Hazards: Psionic Maladies and Horrific Diseases

Hazards: Psionic Maladies and Horrific Diseases

This post converts psionic diseases from Extended Psionic Handbook and horrific diseased from Horror Adventures.

Bloody End

This disease causes the body to produce blood filled with sanguine humours and adrenaline, making the victim incredibly violent and savage.

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

  

Brain Moss

This bright blue fungus grows inside the brain tissue of a living creature, altering the brain’s chemistry to make the host docile, and eventually consuming the host’s brain while it is still alive. In severe cases of the disease, telltale blue fuzz can often be found growing out of the victim’s ears and nostrils.

Statistics: Respiratory; HT-2 to resist; 1 day delay; 1d-1 toxic damage (with IQ-2 after loss of 1/3 HP and hallucinations after loss of 1/2 HP); 12-hour cycle with eight cycles. Mildly contagious.

Cascade Flu

A psionic cascade is a loss of control over psionic abilities. This disease is spread by brain moles and other vermin. All psionic abilities of the diseased creature gain the Uncontrollable limitation (p. B116).

Statistics: Blood; HT to resist; 1 day delay; lasts permanently but allows an HT roll to resist each day. Mildly contagious.

Cerebral Parasites

Cerebral parasites are tiny organisms, undetectable to normal sight. An afflicted character may not even know he carries the parasites - until he discovers he cannot use his psionic powers properly.

Statistics: Contact; HT-1 to resist; 1d/2 days delay; 1d-2 toxic damage (with IQ-2 after loss of 1/3 HP and IQ-4 after loss of 1/2 HP; these IQ penalties only apply in regards to using psionic powers); 8-hour cycle with five cycles. Mildly contagious.

Ghoul Distemper

This rare, tropical disease causes living creatures to turn into feral, ghoul-like entities, and when fatal, often causes the affected creature to rise as a ghoul. The creature’s metabolism rises at an incredible rate, forcing it to devour untenable amounts of food.

Statistics: Respiratory; HT-3 to resist; 1d days delay; 1d-1 toxic damage (with Gluttony (12) after loss of 1/3 HP; Increased Consumption 1 and ST-2 after loss of 1/2 HP; and Increased Consumption 2 and ST-5 after loss of 2/3 HP); 12-hour cycle with eight cycles. Not contagious.

  

Gore Worms

These parasites derive their name from their habit of devouring their hosts from the inside, leaving them as putrid sacs of blood and worms. Gore worms release their microscopic eggs in sporelike clouds that make their way into the bloodstream when inhaled. Eventually, the eggs anchor themselves within a host’s body and grow until they reach nearly 2 inches in length. Adults burrow out through the host’s skin and release their eggs into the air. The worms cannot survive outside of a host for more than a few hours, though they can inhabit corpses as easily as living creatures.

Statistics: Respiratory; HT-3 to resist; 1d days delay; 1d-1 toxic damage (with severe pain after loss of 1/3 HP; terrible pain and nausea after loss of 1/2 HP; and Vulnerability (Crushing, x2) after loss of 2/3 HP); 12-hour cycle with twenty cycles. Mildly contagious.

  

Skin Wastes

This disease brings intense itching, then hardening and cracking of the skin, and eventually the transformation of all soft tissue to bone.

Statistics: Contact; HT-1 to resist; 1 day delay; 1d-1 toxic damage (with moderate pain after loss of 1/3 HP, DR 2 (Tough Skin) and DX-3 after loss of ½ HP, petrification after loss of all HP); 24-hour cycle with fifteen cycles. Not contagious.