The Creeping Sickness
Over four centuries after the eruption of Mana Nui, a terrible sickness has begun to emerge in the Lands of the Risen Tide, the collection of island nations centred around the burnt out husk of the old, sacred island. The survivors of the eruption, clinging to life on the remnants of their broken island home, have recently been forced to flee, as their crops began to fail, their fishing nets came up empty, and their young began to grow frail and infirm before their time.
Transmission & Vectors
The creeping sickness poisons everything it touches, leaving rot and decay where once there was vibrant life. The sickness is spread on the breath and through the bodily fluids of those infected with it, as well as being carried on their possessions, particularly clothing that they have worn without washing.
Symptoms
The first signs of exposure to the creeping sickness are the onset of a splitting headache, coughing and wheezing, as well as red, watery eyes and a runny nose. These symptoms are shortly followed by a numbness and tingling in the extremities, and weakness and fatigue set in soon after that, usually within the first days after contraction of the sickness.
Within the first months, sufferers begin to suffer memory problems, with brain fog and trouble focusing setting in. Numbness and tingling give way to muscle cramps, aches and pains, and red, watery eyes lead to light sensitivity, and permanent blurred vision. Coughing and wheezing develop into more chronic sinus problems and a shortness of breath.
After several months more, muscle cramps become interspersed with violent tremors. Headaches and vision problems give rise to feelings of vertigo and nausea. Increased urination and diarrhea lead to weight loss and dehydration. Night sweats and other problems with temperature regulation develop as pain concentrates in the abdominal region and the joints.
Prognosis
Those taken by the creeping sickness are shackled to a cruel fate, destined to waste away slowly as their body gradually succumbs to the agonizing symptoms of the great plague, leaving them emaciated and disoriented long before it eventually claims their life.
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