Elemental Fever

Elemental Fever is a disease that afflicts mages disproportionally often but it can and does spread through non-spellcasters.  It also is far more common near magical fonts, so it clearly as a magical root cause.   Elemental fever is not often fatal, but it is debilitating.  The manifesting symptoms change very quickly.   It typically runs it's course in a few weeks. If the afflicted person has another health condition, is recovering from an injury or is malnourished or overexerted, this can and often is fatal

Transmission & Vectors

This seems to be transmitted by proximity to magical energy.  Person-to-person transmission is rare unless the people in question are using magic.   Caretakers have very little risk of contracting the disease from their patients if they just seek non-magical treatments of the symptoms.

Causes

Magical fluctuations impacting a mortal's Animus causing physical illness symptoms.

Symptoms

Elemental fever has rapidly changing symptoms going through earthy, watery, fiery, and airy phases.  The afflicted subject typically gains and loses new symptoms every few hours as they cycle through all four elements multiple times a day.  

Scarterran Symptoms

  Airy:  Dizzyness, sneezing fits, wheezing and coughing.   Earthy:  Stomach aches, shortness of breath, constipation.  Unexplained fatigue, vomiting   Watery:  diarrhea, runny nose, dehydration, frequent urination.   Fiery:  Fevers, irritability, sudden chills, insomnia.      

Scaraquan Symptoms

  Airy: Dizzyness, pressure sickness, light-headedness   Earthy: Stomach aches, constipation. Unexplained fatigue, vomiting, stiff limbs and fins   Watery: diarrhea, irritability, blurred vision, insomnia   Fiery: Fevers, irritability, sudden chills, insomnia.

Treatment

Magical cures can be applied, but if that's not available, the disease can be simply waited out.  The symptoms just need to be addressed as they occur.

Affected Groups

Almost all humanoids are susceptible.  Beasts seem susceptible to this to and can serve as carriers but their symptoms tend to be less severe.   This disease is roughly as common in Scarterra and Scaraqua.

Prevention

Avoid areas of high concentration of magic.  Something easier said than done for mages or adventurers.

History

This is a common affliction now and seemed to have been a common affliction during the The Second Age. Presumably this is one of the many lasting effects of the First Unmaking.


Cover image: Symbol of the Nine by Pendrake

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