Necrophagia

Carried by some ghouls, this contagion is the primary means by which ghouls increase their numbers. While not all ghouls carry ghoul fever, any ghoul can be infected. It is believed ghouls purposely contract the disease by biting their flesh, injuring themselves for the opportunity to increase the size of the pack. Living creatures bitten by an infected ghoul must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become infected. After one day the creature develops a fever, and the area around the injury becomes red and tender. The creature gains one level of exhaustion. While the creature has one level of exhaustion they crave raw flesh and have difficulty eating cooked meat. An infected creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw to consume cooked food, vomiting the meal on a failure.

   At the end of each long rest, an infected creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature gains 1 level of exhaustion. On a successful save, the DC of the saving throw is reduced by 1d6. When the saving throw DC becomes 0, the creature recovers from the disease. If the infected creature has eaten raw meat within the last 24 hours, they have a disadvantage on this saving throw. A humanoid creature that dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghoul on midnight the following night. If the creature has 6 or more Hit Dice it instead becomes a ghast upon death.

Various Names: 

• Necrophagia
• Seikatsu Taberu hito
• Ghoul Fever
• The malady of the Soul
• Afterlife Plague

Discovered by Hiar 'Ol' Chesapeake' Flemming in 417.

Type

Prion