The Mindworm/The Rot

The Mindworm Disease is a name given by commoners to a condition found in Larylian. Larylian is a land filled with civil war, poverty, and corruption. Given the extremely poor conditions that the citizens have to deal with, it is to be expected that pestilence is quite a significant issue. Various different diseases persist in outbreaks across the nation, but none are as feared and as least understood as the 'Mindworm'.
By scholars it is referred to as the Rot, a general term used in reference to the fact that the brain appears to quite literally start rotting when the sufferer falls ill. Autopsies of diseased patients have even revealed largely liquified brain matter, evident also by leaking fluids from orifices on the head.

Transmission & Vectors

The transmission of the disease is entirely unknown, though the common folk have speculations regarding how to avoid contracting the Mindworm. Based around the idea that it is parasite that invades the brain, many people try to avoid things such as stagnant water, or spoiled food. However, the poor conditions in Larylian often make this very hard to actually accomplish. If a starving family only has old, stale bread to eat, they will likely eat it anyway despite the fear of contracting this parasite.
The majority of people who believe the parasite-theory about the disease recognize that if it comes from food, it comes from crops rather than a meat source. This is largely due to the fact that the majority of people who fall ill with it are those amongst the most poor in Larylian, where meat is not easily obtainable, if at all. Given this, the Rot is often regarded as a 'poor-man's sickness' by the small number of upper class people residing in Larylian.

Causes

The cause is unknown, though there are healers and scholars who have dedicated their entire jobs around searching for a cure to the Rot. The small percentage of the population that might call themselves privileged in Larylian regard the Rot as a poor man's disease, seeing as only the poor common folk seem to actually contract it. 
Some people believe the cause of this disease to be a result of some sort of divine retribution, a punishment from the gods for the corruption and violence that has plagued Larylian for years.

Symptoms

The Rot comes with a set of both physical and mental symptoms, that comes in stages as detailed in the Prognosis section. Here is an overview of symptoms one can expect if they are suffering from the Rot. 
Physical symptoms: fevers, "drained" looking skin, eventual paralysis, headaches, tremors, and some others. 
Mental symptoms: alterations of the senses, varying degrees of hallucinations, confusion, lack of attentiveness, seizures, irrational fears, insomnia, depression, odd speech patterns, unresponsiveness, etc.

Treatment

There currently exists no cure for the Rot. Due to the relative lack of knowledge surrounding this disease, scholars and healers are at a loss for how to handle it. 
There are methods people use for trying to make the suffering of the sick easier, but they do not making the life expectancy any long or increase chances of survival. Such treatments are just for easing pain or other such symptoms. These often consist of herbal remedies, such as infused baths, teas, and medicinal concoctions. Some of these remedies might induce sleepiness, numb pain, or help reduce hallucinations. However, there almost always reaches a point where these remedies do little to nothing for the suffering patient.

Prognosis

The entire process of the disease from beginning onset of symptoms, to eventual death, can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to over a period of a few months. There are specific cases where the disease might progress much faster (or much slower) than this, though.  The following time frames for each stage are based on a sufferer who experiences the entire disease within a 2-3 weeks time. Please note these time frames can vary greatly, and are given for reference.

• Stage 1 (1 to 4 days)= The sufferer will begin to experience alterations to the senses. This includes all of five of the senses, and can cover loss of one or more of the senses (intermittently in most cases), or hallucinations of any of the senses. They may also start to experience strange sleep patterns. 
• Stage 2 (about 5 or so days)= Fever, sleeplessness, confusion, and exaggerated forms of symptoms from stage 1 are all common signs of the second stage of this disease. 
• Stage 3(7-9 days)= Upon reaching stage 3 of the disease, the sufferer will begin experiencing painful and often times violent hallucinations. Scholars have often reported extreme tremors and uncontrollable picking at the skin. Sufferers often (but not always) become outwardly violent towards others, and for this reason they are regarded as being extremely dangerous. However in most cases the harm goes towards themselves, which is why many people end up inadvertently killing themselves before even reaching the final stage of the disease. Stage 3 of the Rot also includes refusal to eat or drink, which can be another leading reason to why people die earlier than later.
• Stage 4= For those that manage to survive stage 3 and actually make it to this stage, the symptoms perhaps become more subdued but this does not mean life is any easier. This stage is also referred to as the "zombie" stage, due to the characterizing symptoms of intense laziness, unresponsiveness to most stimuli, prolonged (or complete absence of) sleep, and then eventual death. 

Sequela

Seeing as the majority of people who contract the Rot end up dead, there is little to put here. However, that being said, there ARE some cases of people "surviving", though this may not be as happy as one might think. 
In the small handful of cases where someone has survived the Rot, it has always been a case of people reaching Stage 4, but then rather than inevitably dying..they simply didn't. Existing in a pseudo-vegetative state, where they had limited mobility and instinctive functions, they exist as shells of who they used to be, with practically no conscious to be found. 
The few people who have gotten to this point are typically those who actually had people around to care for them for a prolonged period of time, and many families end up putting the people out of their misery because they believe it is no proper life to live.

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Uncommon