Day 15: Parasite
Carautus is a parasitic entity that has twined deeply into many blood lineages of Scullger. In its early history millions of years ago, it started off as a parasite one could catch from interacting with a creature called a Shapeshifter, which were far more common before Scullger settlements dominated the world. Over time, Carautus adjusted to be able to be passed on from parent to child via standard reproduction, and it became a staple of some bloodlines. This parasite turned into a genetic mutation, an entity forever bound to the host’s body, unable to hop from one Scullger to another.
It usually begins to appear in early childhood, its earliest symptom being the transparent skin around one’s whiskers turning dark in color. As the Scullger develops, the black flash may spread up from the snout, or down from the cranium. As the flesh spreads across the skull, the parasite takes a firmer and firmer hold on the host’s consciousness, until one state of being phases into the next, and the parasite completely controls the host’s body.
In regions of high education, the effects of Carautus on the mind are taught to youth growing up. It's a scary thing, knowing that one day you're going to be gone, and nobody will notice.