curses_addictions_and_diseases [Memento Mundi]

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====== Curses, Addictions, & Diseases ======
===== Basic Rules =====
While stemming from different sources; addictions, diseases and curses all use the same basic mechanisms. The GM defines a progression of effects (Mild/Strong/Extreme/Deadly), and starts the character off somewhere on the scale. When this is due to an addiction, the character will start out with a Strong effect. In the case of Diseases or Curses, where the character begins is up to the GM, but will usually start at Mild. From this point the symptoms will either get better or worse, dependant on treatment. In the case of Addictions, the symptoms will reduce a stage if the character manages an entire adventure without consuming any of the potions involved in their addiction, and will progress if the character increases their dependence upon alchemy (fulfils the requirements for becoming addicted again). The progression of symptoms for diseases and curses are up to the GM. It is possible for Doctors and Alchemists with the correct skills to treat diseases and addictions. Curses are usually the problem of Mages and Priests, and usually require more inventive treatments.
=== A note on Alchemical Dependence ===
It is not uncommon for adventures to develop addictions to alchemical preparations. Unfortunately for them, the body rarely knows exactly what it craves, and if they're not careful their addictions can spiral quickly out of control. In mechanical terms, a character is addicted to Alchemy rather than to a specific Alchemical preparation. All characters have a chance of becoming addicted if they drink more than 5 potions in a day (usually represented by the GM flipping a coin). If an addicted character would have become addicted to another potion, they instead find their current addiction to alchemy worsens and in order to go cold turkey they must must refrain from drinking either potion.
=== A note on Disease ===
While disease is an everyday part of life in the world of Memento Mundi, it is assumed that it is not something characters will often face. While an epic race against time to acquire a rare cure before a village (and yourselves) succumb to a vicious disease is an appropriate focus of an adventure, scouting out a river to ensure there are no dead sheep in it should not form the basis of your average encounter.
=== Deadly level effects ===
Deadly level effects may specify a death condition, although do not have to. Other levels of a progression should **not** specify a death condition. Although a deadly level effect does not need to have a death condition, the effect should be something that is likely to get a character killed in an encounter (for example: believing friends to be enemies and vice versa), progressing to this level is something to be avoided at all costs.
===== Example Progressions =====
All of these are examples. GMs should feel free to make up their own progressions, even for those sources that already have an example on the table.

^Theme ^Example ^Mild ^Strong ^Extreme ^Deadly^
|Developing Psychiatric Condition|Alchemical Addiction from over use of the Monstrous Aura potion|You can’t sleep, you are on edge and easily distressed.|You suffer from feverish hallucinations, once every few encounters the GM can have your character affected by fear.|You find everything more difficult to cope with. If you are subjected to a Strikedown, Rend, Through, Disarm, or Shatter you will also take the effects of Fear.|The constant delirium you have been fighting has taken its toll. You are immune to Fear and take Rend for half duration. You believe that other party members are monsters who are wearing yours friends skins, and wish to avenge their deaths.|
|Skin Sensitivity|Alchemical Addiction from over use of the Stone Skin potion|Your skin itches, the desire to scratch is overwhelming.|Your skin is surprisingly sensitive, while you are mostly able to ignore this in combat you will over react to surprise pain and take rend for twice the usual duration.|The sensitivity of your skin is becoming unbearable. You take Rends as twice duration, and every fifth strike against you will also count as a regular length Rend.|Your body trembles in agony at the slightest blow. Treat all attacks against you as having rend (you cannot have immunity to rend while this is in effect).|
|Swelling|Poison injected by a marine animal|You can’t see out of one of your eyes.|The swelling is getting worse. After the first hit taken in any encounter you take a Blind 5, as you have difficulty re-opening your eyes.|In addition to the other effects, your body is swollen and you cannot easily wear your armour. The benefit gained from armour is halved.|Your body is incredibly swollen. The first blow taken in any encounter induces a Blind 5. You gain no benefit from armour. And ANY combat call directed at you other than Single immediately starts your death count (which can be stopped using the usual rules)|
|Flu|Common, but serious, disease symptoms|Your throat is sore and you can’t talk above a hoarse whisper.|You feel exhausted all the time. Your maximum HP is 2 less than usual.|You can hear a ringing in your ears and your balance has become poor. In addition to other effects, lose all dodges.|Your balance has become exceptionally poor, in addition to other effects, every combat call you take other than Single should be treated as if it additionally included Strikedown.|
|Gradual Weakening|Addiction aquired through drinking strength potions.|You find it hard to run for any significant length of time.|Your limbs feel heavy, you have 1 less dodge than you would otherwise have.|Every movement is immensely draining. No dodges and you count as being weakened permanently, and if you are weakened by some other means your damage drops another rank (min of halves).|Your strength has left your body completely, you are unable to call damage higher than half, and are unable to use a weapon longer than 36in. Damage of triple or higher immediately starts your death count.|
|Wasting Disease|Disease acquired through drinking polluted water.|You feel incredibly thirsty no matter how much you drink.|You feel incredibly thirsty, no matter how much you drink. You are weakened unless you have drunk an alchemical preparation during the current encounter or have received some medical attention.|Your skin is cracked, your vision is blurred and you are incredibly thirsty. Your maximum HP is halved.|You feel your disease overpowering you. At the end of every encounter decrease your total body hits by 1. If you go to zero total hits you can no longer move or fight and need immediate medical attention or you will die. Doctors/Alchemists with various ranks of knowledge can delay or prevent this decline.|
|Inflamation of the joints|Curse delivered for offending the Warrior|You feel stiff, and it is somewhat difficult to move.|Your joints a stiff and inflamed. Using your primary arm is painful, but your off-hand has seized up completely.|Moving any of your limbs is incredibly painful, you may only use one limb at a time as you focus all your energy on moving it.|It is now almost impossible to move your limbs. In addition to previous effects, sometime your body will seize up completely. For every fifth hit you take from a weapon in combat, roleplay being unable to move for 5 seconds.|
|Slow brain hemorrhage|Effect progression applied to a ritualist after they used an off-the-cuff ritual to raise a dead party member.|You are suffering from a persistent headache and your food tastes slightly metalic.|You are struck by terrible migraines. Use of your highest level powers may have unexpected effects.|You are struck by terrible migraines. You cannot concentrate well enough to use mage/wayfinder/priest skills at your highest rank (e.g. if you were a rank 3 wayfinder you could only use the skills up to rank 2)|Your terrible headaches have worsened. If you attempt to use skills at your second highest rank you will immediately start your death count. This will progress quickly until you are unable to use any skills without risking your life.|
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