Defining an alien parasite

[teramis]

Over at my blog, I have a post talking about an alien blood parasite that infects a fictional character.

I mention this here for two reasons. First, because I invite anyone interested in noodling over the design of an alien virus and its effects, to share their thoughts on that post. Secondly, because this is not only for fiction, but eventually for science fiction RPG use as well, so I especially welcome the input of sf-interested gamers.

I'm not sure that this kind of discussion is apropos for this science fiction board, since its not really game-specific, hence this pointer elsewhere. Your comments are welcome at my blog, though.

thanks,
-Teramis

[verhaden]

First determine, in absolute terms, what you want it to be. Is it a virus? bacterium? some multi-cellular animal micro-organism?

That will help shape a system of plausible realistic impacts this thing can have on a human body. Right now you're describing things with conflicting terms and I'd imagine it creating something more akin to cancer than HIV. Whatever this is, it shouldn't be adapted for a human host, so if it tries altering genetic makeup, it doesn't get it right, and the end result is massive unrestricted cellular replication as opposed to a debilitating auto-immune deficiency that turns your mind into mush (to what end?)

Also, think about the life cycle of whatever creature you want to create.

[teramis]

Sept 23, 2010 13:31:43 GMT -6 verhaden said:

First determine, in absolute terms, what you want it to be. Is it a virus? bacterium? some multi-cellular animal micro-organism?

Thanks for your comments, Verhaden.

Actually, my starting point has to be a bit different than that. I have to create a cootie/virus/bacterium/whatever that achieves specific effects. The effects are determined by the needs of the narrative. So in a way, I'm reverse engineering this thing.

The real question here, to my thinking, is, given xyz* effects, what alien infectious agent would cause that constellation of results? I'm not married to it being a particular agent (any of those in the list you named will do), but I am concerned that its behavior result logically in the debilitating disease described.*

So, essentially I need a virus (or other microorganism) that does xyz, and need to understand at least in broad strokes the mechanism of its process once in a host.

I take your point regarding cancer v HIV. However, I'm not assuming complete genetic incompatibility between alien lifeforms on this (earth-like, perhaps even partially terraformed) alien planet and humans. Rather, I'm positing that there has been either (a) some degree of parallel evolution or (b) attribute some genetic compatibility to an ancient backstory of a seeder culture that planted like lifeforms on varying planets and let them evolve in their separate paths. (They do, however share a common genetic ancestry.)

FWIW this takes takes place in a galaxy far, far away, so the sense of science here is not strictly bounded by our own contemporary xenological knowledge or speculation. There's wiggle room here between "what we know" and "what could be."

Also, think about the life cycle of whatever creature you want to create.

Good point. I'm trying to get a handle on how this kind of debilitation is caused, and what is most likely to cause it (mechanism-wise), from which I will then inductively think through lifecycle issues.

_____

*xyz effects = a 5-year long slowly debilitating wasting disease/illness, that destroys organs over time, and ultimately results in brain damage and death. The agent that causes this is contracted via a parasite infestation, but the parasite is just the delivery mechanism for it, not a causal factor on its own.