Vampirism in the Eridanus universe
(Content warning for: Blood, death, disease)
In this universe, there is a parasite known as Sanguinis naturae (in English translating to “Nature’s blood”). This is a parasite that can attach itself to plants however usually it is found within bats, and is similar to malaria in the sense.
Bats have roughly a 1/20 chance of being born with the parasite, it is usually determined by the area they are born from. Those born specifically in caves that are very damp are more susceptible to the parasite. It is also genetic, meaning that if a bat has parents where one is a carrier and the other isn’t, the odds of the offspring increase to 12/20, and if both bat parents are carriers, then the offspring will have a 18/20 chance of getting it.
When spreading the parasite one can be scratched by these bats and bitten and they will be fine. The only way to get a human infected is if the bats saliva gets into your blood as they try to suck some blood out of you for vitamins. If a carrier bites and sucks out blood then they do die, this means that being born with the parasite it practically a death sentence from birth as there is no way to avoid consuming blood. However, some evolutionary alterations this makes such as sharper claws for bats does allow for possibly other ways to prevent the death, although teeth are also made sharper. The reason they need blood is because it becomes their main source of vitamins, meaning most fruits and other sources of vitamins become like an allergy or intolerance to anyone infected.
The parasite however does prolong life, making you practically immortal. The only ways to destroy someone who somehow survives with the disease is by staking them through the heart due to the stopping the blood pumping (where the parasite resides) and therefore causing it to not work. They also gain the inability to go out in sunlight, as the parasite burrows in dark places. Which is why it is found in darker places such as caves and roots of plants. The parasite does not grant any human infected to turn into a bat. It just- it doesn’t work like that.
There are two examples of vampirism in the Eridanus universe: Gabriella “Gabbie” Ghossren and Alexandria Victoria McCrowen. Both being infected by the parasite a different way; one by the bats and the other by the plant.
When the parasite is found in nature - it appears to be in the “dolls eye plant”, which is a plant specifically poisonous to humans. It is found in the roots as the parasite prefers damp and dark conditions. The plants with the disease will ultimately die, as they cannot get the blood to survive. They will usually be near Venus flytrap plants, as they are “carnivore”’plants and have the greatest potential for any blood. Gabbie when she first died was buried near some of these plants, as people didn’t want others going near her grave. Due to not having a coffin and having open wounds during her death - the roots found their way into her bloodstream and managed to restart her, bringing her back to life as a vampire.
Alexandria was bitten by a bat who had the disease after accidentally wondering into its cave. She gained sharp front teeth (although it took a few years for the original ones to fall out and the new ones to grow in) and also a need for blood. She can still eat normal human food however, just needs to also consume blood to have vitamins and energy. Her fingers did become more brittle and slightly “sharper” due to how the disease affects bats.
Gabbie does not need to consume blood anymore, due to the fact that she’s… well dead. But she does still retrieve blood for Alexandria as it is easier for her. Along with this, Alexandria can turn into a bat (an albino one, due to the fact that she has albinism) as Gabbie gave her an enchanted amulet that allows her to shapeshift into a bat. However there are rules to it, such as the fact that only Alexandria can use it (and Gabbie) due to the fact it was done with a blood contract, anyone else who somehow managed to use it would get turned into a bat. However permanently. And they would be cursed with the disease.
