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Lemercyst — Description

Though the lands are filled with their fair share of nasty things, for the followers of the Church there are few things more foul than a Lemersis. A wretched thing that grows within the guts of sinners and blasphemers, an evil brought into this world by those who refuse to cleanse themselves of vice and stone. As the fluids festers and the sin stone strengthens, the Lemersis will take root and influence its host to continue performing wicked deeds. Often, they seek to escalate this heretical behavior, driving folk to perform acts of cruelty and violence. At this point, one cannot reason with the possessed, they must be purged of this monstrosity. An Ipecism must be performed, so that the horrid clotted thing is expelled and banished, though there is no guarantees that the host will survive. Such actions must be enacted swiftly, for as long as a Lemersis exists amongst the flock, terrible things will follow.
Though the tales often focus upon the possessed and their wicked deeds, a Lemersis's evil is not contained solely to this one body. As they grow strong on sin, their influence can spread and encourage further corruption around them. There is a malignant aura to them, causing fluids to clot and food to spoil. Those who are in close proximity may find their intrusive thoughts growing louder, a new insidious voice encouraging them to sin. For these foul parasites are like rotten trees when allowed to flourish, dropping sickly seeds all around that are quick to take root. It always starts small, withe stores of Humors becoming corrupted, items going missing, sudden bouts of illness and such, but it will eventually get worse. For then it spreads to the animals...
When a Lemersis is allowed to exist for a long period of time, hidden with its blaspheming host, its disgusting aura will seep into the lesser creatures around them. Some animals will flee and refuse to return until its presence is gone, while others will become erratic and violent from the influence. Wild beasts will go out of their way to plague man, guided by the Lemersis to cause pain and misery. Pets of the host will become equally corrupted, falling under the same spell as their master. When certain animals are exposed to the Lemersis long enough, a foul growth of their own will begin to develop in their guts. A congealed thing of pustule, hair and bone shard, putrid materials coming together to birth a "Lemercyst." These are essentially lessers of the corrupting Lemersis, minions to do the evil one's bidding. They form in the guts of beasts, their bloated bodies of rotten fluid and clots animalistic in shape. They take over the mind of their host, replacing normal behaviors with wicked intentions and plots. Animals will attack unprovoked, or perform destructive actions that are no benefit to them. But the host will not have all the fun, for when night falls, the Lemercyst will come forth...
Like a Lemersis, the Lemercyst is capable of emerging from the host's mouth, unfurling and inflating its putrid form. These beings are boneless and light, composed of clotted fluids, pustules and other foul growths. Lemercysts will have a little extra to their arsenal, mainly bone shards and other sharp bits stolen from the host's previous meals. While their masters can float, these wretched things slither and crawl like worms. This emergence does not mean freedom for them, as a long tendril still connects them to the host, a foul tentacle that remains rooted to the stomach. Eventually, they must return, but not before they cause some chaos. The anchor is quite flexible and stretchy, allowing the Lemercyst to crawl quite far from its host. To help with this, they guide their animal to be close to their intended target, then find a good place to hide. Once in position, the beast falls into dreamless sleep, knocked out by their parasitic controller. The mouth remains open and the Lemercyst crawls out.
Off it goes to corrupt and kill, for these flabby little things are quite dangerous. Their bodies ooze a noxious poison, their very claws and "bite" capable of spreading disease and death. It is their main weapon against the masses, and they use it to inflict misery all around. They slither into homes through tiny cracks and window slits, seeking victims as they sleep. Of course, it is easy to see that they would kill people with their toxic bite, a simple way to sow chaos. However, they are the crafty sort, and sometimes straightforward murder is too easy. They don't just kill anyone they see, they go after targets that would hurt others the most. Why poison a mother when the death of an infant would destroy two souls at once? One random dead peasant brings fear, but if you kill one that the town knew was in a fight with another resident, then the accusations will fly. Slay the speakers, poison the priests and choke the charitable! And not just that! With their toxic secretions, they can lay lethal traps for later. Spray their fluids on food so that the whole family perishes at breakfast. Drip it onto the bedsheets so that skin breaks out into sores and scabs. Medicine now makes one sicker, and tampered gifts from neighbors now lead to suspicion and anger. They do all this, then slither back into their host before dawn. Then the simple hyaena will trot out of town, leaving the masses to wake up to the horrors left behind.
An outbreak of Lemercysts is a terror indeed for any community. Bad enough that the animals attack people, but now the night is filled with terror and deception. However, this behavior winds up telling on the Lemersis at fault, for those with keen attunement to animals and nature will notice their unnatural ways. The hosts are typically vertebrates, as those bodies are suitable for Lemercyst infestation and they usually have mouths that are easier to exit. Due to hyaenas being familiar with man, they are often victims to these parasites as they hang close to settlements and thus can be corrupted. Watch for behaviors that don't fit, with them performing actions that seemingly serve no purpose or are far too crafty for their species. Those desperate and untrained may simply kill the animal to bring this plague to an end. Shoot it, cut it open and burn the wretched tumor inside. With the right blessings and fluids, this does work, but the beasts that are infested can be saved if one is willing to. An Ipecism can be performed, drawing the Lemercyst out. Capture and cage the animal, then use rite and fluid to bring forth the vile parasite. It will try to attack and kill, spraying toxin everywhere, which means one must be quick to pin it down. Golden stakes are driven into it, nailing it to the floor so that the ceremony can continue. Blessed fluids and prayer must be used, all while its screeching and hissing must be ignored. Purify it, and it will melt into sludge, leaving its foul stone behind to be cleansed or shattered. The host will soon wake from this nightmare, unaware of what had happened to it this entire time. It is a lengthy and costly process for sure compared to just killing the possessed creature, but if it means saving a family pet, many are willing to pay any price.
Just remember that this purging is not the end of the misery. The Lemercyst may be gone, but the master Lemersis is still out there. That is why Ipecists may go through the trouble of curing beasts rather than killing, as it gives them access to the stone eye of the banished parasite. With the right blessings, the stone can serve as a guide, leading them to the progenitor of this plague. Servant calls upon master, and the demon will be found under its guise. Drive it from its host and be rid of this uninvited monster that has brought misery to our homes.
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