Infectious disease

In addition to the physical dangers of the world, characters are often accosted by the sniffles and other common ailments. When it comes to sickness and plague, running out of tissues is the least of your worries.

Creatures exposed to an invading pathogen must make a Vitality check to avoid infection. The DL for this check depends on the virulence of the infectious agent. A creature who fails the Vitality check contracts an illness. Many infectious diseases are contagious. That is, a healthy creature might contract the illness just by hanging around someone infected with it: breathing the same air, eating the same food, or touching the same objects. Some pathogens transmit between creatures through more specific methods, like an exchange of blood.

Creatures who overpower a fightable disease, or outlast a limited disease may gain immunity once the initial infection is eradicated. This immunity could last for months, years, or indefinitely, depending on the disease in question.