Virus I

This strain drives the host's cells into ever-faster activity until the body ignites. Within six hours of infection come high fever and sore skin. By 24 hours the skin is so tender the victim takes -2 to attacks and saves. During the next week bloody sores open, fever and pain worsen, and by week's end the penalty is -4 on every dice roll.

Untreated, the victim bursts into flame and dies horribly 1d6+10 days after infection. Everyone within 10 feet saves vs. breath weapon or takes 3d6 from the heat, half on a success.

The psionic science energy containment can cure it if applied to the patient three times a day, eight hours apart, for three days running, bleeding off the raging energy; the final session completes the cure.

All that remains of a victim is gray ash teeming with thousands of dormant viruses, easily scattered on the wind to start an epidemic unless it is contained. Evil priests and wizards save the ash and dust their undead with it, turning even a humble skeleton into a horror.

Slower than its siblings but just as cruel, this strain threads crystal through the host's tissues until the lungs can no longer draw breath and the blood sets solid. Early signs are aching joints, fever and patches of numbness or tingling. Within three days the skin starts to crystallize. On the eighth day the eyes harden, which is disorienting at first but grants the powers of eyes of minute seeing; at the same time movement drops by half and Dexterity by 4 as the body stiffens. Unless halted, the virus kills exactly 18 days after infection, and within hours the corpse collapses into fine sand the color of blood.

Because it moves slowly, cure disease works normally for two days after infection rather than the usual one.

The sand is full of dormant virus but safe to handle while dry. A single drop of water dissolves it into a highly contagious liquid, and assassins have exploited this more than once.