Strigamorphs were rare monsters found in Western-Epressa. Very few knew of their existence even among vampiric-kind, and those few who knew were likely those who carried them in their bodies, who were themselves reanimated by the beast and depended on it for sustenance in their parasitic relationship.

These "Striggan" were implanted with the parasite via the bite of another host, injecting powerful mutagens into the bloodstream via fangs, which killed the victim shortly after infecting them with vampirism. The victim was later resurrected by the newly grown parasite once their bodies had been altered to meet the beast's needs and instinctively driven to slake their mutual bloodthirst.

While the parasites themselves were incapable of intelligent speech, they sometimes communicated with their host via emotional telepathy, albeit baser feelings such as rage, fear or primal satisfaction. Fledgling hosts often confused these telepathic feelings for their own, influencing their host, while an experienced vampire could learn to separate their own feelings from that of the parasite even communicate to a degree. In some cases, it was possible for Host and Parasite to form a bond, establishing harmonious control.

When infecting another with the parasite, the "Sire" formed a similar telepathic link to their "Sireling", able to communicate words and feelings across vast distances if they so chose.

While not unique to their kind alone, there is evidence that Striggan had a spoken and written language lost to the ages alongside their mysterious homeland.

A Strigamorph Host appeared like they did in life, with a few mutagenic exceptions courtesy of their parasite. Pale skin was common, though a well fed Strigamorph may retain some color. Elongated fangs were universal though sometimes retractable, usually the canines. Bioluminescent eyes were also common, some brighter than others. Even those few without could be identified by their reflective quality in low light, akin to wolves and nocturnal beasts.

Hosts retained their youth up to the point of resurrection, often unscarred and unblemished due to their enhanced healing, save those left by silver, or in some cases iron. Whether for their ethereal beauty or corpse-like uncanny, they were otherwordly and out of place among the living.

The parasite within however was a ghastly thing not much bigger than a human heart. They boasted a series of long tendrils which ended in tiny hooks and mouths used to siphon and even replace veins. The spherical creature had no with which to navigate, appearing as a simplistic organism with transparent skin, though were believed to red due to their bloody diet.

Diet:

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Strigamorphs fed on a symbiotic diet with their Vampiric hosts, siphoning magic and living essence via tendrils attached to the roots of the Vampire's fangs, which featured hollowed chambers of needle-thin width through which the parasite swiftly extracted blood from their host's victim. The parasite would then filter what it needed from the blood, sacrificing a small portion to prolong it's lifespan via magic, after which the remaining blood would be pumped through the host-body's veins to sustain it by rapidly expanding and squeezing in mimicry of a living heart.

This "heartbeat" could last until the next feeding, typically once every few days to a week or more, gradually weakening. A Strigamorph's pulse could silent or even nonexistent by the time they fed, though it may slow and even weaken them.

The food of living beings could do nothing to sustain the host body, nor would it appeal. All but the strongest of tastes turned bland or flavorless, save of course blood and dishes which amply contained it.

Blood itself could be sweet and tangy or even savory, while mage's blood was both highly coveted and nourishing.


Sensory Enhancement:

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Able to heighten most senses with conscious effort, though were limited to improving only one sense at a time, with the exception of their impressive low-light vision, which was a subconscious bodily function.


Rapid Healing:

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Strigamorph hosts were capable of rapid healing with varying degrees. Most could be observed recovering from deep wounds within minutes and small cuts in seconds. This made them difficult to bleed out, though doing so would only weaken them rather than kill them.

There were only three proven ways to kill a Strigamorph:

1. Pierce the parasite clean through.
2. Burn the parasite.
3. Decapitate the Host.

Puncturing the parasite through one side and out the other could overwhelm the creature which would then die of shock. As the host brain depends on the parasite to preserve an undead state, the host would experience Final Death moments after, having achieved total brain death and reverted to their original, dead state.

As these creatures tended to rise again if not killed in this way, certain villages in western Epressa believed that all vampires must be killed by a wooden stake through the heart, to add to the existing vampire mythos of Arethil.

Fire produced similar albeit slower results, burning a Strigamorph's flesh faster than the a host could regenerate and, eventually, boiling the parasite in it's own blood. This required a steady exposure to flame as they were, much like humans, non-flammable.

Decapitation was the swiftest way to kill the host, disrupting the connection between brain and parasite. This would not however kill the parasite as immediately which, if given time, would chew it's way out of the fallen host and desperately wriggle to the nearest, freshest body of a dead or dying sentient, and burrow it's way in repeat the process anew.

Though not outright lethal, certain metals were toxic to Striggan, typically Silver or Iron, depending on the individual. Wounds inflicted by correct metal healed significantly slower, giving hunters time to cut deep and even disable Striggan.

Striggan blood also possessed Healing properties that could be consumed by others to grant them the Striggan's rapid healing powers for a brief moment, though it was mistakenly believed by most to infect whoever partook of it. In actuality it could cure most sickness that was not vampiric or magical in origin.



Strigaphorm:

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Strigaphorm, sometimes "Phorm" was the name of a monstrous transformation in which the host body was flooded with vampiric mutagens. Their forms became entirely adapted to the hunt, strengthened by rapid growth of exposed muscle and shielded by an outer layer of bony plates which armored their vitals.

In most cases, the transformation was the parasite's last desperate defense against starvation, using the last of it's power to assume full control, devolving into a feral hunter with the intelligence of a mere beast. At this point the host is no more, their mind consumed by the parasite by the parasite, wiped clean from existence for their failure to keep themselves and their parasite fed.

It was possible however, with great effort, to form a bond with one's parasite. Provided the host fed often and could tap into the emotional telepathy shared between themselves and their parasite, harmonious control could be achieved temporarily, allowing the host to enter their Strigaform independently, and in control of themselves. Once upon a time, this is how Striggan conducted war.

In this case, a Phorm could appear less animalistic, evolved for fighting yet leaving room for social characteristics and human intelligence. These forms often reflected the host in some way, such as a brave knight with a bloodied mane, or a beautiful witch reborn with wings of a butterfly.

Whether this power was used to a full transformation or partial—taking on only one trait such as wings or claws that could be maintained longer than a full Phorm—the cost was paid in blood, forcing the host and parasite to feed soon after the transformation had ended, which itself lasted only hours if well fed, and much less if not.

This was the only universal property of all Strigaphorms, save that they were always large and quite strong.



Venomous Fangs:

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A strigamorph's fangs were hollow for not only feeding purposes, but to infect if they so choose. Glands in the parasite's tendrils could release powerful mutagens into the host's fangs while feeding which both infected their victim and implanted the parasite's dormant offspring in their bloodstream to feast upon their heart and grow into a fully fledged Strigamorph.

This could be achieved only by the host's desire, realized or not, resulting in the rare population of Striggan across Arethil.

Similarly, some Striggan possessed parasites that produced venom, varrying from painful neurotxins and mild paralytics to endorphine releasers evolved to calm prey entered into longterm feeding arrangements.



Vampiric Strength:

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Striggan possessed a great deal of strength for their size, such that even the smallest elf throw an orcish adult across rooms without breaking a sweat, aided by the magical powers of their parasite. Some instead boasted greater speed than strength, moving in a blur across short distances to catch prey, but all Striggan were at least noticably stronger than their former selves, even the scrawniest among them.



Ghoulifying Blood:

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While Striggan blood could serve as lifesaving medicine, regular consumption from one source led to addiction. "Strighūl", or "Ghūl", were names given to those who fed their addiction, and were dependent on an individual Striggan for their fix. Regularly consuming their blood granted Ghūls some of their master's power, even if only a fraction. Ghoulification made them stronger than most, prevented illness and even aging.

These gifts were not given freely, however.

A ghūl who has not partaken of blood shed from the specific Striggan to whom they are addicted within a few nights time will experience withdrawel symptoms that worsen with time.

Bloodshot eyes were the first sign, headaches the next, increasingly painful day by day. By the second week, nightmares turn frequent as dreams, each more convincing than the last. Soon figures of illusion invade their waking vision, until one can no longer perceive the boundary between dreams and reality.

The oldest of ghūls, those who outlived their natural lifespan, simply turned to dust without the blood.

Few ghūls escaped their fates alive, and those who did either found themselves human on the other side, or looked to new masters for salvation.

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From the notes of Dr. Blackbriar,


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• Crypticism on the River Sayve - first mentioned

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