Dread Curse

"If you're going to the Shadowfell, a word of advice: Don't drink the water."
~Seak Beardo Von Shmit, Abide and Seak's Bizarre Bazaar

Causes

If one drinks the waters of the Shadowfell, they are very likely to acquire this curse. A failed ritual to create a lich may result in such a condition as well.

Game Mechanics

When exposed, the victim must make a DC 14 Constitution Save. On a failure, the symptoms begin immediately. On a success, they are immune to this curse for 24 hours.

Symptoms

The first sign of this curse is the rapid onset of boils, which quickly grow to cover most of the victim's flesh. These boils burst open to reveal even more disgusting and pus-filled boils beneath. This continues over the next few hours, until the flesh has been boiled away.
When the victim has died, the remaining flesh sloughs off and the bones immediately reanimate as an undead Skeleton hell bent on murdering everyone close to the victim, first in proximity and then emotionally.

Mechanics

Every hour, the victim must roll a DC 18 Constitution Save or take 3d6 damage and one level of Exhaustion.
When they die, they immediately reanimate as a Skeleton and begin killing the victim's nearest allies and family members until it is stopped. When slain, it  becomes an undead Shadow, though it no longer has that specific imperative to target friends and family.

Treatment

Typically, rapid application of healing magic such as a Remove Curse spell is necessary. The curse kills so quickly that a victim is unlikely to escape the Shadowfell soon enough to be saved if such magic is not close at hand.

Prognosis

This is one of the most lethal known curses. It kills fast, and it kills with finality.

Sequela

Someone who has been killed by this curse and is resurrected casts no shadow until they find and destroy the undead skeleton and shadow they left behind. While this persists, the victim will have horrible nightmares and visions of the Shadowfell.

Affected Groups

Shadar-Kai are immune to this curse, though they still can't drink the water without first treating it by boiling and distillation.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Alien