Mist Madness

"Eventually it just seeps into ya. Rots your lungs. Clouds your eyes. Some have said they can almost taste it. Described it like a summer fruit but burned and bitter. Don't worry, neither of us will live long enough to find out."

Transmission & Vectors

Transmitted through the air and water throughout Revne, Mist Madness is not a condition to be avoided so much as it is something to anticipate once reaching a certain age. Those who never contract any symptoms of the disease are considered part of a lucky minority.

Causes

Scholars continue to examine the exact properties by which the shrouding fog affects the inhabitants of Revne, though there is a nearly unanimous assumption of the mist's indiscernible magical property which somehow causes the Mist Madness so consistently.

Symptoms

In the earliest onset, a consistent, dry cough persists for months at a time as the lungs deteriorate and are unable to filter the mist as effectively. Then, the afflicted's eyes typically begin to cloud over as their vision descends into only detecting light and shadow in distorted grey hues. Finally, their mental deterioration sets in, leading to the "madness" component which manifests in unique ways, given the individual's history and personal tendencies.

Affected Groups

Everyone knows someone who one day just drifted off into the mist never to be seen again. Though most frequently affecting the aged who have lived their entire lives surrounded by the mists, the madness is said to set in more quickly for those who work or live in closer proximity to the ever-present fog.

History

The first recorded cases of the madness began to crop up among those born after the Shrouding who survived long enough to reach their sixth or seventh decade.

Cultural Reception

Though known to not be contagious or passed from person to person, individuals tend to give those affected a wide berth. Often this avoidance is more so in hopes of distancing themselves from the peculiar behaviors driven by the mental deterioration of those afflicted.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Common