Ashburn

Ashburn is the name of a medicinal method aimed to cure the increasingly common Ashlungs spread amongst the average workers in industrial complexes. It is a magical procedure and involves surprisingly little supply in energy and magical crystals. However, the procedure is violent and rather dangerous in its simple form.

Procedure and Sucessrate

I have seen the process of Ashburn before and will never forget it. Jonas, my former friend had waited on the pallet in a remote corner of the manufacturing hall, coughing vehemently, each time flinching in pain. The doctor arrived, placed his hands on Jonas' chest, and stepped to the side - only to be narrowly missed by a large burst of black flames out of Jonas' mouth.

The concept of Ashburn is relatively easy. The magically charged ash particles in the lungs are ignited with a spark of magic and channeled outside of the respiratory tract of the patient. The effect is rather stunning to behold, as the patient will spit out a large, black flame for a few seconds.
This method has a high success rate in removing all magically charged ash particles from the patient's lung. However, the procedure tends to force all air out of the lungs and damage the lungs significantly. If the patient loses consciousness or has too little energy left to breathe in again, death might occur almost instantly. The larger the amount of ash residue, the longer the procedure will take and increase the risk of life loss.

When it was over, the silence was long and horrifying. Jonas slumped back without any strength left. Not daring to breathe myself, I waited, hoping Jonas had survived. Then suddenly, he took a small, hard-earned breath. The gods were with Jonas today, as he had survived.

Combined Treatment

The dangerous effects of breath loss can be remedied by additionally applying a Cure of Fresh Air to the patient, supplying him with a magical reservoir of air for a few seconds. Since this treatment does require a larger amount of magic as well as a high-quality supply of magical crystals, this therapy is considered extraordinarily expensive. The costs usually surpass the savings of the average patient.

Mandatory Treatment

Companies like Whitesteel Inc and Timsen Brasswood Mill have realize the steady loss in efficiency by workers afflicted with Ashlung. As such, they mandate the therapy for any worker evaluated as afflicted in a non-acceptable amount. Refusal to comply will result in immediate termination of employment as well as a large fine to be paid within a year.

Jonas had been getting worse again over the past few weeks. I watched my former friend's efforts to suppress his cough, hoping no foreman would notice. He was lucky once, it was unlikely to be that lucky again - and he certainly could not afford the fine of termination.

The costs of the basic therapy are paid by the company itself, but this does not include the additional treatment. Failure to survive the treatment will result in a large fine to be paid by the family of the deceased within a month.

The body of my former friend lay still before me. The second time Jonas was not so lucky. What a shame. Now, it was my duty to send the bill to his family. Of course, it was my duty. After all, I reported him.

Type

Medical Therapy

Related Condition(s)

Ashlungs

Succes Rate

999 in 1000 (*)

Chance of Sideeffects

3 in 4 (*)

Chance of Fatality

1 in 4 (*)

(*) Sideeffects and Fatalaties reduced significantly when additionally applying a Cure of Fresh Air to the patient.,

Average Cost of Therapy

Free (*)

Average Cost of Additional Therapy

At least 2 Lifetime earnings of an average worker

(*) Therapy is paid by and often mandated by the employing company. Cure of Fresh Air not included.