Vampire (The Strain)

"“Nora said, “I thought vampires drank virgin blood. They hypnotize…they turn into bats…” Setrakian said, “They are much romanticized. But the truth is more…how should I say?” “Perverse,” said Eph. “Disgusting,” said Nora.”"

- Guillermo del Toro, The Strain The Strigoi are one of the main opposing forces in Guillermo del Toro's The Strain, taking the form of a pathogen/parasite that alters human biology into a bloodsucking predator. The affliction is introduced with a parasitic capillary worm that enters the bloodstream of a human being, which, after several days or weeks, begins a process of metamorphosis that turns them into a Vampire. For the typical feral Strigoi, all traces of humanity such as sentience and gender are replaced by special adaptations meant for spreading the parasite and consuming human blood. Major organs systems in the chest fuse together to form an extensible tongue-like 'stinger' that ejects from the mouth, latching onto prey and infecting them. In exchange for this altered biology, the Vampires demonstrate superhuman strength and speed, as well as immortality by virtue of not aging. Strigoi are fatally weak to sunlight and strong UV rays, however, as well as silver, damage to the brain and spine, and specialized bioweapons.

Nonferal strigoi include The Born as well as ancient Vampire lords who were the progenitors of the affliction. The Born are vampires created through the infection of a pregnant mother demonstrate human intelligence in the place of typical feralism. Ancients such as the Master, who began the spread of the pathogen in New York, demonstrate human level intelligence and are usually far superior to their feral and nonferal cousins, able to remotely control their spawn via a telepathic hive-mind link. If one of the ancients are killed, all of their brood eventually wither and die, lacking any mental connection with their masters.

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