Overview:

Rubro-Immunovirus Vampirum, otherwise known as RIV and 'Vampire Virus' is a virus that affects many different species. It has a 98% fatality rate by stage two. Stage three is associated with Encephalopathy Vampirum.

Symptoms:

Before activation, which may take up to a year, individuals infected with RIV will not display any symptoms directly related to RIV. Its occurrence with other illnesses often masks RIV until RIV is activated.

Stage One: 'The Dying'

Once activated, the individual may begin to display a variety of symptoms, including the ones listed below. These symptoms may last up to a few weeks, and progressively worsen over time:

  • Muscle weakness and aches.
  • Nausea and Vomiting (in later phases, of blood).
  • bodily rejection of food.
  • Cravings for bloody or raw meats.
  • Anemia.
  • Confusion.
  • Fever.
  • Dizziness.

    • Stage Two: 'The Death'

    There is a 98% chance that the infected individual will not reawaken from RIV. During the time of the 'Death';

  • RIV rapidly takes over the body, converting it for its own function; the heart slows to a stop within minutes.
  • If an individual receives an electric shock strong enough to restart the heart within one to two minutes of the heart stopping, the likelihood of moving onto phase three increases by 50%.
  • In order to survive, an individual must maintain a heart rate of at least 40 in this phase.

    • Stage Three: 'Reawakening'

    An individual may 'survive' phase two. Reawakening may take up to 72 hours, after which, a few things may present themselves.

    Physical:
  • Skin is pale, especially when anemic.
  • A change of eye color. A fledgling may be reawakened with lighter-colored eyes than before, even having a reflective 'glow'.
  • 'Fangs' will appear shortly after reawakening, within a few minutes to an hour. The top, and potentially bottom incisor teeth may fall and be replaced with more piercing and denser incisors, or 'fangs' within omnivore species. Within herbivore species, the same will occur but with more of the teeth.
  • Extreme sun sensitivity, with third degree burns after around fifteen minutes of exposure.
  • Within 2-6 months, a shapeshifting ability, most often into a swarm of bats or an individual bat.
  • An aversion or complete inability to consume food that used to be eaten prior to transformation; ie. an herbivore no longer eating plants, or a carnivore only drinking the blood but not consuming the meat of other beings.
  • Garlic allergy or oversensitivity.
  • When not anemic, increased strength and speed.

    • Mental/Behavioral:
  • Individuals will experience an anemic 'starvation' immediately after awakening, displaying violent and destructive behaviors at the sight of, sound of, and especially smell of blood, at an attempt to obtain it through any means. It may take individuals up to two months to regain control of themselves, though these symptoms may return if the individual is anemic.
  • Encephalopathy Vampirum (EV) is a term describing the cognitive destruction brought on by RIV. It may take individuals up to two years to return to previous cognitive functions, if at all. Individuals may:
  • Experiencing some loss of upper-level functions, like executive functioning and spoken communication. Lower or well-practiced functions may stay intact though.
  • Displaying fangs and hissing behavior when feeling anxious or threatened.
  • Heightened senses; sensitivity of the sight, hearing and touch, and especially sensitive towards the sound of heartbeats.
  • Overstimulation at seeing crossed objects.

    • Transmission:

    Bloodborne - transmitted through transfer of blood from the infected to the uninfected.

    BACK HOME