The Necrophage

*The Necrophage, also more well known as The Devourer's Plague, is a highly contagious disease, causing mutations to the human body of the infected, which has overrun several planets throughout the galaxy. It spreads by direct physical contact with an infected individual. The exact origin of this disease is unknown to this day, but the creatures created by the sentient disease seem to be highly organized and the plague has frequently been utilized as a bio-weapon by the Brotherhood of Zodd, implying a link to the insane techno-sorcerer arts of that cult like nation. Due to the vast area of 'infection' the Necrophage covers, containment is impossible. Isolation of overrun worlds and exposed populations has proved far more effective and permission has been granted by multiple major governments working in conjunction with each other to establish a perimeter to keep people out of these areas under the guise of military operations. A scorched earth policy remains the preferred method of dealing with the infected whenever newly afflicted worlds are discovered.*

*Should any organism displaying traits consistent with the Necrophage be sighted near this perimeter then the established protocol requires it be engaged at long range with heavy arms until immobile then dispatched using incendiary weapons and munitions from as great a distance as possible. Any living thing coming in physical contact with an organism infected with the Necrophage is considered expendable and is to be immediately terminated and incinerated. Any persons coming within three meters of Necrophage infected lifeforms are to immediately withdraw from the area, be isolated from the rest of their team, and subjected to medical examination using only remote techniques to determine if infection has occurred and appropriate steps taken based on that determination. Not only humans shall be infected. Any organic beings shall be infected by the Necrophage as well, such as animals. Even with containment procedures in place, the Necrophage is still considered to be among the greatest threats to human dominance throughout the already turbulent Apocalypsa Galaxy.*

## *Origins & Characteristics*

*The* *Necrophage is the most unstable and terrifying means created by the hands of mankind in their attempts to ascend mortality and perfect themselves. This unholy abominable concoction is just one of many creations of the Brotherhood of Zodd. When injected, the Necrophage blesses the living with extreme strength and healing. It’s so potent, in fact, that it can even reanimate the dead. However, its unstable nature contributes to horrifyingly disgusting side effects and causes disturbing mutations when introduced to living or dead tissue. A man-made mutagenic plague upon the galaxy, when the Necrophage is injected into a living or dead individual, it begins rewriting its host's genetic coding on a cellular level. The cells will absorb the virus into its own genetic make-up, which takes over the cell's functions. The afflicted cell begins to produce offspring of the original virus. The virus is then released from the host cell and infects the closest neighboring cells, starting the process all over again. The Necrophage incorporates itself into the host's DNA, which substantially alters it. There are rare cases where a human responds favorably to virus and transforms into a dominant mutant.*

*These mutations are the result of unique genetic factors that only one in tens of billions of people displays. People with this genetic quality were highly prized by Zodd, as they could be turned into more easily controlled bio-weapons. Should the human host be alive at the time of injection, the subject will quickly begin to psychologically degrade and mutate out of control. This leaves the infected host with a very cannibalistic and extremely violent behavior. The effects, combined with the agonizing symptoms of the virus, induce a psychotic rage, persistent hunger, and increased aggressiveness in those afflicted. Should the human host be dead at the time of infection, the dead at first will act normally, retaining their personality before having been killed. However, this does not last very long, as within minutes the subject will begin to exhibit extreme aggression and horrific mutations. Quickly degenerating into a barely controllable beast. Given time the afflicted will degenerate further until only enough energy is produced to power the lower brain functions. These functions are responsible for the most primal instincts, such as mobility and eating. Functions the Necrospawn retain in spades.*

*The Necrophage virus uses the infected host as an incubator for parasitic creatures which seek to spread the infection further. These parasites are capable of influencing their host's behavior by attaching themselves to the central nervous system, in humans between the lungs and heart. The maturation and take-over of the human hosts can be very painful and cause internal haemorrhaging, coughing up of blackish blood, swelling of blood vessels around the eyes, fainting, convulsions, and hallucinations. The parasites begin altering the host's biochemistry from birth, with the changing of the eyes to crimson being a common sign. The parasites also cause mutations in their hosts while increasing their physical strength and durability. If the body is severely injured, adult parasites may tear through the neck and use their own bodies in self-defense. The abominable spawn of the Necrophage are social creatures, and their hosts thereby also form a pack mentality. This allows those infected by the Necrophage to organize themselves and even use complex strategies when seeking new hosts. With more intelligent forms often utilizing ambush tactics and attempts at infiltration.*

*The Necrophage strategy is simple: They throw themselves at potential hosts in huge numbers with any and all weapons available. Necrophage tactics are based primarily on asymmetrical warfare: the Necrophage uses all of its different forms to kill any enemy it sees. Infection forms swarm across the battlefield in waves, reanimating any corpses they come into contact with, while also seeking to attack and kill any hosts in sight. The Necrophage have a strong preference for close-range combat: Necrospawn lifeforms possess abnormally strong melee attacks by whipping their tentacles, capable of slicing a soldier dressed in semi-powered armor in half with a single hit. Infection forms are capable of attacking only at point-blank ranges, instantly grabbing hold of an enemy organism and infecting it. More intelligent combat forms can also use firearms. However, Necrospawn lifeforms struggle with using ranged weaponry: it is believed that the neurological ramifications of Necrophage infection significantly decrease accuracy, as well as coordination. The Necrophage are, on the other hand, very effective with heavy weaponry. Even without access to conventional weapons, the Necrospawn can evolve biological weapons. For examples, firing spike like projectiles from their own bodies with enough force to piece carapace armor and which are capable of injecting those whom are unfortunate enough to be struck.*

*In the majority of cases, after the completion of the infection occurs the victim's life functions will cease for approximately 3 minutes after which time they will restart at 2-3 times the activity rate of a normal human. Following this, the biological tissue on the victims will start to move of its own accord and grow at an accelerated rate. Normal human features start to disappear at this point under the infection and the path of mutation appears to be largely random. Subjects observed in this stage of infection have been recorded as growing three or more limbs of a type such as arms or legs, the head may become misshapen and elongate or widen out, and parts of the subject may split open from which additional branches of flesh will grow. Inside of a controlled environment, this stage of the infection has been seen to spawn many of the worst and most volatile early forms of the Necrophage. If kept isolated from other infected, they will act more like rabid animals than the organized pack hunters behavior seen in larger groups. It has also been noted that its intelligence can depend heavily on the complexity of the infected organism. A Necrospawn's level of intelligence is a function of its size. The larger the infected, the more intelligent it is likely to be. The smaller the infected, the less intelligent it will be.*

*At present the known infection vectors for the Necrophage's spread seem to be focused primarily on physical contact with living or dead tissue. Drone movements within heavily infected areas have returned air samples containing minute particulate which when exposed to organic compounds will result in the spread of the Necrophage. The results of these particular tests have revealed that most require several days to manifest if at all, with the exception of direct contact with exposed lung and liver tissue. These particular tests show a rapid rate of growth which requires incineration of the testing environment no more than twenty-four hours after initial exposure, with even a two-hour mistake risking a compromised facility event. Given enough time the Necrophage begins to effect its surroundings, consuming the natural environment. Under unknown conditions an infected individual will cease moving and place itself in a location it deems suitable where it roots itself. The fleshy growth on the victim will then begin to spread itself across all surrounding objects and consume them. Altering the atmosphere and covering solid surfaces with fleshy biomass. Such objects do not spread the infection as living creatures do. It is assumed this behavior is to create an area hospitable to continued growth of other infected.*

### *Necrospawn*

*Generally referred to as the Necrospawn, they are the result of the Necrophage run amok. The afflicted develop razor-sharp claws, sharp canine teeth, bones jetting from various parts of the body and their hearts pump blood rapidly across the body, turning the skin a disgusting blood red. Although physically powerful and extremely resilient, Necrospawn are insane, mewling creatures with no mental powers or self-awareness. Their former intelligence has been sacrificed to their horrible mutations. Most Necrospawn end up as a seething mound of bone and blubber, monstrous and screaming with lunatic rage. The outward appearance of a Necrospawn is utterly unpredictable and frequently changes over the course of a battle. No two are alike, and their make-up owes as much to the capricious effects of the Necrophage as it does to functionality. A Necrospawn may have several sets of limbs, crab claws or tentacles, armor that bulges beneath the skin, tattered and useless wings, clumps of eye-stalks that wave like grass in the wind, a sinewy prehensile neck or a gaping maw of needle-thin teeth. Some spawn resemble featureless quivering mounds of inverted muscle covered with spines that drip acidic pus. All, however, are hideous to behold and deadly whenever they are encountered on the battlefield.*

*While becoming a vile Necrospawn is an utterly horrifying fate, the worst is yet to come. These mutated quasi-dead creatures are capable of developing biological methods of producing and injecting the Necrophage into other living creatures. This is the absolute worst case scenario when forced to deal with an outbreak of Necrospawn and whole populations have been cleansed in the nuclear fires of atomic weapons in order to impede the spread of the infected. Knowing all of this, the Brotherhood of Zodd still uses the Necrophage to produce quasi-dead mutant super soldiers, utilizing a more refined version of the serum. While insane quasi-dead monsters, these soldiers are capable of higher thinking. Often utilized as nigh unkillable shock troopers, their regenerative abilities make them remarkable hard to put down even when facing off with transhuman super soldiers from other factions or engaging the deadly Star Spawn and Demihuman races. Zodd uses the Necrophage in its most unrefined form as an extraordinarily potent bioweapon to be deployed against both civilian and military targets indiscriminately. Utilizing the Necrophage's many bizarre mutagenic properties to create armies of screaming, agonized monsters amidst the enemies own population to cause more chaos.*

### *The Devourer's Plague*

*Due to the practice of using the Necrophage and its mutagenic effects as a bioweapon, rogue uncontrollable hordes of Necrospawn have begun assaulting remote worlds all across the galaxy. Being called the Devourer's Plague by those few who have survived their rampages, these hordes of undead mutant abominations have swept an estimated 1,000 worlds clean of all life over the centuries since the Necrophage's inception. While the exact origins of these terrifying monsters are unknown to the vast majority of the galaxy's human inhabitants, commonly being considered more of an alien menace. However, what they do know is that the Devourer's Plague is responsible for the devastation of many populated worlds and has consumed entire planetary populations. Claiming these worlds for themselves as breeding grounds and forcing the remnants of the surviving population to flee or enclose themselves inside fortress cities while sending out desperate please for aid. The sole purpose of almost all Necrospawn is to acquire more bodies to convert and spread the infection. The Necrospawn of the Devourer's Plague have had more time to mutate, adapt and evolve than those controlled by the Zodd, as a result they are even more aggressive and will attack any uninfected organism upon seeing them, utilizing its impressive variety of devastating mutations as deadly offensive weapons.*

*The worst of the Necrospawn are those creatures that have endured for standard centuries in this loathsome state, their mutations bloating and growing until the creature reaches monstrous proportions. Unfortunately for the cursed individual who survives long enough as a tormented spawn to reach this size, a Colossal Necrospawn is nearly impossible to kill, condemning it to an eternity of torment as a squealing mound of mutated limbs and churning fangs. Able to reach sizes comparable to multi-story buildings, they are the most feared of their hated kind. As with all Necrospawn, the Colossal Necrospawn pupates grows vast with layers of muscle and sagging flab, enveloping the contorted skeleton and rapidly mutating organs within. Limbs elongate and multiply, fracturing along their length to allow for quicker movement before developing sharply articulated joints. Claws and bony protrusions sprout from deep within the creature’s musculature, and internal tissues burst forth to form flapping, mucous-covered pseudopods. This biology is completely incapable of sustaining a natural existence, yet it is given fuel by the unquenchable insanity of the being that has been transformed, for the Necrophage allows the mortal to retain just enough of their former intellect to experience an eternity of madness.*

*Having adapted to living and spreading without the need of human handlers, these Necrospawn have mutated various specialist infection forms, which exist solely to spread the Necrophage to new hosts. The Necrospawn injects a person by forcing a fleshy tube down the victims throat and into the body of the host, a parasitc serpentine creature then wraps itself around the spinal cord and tapping directly into the host's nervous system. They control the host like a puppet, and reproduce asexually in the chest cavity, transforming their doomed host into an agonizing, walking hive of infestation. All types of Necrospawn are extremely hardy creatures and capable of surviving in lethal environments such as the vacuum of space. This implies a complete lack of respiration or reliance upon vascular activity, which explains the Necrospawns' resistance to wounds that would cause massive blood loss due to hemorrhaging in uninfected humans. The Necrophage infection is not only limited to humans. Accounts from survivors describes Necrospawn fish which behaves like all other Necrospawn, as they attack uninfected fish in order to kill and infect them. Necrospawn can also be created from dogs. On planets dominated by intelligent alien life, numerous Necrospawn created from native extraterrestrial species have been encountered. Thus, this any living organism in the galaxy can be infected, no matter the species. Planets overrun by the Necrophage become known as "Dead Worlds" and are to be avoided by all starships no matter the cost.*

## *Engagement & Extermination*

*Like the Necrospawn deployed by Brotherhood of Zodd, they do not suffer from the vulnerabilities associated with a body that needs interconnected vital organs, centralized nervous system, respiration, or vascular support. Injuries that would kill an ordinary human have little effect on them. They can easily sustain more damage than a human and aren't afraid to fight to the death. The Necrospawn possess specific vulnerabilities depending on their archetype. Wounds that may "kill" certain Necrospawn may not necessarily kill human beings and vice versa. Despite their apparent similarities, one should not assume that the vital organs of either forms are similar. When dealing with a Necrospawn, it is advisable to induce as much blood loss as possible by any means necessary while shooting at the torso or head are inefficient ways to deprive a Necrospawn host body of blood. Enough shots to the head or body will eventually drain the body to the point where it can be assumed lifeless i.e. the physical inability to mobilize themselves despite the presence of any functional limbs still connected to the host. Similarly, the parasitic Necrospawn can be more quickly killed by removing the head, disposing of both the Necrospawn and its host body. Thermal blades are a good weapon for this and are utilized for such purposes by many factions. Though, understandably, there exist very few defenders, with the notable exception of those possessing various superhuman or supernatural attributes, whom are willing to engage the Necrospawn in close quarters combat.*

*While decapitation is an effective method for killing most Necrospawn, the second method to dispose of Necrospawn is incineration. All Necrospawn will be killed if they sustain heavy burns. Necrospawn possess an uncanny ability of quickly regenerating even the most grievous wounds. In due time almost all wounds will be healed, except those inflicted by their only known weakness, fire. Though larger and much more powerful variants require heavy firepower to be permanently brought down in battle. Most often leading to the deployment of tanks and heavy weapons platforms in order to quickly do away with suck behemoths. Powerful firearms can be effective, as well. If a weapon does a large enough amount of damage per hit, such as a plasma cannon or a mini-gun, the Necrospawn can be killed or severely injured. These much more evolved Necrospawn communicate with one another using chemicals which allows them to pass along information at a genetic level. Memories learned from the host will be absorbed and passed to the newest generation of Necrospawn, allowing them to read and understand many different languages. The Necrospawn of the Devourer's Plague also excels at observational learning. Through this method they are able to utilize firearms, operate advanced starships, and employ complex strategies using the memories of their unfortunate victims to access a diverse array of skill sets. However, the more extreme mutations of Necrospawn are no longer physically capable of using weapons or technology. They attack the foe with their supernatural resilience and hideous mutations, brutally tearing into the horrified defenders.*