Umbral Toxin

An
ancient plague believed to be a toxin or parasite that has spread across stars
via asteroid for millions of millennia, spawning from an unknown source.  Once a planet's atmosphere has been exposed
to the toxin it is often eaten away for reasons beyond current understanding,
leading this toxin to be a literal planet killer in the proper dose.  However Umbra; infections usually start out
small among the local flora or fauna, who subsequently spread the toxin as it
begins to reproduce itself in their bodies.
It is unclear if the toxin is biological or synthetic in nature but it does seem to make "conscious decisions."

Prior to the events of Project Reaper, it was believed that the Umbral Toxin had been cleansed from the galaxy by the Angels during the Umbral Wars.

Once the Umbra Toxin has entered an organic creature it can
cause a variety of issues to derive depending on which major strain the
infected has been inflicted with;

## **Umbra Pestem Strain (*Mostly affecting organic functions*)**

### **Aklipsis**

A condition resulting from infection by the Umbra Virus.  Patients who suffer from Aklipsis often
suffer from severe cognitive degradation, skeleton deformities and numerous
respiratory issues.  Aklipsis occurs when
the Umbra Virus penetrates into a highly fatty part of the body and remains for
a significant amount of time.  As the
toxin flows through the fatty tissues it causes an abnormal folding process to
occur in the cellular structures leading to far more solid and dense fat
tissues.  These tissues can serve as
armouring against many weapons, however due to their irregular nature and
random shapes they often tend to cause mass suffering to the patient.

### **Neurohydrolisis**

A critical condition which kills most victims within an hour.  In Neurohydrolisis the patient brains and
nervous systems literally slowly become liquid.
On a cellular level the cells are "bursting" releasing their
contents, literally turning the nervous system into mostly water.  Much like poisons if the infected limb is
removed before the effects can spread the patient can be saved, however most
infections occur in the brain, a fatal and irreversible condition.

### **Cytomagneria**

An
unusual condition that causes the victim’s blood cells to quickly accumulate
heavy metals from the environment via touch and respiration.  Cytomagneria affects both the lungs and the heart.  Most often cytomagneria leads to an early
death but can take years to fully manifest.
Some sufferers of cytomagneria have noted being able to manipulate
magnetic waves, allowing for strange an unusual abilities.  The downside is that cytomagneria is often paired
with Aklipsis which causes the cognitive degradation – leading Cytomagneria
sufferers with abilities to become particularly dangerous.

### **Umbraeus**

 The absolute most horrifying symptom that can result from Umbral Pestem poisoning,
Umbraeus causes its victim to quickly accumulate painful boils, stretching the
skin and dehydrating vital organs.  Most
often Umbraeus penetrates the brain, encouraging its victim to lunge at
uninfected organics.  If the boils pop
the Umbra toxin will spread to the next individual and manifest in its own
way.  Sufferers of Umbraeus are known to
target loved ones over strangers.  The victim
is often fully aware but unable to control their actions and as a result the psychological
torment of Umbraeus is immense.  Umbreas
victims usually do not die of their wounds, instead after 4-5 days of suffering
they chew their wrists and ankles out, causing them to bleed out.  Some have been known to linger in dark places
for months on end, never moving and remaining completely inactive, it is
believed they simply have lost the cognitive function to even kill themselves.

## **Umbra Nexis Strain (*Affects both organic and synthetic functions*)**

### **BiRaxis**

A
poorly understood symptom of Umbra poisoning which can actually occur in
synthetic life.  Generally the metal of
the synthetic is manipulated and obtains organic growths.  This synthesis of biology and mechanics is
not fully understood and has led to countless incredible possibilities
including drones controlled by an organic neural implant.

### **Meldera**

A
symptom of Umbral poisoning which leads to the victim merging with a machine or
mech - usually this victim is already dead, it is unknown how infected chooses
its mechanical host.  The only reported
case of Meldera is that of Dr. Drenix Ironsigh who displayed minor personality
traits and evidence of sentient thought.
It is believed in the case of Ironsigh, the host device chosen was
merely due to proximity and not for its efficacy, leading some to believe that
if a Meldera sufferer is never allowed to make contact with a mechanical
device, they may be freed from the Toxin’s effect, as of yet, this remains
unproved.

### **Radiodephonia**

A
symbiotic symptom of Meldera this causes the infected to emit strange
frequencies which can affect surrounding organics in unpredictable manors.  It is thought this a rudimentary, yet
undeveloped, mechanism to allow the Umbral Toxin to infect organics via
"mind control" or manipulation of brain waves.

### **Pallamoria**

A
strange symptom of the Nexis strain which causes the victim’s brain to
magnetize, slowly accumulating metals strewn throughout the Atmosphere - this
symptom is deadly, though it takes years for the accumulation to affect its
victims leading to various ailments such as brain cancer and aneurisms.  If the victim survives typical ailments they
will eventually die from lack of oxygen flow to the brain.  Due to this fact, Pallamoria suffers have
been noted to act as though they are high, before dying.

### **Pallamorphisis**

Occurring in the corpses of
Pallamoria suffers the symptom known as Pallamorphisis is considered the most
excruciating of symptoms to the Nexis Strain.
The Toxin restarts the corpse’s nervous system, and revitalizes its
victim in a zombie-like state.  Then,
over weeks, the Pallamorphisis causes metal growths to jut from within the
victim's flesh.  This extremely painful
process leads to the inevitable destruction of the body, however the victim's nervous
system, spine and brain becomes encased in metal, allowing it and the victim to
live while being entombed in metal.  The
nerves remain inflamed from the pressure of the metal casing causing horrific
pain throughout the entire process – and forever after.  The toxin keeps the nervous system active for
many decades, potentially even centuries while sustaining the life - and
potentially the consciousness - of its victim.

## **Lux Stain (*Anti-Umbral characteristics*)**

The Lux Strain is a variant of the Umbral Toxin that has evolved on Samsara and appears to function much in contrast to the other Umbral strains.

Though the Lux Strain is restricted to Samsara, and very little is known about it - it is believed that this strain is able to reanimate the dead from their memories and scraps of their souls. It is believed that the Lux strain does this to act as a permanent memory or recording of history. It is unknown whether this was the original intention for the Umbral Toxins post-Levantynn evolution, however it is possible that this evolution was planned, and Seraphim intended to collect the knowledge and memories later.

The Lux strain has taken on the form of a living being in the Mu people. Though it acts very much mechanically and on instinct, it is a sentient force - for all intents and purposes, the Mu are ghosts of the past.

The Lux Strain is not known to have any reactions with organics or synthetics upon contact. The only known instance of its manifestation is the Mu people.