[Fern]

As a self-replicating bioweapon, are Grief Parasites as we know them now a creature someone could encounter in specific (known) regions of the world before all this, or do they only appear in things like the attack on Cellsvich fifty-or-something years ago and the more recent Voilegard stuff?

It's possible to have encountered them at one point long before the Falcon started, since Mother has existed way before the attack on Cellsvich happened (ICly speaking). It would be a pretty uncommon occurrence, but it could've happened.

It's still possible to find them as of now if you dig deeply enough, a few examples being:

-Them having abandoned a dead host's body (I.E an infected Vampire misting, since they don't stay inside when that happens) and tracking them down if you managed to find out that victim passed away recently (or simply finding them by coincidence) assuming they weren't obliterated by whatever killed the host.

-Or black markets in different areas of the world. Generally the markets try to stay secretive, of course, but they're not impossible to find.

These aren't the only ways, but it's to give a general idea. Dusks don't live forever, though, they need to feed from Focus every once in a while or else they'll die. The time they need to stay alive is usually not short though, if they've fed enough.