Talebound

"I saw the visage of a man on the crimson desert. His robes had tattered from heavy winds, his cane was barely intact and the closer he came I saw his skin pock-marked by the rough sands. As soon as he started to tell a tale, I knew what to do and ran. Rather the sands take me than that insanity!" - Tale of a Survivor

A mysterious condition claiming those lost in the deserts of Ashta'Ai. The talebound are men and women turned to near-undeath in their exhaustion and obession to tell forward a peculiar tale. It is told that the tale of each is slightly different, but all of those who begin to listen to it are eventually claimed by the tale. Reciting and repeating it, waiting for a willing ear to listen to them.

Transmission & Vectors

According to the rare legends, one becomes talebound only if they hear the beginning of a tale told by another talebound. Some legends claim for the first talebounds to arise from listening to the lonesome wails and whispers of the desert wind.

Symptoms

Symptoms of hearing a tale begin almost immediatedly as a form of muttering, as if recalling something of being too afraid of mentioning something aloud. Slowly, over the course of one hour, the recited tales begin to fill the vocabulary of a person who heard the tale. After that, they begin to recite the tale with perfect accuracy. It is claimed that even cases that have not heard all of a singular tale can recite it perfectly. Soon after this, they begin to search for willingul ears to share their tales to. As madness begins to consume them, a talebound person slowly begins to dismiss hygiene, self-care and eventually even feeding and drinking. Only thing keeping them alive is the tale as they become a mere shadow of themselves, a husk travelling the crimson desert.

Stage	Symptoms
I	The character has contracted a Tale from someone or something. They gain a Flaw in addition to their other Flaws "I am compelled to tell forward the Tale that I hear in my mind". Every time the character speaks a word beginning with a letter determined by the DM and fitting their current Tale, the character must first speak aloud the first three words of their specific tale. This is not enough for the Tale to spread to those who would hear these words. During each Long Rest the character takes, they must make a DC 10 (+1 for each day that has passed since they have become Talebound) Wisdom Saving Throw. Upon success, nothing happens. Upon failure, the symptoms develope into Stage II.
II	The Tale burrows deeper and deeper into the characters mind. If they speak more than five words in a sentence, they must speak aloud the first sentence of their Tale. This is not enough for the Tale to spread to those who would hear these words. Spellcasting becomes difficult, if there are verbal components in a spell the character must first succeed at a DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw, or the spell will be cast only on their next turn as they intended on their first turn. During each Long Rest the character takes, they must make a DC 10 (+2 for each day that has passed since they reached Stage II) Wisdom Saving Throw. Upon success, nothing happens. Upon failure, the symptoms develope into Stage III.
III	The Tale has corrupted the characters mind, and refuses to leave. The character is neigh unable to speak even single utterances or words without the Tale forcing its way out. Every time the character is spoken to directly, or their name is mentioned nearby they must roll a DC 14 Constitution Saving Throw. Upon success, nothing happens. Upon failure, the character must speak aloud the entirety of the Tale in their mind. The Tale can now begin to spread and those hearing it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom Saving Throw, or be contracted with Stage I Talebound Curse. Additionally, any spells requiring verbal components automatically fail if the character fails their DC 12 Constitution Saving Throw. During each Long Rest the character takes, they must make a DC 10 (+3 for each day that has passed since they reached Stage III) Wisdom Saving Throw. Upon success, nothing happens. Upon failure, the symptoms develope into Stage IV.
IV	Only the Tale exists, and only it matters anymore to the character. Every waking hour of a character is spent in recounting the Tale and those hearing it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom Saving Throw, or be contracted with Stage I Talebound Curse. Additionally, spells requiring verbal components automatically fail. The character is unable to gain the benefits of a short or a long rest, and once they would die of Exhaustion they become undead with the sole motivation of spreading the Tale further, requiring no sleep, drink or food to substain themselves.

Treatment

There are no known treatments to cure a talebound. As magics are rare, it is hypothesised that if intervened before the symptoms took hold of a person, some divine magic might cure a victim of the talebound.

Affected Groups

For now, the condition has only been met in Ashta'Ai, among it's many desert caravans and wanderers. Non-humans have been also sighted of becoming talebound.

Prevention

Those on long treks over the crimson desert believe that merely hearing a tale is sufficient for an infection of the dangerous curse. Therefore, some travelers coat their ears in beeswax and avoid strangers in the desert.

Cultural Reception

The tale told by the talebound is forbidden in kingdom of Melchros and its capital, Fanuhdet. There are rumors of which lines belong to the original tale, but they are banned by law and people are strongly advised against reciting any of them publicly (or alone inside of city walls).

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare