Creeping madness

Creeping Madness was a magical disease caused by exposure to the taint of the Spellplague.

The disease was most associated with efforts to descend into Neverwinter's Chasm.

Acquisition
Approaching, entering, or lingering near a plagueland or other pocket of active Spellplague would expose creatures to its sickening energies and could lead them to develop creeping madness. The disease did not affect aberrations, and those with spellscars were rumored to have some resistance to it. The closer one came to the source of the Spellplague's energies, the more difficult it was to resist the onset of creeping madness.

Experiencing creeping madness was also one of the first parts of the process of transforming into a plaguechanged foulspawn.

Effects
Creeping madness caused great pain&mdash;both physical and psychological&mdash;as the sufferer's skin began to shift and bubble and their eyes pulsed with the tell-tale blue fires of the Spellplague.

In its initial stage, the sufferer became less responsive and mentally present, seemingly in exchange for the illness magnifying the effectiveness of any psychic powers they might have. As the disease progressed, it ate away at the sufferer's awareness of their surroundings and interfered with their ability to rest. Next, creeping madness progressed to a stage in which the sufferer ran the risk of being permanently spellscarred by the disease even if they made an otherwise full recovery. At this stage, they were beginning to struggle with just about all tasks, but were able to project psychic energies at their foes.

If the sufferer was unable to recover from or fight off the disease, they ultimately descended into madness in its final stages, and was left catatonic.

History
Prior to the Second Sundering in the late 15 century DR, those who descended into Neverwinter's Chasm toward the Twisted Fane and the Cauldron of Blue Fire beneath it were exposed to creeping madness, and the energies that caused it grew stronger as one descended further.