Thanks to the Gifts of the Ancients, the people of Wyrlde have longer lifespans, hardier lives, and a general resistance to most diseases that the Ancients had to deal with. Sadly, the Dread Host created a series of pathogens as weapons of war, and those still endure, though risk is highly mitigated, with three notable exceptions.
Contracting a Disease
The base chance of contracting a disease is roughly 1 in 20. Some factors increase this chance, and this is why Physics recommend coming to see them monthly. The factors that increase this chance are relatively few, and modify the chance as shown below.
|
Factor |
Modifier |
Factor |
Modifier |
Factor |
Modifier |
|
Currently Sick |
+6 |
Infant |
+10 |
Moist Weather |
+2 |
|
Exposure |
+2 |
Senior |
+7 |
Hot Weather |
+4 |
|
Crowded |
+3 |
Contaminated Water |
+5 |
Cold Weather |
+3 |
|
Filthy |
+3 |
Contaminated Food |
+3 |
Spores |
+5 |
All modifiers are cumulative, so exposure to a disease in a moist, cold, crowded place has a modifier of +10.
There are remarkably few diseases on Wyrlde. Influenza, Colds, and cancers are about it. Of course, it is Wyrlde, so cancer is not uncommon after roughly age 90, and the common cold is dreadful bane that you actually can catch if you get to cold or are in a bad place.
Common Diseases
The most common diseases other than cancer are persistent – it is said that even the Ancients warred with these pernicious problems, despite their great power.
Influenza
It causes fever, extreme fatigue, pain, and lasts until it has worked its way through. It can be deadly to the very young and the very old (under 6, over 100).
Daezbugh
This is a deeply uncomfortable intestinal bug lasting about a day. It is often known to strike down many on the day before a festival or the day after one.
Chatterburr
This disease presents about 3 days after exposure and contraction as a sudden high fever that includes deep chills, hallucinations, spasmic fits, and takes around two weeks to get through, but leaves few lasting physical effects.
Unusual Diseases
Wyrlde has a few peculiar diseases to be aware of.
Sewer Plague
Sewer plague is a generic term for a broad category of illnesses that incubate in sewers, refuse heaps, and stagnant swamps, and which are sometimes transmitted by creatures that dwell in those areas, such as rats and trolls.
When a humanoid creature is bitten by a creature that carries the disease, or when it comes into contact with filth or offal contaminated by the disease, they have a chance to become infected.
It takes a few days for sewer plague’s symptoms to manifest in an infected creature. Symptoms include fatigue and cramps.
The infected creature will suffer from a deep weariness, healing more slowly and recovering more slowly. Eventually the illness will pass, but as it progresses the fatigue becomes ever greater, with a risk of death if they do not rally and recover. Antibiotic will cure it.
Sight Rot
This painful infection causes bleeding from the eyes and eventually blinds the victim. A beast or humanoid that drinks water tainted by sight rot may become infected.
One day after infection, the creature’s vision starts to become blurry. This makes it harder to do things dependent on sight, each day progressing as the body fights off the infection. In most cases, this will result in sightlessness, where they cannot see anything, and their eyes begin to rot within their heads.
Herbalists, Physics, Apothecaries, Alchemists and others experienced in herblore may be able to effect a cure before full blindness sets in, using a rare swamp flower called Eyebright where a single dose comes from a single flower – assuming the swamp water it grows in is not also contaminated. This is usually done through a dose of Antibiotik.
It takes three doses to cure it, but if any of them is given after full sight loss occurs, then only magical aid can restore it.
