Vampenguism

Vampenguism is a viral disease spread through touch. It is curable, but the cure is very hard and expensive. It is the focus of many myths and legends.

Description
Vampenguism drains nearly all pigmentation from the host. It causes an irrational fear of Moderator Badges and tomatoes, as both may, in the right conditions, cure the disease. Sunlight will damage them painfully, and they avoid the sun for this. It also increases the host's strength, speed, and stamina. It is, contrary to legend, spread by touch rather than biting. If another penguin has the virus, and comes into contact with another penguin, the victim turns into a vampenguin.

Strains
Vampenguism comes in three distinct strains.

The first, Personality Loss Parisitic Vampenguinism (PLPV), is a rarer version which is far easier to diagnose early on, as its symptoms are more profound and cause evil within the creature.

The second, Will Retaining Physical Vampenguinism (WRPV), is the most common version, and the one found in 91% of all known Vampenguins. This version is usually unnoticed until it's too late, since the symptoms are less aggressive and purely involve physical changes.

The third, 'Heridtary Fifty-Fifty Vampenguinsm (H50V), is obtained in chicks prior to hatching if a Vampenguin and a normal penguin have chicks. It is a weaker and less potent version than either of the two full strains. Penguins who carry H50V are called half-Vampenguins.

PLPV Phases
There are 5 different phases to PLPV Vampenguinism. Sometimes if the virus hasn't spread around the victims body yet, the phases go slower. The phases at first are not that dangerous, and hasn't invaded the body yet due to how the victim's body works.

The victim and feels awkward. The penguin waddles around funnily and starts speaking gibberish. The victim doesn't know what they're doing, and loose control and start to be mean to others, pinching and stepping on penguins flippers. The victim's eyes then start going red and their body gets red lines, showing some of the virus. The victim becomes very damp & wet, and begin to avoid the sun. This is where the evil stage starts. After all that, the diagnosed penguin gets fangs, showing anyone that he/she is a vampenguin, and their reflection vanishes. It starts getting worse ... The victim starts going around trying to give other penguins the virus, and can't control themselves. The virus has now taken over the penguin and remains forever. They are a fully-fledged vampenguin, now evil.
 * Phase I:
 * Phase II:
 * Phase III:
 * Phase IV:
 * Phase V:

WRPV Phases
Like PLPV Vampenguinism, the infected victim looses their balence and speaks gibberish. WPRV victims, however, begin to sleep much more than regular penguins in Phase I.
 * Phase I

The victim's eye color shifts to red. They become damp and wet, and start avoiding the sun (if it's out). However, unlike PLPV, they maintain their personalities, goor or evil. This is the distinguishing characteristic that seperates WPRV from PLPV.
 * Phase II:

The victim grows fangs and develops the fear of moderator badges and tomatoes common in both strains. The penguin starts to panic, finally realizing they are now a Vampenguin.
 * Phase III:

The victim becomes fully nocturnal if the sun.
 * Phase IV:

The virus has fully set in and the victim is now a fully-fledged Vampenguin. Most creatures who conflict this version of the disease go back to productive lives (after therapy), living out the rest of their existence as Vampenguins.
 * Phase V:

Heridtary (H50V)
If a Vampenguin marries a normal penguin and they have chicks, these chicks will inherit H50V, which somehow passes to the chick while incubating in the egg. These penguins contract lesser symptoms of Vampenguism, and both PLPV and WPRV are spread in this manner. If both parents are full Vampenguins, the chick will also be a full Vampenguin.

Penguins who have obtained the disease via one parent are referenced as half-Vampenguins, considering that their symptoms are not as profound as a full Vampenguin. However, they still can turn non-vampenguins into full vampenguins via touch. Half-Vampenguins are immune to the disease.

Possible treatment
It is theorized that a treatment could be developed from H50V victims, AKA half-Vampenguins. By collecting blood samples and culturing the H50V virus, they may be able to genetically manipulate the virus to fight PLPV and WPRV in a full Vampenguin for dominance.

The engineered H50V injected into the Vampenguin would destroy the full version and take over. This would reduce the full Vampenguin to a half-Vampenguin, though not actually curing the host. It is theorized that this vaccine would be used on PLPV victims so that they could recover their personalities and eradicate the evil they never wanted.

However, this vaccination is not in production or testing, and has never been used on any creature. In fact, the treatment is so experimental that it is still on the drawingboard.

Powers and Weaknesses

 * Enhanced strength. It is said that some vampenguins can pick up cars.
 * Super speed. They can run very fast
 * Super durability. Vampenguins can survive many things normal penguins cannot, like extreme coldness/heat, explosions, and getting body parts hacked off (they can reattach them, and no blood is let out). Vampenguins can even survive being burned to ash.
 * Mild control of gravity. Vampenguins can do crazy things like walk on walls- and without the help of spidey-powers.
 * Vampenguins can do complex equtions in their head fast, making them very good at math
 * They can transform into Focci, which also have the above powers
 * Vampenguins can turn other penguins into vampenguins by touching an open wound.


 * Vampenguins get weakened by tomatoes, and they fear it greatly
 * Vampenguins have an urge to count things, but this rarely gets in their way
 * Sunlight will burn a vampenguin if they are exposed
 * If a vampenguin is burned to ask, and the ashed are scattered, it can be confirmed that it is no longer alive.

Trivia

 * According to legend it is spread through biting. Of course, no penguin would ever bite someone else, and almost all penguins lack teeth.
 * However, Vampenguins grow fangs (but don't use them).
 * Vampenguinism is actually spread like any other germ: by touch. Remember to preen your feathers and not cough into your flipper!


 * Also according to legend it affects the host's mind severely. This legend was confirmed to be true in PLPV victims, but false in WRPV victims.
 * WPRV victims still obtain the hatred of the sun and fear of Moderator badges and tomatoes, however.


 * Some other misconceptions are; vampenguins can't be seen in mirrors, vampenguins can't go to places they haven't been invited too, vampenguins need to sleep during daytime, etc


 * All Vampenguins appear to be able to turn into Focci. This ability is under investigation.


 * Vampenguins are also known collectively as 'the UnBanned'.


 * Tommy Bommy is inflicted by WPRV Vampenguinsm, but he vows never to spread it to others.


 * Conductor Hertz, of the Anti-Masters, is rumored to be a WPRV vampenguin. The fangs make it feasible.


 * Jasper is a WPRV vampenguin, though he isn't a penguin, he's a parrot...


 * It is unknown whether Vampenguins are immune to the X-virus, but no X-vampenguins have been discovered... yet.
 * Likewise, it is unknown whether X-creatures are immune to vampenguinsm


 * Twiguins like say that they are vampenguins.


 * Demon Penguins use PLVP Vampenguins as cheap servants.
 * However, Mectrixctic mum is a PLVP Vampenguin. Her father really loved her...

Internal Links

 * Penguin
 * Demon Penguin
 * Jasper
 * Tommy Bommy