Shadow-Slopping

I wouldn't be pokin' 'round much anymore. Ya' friend's as good as dead 'n less than seven days, she's sloppin'! Better get scootin' or ya' migh' catch it ya'self!

-A patriarch to an oldtimer.

Transmission & Vectors

There is much speculation on the transmission of Shadow-Slopping. There seems to be no precursor to finding an afflicted, and the number of afflicted in a town might range from a single household over the course of a month, to all of a village's elders in a single week. There is much debate over whether or not the condition is indeed contagious, as it seems to just appear and do as it pleases.

Symptoms

Symptoms include, in the beginning, a simple cough and skin peeling like a sunburn. After a single day, the skin peeling becomes less of a sunburn and more of a pustule. These pustules will pop at random times, seemingly for no reason save not being able to contain themselves anymore. The pus they release becomes reabsorbed into the skin, and soon more pustules appear in neighboring areas in the skin. After about three days, the skin has gone from whatever the natural color was, to a dark grey to ink black, depending on original tone. The pustules will be increasing in frequency and size. It is at this point, that some time between day three and day seven, the skin will be unable to hold its own weight, as it has become brittle from the "acidic" pus. The skin will begin to slough off, causing pain and bleeding. At some point after this occurs, the individual will pass away, either from the shock or blood loss.

Treatment

There has been one case of treatment of the disease, which involved lancing the pustules until the skin was able to heal itself. This was, however, extremely expensive, as the individual in question needed 24/7 care, and constant attention to known pustules. Otherwise, people may bandage the areas or bath frequently to encourage the pustules to expel on their own, increasing the quickness of spread to other locations.

Prognosis

Death. In the single case of successful treatment, the afflicted eventually recovered, given enough time. However, for several months to years after affliction, the afflicted had severe bouts of paranoia and hallucinations.

Affected Groups

There seems to be a predisposition towards the old, with most cases occurring in those over the age of 60. There have been recorded cases in those younger, but those are extremely rare.

History

The first recorded case occurred about five to six decades or so after the proclamation that all "dark babies" born would be moved to the outlands. Before the proclamation was issued, there were no such documented cases.

Cultural Reception

All who become afflicted are ostracized by the unafflicted. Those old enough to have seen multiple cases occur, lock themselves in their houses in an attempt to ward off any negative energies being sent to them, and will put up garlic, turmeric, and alcohols around their doors to ward off anything that might wish them a negative experience. Children, however, seem curious of the disease, as it rarely affects them, and should a family member catch it, will often sneak in to their rooms to view the sloughing process. As they age however, they seem to become more and more afraid of catching the treacherous disease, and begin to act more in line with fear and superstition of their village.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Rare