Beak face

Disease.

Though nonlethal, evokes the same reactions as the deadliest of plagues.   This disease was first documented in the 2nd era of elves. It is said to have began in the form of a cures, bestowed by a witch on a single bird based Sern - Wild Spirits. The cure caused the victim to lose it's humanoid lips back to it's original bird form by re-growing her beak.  

Stages of the Disease

Forms with internal skeletal formations The teeth fall out, making space for extra bone growth (Similar to the modern and very real rare condition of "Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva". which is when excessive growth of bone spreads throughout the body in abnormal places). Next the beak begins to grow, it is an extremely painful process. Once this stage begins, the most common way to help a victim (since it is by then untreatable) is to make a clean cut in the tissue of the face - traditionally cut the lips out, so that it is somewhat controlled and less likely to get infected. Over the cores of a few weeks, a new beak forms, slowly morphing into the nose, to form a midway morph into the bird like form.   This morph is usually successful, should the victim survive the tearing of the tissue, and find a way to provide appropriate nourishment to it's diet and consumption ability, it'll live.   Forms with external skeletal formations The idea that the beak doesn't have to sprout through soft tissue may mislead the common mind into thinking the process is less traumatic, the opposite is correct - Most insects, already having some form of protruding mechanism on their mouths, the beak's growth is usually unsuccessful in one of two ways:   In the easier cases, the beak forces the original mouth structure to fall off, leaving the insect with a gaping hole into their body for a while, meaning they might leak out, or other insects may try to come eat them alive, by the time the beak is fully grown, the animal is starved, eaten from the inside, or simply dead.   The second failiure is that the beak grows over the original mouth, opening on a different axis than the one that exists, meaning the insect cannot open it's mouth anylonger, leaving it once again to starve.   Thses two complications mean that more often than not, this morph is unsuccessful.  

Method of Spreading

  The disease spared to much life forms, mammals, insects and humanoids. It is contagious under specific circumstances. As the original disease was a curse bestowed by a witch, an immense burst of energy is needed to reinvoke it's power - two conditions must be met: you must be present near a "Beaker" (victim) as a dying soul is released back into the world. Then you are susceptible to their touch, their breath, mush like the common flu.    

Social and Functional Effects

  Many victims regain their ability to speak, due to the versatility beaks offer in mimicking vocals. Still, in most humanoid based societies, the diseased are shunned and feared, for their unreadable half faces. They cannot smile nor frown in anguish. All expression is left to their eyes.   The circumstances of catching the disease makes beakers more feared. If ever you are around one, you must be sure they are no dying around. No one sick, no one old, an accidental death will do, and worst, there can be a murderer in the room. Should anyone die, everyone could get infected. It can be planned with them or forced on them like some sick pawn in a game. Some nations even used their beakers as a tool of extortion. To force open the tight lips of prisoners of war, or force an opponent in a battle field to surrender, by bringing in a beaker. Some suicide missions have been accompanied by beakers to contaminate the other side.