The Chaos Rot

The use of magic is a rare gift in the Known World, made all the more rare by the Chaos Rot. Practitioners of the arcane run the risk of opening up themselves to warping chaos that is magic. When one casts a spell and fails there is a chance that the spell will effect them in some way. These mistakes are costly. It is rare to find an apprentice of the magic arts come unscathed out of their apprenticeships, and those that are truly inept rarely survive to practice on their own.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

The first sign that the Rot has taken effect is a darkening of the veins in and around the eyes. The Chaos Rot starts in the vascular system and then will move on to other parts of the body. Typical next locations of the manifestation of the disease would be the flesh of the hands or the feet. The flesh in these locations starts to turn to a brittle black dust and fall off. While painless, the magic caster starts to show their skeletal frame through the blackened hands and feet. After this stage, though not in any particular order, the following can happen: blackening of the skin, loss of hair, large purple fissures opening in the skin, irises of the eyes turning purple, bone spurs growing and piercing the skin. The last stage of the disease is a purple glow through the darkened skin that seems to emanate from the heart. At this stage, most either explode in a purple fire that engulfs them or go completely mad which results in the afflicted needing to be exterminated for theirs and well as others' safety.

COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE

At any stage, the spread of the Chaos Rot is only through the continuation of magic use and failure. There is no progression if the afflicted choses to not use magic again.

Symptoms

Darkening facial veins Loss of flesh around feet and hands Blackening of the skin Loss of hair Dermal fissures Change in eye coloring Growth of bone spurs through skin Internal heart glow Loss of sanity

Treatment

No known reversal of onset.

Affected Groups

Practitioners of the Magical Arts

Cultural Reception

Those afflicted by the Rot are looked upon with fear by the general population.

Type

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Unique