Filth fever was a sickness characterized by fever, slowness of movement, and physical weakness.[1][2] It was spread by bites from contaminated animals, and could be deadly if left untreated.[1]
Acquisition[]
The disease was most commonly contracted from the bites of creatures like rats,[5][6] dire rats,[7] otyughs,[1][3][8] trolls,[9] and wererats.[4][10] It could also be acquired if an injury became infected due to exposure to a filthy environment,[1] such as a sewer[11][12] or a battlefield.[13]
Filth fever was also inflicted by injuries from a diseased weapon.[14] It was one of several diseases that could be inflicted using the contagion spell.[2][15]
Effects[]
Those suffering from filth fever experienced a raging fever that impacted their whole body,[2] sometimes accompanied alternatingly with freezing chills.[13] The disease caused a steady degradation of both reflexes, mobility, and stamina,[1] and made it difficult for the infected individual to complete tasks that involved physical strength or exertion—including swinging a weapon[2]—as well as interfered with the body's natural healing.[6] In extreme cases, sufferers would simply waste away,[13] and could become so weak that they died.[1]
With luck, a healthy immune system could fight off the disease in a matter of days.[1]
History[]
In the mid-to-late 14th century DR, filth fever was among the diseases that one could potentially contract from trudging through the sewage of the sewers beneath Mulmaster and Waterdeep.[11][12] It could also be encountered in the Underdark.[16]
By the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, magic weapons that could inflict filth fever were favored among Talontar blightlords as well as some of the more cruel Red Wizards of Thay.[14]
During the Shadovar–Thay War, the Charnel Fields of Surcross became so choked with corpses and rot that the area became a hotbed for a unique strain of filth fever.[13]
In the late 15th century DR, the Dead Rats—a gang of wererats active in Luskan and Neverwinter—were known to be carriers of filth fever.[17]
As of the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR,[note 1] a magically animated puppet of Halaster Blackcloak was purportedly researching a cure for filth fever in the Arcane Chambers of Undermountain, but was in fact just randomly mixing harmless substances.[18]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, but Christopher Perkins answered a question via Twitter and stated the year was 1492 DR. Corroborating this, Dragon Heist page 20 refers to events of Death Masks (set in 1491 DR) as being "last year". Unless a canon source contradicts this assertion, this wiki will use 1492 DR for events related to this sourcebook and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (which is referenced on pages 5 and 98 of Dragon Heist).
Appearances[]
Adventures
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 292. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 227. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 205. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 172. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 239. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 219. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- ↑ Ari Marmell, Anthony Pryor, Robert J. Schwalb, Greg A. Vaughan (May 2007). Drow of the Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-4151-3.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Darrin Drader, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K. Reynolds, Wil Upchurch (June 2006). Mysteries of the Moonsea. Edited by John Thompson, Gary Sarli. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 99. ISBN 978-0-7869-3915-2.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 220. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 54. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 213. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 110. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 115–117. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (November 2018). Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7869-6626-4.