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| - Pox Arcana - |

NIAH

The Lurker
Retired Staff

Credit to Bartooliinii for requesting a plague for his dungeon.
Credit to NIAH for creation and writeup



| - T H E - P O X - A R C A N A - |

Some say the Spider God is madness incarnate, seeking only joy in the suffering of others. Others believe he is a calculating one, capable of biding his time for the perfect storm to meet his own agenda. Whichever the case may be, one thing can be said for certain. The day The Withering Box was opened within Nid Arach, Altera was forever changed.

The Pox Arcana is a disease crafted by Jishrim, and while it behaves as if it is a mundane plague, it is anything but. The Pox Arcana is divine in nature, with the ability to significantly weaken and sabotage the mages of the realm in addition to the sickness it carries. The Pox easily spreads through the populace, mundane, Blessed, vyre or mage, via direct contact with others, carrying with it blisters, pustules, fevers, and increased aggression.


| - S Y M P T O M S - |
(Note: We do not want to punish players who have contracted the disease, and want this to provide interesting and fun roleplay opportunities still. You are welcome to play all of this up as much as you like, OR play it down appropriately. We still want it to be an engaging story for all involved, so roleplay its effects as you like.)

Stage One:
Days 1-2

⸎ There are no symptoms that manifest.
⸎ They are not capable of spreading the Pox at this stage.
-------------------------

Stage Two:
Days 3-7

⸎ Infected individuals experience hot flashes, increased sweating, and general irritability.
⸎ Infected mages additionally discover that any knacks or affinities they have relating to their magics are regressed, as if at a recently sparked level of severity.
-------------------------

Stage Three:
Days 8-14

⸎ Infected individuals have three or four oozing pustules/blisters that appear upon the skin, filled with pungent pus. These are quite painful to the touch, and the slightest nudge may cause them to burst. They usually have refilled by the next day if they burst. For most, the pus is a sickly yellow color. Sweating and hot flashes continue, while the irritability grows more pronounced. Each pustule has at max a half a thimble-full of contents.
⸎ Infected mages additionally discover that their pustules contain a silvery liquid instead of the sickly yellow color. Each pustule has at max a half a thimble-full of contents. The first spell cast of the day is made at disadvantage. This silvery liquid has peculiar properties, such as sometimes turning inorganic surfaces to a silvery metallic sheen when left on the surface overnight.
|--- See the Research section for instructions on how to investigate this substance.
-------------------------

Stage Four:
Days 15-19

⸎ Infected individuals experience an explosion of the number of painful pustules/blisters all over their body. They begin to experience aggression at the slightest provocation and mild paranoia sets in, while they will seek out as many ways as they can to stay cooled off because of the hot flashes. Infected individuals will often prefer wearing less clothing, or lighter clothing (appropriately for RP), will find relief swimming in cool waters, and will often prefer to be outside in cold temperatures, etc.
⸎ Infected mages find their magics are further weakened. They still cast the first spell of the day at disadvantage and spell points are also reduced by 25%.
|--- Apprentice: 18 spell points
|--- Journeyman: 37 spell points
|--- Adept: 93 spell points
|--- Master: 187 spell points
|--- Magus: 262 spell points
-------------------------

Stage Five:
Days 20-25

⸎ Infected individuals find it more and more difficult to sleep, often plagued by horrific nightmares from their addled subconscious. Due to the fevers and sleep deprived state, they slowly slip into a state of delirium. Players may choose between visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, extreme paranoia, or all three depending on personal preference. Previous symptoms continue to persist, as well as a weakness and lethargy starting to manifest in the body.
Infected mages discover that their spell points are halved from their normal totals, with the first spell cast still made at disadvantage.
|--- Apprentice: 12 spell points
|--- Journeyman: 25 spell points
|--- Adept: 62 spell points
|--- Master: 125 spell points
|--- Magus: 175 spell points
-------------------------

Stage Six:
Day 26-30

⸎ This is the final stage of the Pox Arcana. Weakness has become so prominent that they struggle with many physical tasks and are essentially bedbound. Sleep evades them entirely, often leading the infected individuals to speak nonsensically, or in a confused manner. They are wracked hallucinations, paranoia, and intense fevers. Each day they must roll a d20 with a DC 15 to stay conscious. A failed roll means they slip into a comatose state, and will pass away after 24 hours.
⸎ Infected mages have a completely drained spell pool and are unable to cast at all while they are still conscious.



| - T R A N S M I S S I O N - |

The Pox is spread through direct contact with infected individuals. It is possible for anyone to contract the disease, whether they be Blessed, Mage, Vyre, or a normal citizen. However, due to its nature as a divine affliction, and not a mundane one, any Blessed individual will be able to roll with advantage to resist the disease if they wish to.

Blisters/Pustules - Touching the pustules and/or their oozing contents will require a DC 16 to resist infection.
Direct Contact - Skin to skin contact where there are no pustules is a DC 10 to resist infection.
Blood or Ooze Consumption: Anyone, vyre, mage, Blessed, or otherwise, who ingests the blood or pustule contents will automatically take on the Pox.

After an individual has been cured, they cannot become afflicted again by the Pox Arcana for twelve days. After that, they are once more susceptible.



| - R E S E A R C H - A N D - S T U D Y - |

There are many unknowns regarding this disease, as it is the first of its kind. Anyone who is wanting to research the silver liquid that mages eek out, or anyone wanting to research potential cures, should contact Niah, Blarg, and Elz via a convo with the tag [Pox Arcana]. The silvery liquid does not change in consistency no matter how long it is kept, so even with the cure now widespread, there are some who may wish to continue the research on the strange arcane based liquid that drained from the mage population.


| - K N O W N - R E M E D I E S - |

The Pox Arcana was discovered to be a divine curse in nature, spread through direct contact with the afflicted, and was resistant to mundane remedies. A few things would sooth its symptoms, but very little would defeat it. The only thing found capable of combating Jishrim's pox curse was something divine in origin. Some methods were more painful than others, while some slower but more palatable. There may still yet be other methods out there for those who encounter the Pox again, so all research convos should go through Niah, Blarg, and Elz as always.

The Harrowing Cure
This cure is guaranteed, but by far the most harrowing. Pure arcane essence and holy water spreads through the body like a purging fire. For ten full minutes minutes their body is wracked with an increasing amount of pain, starting mildly and becoming almost unbearably intense as it becomes like fire in their veins. Pustules begin to drain, sweating intensifies. Hallucinations, aggression, and paranoia are heightened, leading them to lash out at anyone who tries to help them. At the end, they slowly begin to calm and usually collapse in physical and mental exhaustion. They return to consciousness slowly after a few minutes, or after a day, per the player’s preference. The pox marks are drained, but still red. But they will heal normally and naturally from there on in a few days.
This cure was discovered by Asero Crow and Kaelin Cerridwen. Electric Edouard2000

Shalherana's Tea
This cure was discovered by Queen Citrine of Mockingbay. Using the bark of a tree grown by Shalherana herself, a small amount of the silvery pustule ooze, and using her status as a Blessed to pray over the mixture, Citrine was able to create a tea that, when administered over several days, eased the symptoms of the Pox. The boils slowly dried up without pain or difficulty over several doses. Samiwashere

The Cure for the Mundane
For those mundane in nature, holy water was found to be effective. For those in Stage Three and below would be cured with a rush of chill through their body with a cup of holy water. For those Stage Four and above, about four cups over the course of the day combated it as the influence of the good gods broke down the curse affliction. Discovered by Damien, Sofia, and Azaelea. Baron2537 DizPanda Sophe



 
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