The Thirsting

The Thirsting

The thirsting is a vile disease spread by contact with the black sands. Victims experience increasing thirst and symptoms of dehydration as their bodies are dessicated into sand. It is known to originate from a region of the Great Waste so hostile to water and life that it actively consumes them. Transmission: Inhaled or Ingested. Extremely contagious, the disease can be caught from a single grain of sand. Any time black sand is handled or moved in its dry form, the disease can be caught. Save: Fort DC 20 initial and daily. As usual for sickness, an initial save wards off the disease entirely. Thereafter, two successful saves in a row are required to fight off the disease. Incubation: 1 day. Effects: Daily save or take 1d4 Con damage. In addition, drink 2n quarts of water above and beyond your daily requirement (where n is the number of days since infection) or suffer the effects of dehydration. Dehydration in this instance: Fatigue (-2 Strength and Dexterity, unable to run or charge). Vulnerability to heat and fire based effects (1.5x damage). After six hours, take 1d6 nonlethal damage per hour. If unconscious, take 1d6 lethal damage per hour. In addition, a victim who has taken any Con damage from the Thirsting periodically coughs out black sand. A victim who dies from the disease--either through dehydration damage or blood loss--is rapidly consumed by the sand, leaving behind only bones and sand. Due to the supernatural nature of black sand, this disease is considered magical. [Further notes obscured due to continuing campaign relevance.]