Campaign Design - Diseases

Diseases

This is a collection of additional diseases that are not found in the Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide.

This list uses several abbreviations to show what sourcebook the entries were drawn from. For guidance as to what sourcebooks these abbreviations reference, see my key to Sourcebook Abbreviations.

All of the material contained on this page and other pages of this blog is presented in accordance with the terms of the Open Game License.

Black Pox: Blood begins to pool up and rot within the black pox victim, forming large pustules that ooze thick, black, septic blood. Very virulent and often fatal in a few short days, this is probably one of the most feared contagions on the Three Worlds. Thankfully, once you've had the pox, you become immune to it - one way or another. Contact, Fortitude DC 21, incubation 1 day, damage 1d3 Strength, 1 Dexterity, and 1d3 Constitution. For each ability damaged, the victim must make another Fortitude save. Each failed save means that 1 point of temporary damage delivered to that ability becomes permanent.

Gray Wasting: The flesh of those afflicted with gray wasting becomes very dry, even to the point of flaking off in large pieces, and their hair tends to fall out. They cannot eat - anything victims consume they immediately disgorge - and rapidly lose weight over the course of a week or two. Even after fighting off the gray wasting, its deleterious effects remain until victims have had a period of bed rest equal to a number of days of their illness. Any day during the recovery period in which a victim does not have complete bed rest adds a day to the recovery time. Injury, Fortitude DC 19, incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Constitution.

Flower Fever: The flower fever is rarely fatal and seems more like a very bad cold or flu, debilitating the host for a week or two with weakness, congestion, headaches, and vomiting. In addition, the victim begins to exude a strange and pleasant floral aroma that encourages others to inhale deeply, serving to spread this airborne contagion. Inhalation, Fortitude DC 14, incubation 1 day, damage 1d2 Constitution.

Lung Rot: This infection actually attacks the liver, not the lungs. Bile begins flooding the victim's system causing extreme jaundice. The victim also begins to cough and vomit up massive amounts of this bright green bile - thus the erroneous association with the lungs. Unfortunately, it takes months for lung rot symptoms to manifest, and by then it is long past the time for preventative cures. Inhalation, Fortitude DC 17, incubation 1d6 months, damage 2d4 Strength. Any time the victim suffers more than 4 points of Strength damage, apply an additional 1 point of permanent Strength damage as well.

Scarlet Shaking Pox: The victim of scarlet shaking pox develops huge red blemishes and becomes stricken with uncontrollable muscle spasms. This condition worsens as the disease progresses, uif iften takes several months to kill a victim. Though symptoms persist for the entire duration of the disease, the victim suffers damage slowly - once per week. No natural healing is possible - the victim cannot make natural saving throws to avoid damage after they fail the initial save against infection, though the disease can be treated magically, with herbs, and medicinally (use only the healer's heal check roll for the saving throw. Without treatment, this disease always ends in death. Contact, Fortitude DC 23, incubation 1d2 weeks, damage 1d6 Dexterity. For each ability damaged, the victim must make another Fortitude save. Each failed save means that 1 point of temporary damage delivered to that ability becomes permanent.

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