I was recently on Twitter (I know, sorry)….and someone asked if there was an RPG where you could catch tetanus. I replied that I was working on a PDF with fantasy and diseases for DnD….so, let’s look at one!
First off, these diseases use a disease track, where a creatures first gets infected, then progresses (or gets better) in stages. This is based on the old 4e design. Note that an infected creature saves when first exposed. On a failure (in this case), they move to stage 1. The Check line indicates that an infected saves every two weeks. All saves are this DC 10 (as indicated below). On a failure, move toward the final stage. On a success, move one step toward Stage 0. On a critical success, move to Stage 0.
Tetanus
Severity 1 Disease (DC 10 Constitution)
An infected develops muscle spasms, and eventually they cannot open their mouth.
Exposure: Injection. The target must be cut by a rusty piece of metal (often an old weapon, but it could just be an old piece of metal in an abandoned ruin).
Incubation: Instantaneous. Start in Stage 1.
Stage 0: The target is cured and is immune for one year.
Stage 1: The target’s skin turns red around the cut. Their speed is reduced by 5 ft. as their leg muscles cramp up. They have disadvantage on checks involving their legs (like jumping or climbing).
Stage 2: As stage 1, and they are Poisoned as all of their muscles cramp up on and off. (I wish there was another name for Poisoned).
Final Stage: As stage 2, and the infected’s jaw tightens up and they cannot open their mouth to eat or speak. They gain one level of exhaustion each day they do not receive magical hit point restoration.
Check: An infected saves every 2 weeks.
Contagious: No.
Known Cures: Any magic that cures a disease or restoration or a higher level similar spell. Stick the piece of metal that cut the infected into a piece of wood within 5 minutes of being cut. If it has been longer than five minutes, stick the piece of metal into a piece of wood worth at least 500 gp and then burn it all in offering to a god. Destroy all metal the infected owns (note: do not try to get around this by giving away your stuff first as a gift, the gods don’t like mortals trying to circumvent their weird rituals).
NOTE: The cures are not REAL. This is NOT medical advice.