Borderlands: Old School Diseases

The Borderlands is kind of system agnostic, but I am kind of leaning towards it being playable in most Old School-type games. Obviously Zweihander has a lot of qualities for this already, but I also wanted to flex some design muscles with other systems. I am going to be using the great Old School Essentials as a mechanical base, but these should work with most OSR (eugh) games with little issue.

Thanks to TheChaosGrenade for some good names for some of these!

DISEASES

The Borderlands is a disgusting, disease-filled place. The streets are full of half-rotten food and midden heaps, the Witchweed Swamp is full of disease and bile carrying vermin, and one wrong step in a sewer slough can end up with you losing a foot.

When exposed to a disease of any sort, the character should make a Save vs. Death or Poison (modified by the disease's virulence) or else contract the disease. The disease effects take place after the listed incubation period passes and they last for the listed duration.

EXAMPLE DISEASES

Toadstool Blight
A parasite inflicted by spores inhaled from some breeds of giant fungi. Highly dangerous if untreated

Virulence: -2
Incubation: 1d6
Duration: 2d10
Remedy: Drinking a pint of vinegar a day for 2d4 days

Effect: -1 to all ability scores/day. If a score reaches 0, you die and become fully consumed by fungus
Black Plague

Stinkfoot
Better known as gangrene. Doesn't always happen in the foot, but its common enough to get the name.

Virulence: 0
Incubation: 1d4
Duration: 2d8
Remedy: Applying maggots to the area for 1d4 hours

Effect: -1d6 DEX. Prevents natural healing until remedied or its course is run

Purple Rot
A venereal disease that turns genitals purple and distended. Disgusting and painful.

Virulence: +1
Incubation: 1d4
Duration: 2d6
Remedy: Draining through painful incision

Effect: -1d6 CHA while indisposed. Extreme difficulty urinating, can often lead to bladder infections

Festerveins
A type of blood infection, usually brought about through improper use of Scratch.

Virulence: -2
Incubation: 1d4
Duration: 2d6
Remedy: Application of hot tar on wound site

Effect: Lose -1 CON per day. Recovers at a rate of 1 per day once recovered.

Ashlung
Usually obtained from working in coal mines or spending too much time in the Badlands.

Virulence: 0
Incubation: 2d10
Duration: 1d10
Remedy: Eating a pound of sawdust

Effect: -1 from CON scores/day. While afflicted, can not move faster than a walking pace.