Local Diseases

The following are diseases that are unique to plots, threats, and zone of mechanics in DR:TX and could see play in one of our events. There are two major classes of diseases: Universal Diseases that are common across the Wasteland and can see play at any networked DR event, and Custom Diseases which are limited to our local setting. Each of these diseases can be researched and a full write-up exists to understand the vectors, symptoms, and treatment methods.

Universal Diseases

Bad Brain Disease: (DR Corebook, p. 206) This common disease is a mutated form of rabies that has spread since the fall of man. When infected, the victim eventually descends into cannibalism and violence before changing into a deadly Raider, losing whatever spark of humanity they had left.
Radiation Sickness: (National Variant) One of the most common maladies across the wastes, Radiation Sickness is well-known and easily identifiable with even basic medical knowledge. This disease is largely contracted when exposed to lethal doses of radiation from either radioactive zed or irradiated areas of the wasteland. Symptoms range from “feeling like shit” to “actually dying while feeling like shit.”
Grave Brain Disease: Usually occurring in areas where there is high Grave Mind activity or a large amount of individuals with Anomaly Skills, Grave Brain Disease activates the frontal lobe and causes those without Anomaly skills to manifest them. During the progression of the disease, this activation becomes more and more intense until the brain can no longer handle the amount of stimulation. Pieces of the brain begin to die off until the individual passes away.
Bad Blood Disease: This disease is largely caused by a parasitic bacteria located on dead bodies or, in some cases, in the blood of living ones. While this disease can infect anyone, only Gorgers show symptoms of the disease. It causes them to be unable to absorb nutrients within the blood or flesh that they consume. Because of this, a Gorger infected with this disease will begin to slowly waste away, until they finally die due to a lack of proper nutrients.
Zed Rot Disease: Zed Rot Disease is caused by contact with infected zombie blood. Affecting all Lineages, it causes an individual to experience a slow loss of Infection from their bodies, which manifests in a rotten appearance that eventually extends to the brain. Those that are affected by this horrific disease experience what it’s like to slowly turn into a zombie, and then must be killed by their friends to properly pass through the Mortis Amaranthine.
Thrill Kill Disease: Thrill Kill Disease is a horrifying disease that causes parts of the brain to rot while also causing a chemical imbalance that releases dopamine whenever the patient kills or tortures a living creature. In its later stages, Thrill Kill Disease causes a patient to become unable to speak and eventually results in violent seizures that kill the patient.
Parched Tongue Disease: Parched Tongue is a disease that’s largely water-borne. While the distilling process will largely destroy the bacteria that transmit this disease, not boiling the water long enough may result in a tainted brew that could quickly spread the disease through a population. This disease is characterized by the body’s inability to absorb water, resulting in a greater and greater thirst as a patient’s skin becomes dryer and as their blood becomes more sluggish. In the later stages of the disease, any liquid source looks viable to drink and patients tend to be found drinking the blood of those around them. Eventually, the patient’s organs fail and they die.
Radiation Rot Disease: Radiation Rot Disease is caused by contact with irradiated areas or radiation blasts. Affecting all Lineages other than Retrogrades, it causes an individual to experience the slow death of their organs and flesh as their Infection becomes unable to repair damages. Those that are affected by this horrific disease experience what it’s like to die slowly and experience intense mutations during the later half of the disease.

DR:TX Custom Diseases

Blood Scourge: This disease sprang up from the depths of the ruins beneath New Bravado, a terrifying by-product of, or perhaps the intended outcome, of the mysterious projects that were conducted there long ago. It is currently spread by infected victims of the disease, but no one is quite sure how those initial victims contracted the ailment. It is known to be primarily spread by the undead creatures known as Bloodghasts. The final progression of the disease turns the victim into one of these strange undead, but a treatment plan is known and on file with the RRC libraries.

inactive diseases & Previous Outbreaks

These are diseases that once appeared during a DR:TX event and have either been mitigated or fully cured. Many of these had temporary vectors that led to the specific outbreaks, and once that plot was resolved there is little way for this disease to infect new victims. These diseases are listed here for background and continuity, but will likely not see play again.

Gutscourge: A weaponized version of the Blood Scourge disease carried by Bloodghasts, pioneered by the Butcher of Killhouse and Grandfather Nichols during the November 2021 event, BLOOD FEAST. This was a purposeful outbreak that was spread by the villain, and is not thought to be reproducible without the specific conditions of both the host and the unique conditions within Bravado at the time. This disease is known to be in remission following a successful treatment plan after a second psionic Grave Bell was destroyed. It is unknown if any live strains of the disease remain.
The Plague of the Unfinished: This extremely fatal disease was first discovered by Sanctioned Graverobbers of the Grave Council in the Lone Star. While the cause of the disease is unknown, the symptoms are quite obvious. During the process of rebuilding of a survivor’s body after a death, the body is ejected from the Mortis Amaranthine in an unfinished state. The process of regeneration is left incomplete, and the body begins a quick return to the Gravemind as it literally melts and rots away. The process is extremely painful, horrifying to watch, and has very few known cures if not caught quickly. When the victim emerges from the Gravemind after dying to this disease, they are cured if they can survive a second loss of Infection. Thankfully, the disease does not seem to be infectious in this form. This disease has been eradicated as of May 2022. Players eliminated the source of this disease by permanently repairing the damage to the morgues of the San Saba.
Necrophage (Necrophage National Event Plot Kit): An incredibly dangerous disease that is the result of the mad genius of Grandfather Nichols. A cross between several deadly diseases, turned into a weaponized disease that can be tactically and surgically deployed to a target via a [Necrophage Catalyst]. The disease turns the victim into a powerful soldier, capable of sluffing off blows and attacks that would fell a lesser survivor, but makes them susceptible to psionic suggestions. As the disease progresses, it feeds on the victim and eventually devours their very Infection. At the end of the progression, the victim explodes into a violent pyroclasm of psionic energy as the pyroclastic tumor in their head turns them into a living bomb. With the final death of Dr. Nichols, the animating force behind this plague has faded. While the disease still exists in limited preserved samples, it no longer has the incurable effects that relied on Nichols being present.
Aberrant Necrosis: Discovered first by the Graverobbers under employ of Prudence Penitentiary for the Peregrine and Penalized, its first victims were the ill-fated prisoners and surgeons who passed frequently through the morgue at the center of the complex; as a function of their privilege or their punishment. At first it seemed a localized and limited scope, just a few infected wounds that required skin grafts to heal. Once the entity known as Voxx was successfully suppressed by a ritual known as the Rite of the Indulgence, known instances of this disease became easier to address and no known patients have been reported for over a year.
Black Fungal Disease: This terrifying fungal disease is known to spread upon contact from entities within Abyssal Rifts and contact with unique undead with a connection to the deepest layers of the Mortis Amaranthine. Over time, the carrier spreads clouds of spores when they enter bleed out, spreading the disease to others as they die a gruesome death. It is thought to have some connection to the terrible creatures known as Archons and Outsiders. With the absence of an Abyssal presence, this disease is unlikely to spread in the San Saba.
Behemoth Parasites: A new and terrifying disease that originated from Lake Bravo and the corpse of a dead Leviathan, Behemoth Parasites was extremely infectious, spreading by any the briefest touch, making treating the disease an incredible challenge. While treated much like a disease, this malady was in fact tiny parasites that spread under the surface of the skin on touch, and burrowed within seconds into a new host. Over time, the larvae would devour the hosts internal organs, as they entered into the next stage of their larval cycle. This disease was incredibly deadly, and killed the infected within 12 hours if untreated. Following the destruction of the Leviathan corpse and the super-heated waters of Lake Bravo being returned to normal, the conditions to create these overstimulated larvae no longer exist.