Riverhook

Prompt 27 of WA SummerCamp2020: Describe any condition or disease for which a cure has recently been developed.

This finger grabs the roots, deep within the wet rock
This finger grabs the stem, dancing on the depth of a lake
This finger grabs the seeds, full of swords and storms
and This finger grabs the flower, bringing health back to you

*insert aggresive tickling*

Corenian song for ill children 

The people of Corenio have a very close relationship with water and swimming, but as important as looking for pointy rocks and big fishes is, often the uncareful struggle with the effects of a particular plant, found in lakes and rivers, that tenses the skin and turns the body into an uncomfortable mess. This illness is commonly known as Riverhook, as the person becomes rigid as if they were hanged from one.

Transmission & Vectors

Though Riverhook is not infectious by itself, if someone enters in prolonged contact with a Khicite plant or eats it seeds, then all water produced by its body will be highly infectious. In these cases, it's best to get rid of all the various liquids and leave the affected isolated until their bodies process the plant.

Causes

Riverhook is contracted by being in contact with bodies of water that contain high levels of Khicite, a plant that absorbs mineral matter and releases heavy metals into the water, diluted and in great quantities. The rate of contraction depends on the body mass of the person and, more specifically, their water level and their metal levels. The higher they are, the more time it'll take for the person to suffer from Riverhook.

Symptoms

The symptoms are mostly physical, the most evident being the fact that the veins become quite visible and turn into a slightly more grey tone, while the arteries experiment the reverse effect, taking an extremely red hue, while still not being very visible. 

Additionally, the skin of the affected becomes slightly rigid, making it uncomfortable and hard to move properly. On the inside, the person normally becomes exhausted really fast and experiences headaches, stomach aches, and constant dryness on the mouth, often accompanied by the taste of iron.

Treatment

The most important part is to keep the person away from infected water. Once the first symptoms start to appear, it's advised to keep the person immobile and hydrated with safe liquids, to keep the pain as low as possible. If the person ate Khicite, the best way to help them is by helping them get it out of their body.

Even though the effect of Riverhook normally fades with time (2-3 days for a mild exposition, a week for a serious one), recently an additional way to treat it has been developed and studied. The seed of the Khicite is covered with small, which collect the mineral and store it into the flower. The flower has to be carefully picked up, while keeping it hydrated (it dies immediately when exposed to air) and has to be mixed carefully with the right amount of any laxative liquid or substance that allows the affected person's body to filter all the metal produced by the Khicites.

Hosts & Carriers

Although Khicite plants produce the metals that provoke Riverhook, neither them nor most other fish species that live on these water bodies are affected by it, although some exoskeletal species become extremely durable and resistant due to all the metal that fuses onto their chitin. 

Prevention

Make sure that if you swim in a small body of water, there are not any Khicite plants on the bottom. These plants can be easily identified by their strong and light green color and picked up with proper protection and taken out of the water, where they immediately die and become innocuous. 

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Common

Cultural Reception

Given that it's a pretty common illness, people that suffer from Riverhook are normally taken care of and looked after, while still keeping the respectful distance. However, they are usually scolded for their recklessness and imprudence, as Khicite plants are pretty easy to see.