Hai-Hai (Ashen Lung)

A common affliction to those whom travel the wastes of Jundo-no-sabaku, especially those without proper protective clothing to keep the swirling necrotic ash from being breathed in, or those extensively exposed for either long periods or from intense wind-driven ash-storms.

Causes

Breathing in the fine ash from the Jundo-no-sabaku which is alchemically toxic and charged with necrotic energy.

Game Mechanics

Each day beings merely traveling through the Jundo-no-sabaku wastelands if wearing appropriate Alchemical Breathing Mask with Filters, or each hour spent merely traveling through the Jundo-no-sabaku wastelands if not properly equipped, or each hour exposed outside in a common toxic necrotic ash windstorms if wearing appropriate Alchemical Breathing Mask with Filters, or each Round exposed to toxic necrotic ash laden air without protection requires a DC 13 Constitution Save Throw or become infected. Creatures immune to both poison and necrotic damage automatically succeed this Save Throw, as do being acclimated to Jundo-no-sabaku (such as Osen-no-hito and various alchemically mutated wasteland creatures).

Symptoms

General weakening of the whole body, causing decrepitude in its many forms, with fits of bloody coughing during flare-ups which naturally coincide with the New Moon or being re-exposed to infecting levels.

Game Mechanics

The infected being gains Disadvantage of Constitution Ability Checks and Constitution Save Throws. Even without further exposure each night of the New Moon, as necrotic energies wax full strength supercharging the toxic ash already within the infected, and they must make a DC 13 Constitution Save Throw or take 3 (1d6) necrotic damage, 3 (1d6) poison, increases that being's level of Exhaustion, and additionally prevents taking either a Short or Long Rest during the nights of a New Moon due to the increased bloody coughing fits (Long and Short Rests are still possible during daylight hours, when the coughing subsides). Being re-exposed to enough toxic necrotic ash to infect a being in the same circumstance and failing the Save Throw also causes the same type of flare-up per Save Throw failed. This means being susceptible to Hai-Hai (Ashen Lung) and being caught exposed in a toxic necrotic ash windstorm is severely lethal.

Treatment

This disease does not heal naturally, but it can be cured by a Lesser Restoration Spell. For Cultures other than the Jundo-no-min this spell is a serious investment but not a ridiculous prospect to get access to. Unfortunately within Jundo-no-min Culture this treatment is hard to come by because only a select few Bards within the College of Whispers, an ominous cabal of unscrupulous spymasters and propaganda wielding demagogues whom only help others to gain political leverage or ply their twisted machinations, know the spell. Another alternative is seeking the unlikely help from a powerful magical item, wizard, or magical creature capable of granting a Wish, which is beyond the dream of most to reach. The final option for a cure is to risk accepting potentially Divine magic cast by another Culture, which if the magic is Divine will strip the fey of any Alchemcal Purity and make them gain the afterlife of the Culture they accepted their Divine magic cure from. There are arcane casters of Lesser Restoration within other Cultures but Jundo-no-min have been indoctrinated that other Cultures are hungry to trick them into forfeiting their Alchemical Purity and chance for peaceful oblivion.

Game Mechanics

This disease itself is not subject to be ended by Recuperating, but the Exhaustion caused by the flare-ups o this disease are subject to being removed normally with Long Rests.
Hai-Hai can be cured by a Lesser Restoration Spell, or a more powerful spell able to produce the same effect.

Prognosis

Hai-Hai (Ashen Lung) does not naturally heal an without magical treatment it is a life long affliction. The affliction can be extremely fatal with rapid re-exposure or if a flare-up occurs when either extremely Exhaustion, or when affecting adolescents, children or those already close to death's door. Additionally since it weakens the ability to resist many other diseases, other environmental hazards, and makes it likely force marching to escape the Wilderness causes even more Exhaustion than normal, it ends Adventuring careers on way or the other unless cured. Since there are six nights in a row of New Moons every thirty days suffering this affliction likely causes those nights avoiding danger or conflict, and spending the days resting to recover in order to endure the next night's torment.

Type

Chemical Compound

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Common