Therion Syndrome

The **Therion Syndrome** is an artificial, pseudo-magical condition created by the Precursors. Originally a bioweapon, it is able to turn humanoids into monstrous beasts, either permanently or temporarily depending on the strain applied to the specimen.

## History

During the late ... Epoch, the Mochaistos city-state waged war against the Argyragon, the richest and largest city-state at the time, over the possession of a valley caught between their territories. While it has never been determined where this valley was located, it was said to be of great value, rich with minerals, ores, and lush farm land.

## Appearance

In their humanoid form, Therion are indistinguishable from their unaffected humanoid counterparts, and usually possess no physical or psychological advantages other than their ability to shift into their stronger, bestial form. They respond normally to injury and illnesses, but tend to be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and most drugs and Poi.

Once transformed, however, Therion are a sight to behold. Standing between 2,5 to 3,3 meters tall and weighing up to 700 kilograms, they are among the largest terrestrial predators on Eyremos. They are long-limbed and humanoid in shape, but due to their heavy, muscular upper body, their prefer to move around on all fours, usually balanced on the knuckles. A Therion's fur takes after the head hair of their humanoid form in color, although it has been recorded that variations in thickness and hue occur across the body, creating markings and patterns. Actual head hair is changed into mane during the shift, which is coarser in texture and able to be erected via small muscle movements on the neck and shoulders. Another place where this 'mane fur' is found is at the tip of their tails, which grows up to 100 to 115 cms long.

Their paws are thick and elongated, with feet made for digitigrade walking and hands strengthened for extensive slashing power. Claws on both paw sets are restractable and while short, are thick, hooked and exceptionally durable, known to cut through metal with relative ease.

## Curing Therion Syndrome

In rare cases, it is possible to ‘cure’ an individual of Therion Syndrome. By manipulating the hypothalamus, a hormonal gland in the brain that controls the hormones in a humanoid’s body, it is possible to surgically ‘remove’ the ability that allows Therion to transform into their bestial form, but this is often at the cost of their health, as the Therion are bound to suffer from extreme hormonal disorders which most places in Konis aren’t equipped to deal with.

An extensive bone marrow transplant from a non-Therion also has a low chance to curing Therion Syndrome, but because the Syndrome is rather persistent, the urges and the ability to transform usually return after a couple of months. There have been a couple of false cases claiming success from these types of procedures, only to be debunked by showing that the patient continued to take Restrainer medication after the procedure, which painted an unfair picture of their beast’s vitality.

## Therion types

### Alpha (Beastmage)

Contrary to what their name suggests, Therion Alphas aren't actually assume the beastly shape themselves. Also known as "Beast Mages", they are magickally gifted individuals with the unique ability to tame and control Therion, and were developed alongside the original proto-Therion to act as their handlers. While it is possible for non-magickally gifted Alphas to be born, they are generally arcane prodigies that, because of their rarity, sometimes don’t even come into contact with Therion and never find out their special abilities. Like bestial Therion, they react to Activator and Restrainer medication: the former boosts their magickal stamina, and the latter suppresses their ability to use their magickal powers, both the Therion-related ones and regular spells.

### Shapeshifters

These ‘regular’ Therion are the most common and widespread of all Therion types, and often seen as the most dangerous. Evolving into a different direction than the sapient Perma-Therion, the shapeshifters managed to perfect the ability to transform between their human and beastly forms, but created a larger divide between these forms, which caused their Therion form to lose all its human impulses and become exclusively animalistic, following their core instincts of killing and dominating anything that stands in their way. Shapeshifters are indistinguishable from regular humans, and are incredibly volatile when they transform into their bestial form. While older and more emotionally mature shapeshifters are able to control their shifts to a certain degree, mastering their Therion’s impulses and actions is essentially impossible, and requires the intervention of an Alpha.

#### Phenotypes of shapeshifting Therion

Although it is generally believed that all shapeshifting Therion belong to the same type, there are still some variations between them that seem to be as genetic as the condition itself. In modern days, the most well-documented phenotypes of shapeshifting Therion are **Strikers**, **Stalkers** and **Enforcers**.

**Strikers** are considered to be the most jack-of-all-trades type of Therion, as they are in-between the other two in terms of size, muscle mass, intelligence and speed, with their most defining feature being the possession of four upper canines, rather than two. **Stalkers** are the smallest, fastest and most lithe of the phenotypes, and are slightly less aggressive than Strikers and Enforcers. Their defining feature is one from the very early stages of the Therion Syndrome creation: they grow a line of poisonous barbs along their spine, concealed in their mane. **Enforcers** are the largest and bulkiest of the three phenotypes, with a thick skin, short tail and a notable lack of mane. In some Enforcers, their lower canines grow much larger than the rest of their teeth, resulting in tusk-like fangs.

Of course, these phenotypes aren’t the only ones present in the shapeshifting breed. There are other physical specialities found within this type of Therion, but it is often debated at what point those can be considered their own phenotype, or are considered to be an individual mutation.

### Proto-Therion

Before being unleashed upon the battlefield, the Therion Syndrome went through a lot of trial and error which produced an assortment of ineffective and failed variants. Although the term proto-Therion usually refers to the successful final results, it is an umbrella term that includes any creature that ever took part in the creation of the Syndrome. Proto-Therion, thus, are varying in size, with the smallest being the petrified half-human, half-beast fetuses and embryos that were uncovered in urns in Mochaistos’ ruins, and the largest being the full-fledged Therion that were deployed in the final battles of the Precursor civilization. A ‘typical’ and successful Proto-Therion resembles a modern day shapeshifter, but with a smaller skull and longer, pointier muzzle, as well as larger, less flexible ears.

### Perma-Therion

After the downfall of the Precursor civilization, the proto-Therion were free to roam Konis, unapprehended by any humanoid resistance. While most Therion evolved into the vicious, unstable shapeshifters known today, a few of them disappeared into the more remote regions of the continent, where they formed tribes with warrior cultures that embraced the beast, allowing them to erase their human nature and live in harmony with their animalistic one, thus evolving into a species of sentient, permanently bestial Therion.

These Therion are generally smaller than the regular shapeshifters, with larger skulls, longer tails and more developed psyches and larynxes that allow for communication between pack members. Unlike proto- and shapeshifting Therion,

## Famous Therion

* Sprite Cinders, a female Therion and ex-Skylax soldier, most known for her
* Zero Cameron, a male Alpha and son of Blake Cameron
* Krajar DiVoo, better known by their alias "Clickjaw", a possessed Therion with cannibalistic tendencies