards of Krystamuli can be physically removed. Although, this isn't as simple as pulling out a small shard of crystal. The roots of the creature are vast beyond expectation and constantly growing, so amputation is commonly required.

Prognosis

As the influence of the Krystamuli weaves through the host, it latches itself onto the muscles, nerves, and even the mind of the victim, gaining ever-increasing control. However, the Krystamuli's end goal is not to control the host but to drag it into its own logic. For weaker denizens of the Far Realm, this often means a painful death of the mind, but the psyche of the Krystamuli seems eerily similar to that of those in the Wraith Globe. Strange onsets of personality change, sporadic behavior, and questioning of one's sanity lead to a complete change of the self...

Type

Parasitic

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired