Ur-Locust's Unquiet/Affliction

Main	Affliction	Characters	Items	Locales	Quests
From the sloughed-off remains erupts a cacophonous swarm of rioting locusts. Their translucent bodies shine violently in the torchlight as they throng and crash about the subterranean chamber. Their wings blind and deafen as they rush about you. This chittering host floods out through the partially collapsed kobold tunnel, but not before a number of them burrow through your armor, clothing, and skin.They are among you. 
==Description==
Type parasite, contact; Save — ; Frequency 1/week; Effects soul consumption, see text; Cure unknown
The Ossirian Soulfly — Locusta Animaphagia — is an ethereal insectoid parasite that burrows into the soul of its host. It consumes the aether, mana, and vitae of the soul before rendering the host completely soulless. They bear a strong resemblance to the mundane locust with the exception of their spectral appearance. 
==Investigation==
===Discoveries===
#A pair of Sandscales were found in the Tomb of Hurrem. They suffered from malnutrition, exhaustion, and prolonged exposure to negative energy. The elder suffered from a form of soullessness, and died upon rough handling. Her corpse hatched and released a swarm of Ossirian Soulflies. Most disappeared down a tunnel dug by the intruding kobolds; some infested the members of Liberation's Wake. The Sandscales' tribe of origin lies deep within the Ossirian Dunes, in the sunken mythical city of Riyadh.
#*Source; Discovered firsthand by Liberation's Wake
#Ossirian Soulfly infestation is closer to Curse than Disease. They will feed on their host's soul and multiply as they do. At a certain point in the process they will be numerous enough to burst from the host in a reproductive swarm.
#*Source; A Monastic Order at Low Hope
#The Ossirian Soulfly is no mere magical affliction. They are divine vassals of an unknown deity. Further, a powerful angel attempted to cleanse them from the souls of Liberation's Wake and failed.
#*Source; Inuviel, a Hamonielan angel-in-exile
#Liberation's Wake has 18 weeks — 144 days, falling on the 21st of Falas — until complete consumption of their souls.
#*Source; Zaaset, from his investigation in Dis
# The general nature of Ossirian Soulfly infestation — its signs and symptoms — have been made known to Liberation's Wake; see below.
#*Source; Virgil, a Student of Decay
# An great and terrible Fiend has claimed that the Ossirian Soulflies are the spawn of an entity called the Ur-Locust, a corrupted nascent spirit-god of the Kurai Vastland's insects. 
#* Source; Labyrinthian Vile, self-professed Archduke of Meziraan
===Leads ===
# Elias knows the whereabouts of a renowned and disgraced professor of entomology — a one Dr. Jaqueline Crawford, on the Gregorian island Porquerolles.
# Kagayakashi Kagayaku, the Brilliant Lord of Shining Diamond, has firsthand experience with Ossirian Soulflies.
#In the halls of Len Iskonnug is a statue depicting Ossirian Soulflies in mid-flight, hatching from a host.
#Brogthol is clearly interested in the Ossirian Soulflies, as well as Liberation's Wake.
#*Allegedly, the Son-in-Rags means to devour the Ur-Locust as well as its offspring to steal its nascent divine spark.
===Theories===
*"The Soul-bug is definitely a divine servant of something, but the question is- who? Inuviel suggested Armenon... makes sense with the locusts. Maybe Zaaset can tell us more." - Razek
*Brogthol, the Son-in-Rags, is allegedly the divine spawn of Dealazel and Vorixael. It is heavily associated with verminous insects and the consumption of souls.
*
==Biology & Characteristics==
As the Ossirian Soulfly feeds on the soul, the soul falls into a state of decay and disrepair. The host will experience signs and symptoms following their soul's depletion of aether, mana, and vitae, growing more severe as the parasite works through the host's soul. The host will ultimately succumb to death and soullessness after their soul is utterly consumed by the parasite.
=== Ecology & Habitat===
The Ossirian Soulflies infesting Liberation's Wake were contracted from a sandscale hailing from the Riyadhi Brood. The sandscale This One hails from the same brood, and claims the infections first began during excavations carried out on her draconic master's orders. The majority of the Ossirian Soulfly swarm that infected Liberation's Wake vanished down a tunnel dug by the kobolds into the Tomb of Hurrem, likely returning to Riyadh.
===Signs & Symptoms===
Elias has noted that different individuals will suffer Ossirian Soulfly infestation's progression at different rates, most likely to do with the size and density of their individual soul.
====Aethermalacia====
The depletion or weakening of aether, the binding force of the soul. Creatures suffering from aethermalacia suffer interruptions to, malfunctions of, and ultimate loss of the soul's ability to retain mana, vitae, and the cardinal forces.
* Early Onset, Stage I - III
**Cardinal Deficiency; the soul leaks cardinal energy, resulting in alignment-drift towards True Neutral. A successful Fortitude save against DC ?? staves off Cardinal Deficiency in a given week, while failure results in 1 point of alignment drift.
** Mirroring; the soul fails to filter out foreign energy, resulting in superficial sympathetic identification. At Stage III, Mirroring occurs when exposed to Overwhelming energy for a moderate length of time or Strong energy for a prolonged length of time, the effects lasting anywhere from 10-60 minutes per HD / CL.
* Mid-Stage; Stage IV - VI
**Adoption; the soul incorporates foreign energy to compensate for advanced structural deterioration, resulting in the temporary gain of subtypes and traits therefrom. At Stage IV, Adoption occurs when exposed to Overwhelming energy for a prolonged length of time, the effects lasting an indeterminate amount of time based on HD / CL.
***The Fiendish Traits adopted from Labyrinthian Vile urged Elias & Razek towards cruelty and domination.
** Cardinal Deficiency; faster loss of cardinal energy, and more difficult to stave off. At Stage IV, a successful Fortitude save against DC ?? results in only 1 point of alignment drift, while a failed save results in 2.
** Mirroring; lasts longer and triggers more easily. At Stage IV, Mirroring occurs when exposed to Overwhelming energy for a moderate length of time or Strong energy for a prolonged length of time, the effects lasting anywhere from 30-90 minutes per HD / CL.
* Late Stage; VII - IX
** Degeneration; Unknown.
** Disintegration; Unknown.
====Mana Desiccation====
The depletion or weakening of mana, the spark of potential within every soul.
* Early Onset; Stage I
* Mid-Stage; Stage II
* Late Stage; Stage III
====Vitaephagia====
The depletion or weakening of vitae, the animating life-force of the soul.
* Early Onset; Stage I - II
* Mid-Stage; Stage III - IV
* Late Stage; Stage V - VI
===Reproduction & Transmission===
The Ossirian Soulfly reproduces within the soul of the host. The rate of reproduction is unknown. The rate of maturation is unknown. A host experiencing soullessness will release a mature swarm of Ossirian Soulflies upon death.
Ossirian Soulfly infection takes place when a creature is exposed to a newly-hatched swarm. It is unknown if there are other methods of transmission. The newly hatched Soulflies burrow into the exposed creature's soul and begin the animaphagic process anew. Ossirian Soulflies infect living humanoid creatures with souls as well as undead humanoid creatures with souls.