Infernal Blight

Excerpt from 'A Treatise of Illnesses both Supernatural and Mundane' by Jaissa Masterdane:

Infernal Blight

This disease was considered so rare as to be almost non-existent. However, with the progress made by Zanwor Togglereach and his team of researchers, many sufferers have come forward, often in advanced stages of the disease, seeking treatment.

Transmission & Vectors

Transmission unknown.

Causes

Cause unknown. Subjects not very forthcoming. Unconfirmed reports of exposure to fiends.

Symptoms

• Blotches of discoloration of the skin: these are frequently bright red or an unnatural pitch-black, but also can be gray, green, or even white or blue. In later stages, the blotches increase in frequency and size. Advanced stage subjects may have the whole of their skin altered.
• Discoloration and, at later stages, deformation of the iris, sclera and pupil. Some subjects develop eyes similar to Tieflings, while others develop slit pupils like that of a snake or a cat.
• Skeletal deformities. Subjects develop the beginnings of horns or a tail. At this advanced stage it is almost impossible to tell them apart from a fiend.
• Mental effects. No comprehensive study has been completed as yet detailing how Infernal Blight affects the mind. Are the patients becoming fiends in truth, or merely taking on the appearance?

Treatment

There is only one treatment known for Infernal Blight. It is only available at The Xotaoleian healing temple in Runswich, and there can only be so many subjects treated in a day. Luckily, it is a rare condition. The treatment consists of daily doses of a herbal concoction, as well as regular exposure to Celestial energy collected from Izith. It is not yet proven if this treatment is a full cure, or merely a method of managing the symptoms.

Prognosis

If a subject seeks treatment, and the earlier the better, their prognosis appears to be fairly good. They should be able to resume a normal lifestyle. Those who do not get treatment, especially in advanced cases, will find their condition deteriorating and they may become a fiend, themselves.

Hosts & Carriers

Fiends are the suspected carriers. They do not appear to be affected by it. Tieflings also seem to be immune.

Epidemiology

The disease does not appear able to transmit from person to person. Little information about the origins of the infection exists, but it does appear that there is a connection to Chadath and Infernal fiends.

Cultural Reception

There is much stigma surrounding this disease. Subjects often hide their condition as best they can. There are known cases of mob killings of sufferers of the disease.

by Scott Ward, edited by Nightflyer0ne

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare

Affected Species

• Tabaxi
• Half-Orc
• Half-Elf
• Genasi
• Aarakocra
• Human
• Halfling
• Gnome
• Dwarf
• Lizardfolk
• Elf
• Firbolg