Prospector's Fever

Prospector's Fever is a serious medical condition mostly suffered by miners who work underground near the Jagged Mountains
Historically the disease was considered a death sentence, but the latest developments in medical science mean that this is no longer the case if the disease is caught early and treated accordingly.

Symptoms

Prospector's Fever nearly always starts with a serious and persistent cough which refuses to go away. This is often paired with a fever, or night sweats, along with unexplained sores and bumps on the skin which appear with no apparent explaination.
The individual may also develop the following symptoms:

• Skin that is itchy, red, scaly or dimpled

• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)

• Bladder and bowel changes

• Bleeding or bruising (for no known reason)

• Appetite changes

• Eating problems such as pain after eating or trouble swallowing

• Weight gain or loss (for no known reason)

• Nausea and vomiting

• Diabilitating fatigue

• Strange irritating patches in the mouth or on the tongue

• Bleeding, pain, or numbness of the lips and mouth

• Headaches which may develop into seizures

• Changes in eyesight and hearing

The disease will become fatal if left untreated.

A Miner's Malady?

Prospector's Fever affects around 1/10 individuals, mostly Dwarves, who venture into the seams of Ironheim. However, several cases have occurred in other regions of Astaeria from people who have never even set foot in a mine or been underground.
In the Age of Herotry, during the reign of King Thorren , Prospector's Fever was first recognised as a serious threat to the existence of the Dwarven people. With many miners perishing from the illness, the King encourgaed a baby boom to fuel the mining industry, and keep the Dwarven population strong.
Historically, the disease was treated either through blood letting, which rarely had any effect of the patients condition, or the amputation of any limbs or flesh containing lumps and sores, which occasionally had some positive effect, though not often. s such many Dwarves have perished due to lack of understanding of the illness and the absence of an effective cure.

A New Hope?

It wasn't until 789 A.E, when the Venom from the Luminous Draknel was discovered to be an effective treatment for the illness, that Dwarven miners began to have hope that the disease would one day be erradicated.
Though the Draknel Venom has vastly reduced the mortality rate of people dying from Prospector's Fever, many miners still die of the disease. This is largely due to reluctance caused by the side-effects of the treatment.

Type

Physiological

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Common

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