The Gray Slug (4e Disease)

The Gray Slug Level 4 Disease
The Gray Slug causes victims to suffer a massive failure in the digestive system.
Stage 0: The target recovers from the disease.
Stage 1: The target is slowed and weakened. (Endurance DC 14 vs hourly vomiting)
Stage 2: The target is slowed, weakened and begins suffering from hallucinations (-2 to melee attack rolls, -4 to ranged attack rolls). (Endurance DC 16 vs hourly vomiting and DC 14 vs hourly diarrhea)
Stage 3: The target is helpless (bedridden & delerius). (Endurance DC 18 vs hourly vomiting and DC 16 vs hourly diarrhea)
Stage 4: Death (Final State)
Check: At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1, 2 or 3. 16 or Lower: The stage of the disease increases by 1. 17 - 20: No change. 21 or Higher: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.

Preface

I spent a lot of time creating this disease for my current campaign. I retained consulting services from a friend who has gone through medical school. The effect of this disease are very similar to Cholera. Since I spent so much time on creating this I wanted to share it with the community here. I know I included a ridiculous amount of information here at the end, but please feel free to edit or use this at your own discretion. I had a lot more information, but this is what I deemed to be necessary to use it as I did. In my campaign it was part of an malicious "biological" warfare attack against a city by poisoning the water supply. From the time the nest was planted I ruled it would take about 2 days for the toxin to build up to a significant level. The exrement of the slug is a toxin, specifically it is a complex protein and the mushroom has an enzyme that breaks down the protein, while Sleeplace has receptors that help to flush the toxin out of the system.

I arrived at the +7 vs Fortitude attack and the DCs by starting with the Level 9 disease in the DMG "Blinding Sickness" and reducing the Level, Attack, and DCs all by 5. I put together a complex (several tab) spreadsheet modeling out the effect this disease would have on a city with a population 150,000. The population was level 1-8, primarily human. This was all taken into account as well as the availability of treatment and the probability of survival with and without. The overall effect was a mortality rate of 60% with treatment figured in. I did not scrub all the info below perfectly, but most of it is from emails I exchanged with my Doctor friend regarding the effects of the disease and how to interpret them ingame. This disease was created to be intentionally realistic (I don't have to say "It is a magical disease, thus it works this way").

The Source

The source of the disease "The Gray Slug" is a particular slug (brownish tan) that lives deep underground in moist climates. Their excrement (a gray slime) is particularly poisonous to humanoid creatures. A large portion of the Dwarven population (miners & explorers, not craftsmen & statesmen) who leave their halls to delve are exposed to "The Gray Slug" at some point in their lives. Dwarves are hardy folk and have a natural resistance to most diseases and there is a very low mortality rate among dwarves who are infected. Dwarves usually are just rather uncomfortable for 1-2 days. Even in many severe cases they are able to be fed The Gray Singer. Once a person has been exposed once they are immune to getting The Gray Slug second time. The Gray Slug prefers to live in damp and dark environments.

The Cures

Gray Singer

However, because of this exposure the dwarves also know there is a poisonous mushroom called the Gray Singer deep in the mountains that can be used to cure the effects of The Gray Slug. The side effects are mild hallucinations for a day followed by a migraine headache for a day, but it relieves the individual of the effects of the gray slug. The hallucinations are auditory, people hear sounds and voices that aren't there and often music. Because of that, many of the people who eat the mushroom end up humming or singing for a day while the effect of the mushroom lasts. If there were any of these mushrooms around, it would be in a shady alchemist's shop (black market dealers of less-than-legal potions and substances)

Sleeplace

Alternatively, there is a certain weed that grows in the woods that the elves (and human rangers who have spent time among the elves or a significant amount of time in the forests) are familiar with, called Sleeplace. It does not cure The Gray Slug but it is known for relieving the symptoms, lessening the discomfort and lowering the mortality rate (it also enduces a long slumber, usually 12-14 hours). The weed needs to be picked carefully because the actual medicinal benefit comes from boiling the roots in water and the leafy portion of the weed has an effect similar to poison ivy. Elves do not tend to keep Sleeplace roots on hand because it does not keep long, but it can be found all over in the forests.

Miracles (Lvl 6 Ritual - Cure Disease)

The Heal Skill (hand-outs)

The Gray Slug (Heal DC 15 for a Dwarf, or Heal DC 25)

• The Gray slug is a disease that is caused by a particular slug (brownish tan) that lives deep underground in moist climates. Their excrement (a gray slime) is particular poisonous to humanoid creatures.
• The initial effect is a disturbance within the digestive track. This manifests as a perpetually upset and turning stomach with occasional vomiting.
• When it progresses to its next phase it turns into regular diarrhea and the infect starts hallucinating. In game effect of the hallucinations is a -2 to all attack rolls and -4 if ranged.
• When it progresses to its final phase, the infirmed are bed ridden and a delirious. Remaining in this state for more than a day is usually fatal.
• However, once a person has had The Gray Slug once they are immune to getting it a second time.
• There is a (level 6) ritual named “Cure Disease”, the material cost for performing this is 120g and the normal market rate is 360g.

The Gray Slug (Heal DC 10 for a Dwarf, or Heal DC 20)

• The Gray slug is a disease that Dwarves often get.
• The disease affects the digestive track and the bowels. It is rumored to be quite unpleasant.
• Death can occur.
• However, once a person has had The Gray Slug once they are immune to getting it a second time.
• There is a (level 6) ritual named “Cure Disease”, the material cost for performing this is 120g.

The Gray Slug (Heal DC 5 for a Dwarf, or Heal DC 15)

• It is a disease. It is unpleasant.

Dwarves & The Gray Slug History (Heal DC 15 for a Dwarf, or Heal DC 30)

• A large portion of the Dwarf population (miners & explorers, but not craftsmen & statesmen) who leave their halls to delve are exposed to "The Gray Slug" at some point in their lives.
• Dwarves are hardy folk and have a natural resistance to most diseases and there is a very low mortality rate among dwarves who are infected (mortality rate among untreated dwarves is close to 7-10%, with treatment that drops to 1-2%). They usually are just rather uncomfortable for 1-3 days.
• Even in many severe cases they are able to be fed the Gray Singer.

Gray Singer (Heal DC 15 for a Dwarf, or DC 30)

• There is a poisonous mushroom called the Gray Singer deep in the mountains that can be used to cure the effects of The Gray Slug.
• The side effects are mild hallucinations for a day followed by a splitting headache for a day, but it relieves the individual of the effects of the gray slug.
• The hallucinations are auditory, people hear sounds and voices that aren't there and often music. Because of that, many of the people who eat the mushroom end up humming or singing for a day while the effect of the mushroom lasts. If there were any of these mushrooms around, it would be in a "black alchemist's" shop (black market dealers of less-than-legal potions and substances)

Sleeplace (Heal DC 10 for an Elf, or Heal DC 20)

• There is a weed that grows in the woods called Sleeplace.
• It also induces a long slumber, usually 12-14 hours and relieves symptoms of upset digestion.
• The weeds need to be picked carefully because its actual medicinal benefit comes from boiling the roots in water and the leafy portion of the weed has an effect similar to poison ivy.

Sleeplace (Heal DC 15 for an Elf, or Heal DC 25)

• There is a weed that grows in the woods that the elves are familiar with called Sleeplace.
• It does not cure The Gray Slug but it is known for relieving the symptoms it causes, lessening the discomfort and lowering the mortality rate.
• It also induces a long slumber, usually 12-14 hours.
• The weeds need to be picked carefully because its actual medicinal benefit comes from boiling the roots in water and the leafy portion of the weed has an effect similar to poison ivy.
• Elves do not tend to keep Sleeplace roots on hand because they do not keep for long, but it can be found all over in the forests.

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--Archon86 (talk) 08:37, 19 June 2014 (MDT)

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