The Rattle Bone Disease
This is a very unusual disease that seems to specifically affect the undead and on very rare occasions living humanoids. So rare is this disease that most healers and clerics have never heard of it and researchers easily mix up its name calling it the Bone Rattle Disease as often as the Rattle Bone Disease.
While it is not directly lethal to humanoids it does affect their joints and bones, causing inflammation and brittleness which makes everyday movements laborious and can lead to a reduction in ones quality of life. For the undead however, this condition proves to be quite fatal. The disease causes a weakened bone structure, the rattling of bone on bone noises for which this disease was named, a reduction to all abilities, structural loss, and eventual disintegration.
Transmission & Vectors
The transmission and spread of this mysterious disease is still completely unknown. Many have speculated that those who come into close contact with animated or raised skeletons and zombies seem to be the most likely to acquire this disease. Although this theory is quite popular it does not account for those who have never been near such things.
What little is known about this disease is that it does not seem to be contagious to the living. However, it seems that once an undead skeleton, or to a lesser extent a zombie, acquires the disease, it spreads easily from bone to bone and from undead to undead.
Causes
Although many theories abound, the true cause of this disease remains completely unknown. Perhaps the best, if somewhat controversial evidence comes from The Chronology Contagio. In the dark elf's experimental logbooks, Rickettsia Prokill notes that about half of her patients who ingested undead flesh soon developed the Rattle Bone disease. Upon their death and reanimation, all diseased patients also had the disease as skeletons and zombies. Additionally about half of those who did not show symptoms in life, did indeed have the disease when they were raised up as skeletons and zombies.
Symptoms
When the living contract this disease it affects their bones, joints, and connective tissues. The first signs of the disease are the swelling and reddening of the joints. This inflammation is followed by a loosening of the connective tissues and causes a disjointed, flopping movement. Any motions become labored and the person has difficulty with motor functions and speaking. Eventually the bones become brittle and weak. Dislocations and broken bones quickly confine the person to bed and hospitalization is common.
When the undead contract this disease it affects their bones in an unusual way. First, any connective tissue is also loosened, similar to the body of the living. In the case of skeletons who do not have physical connective tissues, their ethereal connective tissues also weaken and elongate. The bones of the undead are now more able to swing and move out of their normal range and the bones quite often come into contact with one another. As the bones collide, they make a variety of clicking and rattling sounds and all movement is erratic. The bones quickly weaken and the undead lose half of all of their attributes. Over time the bones and their connections continue to degrade and the undead will eventually fall apart and then turn to dust.
Treatment
There is currently no known natural or magical remedy for this disease. The best hope for an infected individual is to have a healer, cleric, or apothecary treat the symptoms, and make the person as comfortable as possible. Many people result to treating the pain through various medications, potions, and drugs. As the expenses build up, many people try cheaper and more questionable remedies. Without proper discipline, victims often spend their savings and eventually become dependent on cheap, short term relief drugs.
Prognosis
Although this disease is not immediately life threatening, it is uncomfortable and will continue to worsen over time. The living will need progressively increasing bed rest and hospitalization and the undead will eventually be destroyed.
Affected Groups
While humanoid species are capable of being affected by this condition, the main targets of this disease seems to be the undead skeletons and zombies of any creature.
Hosts & Carriers
There are no known living flora or fauna that carry this disease, however occasional sentient humanoids have been hosts, but do not seem to transmit the disease. The undead skeletons and zombies will often carry and transfer the condition to other undead.
Prevention
Even though the disease is not considered to be contagious to the living, it seems that the most logical form of prevention is stay away from people and the undead who are showing symptoms of the disease. Additionally, the common sense decision not to eat undead flesh should also be adhered to.
Epidemiology
It is extremely rare for a humanoid to acquire this condition, especially since it is not considered to be contagious to the living. The undead are at the greatest risk since this disease is easily passed throughout their population. It is believed to be spread through close physical contact of the bones of the infected. Once a member of a skeleton or zombie group contracts the disease it is quickly passed to all of its members. So far the studies of groups that contain infected undead have shown that all members of the group will be infected. So rapid is the transfer among individuals that there has yet to be a group studied that has only been partially affected.
History
Cases of the Rattle Bone Disease are few and far between. The scant records show that most occur on the fringes of civilized lands, deep underground, in barren territories, or in far remote areas. Perhaps the oldest accounts of this disease come from the Lucien Kingdom and its golden Paladins Of Providence, as they fought the undead from the Mirusi Lands some 1700 years ago. The ancient records state that the "rattling bones" of the skeletons often gave away their locations and the paladins were able to dispatch them quite quickly.
More recent accounts claim that some ships that were stranded on Rodinia had many of their crew become infected with the illness. Others say that both the living and the undead show signs of the affliction in the Jafa Suhra Desert. Rumors continue to persist of a current outbreak of the disease in the Sarcodon clan of the underground Erumpere dark elves.
Cultural Reception
In the beginning stages with early symptoms, reactions to infected people usually range from concern to avoidance. Healers and clerics try to identify the ailment, ease the pain, and treat the symptoms. As the later stages progress, most people try to keep their distance from the infected, often shunning them. Extremely advanced cases often become hospitalized whether they want to be or not.
Public reaction to the infected undead is often swift and violent. Most view the weakened undead as an opportune target that they can eliminate quite quickly and easily.
Type: Supernatural
Origin: Unknown
Cycle: Unknown, although there is great debate as to whether it is naturally occurring or has been engineered through magical or spiritual forces.
Rarity: Extremely Rare
Affected Species
“Yeah, you should see the look on their faces. I tell you when the rookies hear those bones rattling together they are a sight to see, all wide eyed and panic stricken. The veterans are a different story. Their eyes narrow in focus and you can see a hint of a smile appear. They know these skeletons are slow and weak. Still dangerous, don’t get me wrong, but they know they are going to have a little fun.”
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