Grey Scale

"Grey Scale"
Skin becomes grey and scaly with a musty smell.

Transmission & Vectors

Transmitted through contact with infected dust, dirt, rock, or mud. Humanoid becomes infected through prolonged exposure or inhaling the virus contaminated debris. Cuts and sores on the body hasten the transmission.

Causes

Virus invades the host cells and rewrites the DNA to become the infections Grey Scale. The rewritten cells then attache to, grow on, and feed on the humanoid, changing it's skin to grey looking scales.

Symptoms

Due to the virus' rewriting of the cells and changing them to grey, scale-like, rough, patchy skin, many physiological changes take place just below the surface. Fever, sweats, and perceived itching may occur. The victim becomes clumsy, weak, tired, disheveled, and gets progressively worse over time. This results in
-1 Cons, -1 Dex, -1 Cha per week afflicted, improve AC by 1.

Treatment

Unknown. Usually requires a healer cleric.

Prognosis

Conditions will continue to worsen over time with affects becoming more drastic at 1 week intervals. If allowed to go untreated, the body will be completely covered in grey scale like patches of skin. Death due to this condition is rare.

Affected Groups

All mammalian humanoids are subject to possible infection, as well as most amphibians. Reptilian and avian humanoids are usually resistant due to thicker skin and scales.

Hosts & Carriers

Any animal can carry the disease, especially rodents and lizards, but mammalian and amphibian humanoids are at risk for infection.

Prevention

Avoid contaminated dust, dirt, rocks, or mud, particularly in abandoned sites or dry areas.

Epidemiology

Non contagious and will not be transmitted from person to person. However, those infected can contaminate their environment and any subsequent visitors there may be subject to becoming infected from the newly contaminated area.

History

Cases of Grey Scale are rare but are usually concentrated around abandoned sites, desserts, rocky outcroppings, and dry mountainous areas.

Cultural Reception

Reactions to the infected usually range from avoidance to disdain, but healing clerics can usually find, concoct, or pray for remedies and will help out the infected so as to prevent localized contagion. People usually have more of an issue with where the infected person was and why they were there. Especially since it is strange for a "normal" person to be out in these usually restricted areas.

Type

Viral

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare