Disease Spirits
by David M Woods
Ars Magica is a Registered Trademark of Trident Inc. Original
Ars Magica material Copyright 1998 by Trident Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Used without permission. Any use of Trident Inc.'s copyrighted material
or trademarks in this file should not be viewed as a challenge to those
copyrights or trademarks.
These rules rely on the premise that diseases in Mythic Europe are caused
by certain types of Spirit. These rules are a compilation and reworking
of various Ars Magica sources; More Mythic Places, Black Death
and Hedge Magic.
Preface
Disease Spirits are usually aligned to the Magic Realm although Divine,
Infernal and Faerie Disease Spirits exist as well. These Spirits possess
animals, plants and people, causing disease. They are attracted to certain
types of area and host. Beliefs concerning foul airs causing disease are
due to many diseases favouring such areas. Disease Spirits also cause imbalances
in the host's humours, that in turn, gives rise to the symptoms. Medicine
works by helping to re-balance the body's humours which in turn encourages
the Spirit to leave.
Particular types of Disease Spirit can summon others of their kind when
within a host. By this process epidemics can occur under the right conditions.
Fires, incense and pungent herbs can create an unpleasant environment for
such spirits. Disease Spirits will tend to avoid areas they find unpleasant
and tend not to summon others if their host is within such environments.
By these methods many epidemics can be contained. However, particularly
aggressive Spirits may not be discouraged.
A person can resist possession by a disease Spirit but his chances of
success depend on many factors. A person with a strong constitution, a
good diet and active lifestyle is less likely to fall ill.
Disease Spirits are very common in Mythic Europe, fortunately most are
generally non-fatal like Colds and Flu. Also many are picky over whom they
possess. Many types will not possess a host who has been possessed by another
of its kind. Many are attracted to specific groups like children, drunks,
gluttons, whores and whoremongers. Many are only interested in the elderly.
Game play
Disease Spirits
Disease Spirits fall under the Hermetic Form of Vim when outside a host.
Once in possession the host shields the Spirit and can it only be affected
indirectly. Through sympathetic magic appropriate to the host body (Herbam,
Animal or Corpus) the Spirit may be affected. Creo magic can be used to
expel the possessing Spirit as returning the body to a more perfect state,
sympathetically banishing the Spirit to its home Realm. Conversely Perdo
magics actually summon a Disease Spirit directly into a host.
A Disease Spirit is defined by the following stats.
Might: The penetration total of any spell must exceed the Spirit's
Might. This includes Creo Magics cast on hosts. In addition, the Level
of any Creo spell must also equal or exceed the Might of the Spirit to
banish it.
Virulency: The bonus the Spirit applies to its attempts to possess.
Summoning: The ability to summon others when within a host.
How often depends on the Spirit, ranging from never to very often.
Effects: This section defines the effects of the disease.
Recovery: The conditions under which the body may attempt to
expel the spirit and any long term effects.
Appearance and Detection
Disease Spirits come in many shapes and sizes; in fact each is unique.
Human Disease Spirits sometimes appear as humans showing extreme symptoms
of the disease. Some appear as nightmarish animal forms or even a mist
containing a swarm of lights. A Second Sight + Per roll of 12+ can enable
Disease Spirits to be seen, as can a Vim version of `Vision of the Haunting
Spirit'. However most Disease Spirits are adept at hiding.
Magic Resistance
Parma Magica and any other magical resistance can block possession. This
follows the standard ArM4 rules for penetration, use Vim to calculate the
effective ward level of a Parma Magica. The Spirit's penetration total equals
its Might + stress die. Aegis of the Heath (AotH) can block entry to free
disease Spirits, but not when in possession of a host. Spirits brought
in or summoned into an AotH can operate but suffer a penalty on possession
rolls equal to the magnitude of the AotH.
This means Magi are generally well protected against disease. However,
spirits will often wait for the right moment to attempt the possession,
especially if the target is very tempting. Every sunset and sunrise Parma
drops for at least one minute, this is more than enough time.
Aura Interaction
Possession rolls by Disease Spirits are not so strongly affected by Auras
as other tests. Half the effective level of any Aura (round down) to determine
the bonus or penalty applied to the Spirit's possession attempts.
Mechanics
When a Disease Spirit attempts to possess a host the Spirit and the Target
make an opposed test.
The Spirit Rolls: Virulency + Aura Interaction + Environmental Modifier
+ Stress Die
The Target Rolls: Sta + Health Modifier + Wound and Fatigue Penalties
+ Stress Die
If the Spirit exceeds the Target's roll it has succeeded in possessing
the Target. The same Spirit will not make more than one attempt on any
one target.
Environmental Modifier
Most Diseases thrive in damp, cold, lightless and foul-smelling places.
Within their favoured environment they receive a bonus on possession and
may receive a penalty outside it.
Environment
|
Modifier
|
Ideal
|
+3
|
Good
|
+2
|
Fair
|
+1
|
Average
|
0
|
Unpleasant
|
-1
|
Hostile
|
-2
|
Very Hostile
|
-3
|
Health Modifiers
Age Modifier: A person's age greatly affects his or her ability to resist.
Age
|
Modifiers
|
0-5 months
|
-3
|
6 months -2 years
|
-1
|
3 - 11
|
+1
|
12-24
|
+2
|
25-34
|
+1
|
35-39
|
0
|
40-44
|
-1
|
45-49
|
-2
|
50-54
|
-3
|
55-59
|
-4
|
60+
|
-5
|
Lifestyle & Diet: These two factors also play a part in resisting
disease. A poor diet may be due to lack of quantity or quality. A good
diet represents a balanced mix of meat, vegetables and other staples. An
excessive diet represents an indulgent eating (or drinking) pattern. An
average diet can be a balance of any of the other factors.
Activity Level / Diet
|
Poor
|
Average
|
Good
|
Excessive
|
Sedate
|
-2
|
-1
|
0
|
-2
|
Moderate
|
-1
|
0
|
+1
|
-1
|
Active
|
0
|
+1
|
+2
|
0
|
Miscellaneous: These factors apply to only some characters.
Longevity Potion: +Potion Bonus
Rapid Convalescence: +3
Healer Exceptional Talent: +Score
Disease Spirit Guidelines
Might
A Disease Spirit's Might should be around 5 for annoying infections like
Warts and Colds. More serious conditions like Fever and Pneumonia should
be around 15. Very serious disease like Leprosy should be around 20. Black
Death is rated at 30.
Virulency
Break out the medical dictionary or just guess. The Table below should
be used to assign a reasonable value according to the disease's properties.
Very Low
|
-9
|
Low
|
-6
|
Below Average
|
-3
|
Average
|
0
|
Above Average
|
+3
|
High
|
+6
|
Very High
|
+9
|
Summoning
Infectious diseases Summon. Non-infectious diseases don't. The number,
frequency and aggression of these summoned Spirits is at the SG's discretion.
A summoned Spirit must possess a new host before the original Spirit can
summon another. The summoned Spirit must stay close to the summoner's
host until it finds a host.
Never
|
The disease is not infectious
|
Very Rarely
|
The disease rarely summons others. Perhaps as little as once per
year
|
Rarely
|
Perhaps once per month
|
Uncommonly
|
About once per week
|
Commonly
|
About once per day
|
Often
|
About 6 time per day
|
Very Often
|
Unlimited
|
Effects and Recovery
Another job for the medical dictionary, roughly convert the real world
facts into ArM4 mechanics.
Examples
Cold
Might: 5
Virulency: High +6
Summoning: Often
Effects: Gives the afflicted a common cold within a few hours.
While sick the target is always Winded.
Recovery: Roll Sta + Stress Die of 6+ after every good night's
rest, with a +1 modifier for every consecutive morning. Roll every week
when no rest is found.
Headache
Might: 8
Virulency: Average +0
Summoning: Never
Effects: Gives the afflicted host a bad headache. -1 to all
actions.
Recovery: Roll Sta + Stress Die of 6+ every morning, with a
+1 modifier for every consecutive morning.
Warts
Might: 6
Virulency: Below average -3
Summoning: Rarely
Effects: Gives the afflicted host a large wart.
Recovery: If the Wart is physically removed, Roll Sta + Stress
Die of 6+. Failure means the wart returns.
Fever
Might: 12
Virulency: Average +0
Summoning: Commonly
Effects: The host develops a high temperature within ten minutes.
While feverish the victim is always Weary (-1). Roll Sta + Stress Die of
6+ every day or become worse. Each failure results in another drop in fatigue
level. After the host becomes unconscious Body Levels are lost.
Recovery: Once every two days the host may make a Sta + Stress
Die roll of 9+ for recovery. Fatigue levels are recovered at a rate of
one per day. Body Levels are recovered according to the standard rules.
Skin Rash (Scrofulous)
Might: 10
Virulency: Above Average +3
Summoning: Uncommonly
Effects: The victim develops an itching skin rash covering half
of a limb or its equivalent within an hour. -2 to all Com and Pre rolls
is the rash is visible.
Recovery: Once per week, or twice if treated, Roll Sta + Stress
Die of 6+. The host receives a +2 modifier for every consecutive week of
possession..
Toothache
Might: 12
Virulency: Average +0
Summoning: Never
Effects: Gives the afflicted host a toothache. -2 to all mental
activities.
Recovery: No recovery rolls are allowed without some kind of
treatment. Removing the tooth works but causes a light wound.
Consumption (Tuberculosis)
Might: 15
Virulency: Low -6
Summoning: Uncommonly
Effects: Within a few hours the host becomes short of breath
and becomes Winded. The victim cannot recovery this level normally. Each
month the host must make a Sta + Stress die roll of +3 or lose another
fatigue level. A roll of +6 gains the host back a fatigue level. Moving
to a warm dry environment gives a +3 bonus to this roll.
Recovery: No recovery rolls are allowed without some kind of
treatment (Medicine or Herbalism score of 3+). If treatment is given a
Sta + Stress die roll of 6+ will cure the victim. Most people must live
with this disease until they die.
Leprosy
Might: 18
Virulency: Very Low -9
Summoning: Rarely
Effects: A full year passes before the first symptoms appear.
Initially a skin rash (see Scrofulous) in the extremities. It slowly worsens
to include loss of feeling and general weakness. -1 to Qik per year infected.
In addition, -1 Sta, Str, or Dex is suffered per year (player's choice).
Unless extreme care is taken, fingers, toes, and other extremities are
lost due to accident and gangrene.
Recovery: No recovery rolls are allowed without some kind of
treatment (Medicine or Herbalism score of 6+). Most people must live with
this disease until they die.
The Pox (Smallpox)
Might: 20
Virulency: High +6
Summoning: Often
Effects: About four days after infection, the host is beset
by chills, headache and fever (se above). A few days later, these symptoms
disappear and the pox appears, covering the victim's body with numerous
lesions.
Recovery: If not treated the victim is allowed one roll a week
after the appearance of the pox. The victim must make a Sta + Stress die
of +6 or they will eventually die. The SG may allow further rolls if skilled
treatment is provided. If the host survives they gain the Disfigured flaw.
Heart Attack
Might: 20
Virulency: Average +0
Summoning: Never
Effects: A sharp pain in the chest.
Recovery: Unless the victim makes a Sta + Stress die roll of
12+ they will die. If the victim survives they lose 5 points of Sta.
The Black Death
Might: 30
Virulency: Very High +9
Summoning: Very often
Effects: If the Spirit succeeds by 6 or more points the host
develops the Pneumatic form of the disease, else they develop the
Bubonic
form.
Pneumatic Effects: The victim develops a cough about 3 hours
after infection. This cough worsens quickly and kills within 2-12 hours,
unless a magical cure is applied.
Recovery: None, unless magical cures are applied.
Bubonic Effects: Within a few hours, the victim's neck
and underarm glands swell painfully. The victim loses 1 Body Level and
1 point from Str, Sta, Qui and Dex, per day.
Recovery: The victim must attempt a Sta + Stress die of +9 each
day to recover. The SG may allow further rolls if skilled treatment is
provided. Lost characteristic points recovery as Body levels, too within
one point of their original values.