The Chryth Plague is no longer considered a simple mutation of Crystallization—rather, an evolving parasitic infestation that only mimics the early symptoms of that disease. While crystallization merely corrupts magic, the Chryth Plague consumes the entire host, starting with their magic and ending with their body, mind, and bones.

 

Once infected, Cors rapidly lose their magical ability. Crystalline masses form around the horn, spine, and wounds, but unlike traditional Crystallization, these crystals become living incubation chambers. A thick obsidian-black discharge leaks from their edges, spreading across the host’s skin. Any living tissue touched by this fluid begins to rot, peel, and dissolve—only to be reabsorbed by the ooze as raw material.

 

Mental Degradation

 

As the infection progresses, the mind deteriorates at an alarming rate:

 

Severe lapses in judgment

 

Paranoia and hallucinations

 

Sudden psychosis

 

Disrupted motor control

 

Eventual erasure of sentient thought

 

 

Unlike Crystallization, magic use does not accelerate the condition—because the plague feeds independently of the host’s magic. Even those who suppress or seal their abilities deteriorate at the same rate.

 

Nature of the Ooze

 

Many scholars theorize that the black secretion is not a byproduct, but a sentient parasitic substance—a fragment of the Chryths’ biology that infiltrates the bloodstream and puppets the body from within. Its movements inside bone cavities and crystallized structures support this theory.

 

Origins

 

The true origin of the plague traces back not to Cors, but to the Chryths, a species of parasitic mimics capable of disguising themselves as Cors flawlessly.

The first Chryth—unnamed, unseen, unrecorded—is believed to have seeded the initial outbreak. Its brood lives hidden among Cors populations, appearing harmless until the infection blooms.

 

Transmission

 

Infection occurs when contaminated black fluid enters the bloodstream:

 

Open wounds

 

Bone fractures

 

Bites, claws, or horn injuries

 

Crystal ruptures

 

Contact with infected corpses or Stage 4 residue

 

 

Some rare individuals have survived minor exposure, but recoveries are so scarce and unpredictable they are considered anomalies. Standard doctrine is to avoid any physical contact with infected individuals.

 

Progression

 

The disease advances through four escalating stages, each bringing the host further under Chryth control until their body becomes an incubator for newly forming parasites.