Curse of tongues

When one meets a particularly friendly traveller along the road and is invited to come to their abode common wisdom dictates that one should greet them in every language they know. For when the traveller can answer in every language he must have the curse of tongues, which means there is danger afoot. One then has the choice to either politely refuse the offer and hope that their fellow traveller doesn't insist further, or to follow them and make sure to destroy the entirety of the cannibal's nest.

Causes

The curse is a protein disease is caused by coming into contact with blood that has been allowed to ferment for a few days. This is often done by people who have a disposition towards cannibalism. These people superstitiously believe that drinking grog made from the blood of a skilled orator transfers those skills over. While this doesn't works the curse of tongue does give them the instinctive ability to know every language that is spoken to them. However their condition also forces them to always respond back whenever spoken to. This quirk has saved many a wise travellers's live.

Cultural Reception

People who suffer from the curse of tongues are watched with extreme suspicion, if not slain outright. Even if they are allowed to live in or near civilised society people suffering from the curse of tongues are mostly ostracised from the rest of society. For it is quite rare for someone who doesn't participate in cannibalism to accidentally contract the curse of tongues. However it can happen when consuming contaminated food. Sometimes a farmer might harvest his crops shortly after a battle has been held on his farm without cleaning any of the blood or guts. If the consumer then doesn't carefully washes the produce with hot water they might accidentally consume some of the fermented blood and contract the curse of tongues.

Type

Prion

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare