Disease: Abyssal Virus

While I'm designing several things for my campaign, here is one that is chief in the first leg of the campaign. The level might seem a bit low for its nature, but that's because my party will be exposed to it at 2nd level.


Abyssal Utterance
Level 3 Disease
Fortitude Attack: +6
Endurance Improve DC: 16
Maintain DC: 11
Worsen: 10 or lower

Stages of the Virus
0: Target is cured.
1: Initial Effect Target can only speak Abyssal.
2: Abyssal Tumor grows on the host's body. This growth has sentience, and begins to effect the host's mind. -2 to Will Defense, lose 1 healing surge.
3: More, powerful tumors spread. The host takes -2 to Fort. The Tumors begin influencing the host more, subconsciously encouraging the host to spread the virus to as many uninfected individuals as possible. Host will also refuse to succumb to a Cure Disease or Remove Affliction ritual.
4: Final Stage The Tumors' control of the Host's will has become complete; an entity that can possess targets does not need to succeed in an attack to possess the Host. Furthermore, the Tumors have gained enough power to connect to the Abyss; the Host has a 15% chance per day of being possessed by a demon from the Abyss.

Contraction

Abyssal Utterance is an utterly wicked plague, not only due to what it does to a victim, but how it is spread. The first symptom of the virus is that the host speaks Abyssal (but does not understand it, unless the host knows the language all ready). Anyone who hears the infected host speak is exposed to the virus.

Ulterior Motive

The actual infection is not the final threat of the virus. Certainly an outbreak ending in an infected population who are possessed is bad enough. But the actual words in Abyssal are a threat. If enough entities are speaking at once, there is a significant chance that demons can be summoned from the Abyss. The Tumors are aware of this, intentionally infecting hosts and coordinating until they have enough to carry through a summons.

Bump?

Again with teh bump. No body?

Strange, I did reply, but i mustn't have hit the right button. I have to run off right now, but I will give you some feedback soon .

I gotta say, it sounds wicked sick...

Pun intended.

Why thank you.

I look forward to your comment, Cwheeler. Hopefully the board won't eat it again.

Wow, very cool and creative.

*swipe*

Ok, time for an actual reply!

As I already mentioned, I quite like the design and the concept. It's actually given me some inspiration for something I was mulling over for one of my campaigns - a spreading madness (although for this I would use will rather than fort for the defense).

My one worry for a disease such as this is that the players, with a few bad rolls, can become completely controlled or incapacitated. Now, while this can be fun once or twice, it can get tiresome after a while, or even become dangerous if to many get infected.

Have you considered introducing a way for the PC's to protect themselves from the infection? possibly using shards of an ancient sacred relic that they have to go on a quest for (or some such).

Naturally, you wouldn't introduce this element strait away, as you want a bit of fun with it , but if the PC's are continually rolling to save against the disease, they are going to start failing.


As a post-script, I'd just like to add that I love the idea of the abyssal language thing you have going on, especially with having those infected speaking abyssal themselves, but not understanding it. nice touch . (I assume that they loose the ability to speak all other languages, yes?)

Glad you could finally post without the board eating you, Cwheeler.

Have you considered introducing a way for the PC's to protect themselves from the infection? possibly using shards of an ancient sacred relic that they have to go on a quest for (or some such).

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As I understand it, you only make saving throws every Extended Rest. So, even if you rolled horribly every time, it would still take Four Days (or at least, four extended rests) before you've got the neon "POSSESS ME" sign over your head.

The virus originated "locally". A nearby dungeon is actually the origin, and I plan on letting this slip soon after the PCs are exposed (in fact, the seeds have all ready been planted). I anticipate they load up and go after the source ASAP, in hopes for a cure.

If that doesn't work, or it looks like it's going to take some time to solve matters, finding talismans should work. The virus has completely overtaken a colony, but the native peoples of the area have been battling the demonic-possessed colony for about five years now; they've developed their own protections and immunities while fighting the possessed in that length of time.

As a post-script, I'd just like to add that I love the idea of the abyssal language thing you have going on, especially with having those infected speaking abyssal themselves, but not understanding it. nice touch . (I assume that they loose the ability to speak all other languages, yes?)

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Correct.

The PCs have actually the fantasy equivalent of a "Pocket translator", but I will say that even though the translator is "translating", they're still speaking it out loud (and thus exposing people for infection). Also, the translator takes a little while to process new languages, so there will be a period of being in the dark before they can communicate at all.

This will leave the wizard with his Comprehend Languages ritual to shine for a little (until he succumbs to the virus; he has I think a +1 to Endurance, period).

How about the disease only spreads to those able to speak Abyssal? It can create paranoia, like a witch hunt. Speaking Abyssal might thus become the gateway through which this disease is able to take root.