Chimera Virus

Chimera Virus

From the journal of Elric Hartson, monster researcher:

Aug 19

In review, Henry was bitten by a "strange wolf" while hunting twenty-two days ago. The changes began six days later, and he was imprisoned six days after that. There's evidency both for and against lycanthropy:
Bitten by a "strange wolf" (+)
Grew a tail (+)
Lupine muzzle (+)
Increased healing ability and appetite (+)
No abnormal reaction to silver, stress, or belladonna tea (-)
No sign of violent or animalistic behavior (-)
Tail looks rather ratty (-)
Fingers have fused into a hoof-like structure (-)

I'm increasingly convinced that Henry is not a werewolf, but the xenophobic bumpkins are not. I have less than a week to find another explanation for these symptoms, possibly a cure, or the villiage's best hunter and father of three will burn at the stake. I fear drastic measures may be neccessary.

History: The chimera virus originated in an experiment intended to create a being capable of altering and improving its form at will. Instead, the first subject, or "patient zero," showed no exceptional capabilities, and the illegal experiment was broken up before the subject reached adulthood, at which point she began exhibiting abnormal abilities. At first it seemed benign. Improved healing, a strengthened immune system, increased muscle efficiency...soon, though, it became apparent that her body involuntarily copied traits from genetic samples she was exposed to. A dog bite, a sneeze, and she would become more like the donor. For a time, this was manageable, until a chance mutation in her unstable genetics caused her very DNA to become viral, forcefully replacing the genetic data of others with her own, while continuing to pick up traits from elsewhere. She was soon quarantined, but not before the new "chimera virus" escaped into the public.

Infection: The chimera virus is primarily contracted through fluid exchange, by biting, being bitten by, or ingesting an infected creature. Sexual contact is also highly likely to transmit it. While it can be carried on one's breath, it is much less infectious airborne. Under most circumstances, plants, fungi, and invertebrates are immune to infection.

Symptoms: The chimera virus actually has a surprising number of benign effects. While infected, a victim exhibits increased natural healing, recovering from most injuries in a day or two, and even regenerating severed limbs and nerve damage over the course of a week. It also bolsters the strength of the victim's immune system, and most other infections suffered will likely be quickly overcome. This does come at the cost increased metabolic requirements, and sufferers require between 1.5 and 2 times as much food as normal. All of these cease should the virus be cured.

Progression: The most notable symptom of the virus, of course, is mutation. The virus “remembers” up to three genetic samples. Upon infection, the only sample is that of the creature that infected the current host, but more can be learned should other genetic data be introduced to the host, typically through fluid exchange, whether by venom, saliva, or sexual fluid, but it's also possible through ingesting under-cooked meat or unpasteurized milk. If more than three samples are acquired, the oldest is forgotten. Every 3-7 days, there is a small chance for the host to overcome the virus, removing the infection, but not any mutations that have occurred. If the host fails to overcome it, they suffer a mutation from the table below, gaining traits from a randomly chosen sample. The virus cannot identify genetic information from plants, fungi, or invertebrates.

Excepting mishaps, there is a 75% chance a mutation hybridizes the trait with the host's current form (i.e. a human gaining a wolf's arms gains furry arms, paw pads, and claws, but retains hands,) and a 25% of fully copying that trait (i.e. a human gaining a wolf's arms loses their hands in exchange for a wolf's forepaws.) If a roll would do nothing (a human copying a centaur's facial structure,) or just doesn't make sense (a human gaining the wings/extra appendages of a wolf,) reroll.

01-10	The hosts' ears, eyes, and nose change to resemble the copied creature.
11-20	The host's facial structure changes to resemble the copied creature.
21-25	The host's skin covering (fur, scales, etc.) changes to resemble the copied creature.
26-35	The host's arms or upper limbs change to resemble the copied creature.
36-45	The host's legs or lower limbs change to resemble the copied creature.
46-50	The host's general body shape changes to resemble the copied creature.
51-60	The host's other limbs, like wings or extra limbs, change to resemble the copied creature.
61-70	The host's tail changes to resemble the copied creature.
71-75	The host's gender changes to resemble the copied creature.
76-80	The host's internal functions (heat management, digestion, etc.) change to resemble the copied creature.
81-90	The host copies some other trait from the copied creature.
91-99	Mishap!
100	Critical mishap! (Or regular mishap if this is too character-destroying)

Mishaps:

01-30	Roll again on main table, but effect only affects half of body.
31-55	The host grows limbs or organs of copied creature, but in excess of what copied creature has. 50% chance that limbs or organs are in a sub-optimal location.
56-65	The host grows an extra head. There is a 25% chance the head has its own independent thoughts and desires, in which case the host's heads can attempt to wrest control of the body from the others once every few hours.
66-90	The host loses a random limb or organ altogether.
91-100	The virus somehow copies plant, fungi, or invertebrate through airborne pollen, spores, or a bug bite. Add appropriate sample, and roll again.

Critical Mishaps:

01-15	The host becomes an amorphous, fleshy ooze. They can vaguely control their form, creating sensory organs and crude limbs, but they lack the coordination to take any complex shape for more than a few seconds.
16-30	The host begins creating clones of itself, which they will birth every 4-6 months.
31-60	The host develops a growth defect that causes them to grow endlessly. They may simply begin growing larger, or they may begin lengthening, or endlessly growing additional limbs and organs.
61-100	The virus becomes fully integrated with the host's DNA, and they can no longer be cured, save through complex genetic modification or by rolling this result a second time.

Curing: The chimera virus can be eventually fought off by the very augmentations it made to the host's immune system. It can also be removed with moderately powerful disease-removing magic.