Barkskin
Causes
The underlying cause of this bizarre affliction is still unknown.
Symptoms
Initially, an infected individual begins to experience some itchy, dry skin. It's far more common on the arms, especially at first. This is always misdiagnosed as simple dry skin and relieved with standard skin creams. It varies from patient to patient, but it takes anywhere from a week to three weeks before the skin begins to exhibit the first signs of the bark-like texture that is characteristic of this ailment.
Once the first signs of bark-like texture appear, the disease spreads at a steady pace until the entire body is covered in it. As it progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to move. Many find it difficult to breathe and wind up suffocating.
Treatment
Until recently, there was no cure for this disease. It was possible to treat the symptoms and use creams to ease a patient's discomfort, but there was little else to be done.
A cure was discovered by accident in the year 2234. A wolfling suffering from the early stages of Barkskin was also dealing with a troublesome stomach ailment. To deal with it, he ingested a traditional tea made from a plant called Adreinn's Heart. Not only did it help his stomach ache but it seemed to alleviate the Barkskin as well. The healers were baffled by this. They did some tests with his permission and made a cream from that plant. There was something about the leaves of Adreinn's Heart that counteracted whatever was causing Barkskin in the first place. It had little effect on those in the later stages of the disease, but it was highly effective on those in the early stages and there were mixed results on those in the mid stages.
Prognosis
Prior to the accidental discovery of a cure, prognosis was death by starvation or suffocation. A large number of people took their own lives on discovering that they were inflicted with Barkskin.
Sequela
Patients who have recovered complain of stiffness in their joints, particularly in the wrists and elbows. Some have mentioned that they have persistent patches of dry skin.
Prevention
As it's still unknown how this disease is contracted in the first place, there are no known preventative measures. It's generally considered wise to avoid the afflicted. Just in case.
Individuals with strong earth-based magic or healing abilities seem to have a natural immunity to it.
Epidemiology
Despite a lengthy study conducted on Barkskin by the Sisterhood in 383 and another one conducted in 1567 by a collective of healers, no connection has yet to be found between afflicted individuals. It appears that the ailment strikes completely at random, something that doesn't sit well with the medical community.
Barkskin most often affects wolflings and humans. Cases among the ryuutenshi are rare and most commonly seen in ryuutenshi that live outside of their Valley. Chume'taly are almost never affected. There have been 5 known cases: a lion, two cheetahs, a panther, and a white tiger.
Studies are on going.
History
The first recorded case was in the 3rd year after the Great Walk. The disease itself wasn't new, but there are no written historical records that predate the Great Walk.
The biggest known outbreak--as it were-- of Barkskin was in the year 817. It almost decimated the population of a small farming village near the Gira'loyis Proivincial border with Me'chu'sholan Province.
Cultural Reception
Individuals with this condition are avoided. It's not known whether or not Barkskin can be caught from an infected person, but no one wants to take that chance. Diagnosis has historically been equated with a death sentence. Many sufferers put their affairs in order, say their farewells, and ingest some form of painless poison. There's no stigma against doing so. There's no need to carry forward with your life only to die in agony.
Those who choose to continue on with their lives in spite of the disease are seen as foolish, particularly among the human populations. The wolflings are a little more forgiving. The ryuutenshi have no tolerance for suicide, regardless of the circumstances.
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