A society of demi-humans which formed a symbiotic fusion with a mutated species of invasive fungi called Meleborus. The fusion replaces the humans’ digestive organs, allowing them to consume things they previously could not, such as wood or rotten meat. This process also allows a piece of the fungus to grow inside them, which eventually leads to their complete loss of humanity.
Meleborus
Meleborus is a type of fungi that not only survived The Launch, but was also heavily mutated by it. These mutations allowed it to grow bigger, more resilient, and provided it with the means to survive inside human bodies, a capability it did not previously have.
The Consumption
In the first months after The Launch, a group of humans came upon The Nexus (detailed below). The Nexus, aware of Meleborus’ new abilities, offered them a deal. The ability to consume anything in exchange for a space inside their body where the fungus could grow. The deal was accepted by these humans, due to their desperate need for edible resources. For the symbiotic fusion to take place, the humans needed to consume a piece of Meleborus (not necessarily from the Nexus itself).
With time, this group of humans grew. Wanderers, in similar conditions to the original group, decided to join this new society. As these humans reproduced, a rite called “The consumption” began, in which they would feed their babies a piece of Meleborus, allowing the child to grow and survive in the same environment as their parents, without needing to worry about going out of the forest to scavenge for resources.
Life as a Consumed
Consuming a Meleborus fungus does not immediately affect the sense of self or freedom of will of the consumer. As they grow older, the fungus expands inside your body, taking more of them everyday. Through this process the Consumed very slowly lose themselves and eventually just become another static part of the Forest of Decay. Throughout their life, howerever, they can live comfortably and without any quarrel for food or resources. This life does imply that they need to go to the outskirts of the Forest of Decay and infect the different natural resources found there, to make them fit for consumption. This is how the Nexus makes the Forest of Decay grow.
Forest of Decay
Named by other groups the “Forest of Decay”, including Scavenging Troupes and Dekrenia’s investigation parties, this is the Forest where most of the consumed are.
The Nexus
The Meleborus fungus works similarly to a hive-mind, where every being is connected to a core, called The Nexus.
Current Figures and Problems
The Consumed have made the Forest of Decay grow to its limit over the years. Other factions have noticed that this growth is constant and seems to never slow down.