Mindrot
Born in the depths of Below, mindrot lurks as a thin film between our world and the one below. Every time a person falls asleep their mind passes through such a film and likely comes into contact with it. For most people, however, mindrot is barely a threat. For the extremely young, who do not yet possess the defenses of an adult, and the old, whose defenses have begun to deteriorate over the years, mindrot can be a devastating disease which, once taken root, is impossible to cure or remove.
Symptoms and Progression in Adults
It begins harmlessly enough. A person might forget what they were about to say or what they ate in the morning. They might go to fetch their tools, only to get in the right place with not an inkling as to why they wanted to get there in the first place. A moment goes by and the memory returns, and they laugh at themselves for forgetting such an obvious thing.
As forgetfulness becomes more frequent, a victim of mindrot might find themselves becoming upset or frustrated more often than not, and with increased fervor. They might become clumsier with their tools: a master craftsman might find himself incapable of creating the elegant, smooth details their work is so known for. Even at this point, rarely is mindrot a consideration even if its victim were to go to a healer or a sage.
As mindrot eats away at the mind of its victim, thoughts turn to haze and memories fade away at ever increasing strength. Without treatment, and if shadelings were to infest the already weakened mind, the deterioration might result in death within a couple of years. By the end of their life, young or old, anyone suffering from mindrot will have all but faded away. With no memory, no coordination and barely able to say a word, they have in practice become an already dead husk in a still breathing body.
Symptoms and Progression in Children
Children have little defenses against the many below-dwelling, incorporeal threats lurking to hunt them. Even with every protection extended by the mother and, in some cases, the family's wisewoman, mindrot may set into a newborn baby as easily as a defenseless adult.
Development of the child begins to suffer almost immediately. They may be fussy and crying constantly even as their family runs around trying to find something to help their newborn gift. Slowly, over months, the constant crying turns to silence as the baby's mind is eroded away systematically by the invading mindrot.
Children, especially babies, often experience mindrot faster and their life expectancy might be a mere year. The newborn may pass away well before they ever learn to so much as smile.
Treatment: teas and herbs to aid physical and mental capabilities, avoidance of inactivity
Cure: none
Life Expectancy:
newborn under a year
children 1-2 years
adults and elderly 5-15 years