Zombie Rot

Zombie Rot transforms the victim over a number of days; particularly healthy or stoic adventurers can hold out longer. Normal rest will not heal this ailment, but divine magic or skillful infection treatments might.

Transmission & Vectors

The disease is transmitted through the bite of a Zombie

Symptoms

Incubation times vary widely, but the disease usually runs its course within a week. Zombie Rot manifests early as fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, and sweating. The next stage involves deep bruising and signs of severe infection around the injury. At this point, the victim could still be saved by amputating the affected body part. By the next day, the victim is jaundiced and bruises extremely easily. The sores around the injury begin spreading rapidly outward to the rest of the body. The necrosis continues to worsen as the flesh rots away. At sundown on the final day, the creature dies and rises as a zombie.

Treatment

Zombie Rot is healed by any divine blessing, and any magical healing that can affect diseases or status conditions can clear it. Simple rest and disinfection will not work.

Affected Groups

All beasts and humanoids are subsceptible to Zombie Rot. Celestials are immune to this, as all diseases. Dragons claim immunity, but this claim is untested. Various abberations and monstrosities seem unaffected by it, as do other undead.
Type
Viral
Origin
Mutated
Cycle
Short-term
Rarity
Uncommon
Affected Species


Cover image: The Magic Brush by Zsolt Kosa