Lore:Disease

Disease is widespread throughout Mundus and beyond. Tamriel has its fair share of diseases, many of them fatal. Diseases can be transmitted through contact with the afflicted or through fighting animals and undead. They can also be transmitted magically or through dart traps. Most common diseases can be cured by magic, blessings or potions. The diseases brought about by the Blight usually require special spells or potions to cure, but few survived the defeat of Dagoth Ur. Diseases can be resisted as well as cured; the Argonians are famous for their natural immunity to almost all disease. Certain diseases such as Corprus and Porphyric Hemophilia cannot be resisted. Peryite is the Daedric Prince of Pestilence and therefore most diseases are under his domain.
Ash Woe Blight
Ash Woe Blight is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's will and thought processes. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blighted creatures.

Ash-Chancre
Ash-Chancre is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's behavior. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blight monsters.

Astral Vapors
A magical disease which circumvents resistance. Symptoms include stunted and damaged magicka reserves. It may be caught from powerful Dread Zombies.

Ataxia
Ataxia is a mild common disease affecting the victim's strength and dexterity. Symptoms include generalized pain, muscle stiffness and paleness. This can affect the victim's muscle coordination with complex tasks. It may be contracted from  ,  s,  s,  s and  . Ataxia can weaken a victim's bones, eventually leading to death if not cured.  The disease was supposedly quite problematic in   in the early  . 

Black-Heart Blight
Black-Heart Blight is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's strength and endurance. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blight monsters. The disease has also spread to zombies, allowing it to live on despite the ending of the Blight in  .

Blood Lung
Contracted from rats, victims of Blood Lung suffer from loss of endurance.

Blood Rot
Sometimes fatal, Blood Rot adversely affects the victim's health, personality, and willpower.

Bone Break Fever
Contracted from rats and bears, victims of Bone Break Fever suffer from loss of strength and stamina.

Brain Fever
Brain Fever results in a slow death, as the victim's willpower, health and even personality trickle away, day by day.

Brain Rot
Brain Rot is contracted from zombies and hagravens. Symptoms include loss of strength and magicka.

Brown Rot
Brown Rot is a mild common disease affecting the victim's strength and behavior. Symptoms include necrosis and sleeplessness. It may be contracted from the undead.

Caliron's Curse
Some people have recovered from Caliron's Curse by themselves in a week or two, but their strength, speed, and agility remain stunted. It is best to cure the disease quickly. It is named after the eponymous Caliron.

Cannibal's Prion
Cannibal's Prion affects the victim's agility and intelligence. It can be contracted from partaking in cannibalism.

Chanthrax Blight
Chanthrax is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's dexterity and mobility. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blight monsters. The disease has also spread to boars and zombies, allowing it to live on despite the ending of the Blight in  .

Chills
Chills is an extremely dangerous common disease affecting the victim's mind and coordination. Symptoms include clumsiness and mental confusion. It may be contracted from the undead.

Cholera
Cholera is one of the deadliest diseases in Tamriel, and is always fatal unless a cure is provided very quickly.

Chrondiasis
Chrondiasis is a magical disease which consumes the victim's intelligence and innate magicka day by day. Unless cured, this will eventually result in death.

Collywobbles
Collywobbles is a serious common disease affecting a victim's strength, endurance, and mobility. Symptoms include uncontrollable shaking and chronic weariness. It may be contracted from shalk and zombies.

Consumption
The willpower, agility, and strength of a victim of Consumption will slowly leave them, until they are cured or they die.

Corprus
 

Crimson Plague
The Crimson Plague is a dangerous common disease which spreads easily and acts quickly. Symptoms include weakness and headaches. Infection can result in muteness. The disease, once widespread across Tamriel, was thought to have been stamped out during the Second Era. In  , the tomb of Gedna Relvel in the ruins of Old Mournhold was unsealed. Relvel, once a powerful sorceress condemned for studying and practicing forbidden magics, had cheated death and become a lich. She then attempted to spread the Crimson Plague throughout the city of Mournhold by infecting rats with the disease. The lich was destroyed by the Nerevarine before the disease could spread to more than a few people.

Dampworm
Dampworm is common disease with serious effects. Symptoms include uncontrollable muscle spasms and twitching. It may be contracted from deer and nix-hounds.

Dementia
Dementia is a hideous disease which slowly robs the victim of their intelligence, willpower, and even personality.

Droops
Droops is a serious common disease that affects a victim's strength and ability to use a weapon. Symptoms include weak and flaccid muscle tissues. It may be contracted from all forms and stages of kwama, as well as sheep and ash hoppers.

Feeble Limb
Contracted from rats, victims of Feeble Limb suffer from loss of strength.

Frost Limbs
The disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar.

Gangrene
A repulsive disease associated with Namira.

Greenspore
Greenspore is a serious common disease affecting a victim's behavior. Symptoms include irritability and violent outbursts, and may include mild dementia. It may be contracted from slaughterfish or zombies.  

Grievous Harm
This disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar and in the dungeons of Stormhold.
Guedoilic Plague
Lord Flyte was a known victim of this plague, having caught it from an Argonian ambassador. 

Helljoint
Helljoint is a mild common disease affecting a victim's mobility and dexterity. Symptoms include persistent irritation and inflammation of joints. It may be contracted from wolves, cliff racers and zombies.

Knahaten Flu
 

Leprosy
A repulsive disease associated with Namira. Victims of Leprosy slowly waste away, unless a cure is provided.

Llodos Plague
 

Madness
Madness (also called Insanity)  is any illness of the mind that limits rational thought. It can be brought about by any number of factors. The   of madmen are the property of  , the Daedric Prince of Madness. 

To the Dunmer of Morrowind,  it is called soul sickness. When Dagoth Uthol took over the ruins of Kogoruhn in  , soul sickness began to spread to regions closer to Red Mountain.  Years later in  , it became more prevalent as Dagoth Ur continued to vie for power against the Tribunal. Those weak in their faith were targeted by Dagoth Ur and stricken with strange dreams and uncontrollable impulses that caused them to commit bad deeds. Those that were strong in their faith to the Tribunal were able to resist these attacks but those that were susceptible were advised to seek counsel from the Tribunal Temple. 

Noxiphilic Sanguivoria
Noxiphilic Sanguivoria is a strain of vampirism that was common during the  . Its origin can be traced back to the first vampire, Lamae Beolfag. Unlike other vampiric diseases such as Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, vampires of this strain are not weakened by daylight, but are instead strengthened during the night.  They also do not grow stronger as they starve; instead, they grow more powerful as they feed. Vampires afflicted by noxiphilic sanguivoria can shroud themselves in mist.  Full-blown vampirism can be avoided by receiving disease curing services from a priest of  , and not seeking to complete the blood ritual required to become a vampire.  The only known way for a soul shriven to become a vampire is to be exsanguinated and have their blood replaced by that of the vampire who is willing to turn them.

Ostraekeratic Fever
A rare virus that begins to show symptoms when dark and rigid splotches appear on the victim's arms and chest, eventually hardening the skin like stone or oyster shell. It also causes blindness and eventually drives the victim to insanity. It is speculated to have been created by the   after a merchant fleet was shipwrecked on a Sload island during the mid-Second Era and the entire crew became infected.  Any attempts to fragment the developing stones will not stop the disease's progression; it will instead spread faster. The disease spreads in the blood, converting elements of the blood into rigid grains that accumulate in the veins just beneath the skin, then clumping together into larger growths. The only known cure for the disease is giving those inflicted Porphyric Hemophilia and turning the infected into a vampire, provided that the virus has not progressed far enough.  

Plague
The Plague is a very serious, often fatal disease. Very quickly it will spread through the victim's system. Few who contract it live for more than a few days unless they are cured quickly. The Plague has been known to wipe out entire cities.

Porphyric Hemophilia
Known as the "vampire's disease", those infected with Porphyric Hemophilia will succumb to   after a three day incubation period. By itself, the disease affects the victim's stamina, but on the third night of infection the victim will die and become undead. The disease can easily be cured within the three-day period, but vampirism is notoriously hard to cure. The disease is similar to the less-common   and  .

Rabies
Rabies is a serious disease which leads to madness and eventual death. It can be contracted from rabid wolves.

Rattles
Rattles is a mild common disease affecting a victim's willpower and dexterity. Symptoms include muscle spasms, listlessness and poor stamina. It may be contracted from nix-hounds, zombies and chaurus.

Red Death
Red Death is a very serious disease which can quickly decimate a victim's endurance and even destroy personality until a cure is given or the victim dies.

Red Fever
An infectious disease. Vexis Velruan once experimented on victims of the Red Fever during his time as a temple healer, attempting to use magic to turn the disease on itself. He was expelled from the temple for trying and failing to find a cure.

Red Plague
A common disease.

Red Rage
Contracted from rats, victims of Red Rage suffer from loss of willpower and strength.

Rockjoint
Rockjoint is an acute common disease affecting a victim's manual dexterity and ability to use melee weapons. Symptoms include painful swelling and immobility of all joints. It may be contracted from wolves, alit, zombies and domesticated guar.

Rotbone
Contracted from Durzogs, Rotbone causes fatigue.

Rust Chancre
Rust chancre is a mild common disease affecting a victim's mobility and behavior. Symptoms include swelling and rash, and painful muscle spasms. It may be contracted from waste rats and zombies.

Sai's Affliction
Sai's Affliction is a disease caused by excessive worship of Sai, the God of Luck. Sufferers of the disease have been abandoned by Sai, and long for the god's presence. They are driven to incessant gambling, seeking proof of the god's favor. This usually leaves the victim in poverty or debt.

Sanguinare Vampiris
Similar in nature to Porphyric Hemophilia and Noxiphilic Sanguivoria, victims of the less-common Sanguinare Vampiris will become vampires after a three day incubation period. By itself, the disease negatively affects the victim's health: the victim will experience weakness during the day and acquire a peculiar thirst. On the third night of infection, the victim will turn into a vampire.  The disease can easily be cured within the three-day period, but vampirism is notoriously hard to cure. Sanguinare Vampiris is found in the province of Skyrim.

Sanies Lupinus
Sanies Lupinus, also called Canis Hysteria,  is contracted from lycanthropes, and causes drowsiness. However, after a three day incubation period the victim will become a lycanthrope (the type of which depends on the creature that caused the infection). The disease can easily be cured within the three days, but lycanthropy can only be cured by ritual.

Scalon Blight
Contracted from Scalon, creatures native to the Shivering Isles. Symptoms include loss of endurance and a weakness to frost and fire.

Scalon Fever
Contracted from Scalon, creatures native to the Shivering Isles. Symptoms include loss of endurance and a weakness to frost.

Scalon Sunburn
Contracted from Scalon, creatures native to the Shivering Isles. Symptoms include loss of endurance and a weakness to magical attacks.

Serpiginous Dementia
Serpiginous dementia is a serious common disease affecting the victim's mind and behavior. Symptoms include hallucinations and an itchy and unsightly scaly skin condition resembling snake scales. It may be contracted from netch and zombies.

Shakes
Contracted from rats, victims of Shakes suffer from loss of agility.

Stomach Rot
Stomach Rot is a permanent condition, unless cured, characterized by a slight daily drop in health.

Stone Blood
Stone Blood is a disease found in the dungeons of Stormhold.

Swamp Fever
Swamp fever is a mild common disease affecting the victim's strength and behavior. It may be contracted from mudcrabs, baliwogs and zombies. The symptoms include high body temperature and delirium, but there are no easily visible signs. The Bitter Coast region of Vvardenfell is infamous for the abundance of Swamp Fever cases.

Swamp Rot
Victims of Swamp Rot will have their willpower, agility, and strength fall daily, until they waste away or are cured.

Thrassian Plague
 

Ticklebritch
Symptoms of Ticklebritch include a loss of endurance and attractiveness. Contracted from handling dirty equipment.

Troll Thirst
Victims of Troll Thirst are blinded by rage. They must continuously kill to stay alive. The ailment is mercifully short-lived, and the victim will return to normal if they manage to survive. The disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar.

Tunnel Cough
Tunnel Cough is prevalent among miners. An inconvenience to those who want to remain undetected, as it negatively affects their ability to sneak.

Typhoid Fever
Typhoid Fever is a deadly disease affecting a victim's intelligence, endurance, and health. The condition is permanent, barring a cure or death.

Winter Worn
The disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar.

Witbane
Witbane is an acute common disease affecting a victim's memory, thought processes and ability to regenerate magicka. Symptoms include loss of memory and disorientation. It may be contracted from dogs, sabre cats and rats.

Witches' Pox
Witches' Pox will slowly deteriorate the victim's strength, endurance, and health until they are cured or dead.

Witchwither
Witchwither is a common disease which paralyzes its victims. It can only be contracted from the curse of a witch.

Wither
Wither is a mild common disease that affects the victim's strength and endurance. Symptoms include loss of energy and shortness of breath. It may be contracted from dreugh, mountain lions and zombies. The disease is prevalent among Sixth House cultists.

Witless Pox
Contracted from rats, victims of Witless Pox suffer from loss of intelligence.

Wizard Fever
Wizard Fever is a sometimes merely irritating, sometimes devastating magical disease. Some have suffered this and barely noticed it before the fever broke on its own, and some have been left feebleminded. The victim's innate magicka and intelligence will trickle away, day by day, for as long as three weeks.

Wound Rot
Wound Rot very slowly erodes the victim's strength, endurance, and health until cured.

Yellow Fever
The endurance, willpower, and health of a victim of Yellow Fever will decline each day, until they find a cure or die.

Yellow Tick
Yellow tick is a mild common disease affecting a victim's strength and mobility. Symptoms include dark, bruise-like swelling, sensitive to touch. It may be contracted from wolves, bears, kagouti and zombies.

See Also
The Blight
Vampirism
Lycanthropy


References