Malware

Plague subspecies created by  werewhiskey.

Extra Breeding Specifications

 * Crimson Ripple gives an acceptable veiny look while also still looking “lively”. Red ripple will appear far too orange.
 * If you plan to breed Malwares, then it is fine if your “progenitor” pair do not originate from Plague (it is impossible to change a dragon’s actual eye color, after all); as long as their offspring have red eyes, then it’s acceptable.

Lore
Malwares are a vastly unpredictable union of flesh and synthetic matter, each originating from an unfortunate test subject. Their creators are a most exclusive group of engineers comprised of native Plaguelings and those who've changed alliance, many having defected from lightning, wielding the knowledge gained in their former flights for the furtherance of the plague. Due to the engineers' cruelly indiscriminate choice of victims, any breed may be a Malware. These dragons are carefully experimented upon, being driven just to their limits before they can expire. Though the dragons have paled greatly, their heavily modified cardiovascular system still grants them life, and the nanotechnology coursing within their veins is what gives them their reality-warping ability. Through conscientious and careful effort, the engineers have successfully conserved their victims’ reproductive capabilities, allowing this species to naturally spread and thrive throughout the lands. The mere presence of a Malware can warp the fabric of reality in a radius around it, for a varied amount of time. This translates into highly disruptive side effects when organic life is encountered, which will come away worse for wear in varying stages of severity, depending on the type of contact and the duration of it; a fullbody tackle can result in potentially fatal seizures, while a light scratch may result in mild auditory and/or visual hallucinations. This subspecies can function as a solitary hunter or in packs. The more Malwares that are present, the stronger and quicker the onset of symptoms. They communicate primarily with their own kind via radio waves, using different frequencies between other groups and singular Malwares; verbal skills are limited to basic sentences, though more frequently they speak in a manner of relatable words. It is unknown how they target victims. One might ask an engineer directly, but it would come at the cost of their freedom, as they'd likely become the next experiment.

Special Features
Regardless of the flight a Malware originated from, all share the same piercing red eyes. This occurs during the experimentation process. It is theorized that the physical stressors endured are so great, it causes vessels to rupture and bleed out, thus transforming their gaze. The circuitry of a Malware is comprised of an extensively manipulated circulatory system, which forms the patterns on their bodies. The vessels have additionally been augmented with electricity-producing nanotechnology, which lends to their ability to warp that which they come in contact with.

Hunting Behaviors
Packs of at least 4 Malwares will form if one has detected a sizeable group that it likely couldn't handle alone. With a number of Malwares present and working collectively in one concentrated area, they can focus their manipulative abilities to cause serious distress to their victims. They will usually remain hidden, or at least try to. They will go in after their prey once they feel they've been sufficiently weakened. The strength of these effects and how rapidly they can affect their targets scales with the number of Malwares present in the pack, but it also depends on the strength of their targets. High level dragons can better resist these effects, and their element can also aid in resistance (Arcane dragons usually seem to be the most resistant; Shadowlings can also put up with the hallucinations for a time. Plaguelings can generally resist these effects as well simply because they are Plague, but their resistance depends on their own level of (mental) strength and any prior experience with hallucinations). Weaker dragons, however, can be made to attack the stronger dragons or themselves, assuming they don't succumb to the Malwares' overloading effects.

Singular Malwares will do the same thing, using their manipulative abilities while remaining hidden, but many factors influence the effectiveness of their abilities: the age, strength, and experience with their skill, as well as the age, experience, and group size of their target.

Additional
This subspecies may thrive in any environment, within reason. Depending on its original breed and current programming, a Malware can settle in a handful of habitats. For example, a synthetic snapper may settle in Earth or Plague lands, but would not attempt to swim or to fly, as would be required in water or wind. Their afflictions are incredibly varied, and as such it is difficult to outline all possibilities. However, the known occurrences have been recorded in an attempt to further understand them.

Malwares disrupt the function of the nervous system. Physical contact increases not only the severity of symptoms, but accelerates the progression.

Side Effects
Mild Side-effects, Living Organisms: Dizziness, headache, confusion, disorientation

Mils Side-effects, Inanimate Objects: Discoloration

Moderate Side-Effects, Living Organism: Short-term memory loss, visual hallucinations, mild aggression, vertigo, migraine

Moderate Side-Effects, Inanimate Objects: Loss of substance

Severe Side Effects, Living Organisms: Auditory hallucinations, muscle spasms, seizures, hyperaggression, total loss of voluntary function, heart attack, suicidal tendencies, dementia, schizophrenia

Severe Side Effects, Inanimate Objects 2D appearance, total loss of substance