the Retrievers' Sores

What is Retrievers' Sores?

Being a Retriever is a dangerous profession, some would say deadly even.
Leaving the safety of the City's walls and venturing into the Wastes in order to retrieve precious resources back to town is an unhealthy pastime at best.

Not only Retrievers can be prey to the many predators and horrors living in the near darkness of the Wastes, but they often contract there a condition called Retrievers' Sores.
Some humanoids are more proned to it than others, halflings are particularly sensitive to it, while humans can go for years without contracting this terrible illness.
Tabaxis and orcs are not known to have been subject to it.

How is it contracted?

From unfortunate experience, Retrievers talk about certain grounds being contaminated by the agents causing the sores.
The areas where Sores can be caught are also not very easy to spot. Contaminated streets, buildings, or rubbles will appear darker and greyer than the gleaming white stones clear of the agents causing the disease.

However, if a crew does not have much Light with them, and work under dark conditions, it is often difficult for crew members to spot the signs where the disease might be nesting or too late.
A creature affected by the Sores, will see pustules and cracks opening on their skin within the hour: a quick repatriation to the City and the healing hands of a druid can lesson considerably the symtoms of the illness.

However, many Retriever will have to make the journey home alone in the wilderness as usually, crews will not want to return to the City empty handed.
As this is even more dangerous than waiting for the crew to return with booty, many sore-afflicted Retrievers wait out before coming back home when the illness has already taken a terrible hold on them.

This is not always the case, some long-standing and well led crews consider themselves family and would do anythint to save the lives and suffering of their friends, even spending their hardwon savings on finding the right mage or druid who can help their friend lead a normal life after being affected.

Can it be cured?

The Sores cannot be cured but its effect can be lessened through healing magic.
The quicker healing magic can be applied, the less the Sores will deform the creature's body and the less painful they will be in the long run. Balms can be applied daily to help the sufferer cope with the oozing sores on their body.

In extreme cases, the body of the infected humanoid will become deformed.
Huge pustules will open and push the flesh left and right into ridges of monstrous carnal architectures.
Some people will loose the use of their hands and feet due to the mishapen mounds forming across their extremities.