Yellow Rot

Did you hear what happened to Thomas? Caught a case of Yellow Rot that one. Never knew he was a user, always thought him a clean lad

— Jasper Cutlips - Barkeep

Yellow Rot is a terminal condition caused by the overconsumption of the drug Spark Ether, a Lemirus derived stimulant that grants the user the ability to project lightning from their hands. Once inflicted with the condition, the victim is slowly eaten away as their body is consumed turning slowly into a sickly yellow dust.

Causes

Yellow rot is caused when a Spark Powder user overuses the substance causing a build up of lemirus that their body cannot handle. This results in a run away reaction where the lemirus uses the victims body as fuel to create more of itself. The effect is more likely to happen to those with high magical affinity as the lemirus reacts much more violently with their internal magics. The process can also be started without the need for over use of Spark Powder, as cases of first time users contracting the condition have been recorded.

Treatment

While there is no mundane way to prevent the condition consuming the host, there are a few magical alternatives in order to save a victim. However, these solutions only prevent further damage and do not revert the victim to their original state. To do so, one must use the standard method of revitalisation which is both extremely expensive and difficult to come by. The most popular way to prevent further decay is to have the chaotic energy coursing through the victims siphoned out. Normally this is done use large amounts of white lemirus. Another more affordable but riskier option is to have the body struck by lightning of arcane origin. This is known to overload the crystals on the body, effectively purging the individual. It should be noted though that this often requires an amount of lightning so great that the victim is killed in the process anyway.

Prognosis

In the early stages of Yellow Rot, the victim, before any outward symptoms can be seen, will experience headaches and itchy eyes. Shorty after this the eyes begin to produce a fine yellow dust similar to rhuem but is very irritating to the eyes. Within a few days one or both of the eyes will become encased in a layer of yellow lemirus, however this covering is incredibly fragile and will break down if touched or rubbed. Within a week the victim will have lost considerable weight, their skin will ting yellow and small lemirus crystals will begin to protrude around the joint areas. Along with this the victim will enter a vegetative state as part of their brain are consumed by the condition. Within a fortnight of initial contraction of the condition the entire body will has been reduced to dust and small crystal fragments.

Cultural Reception

Those suffering from Yellow Rot are often exiled from communities from a fear that they may spread the condition even though this is in fact not possible. Given the origin of the condition lies in a heavily illegal substance, many see it as a form of divine punishment and thus feel the victim deserves their suffering.

Symptoms

Yellowing of skin
Gauntness
Crystalisation of body
Coma

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon