Vile Diseases

Vile Diseases

After writing my first post about D&D diseases, I started flipping through all the sourcebooks to look for more. Haven't found many, but the infamous Book of Vile Darkness has 17 new diseases, most of which are obviously supernatural.

Acid Fever

When a creature takes a major wound from acid and is at the same time exposed to great evil (such as the presence of an evil outsider or a desecrated area), it risks contacting acid fever. Festering boils cover the victim’s flesh, and the skin blackens and withers.

Statistics: Blood; HT-3 to resist; 1d/2 days delay; 1d toxic damage (with ST-3 after loss of 1/3 HP and ST-6 after loss of 1/2 HP); 24-hour cycle with six cycles. Not contagious.

  

Blue Guts

This disease comes from eating the flesh of particularly disgusting creatures such as otyughs, gibbering mouthers, and gray oozes. It results in a bluish complexion, particularly around the creature’s intestines (hence the name). Many (but not all) predatory magical beasts, aberrations, and other creatures are immune to this disease, but no humanoids are.

Statistics: Digestive; HT-1 to resist; 1d/2 days delay; 1d-2 toxic damage (with ST-1 after loss of 1/3 HP and ST-3 after loss of 1/2 HP); 24-hour cycle with seven cycles. Not contagious.

  

Deathsong

One of the worst diseases known, this terrible plague has laid waste to entire communities in less than a week. Victims of deathsong can do nothing but shriek and howl as their bodies wither and blacken. Once the incubation period expires, the progress of the disease is so fast that a victim can hear his skin crackle and his bones grow brittle and break.

Statistics: Contact; HT-5 to resist; 1 day delay; 1d+1 toxic damage (with coughing after loss of 1/3 HP; DX-4, ST-4, HT-4 after loss of ½ HP; and seizure after loss of 2/3 HP); 12-hour cycle with eight cycles. Highly contagious.

  

Faceless Hate

When the victim dies to this disease, the infection disappears. Spells and abilities that remove disease do not work anymore. Penalties and damage caused by this disease also disappear. The victim transforms into a creature with no face (he is still able to see, even though he lacks eyes), obsessed with finding and killing all those who were his friends and family. When the victim has hunted down everyone dear to him, he turns his ire against all other living things.

Statistics: Blood; HT-3 to resist; 1d days delay; 1d toxic damage (with ST-3 after loss of 1/3 HP and HT-3 after loss of 2/3 HP); 24-hour cycle with seven cycles. Not contagious.

  

Festering Anger

This disease manifests as dark boils across the skin. Unlike other diseases, this infection provides bonuses as symptoms.

Statistics: Blood; HT-3 to resist; 1d days delay; 1d toxic damage (with ST+2 and Berserk (Battle Rage) (12) after loss of 1/3 HP; ST+3 and Berserk (Battle Rage) (9) after loss of 1/2 HP; and ST+4 and Berserk (Battle Rage) (6) after loss of 2/3 HP); 12-hour cycle with eight cycles. Mildly contagious.

  

Fire Taint

When a creature takes a major wound from fire and is at the same time exposed to great evil (such as the presence of an evil outsider or a desecrated area), it risks contacting fire taint. The victim’s flesh reddens and his insides seem to burn. The victim vomits bile during the worst of the disease.

Statistics: Blood; HT-3 to resist; 1 day delay; 1d toxic damage (with moderate pain after loss of 1/3 HP, nausea after loss of ½ HP, and retching after loss of 2/3 HP); 24-hour cycle with six cycles. Not contagious.

Frigid Ravaging

When a creature takes a major wound from cold and is at the same time exposed to great evil (such as the presence of an evil outsider or a desecrated area), it risks contacting frigid ravaging. The victim’s flesh gradually becomes blue and brittle.

Statistics: Blood; HT-3 to resist; 1 day delay; 1d toxic damage (with HT-2 and DX-2 after loss of 1/3 HP, Brittle after loss of ½ HP, paralysis after loss of all HP); 24-hour cycle with six cycles. Not contagious.