Lore:Hemophage
Denonyms: Hemophage, Hemophages |
Hemophage
Sol Federation biological anthropologists originally believed the Hemophage infection to be a diaspora of afflicted individuals stemming from Earth and spreading outward, hidden away in the vast numbers of colonies that now dot the stars near Sol. While this belief held strong in academic circles for a time, recent genealogical studies done on some more unique strains of the symptomatic suggests that this may have been but one of many such events among a number of other species. Said studies performed were on individuals from some of the furthest reaches from “civilized” space, and suggest that outside of the core colonial territories of mankind, there may well exist those of the Hemophagic condition that display properties of said infection not known, and of undetermined source.
Said individuals examined, when combined with the limited documented processes of infected individuals, shows a wide degree of variations in the exact symptoms experienced by those symptomatic of Hemophagia. Be they infected by what is believed by some to be the “Human” sourced strain, or otherwise sired, all documented individuals carry the following:
- An innate dependency on the blood of others for sustenance.
- The growth of an internal symbiotic “tumor” in place of the infectee’s circulatory/respiratory systems.
- The repurposing of bodily functions and rewriting of conscious and unconscious cognitive faculties to prioritize the location and acquisition of blood-rich sources.
- An almost disquieting predatory instinct by Hemophagic individuals to locate those of sufficient suitability with which to Resanguinate.
A Healing Factor
Those suffering from hemophagia - while stricken with a life-altering malady - enjoy at least one medicinal benefit stemming from the infection in the form of extremely rapid regeneration. When a host is injured, hormones are released from the damaged cells such as Adrenocorticotropin. This hormone, among others, triggers the regenerative response from the tumor-organ. The organ releases pseudoviral bodies which induce runaway cell replication in the affected areas. Histology studies have confirmed that the process does not resemble normal stem cell regeneration but instead, more closely resembles a viral hijacking of cellular machinery resulting in replication rather than lysis. Efforts to replicate these viral bodies in a lab setting have failed, as they seem to be linked to host DNA.
During the regenerative period, the host is highly vulnerable to UV light. Studies have revealed that UV radiation breaks the delicate chemical bonds in the protein sheath of the virion. Not all of the virions will be killed by the UV light but the healing process will be significantly hindered. In low-UV conditions, even severe wounds can be regenerated with some clades allowing for entire organ systems to be fully regrown in a matter of hours, assuming the tumor has ample nourishment to draw from.
Explaining the Unexplainable
The Hemophage affliction has been, through scarcity and superstition, not widely explained. Even modern medical equipment uses mystical terms like "corrupted tumor", and the truth may forever go fully unknown.
Scientific Lens
With it looking to be possible that the afflicted may have been sourced within other species, this implication raises numerous questions with regards to the theoretical source of the infection. Its spontaneous conception within multiple species with almost identical symptoms can likely be ruled out, leaving a very short list of other possibilities as to how this occurred. The most logical explanation is the “Hemophagic Panspermia Hypothesis” forwarded by one Dr. Hayley Maddox; citing some hypothetical ancient event precipitating Hemophagic cells to multiple worlds. This however remains entirely within the realm of speculation, as there exists no concrete evidence of such an event occurring. Another suggestion points to the incredibly complex and near indecipherable DNA structure of cells taken from the tumors of multiple Hemophagic subjects as being a possible indicator of extremely advanced genetic tampering by an unknown party. “The Cossidae Theory” posits that the condition’s ability to completely overpower any outside infection suggests it may have been originally created as a form of “cure all” for known diseases from said unknown party, sidestepping the issue of the originator. Finally, some undifferentiated cells (dubbed “tantalus cells”) originating within the tumor seem to quite literally “vanish” after a time outside of the host body with no indication as to where they could have gone or what their original purpose might have been. While many have written such off as poor sample handling, the number of reports of this occurring, in multiple, unrelated independent locations and organizations softens the argument and raises further questions of how or why this could occur, leaving those directly involved beyond baffled. Such capacity indicates there is still a sizable amount not understood regarding Hemophagia, with significantly more study needed to fully comprehend its nature, which could further explain some of its eccentricities.
Playing a Hemophage
Every Hemophage's path is as unique as their tumor: work in Medbay enough and you'll start to notice patterns. Have some common, but not all-encompassing, origins to entice you to ask questions about your own character and "flesh" them out.
《 Resanguinated 》 | ||||
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The dark of the night pulls you, and the coldness of space courses through your veins. You once had a life, and have been shepherded to the other side by a specific individual. Your "Sire," your "Parent," your "Superior," any number of names they may have asked you to call them, each with twisted connotations each as unholy as the infection encrusting through your veins. Regardless of the circumstance, you have but one person to thank for your unlife. | ||||
With your leige, you feel... | ||||
Loved. Like Romeo and Juliet, your darkest love has led you to your demise. Unlike the play, the curtains haven't dropped. Having quite literally given your life to your partner, you persist in eternal unlife. Who are you without them? They have blessed you with the same gifts that drew you towards them, and the same dark urges flow into you freely. Are you still the same person they loved? Now that you are no longer their prey, are they still deserving of your love? Do they still command it anyways? The honeymoon may be over, but your eternal reward still beats in your chest. Til death do you part? | ||||
Collected. You once were a prize who caught the eye of an eternal collector who couldn't fathom anyone else holding. Why were you so valuable? In a fit of jealousy, they made you like them. Are you theirs? Are you just another in their collection, or their prized jewel? For how long will you keep your luster? | ||||
Saved. Life is defined by a beginning and an ending, and for some, that last bit is too much to accept. Through circumstances, you found yourself at the end of the rope, and were graciously offered an eternal extension. How avoidable were these circumstances? Were they truly your god's plan? Through whatever storm, you have endured. Your body may be different, and your life upended, but nothing can take you away. How do you face the dangers that drove you here? | ||||
Indebted. A dark pact, a contract sealed in blood. What did you gain? What did you lose? You have drawn your final breath and still stand here, obliged to reciprocate. What power do they hold over you? What powers do you now hold? |
《 Infested 》 | ||||
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You wake up in the dark with a blistering headache, a sore neck, and an unquenchable thirst. Your head throbs -- no, it's more of a continuous ache -- as you wander around and find a light. It seems so much brighter than yesterday, yet almost repulsive. Is it the light you fear, or the attention? It takes a moment to notice, but your tongue itself twists in horrifying ways. Sharp, and not in the usual ways. Something is wrong with you. Something has been done to you. And here you are, left in the dark as to who, what, or why. Were you discarded, abandoned, or forgotten? This wouldn't be the first time for either, would it? Thirst wracks your body, and in your darkest hour, your first meal screams out for you. | ||||
Where do you draw from? | ||||
Science. You're not smart enough to understand, not at first, but you're smart enough to know when you're out of your depth. Lab coats, the herald of progress. Be it a hospital, laboratory, or cosplay convention, you sought rational minds and were greeted in kind. How long did it take for them to figure out what kind of monster you are? For you to realize? | ||||
Religion. You're no stranger to temptation, and neither is the church. If anyone can help you understand your urges and wicked pulls, it would surely be those dedicated to something bigger. Do you beg forgiveness, or do you take it? | ||||
Instinct. It's simple logic: you want blood, they have blood, you take it. Who you were, who they are, none of it is significant. How much of the equation have you discarded to make it all add up? The present, the consequences, the future, none of those are blood and for a long time, none of those interest you. You have a long journey ahead, to go from mindless predator to someone worth employing, but here you are, same as the others. Do you have regrets? Do you have hope? |
A Way Out
Throughout recorded history, there have been many accounts of multiple cultures endeavoring to permanently cure or neutralize Hemophagia. Most early attempts were spiritual in nature, focusing on prayer and folk remedies; however, modern historians hold there being no credible proof of such solutions ever having any true effect. Modern science has led to more clinical approaches to the disease with one of the most common treatments involving painstakingly replacing the victim's ‘tainted’ blood with either synthesized or donated blood. While this initially held promise, this was shown to only succeed in reversing the infection in patients in the earliest stages of the affliction.
Through painstaking and often bloody research, functional "cures" were developed. Most reliable, cyberization (the transfer of the victim's brain to an MMI or other mind interface) effectively halts the symptoms at the cost of the victim's body.
More radically, a surgical procedure involving the simultaneous removal of the tumor and complete replacement of patient blood and bone marrow can, in some cases return the victim to a normalized state. In the event that even a single cell from the tumor or tainted blood is left behind, the tumor will regenerate in time. This procedure is almost always deadly, and considered unethical. Nonetheless, those unable to handle becoming a Hemophage occasionally trade unfathomable fortunes, decades of lifespan and often, their lives to underworld doctors for a second chance at a true cure.
Due to the extreme risk, the procedures’ high costs and the comparative ease of simply embracing the condition, it is almost unheard of for hemophages to seek such radical treatments unless in the earliest stages of the disorder, before most of the biological changes have taken place.
In-game Description |
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Work in Progress: Footer subject to change at a moment's notice. Do not take a red link's presence, struck-through or otherwise, as confirmation (or denial) of their canonicity.
Nova Sector Lore | |
Common Species | Humans, Tiziran, Unathi, Moths, Ethereals, Azulae, Slime Hybrids, Teshari, Synthetic Humanoids (and assorted robots), Pod Persons, Hemophages, Xenomorphic Hybrid, |
Other Species | Genemodders (Felinids, Ice Walkers, Dwarf), Ashwalkers, Snailpersons, Ordoht (Formerly Skrell), Plasmamen, Flypeople, Vox (Primalis et al), Tajaran, Vulpkanin, Rouges (Abductorkin), Miscellaneous Species, Dullahans, Employee Golems, Changelings |
Nanotrasen | Nanotrasen, Central Command, Emergency Response Corps |
External Groups | The Syndicate, Interdyne Pharmaceutics, DS-2, Cargo, The Spider Clan, Tiger Cooperative |
Nova | The Nova Sector, Indecipheres, Freyja |
Concepts | Bluespace, Plasma, Faster Than Light Travel, Resonance ("Souls"), Death |
SolFed | SolFed, Earth in 2565, The SolFed Armed Forces, |