School of Parasitism

School of Parasitism

The School of School of Parasitism is an uncommon and unpopular branch of magic. It’s hallmarks are the sapping of strength, subtlety and disease.

Practitioners of this art typically are employed to subtly weaken enemies. The Parasitists generally become immune to disease and toxins imparted by parasites, both natural and magic. Otherwise, they would not survive to become serious practitioners. The school is closely associated with insects and similar creatures, but is sharply focused on the concept of parasitism. Normally a caster would not rely solely on this school, as it is fairly limited in it’s scope. There are other schools, such as necromancy and Zoimorphists which would work with this one.

Dominator Parasite

This spell calls into being a Dominator Parasite, a disgusting worm-like parasite about 8' in length and 2' in diameter. When placed on a non-resisting victim (or at least well bound), it will burrow into the victim with a specialized tail, leaving a small head exposed. It avoids damaging major organs and seals off most blood vessels. It then integrates with the victim’s nervous system and takes over. At greater degrees of proficiency the caster may share the senses of the victim.

Dread Parasite

Summons forth a Dread Parasite, one which causes severe affects upon the victim. The Parasite must be delivered to a victim either directly by the caster (by touch) or at a distance through use of the Infestation spell.Sample Dread Parasites:

Mingoven Brain Worm
Appearance: Black worm with chitinous bands, 1' long and very thin.
Mode of Operation: Enters ear or burrows through skull (the latter only on immobile victims). Causes acute insanity. Interestingly enough, the parasite completely seals the skull once it enters.

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Silderian Heart Borer
Appearance: Pale green grub-like worm with dramatically shaped cutting mandibles, about 1/4' in diameter and 2' long.
Mode of Operation: Enters the chest and burrows into the heart. Victim weakened to the point of immobility. Excess stress could easily kill the victim.

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Lyvoran Gut Worm
Appearance: Appears as a very wide tapeworm with oddly human-like eyes. Initially is it vanishingly small until it makes its way into the digestive system.
Mode of Operation: Enters the body through either mouth or nose and makes it’s way to the stomach. Victim cannot obtain nutrition from food until cured.

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Tyanic Eye Wasp
Appearance: Blue and grey striped wasp similar in size to normal wasps.
Mode of Operation: Wasp lands upon victims eyes, and injects egg. If not removed (by surgery or equivalent magic), will result in total eye loss when the eggs hatch. Until that time, the victim can see spots in their vision that get gradually larger.

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Velathian Spinal Leech
Appearance: Dull purple leech with an array of small tentacles near the mouth.
Mode of Operation: Attaches to spine and draws forth spinal fluid, causing intense pain and incapacitation.

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Greathian Nerve Flea
Appearance Unless viewed with magnification, appears as a little black flea. Magnified, it appears a dark metallic green.
Mode of Operation: Bite causes local nerve tissue to dissolve, eliminating control and sensation in affected area.

Draw Strength
This spell when cast on a victim will leech away vitality and continually stream it to the caster until the spells duration expires, or the spell is otherwise removed. The victim feels exhausted until the spell is over and will be impeded in many activities. The caster gains a boost in physical strength and endurance while the spell is in effect, and the caster may have more then one victim at a time, so long as they remain in range of the spell.

Infestation
Target pointed at becomes Infested (as per Infesting Touch). Once infested, the caster requires less effort to cast additional spells on the victim (Spells that require touch now become line of sight).

Infesting Touch
Victim becomes Infested with a swarm of parasites, generally causing minor damage and a great deal of horror and revulsion. Willpower is required to ignore the critters and proceed normally. Tasks requiring concentration will be impeded while so infested. Critters include lice, mites, ticks, and worse.

Lurking Pestilence
Caster creates a magical trap that will deliver another spell in this domain onto the target. Involves planting some token, usually grotesque, that the next person to touch will deliver the spells.

Malarial Swarm
Summons a swarm of malaria-bearing mosquitos under the casters control. The Malaria is exceptionally virulent, causing symptoms almost immediately.
Convulsions, vomiting, shivering and eventual collapse and death are the hallmarks of this disease.

Mindworm
The victim becomes susceptible to suggestions and impulses insinuated by the caster. This effect remains so long as the victim does not pass to far away from the caster. If sufficient distance separates the two, the spell is ended. The victim may or may not be aware of these being of external origin.

Parasite form
Caster assumes the form of a massive swarm of parasites which can then disperse to the four winds. The caster can choose to Infest a target, but may not engage in further spellcasting until they regain their original form. Caster is unhurt even if the swarm is damaged so long as a single parasite remains alive - the caster can shift their consciousness from critter to critter as desired, even if the current one is slain.

Parasitodial Summoning
Target becomes the host for some large insect or insect-like horror. Victim is generally paralyzed and 2-7 days later, young creatures will burst forth, killing the host. This is used by the Parasitists to produce some of their creatures, including familiars. It is rumored that insectioid practitioners of this art can use this spell for their own reproduction.

Sunder’s Coat of Vermin
This spell, when cast, covers the wearer with a cloak of wiggling parasites (species as desired by the caster). It is a minor defence primarily intended to make people stay away, as any who come within 3’ of the wearer are subject to infestation by the horde of parasites.

Taint Water
Infests water with disease-causing water-borne parasites, including nematodes and leeches. Once introduced, the critters will multiply naturally though will be somewhat more tolerant to harsh conditions for several days.

Touch of the Leech
By touching a victim, the caster may draw blood from them, which will in turn revitalize the caster.

Touch of the Spirit Leech
As Touch of the Leech, but instead of blood, spiritual energy is drawn, and can be used to restore caster’s manna. See Spirit Leech.

Summon Demon Ticks
Summons a swarm of Demon Ticks.

Plot Ideas and Campaign Use

Used only by the most horrid of individuals, it is a tool for villains and others that would use revulsion and horror as weapons. The school can also include other pest-related spells already present in your game world.

The Street King
Gerthic, poor and living in the worst places, where no other riffraff would dwell, was kicked around and beaten by pretty much everyone. A runt, with little hope, he fell into the influence of an infernal power. The devil granted knowledge of the School of Parasites, and with this fell knowledge, he came to increase his station. Now he is a petty crime lord, using his powers to enhance his position. Numbers of his followers are infested, unwittingly lending him their strength. He occasionally hires out his services, either to weaken or kill targets as the contract requires. Perhaps the PCs are selected as a target.