Searching the archives, I found this article
I’m still in balance on how to deal with the Vanishing contamination and effects ==> The details of the disease are on pg. 46, under the heading "THE VANISING (EL 2)". It is seperate from the description of its history on the previous page.
Does a SR apply as soon as a PC touch an infected item? ==> Athough it's a magical disease, I don't believe that SR applies. There is a caster level of 10 listed for the purpose of removing the disease with break enchantment, but I don't see that SR applies against the disease. The disease is transmitted with the magic item is used.
Is it a roll against Fortitude or against Will ==> A DC 15 Fortitude save.
Does a new SR apply every period of time the PC keeps the contact with the object - each 12 hours or each day? ==> No SR check. But a new Fortitude save is needed every 24 hours the character is infected.
When a PC is infected and cured is he stabilized at his current state or is he recovering it’s standard shape? ==> Even when he is diseased, his natural healing heals his Charisma damage one point per day. And he of course also heals Charisma after the disease is removed.
How works the cure, is it instantaneous or painfully long? ==> Only magical treatment can save a victim of the Vanishing. A successful break enchantment, remove disease, or remove curse cures the disease. After that, natural healing or restoration spells can recover the damage Charisma score. The disease is not painful; you just fade from reality.
While very informative, between it and the adventure, there are some problems.
First off, there is a skulk infected with the disease. According to the disease description, only the use of Dispel Magic, Remove Disease or Remove Curse allows someone to recover. Yet none of these spells are available to the infected skulk. Why hasn't he faded away yet?
Secondly, is the disease causing "permanent" Charisma loss or temporary? Based on the article above, it seems to be temporary. Yet again, if the skulk can recover if he isn't fading away, why hasn't he recovered the Charisma and been able to return to the others?
Thirdly, if the Charisma loss is temporary, the +4 hide benefit is very short term, as you will either die, or lose it in a few days from recovering.
My attempt to clean this up is this. The disease can be fought off like regular diseases (2 successful saves in a row after contracting the disease), but the Charisma loss is permanent if this is done. This explains the skulk.
The casting of Dispel Magic, Remove Disease or Remove Curse will allow the recovery of the Charisma lost in the last 24 hours (as temporary), but previous Charisma losses are permanent.
A Restoration spell can give back any Charisma lost. Of course, until the group gets a high enough level cleric, they would have to go to the temple of Wee Jas for assistance, as they are the only ones with a cleric of high enough level to cast it.
Comments?
Section8
First off, there is a skulk infected with the disease. According to the disease description, only the use of Dispel Magic, Remove Disease or Remove Curse allows someone to recover. Yet none of these spells are available to the infected skulk. Why hasn't he faded away yet?Secondly, is the disease causing "permanent" Charisma loss or temporary? Based on the article above, it seems...
Diseases generally cause ability damage, and creatures naturally recover one point of ability damage every night. So if an infected creature manages to make some Fort saves, it's quite possible to regain some Cha points and last for a while (which is presumably the case with the skulk in the adventure). I guess the skulk in the adventure must have been infected fairly recently, though.
Searching the archives, I found this article
While very informative, between it and the adventure, there are some problems.First off, there is a skulk infected with the disease. According to the disease description, only the use of Dispel Magic, Remove Disease or Remove Curse allows someone to recover. Yet none of these spells are available to the infected skulk. Why hasn't he faded away yet?
Secondly, is the disease causing "permanent" Charisma loss or temporary? Based on the article above, it seems...
I don't really see the problem, as the skulk could actually survive an indefinite period of time with the disease. Take this, for example:
Day 1 - Skulk contracts disease (DC 15 save, failed)
Day 2 - Skulk suffers from disease (6 points CHA)
Day 3 - Skulk resists disease (save success, 1 point healed)
Day 4 - Skulk resists disease (save success, 1 point healed)
Day 5 - Skulk suffers from disease (save fails, 3 points CHA, 1 point healed)
Day 6 - Skulk suffers from disease (save fails, 1 point CHA, 1 point healed)
Day 7 - Skulk resists disease (save success, 1 point healed)
etc.
After 7 days, the Skulk has taken a total of 10 points of CHA damage, but has healed 5 points. He's still infected and will never be cured, but he will continue to live out his days as an infected until he fails enough saves to vanish.
Ah, I see. The saves mean that they don't take Charisma damage, and 2 saves in a row doesn't allow the skulk to recover. A slow, tortuous fading death. You may get better or worse, but the end is inevitable.
And it is all temporary Charisma damage.
This makes more sense now. I haven't worked with diseases a lot in previous campaigns, so it didn't come across.
Thanks
Section8