Parasites/Fungus
Main Parasite: Metalroot
Metalroot is a parasitic organism that infects the Dawne, attaching itself to their exoskeletons and feeding on the metal plating. It appears as a cluster of metallic tendrils that interweave and penetrate the Dawne's exoskeleton, forming a network of metallic veins that spread across the Dawne's body.
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The tendrils of the Metalroot are shiny and lustrous, with a silvery or golden hue that contrasts against the color of the Dawne's exoskeleton. They are flexible and sinuous, capable of extending and retracting to penetrate deeper into the Dawne's exoskeleton. The tendrils emit a faint electric glow, giving them an otherworldly appearance.
As the Metalroot feeds on the Dawne's metal plating, it absorbs some of the energy stored in the exoskeleton and uses it to sustain itself and grow stronger. Over time, the tendrils of the Metalroot can multiply and spread, covering more of the Dawne's body and forming intricate patterns that resemble a metallic web. Weakening it. If left unchecked, the Metalroot can cause damage to the Dawne's exoskeleton, making it more susceptible to external threats and potentially leading to the Dawne's demise. In most cases, they just affect the movement of the user. But when it has full control. They take over the mind, making the host a different person.
But on the other hand, Metalroot can enhance the Dawne's abilities by tapping into the stored energy in the exoskeleton and redirecting it to boost the Dawne's strength, speed, energy, or powers. It can also give extra traits like tentacles, hivemind, regeneration, and bionanites.
"Plague" fungus
The Plague fungus is a spore-producing organism that infects the Dawne's respiratory system, causing them to cough up spores that spread the infection to others. The fungus feeds off of the host's body until they are consumed and eventually die. The fungus has a branching, vine-like structure that spreads throughout the host's respiratory system, feeding off of their internal organs.
"Jaw-worm" parasite
The Jaw-worm parasite is a long, thin worm-like creature, the parasite has a sharp, pointed head that allows it to burrow into the host's brain, and long, thin appendages that wrap around the host's nerves to control their movements. Once inside, it takes control of the host's motor functions, turning them into a puppet, but they still have the original hosts mind.