Lore:Disease

Depiction of how disease affects a Skeever

Disease is widespread throughout Mundus and beyond. Tamriel has its fair share of diseases, many of them fatal. Diseases can be transmitted through contact with the afflicted or through fighting animals and undead. They can also be transmitted magically or through dart traps. Most common diseases can be cured by magic, blessings or potions. The diseases brought about by the Blight usually require special spells or potions to cure, but few survived the defeat of Dagoth Ur. Diseases can be resisted as well as cured; the Argonians are famous for their natural immunity to almost all disease. Certain diseases such as Corprus and Porphyric Hemophilia cannot be resisted. Peryite is the Daedric Prince of Pestilence and therefore most diseases are under his domain.

Ash Woe Blight

Ash Woe Blight is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's will and thought processes. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blighted creatures.

Ash-Chancre

Ash-Chancre is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's behavior. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blight monsters.

Astral Vapors

A magical disease which circumvents resistance. Symptoms include stunted and damaged magicka reserves. It may be caught from powerful Dread Zombies.

Ataxia

Ataxia is a mild common disease affecting the victim's strength and dexterity. Symptoms include generalized pain, muscle stiffness and paleness. This can affect the victim's muscle coordination with complex tasks. It may be contracted from slaughterfish, bears, zombies, skeevers and alit. Ataxia can weaken a victim's bones, eventually leading to death if not cured. The disease was supposedly quite problematic in Cyrodiil circa 4E 201.

Black-Heart Blight

Black-Heart Blight is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's strength and endurance. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blight monsters. The disease has also spread to zombies, allowing it to live on despite the ending of the Blight in 3E 427.

Blood Lung

Contracted from rats, victims of Blood Lung suffer from loss of endurance.

Blood Rot

Sometimes fatal, Blood Rot adversely affects the victim's health, personality, and willpower.

Bone Break Fever

Contracted from rats and bears, victims of Bone Break Fever suffer from loss of strength and stamina.

Brain Fever

Brain Fever results in a slow death, as the victim's willpower, health and even personality trickle away, day by day.

Brain Rot

Brain Rot is contracted from zombies and hagravens. Symptoms include loss of strength and magicka.

Brown Rot

Brown Rot is a mild common disease affecting the victim's strength and behavior. Symptoms include necrosis and sleeplessness. It may be contracted from the undead.

Caliron's Curse

Some people have recovered from Caliron's Curse by themselves in a week or two, but their strength, speed, and agility remain stunted. It is best to cure the disease quickly. It is named after the eponymous Caliron.

Cannibal's Prion

Cannibal's Prion affects the victim's agility and intelligence. It can be contracted from partaking in cannibalism.

Chanthrax Blight

Chanthrax is an acute blight disease affecting the victim's dexterity and mobility. It may be contracted from corprus beasts or other blight monsters. The disease has also spread to boars and zombies, allowing it to live on despite the ending of the Blight in 3E 427.

Chills

Chills is an extremely dangerous common disease affecting the victim's mind and coordination. Symptoms include clumsiness and mental confusion. It may be contracted from the undead.

Cholera

Cholera is one of the deadliest diseases in Tamriel, and is always fatal unless a cure is provided very quickly.

Chrondiasis

Chrondiasis is a magical disease which consumes the victim's intelligence and innate magicka day by day. Unless cured, this will eventually result in death.

Collywobbles

Collywobbles is a serious common disease affecting a victim's strength, endurance, and mobility. Symptoms include uncontrollable shaking and chronic weariness. It may be contracted from shalk and zombies.

Consumption

The willpower, agility, and strength of a victim of Consumption will slowly leave them, until they are cured or they die.

Corprus

Corprus, meaning skin blight in Ald Chimeris, is in Morrowind a name used for any of a number of ailments affecting the skin.

The Dunmer are especially susceptible to skin blights for reasons unclear to healers. They range from mild annoyances to destructive plagues that can lead to disfigurement or death. Corprus maladies can have natural and unnatural causes. Natural corprus afflictions are caused by unsanitary conditions, unbalanced humors and parasites. Examples of such natural afflictions include inflammation, discoloration, the flaking and sloughing of corrupted flesh, or an outbreak of blisters or ulcerations. During the Interregnum, a house healer dedicated to studying corprus afflictions found that the best method for avoiding most corprus blights is to bathe often, wear clean clothes, and consume clean, pure food.

Unnatural causes of corprus blights include those of magical or alchemical nature. One such example is the Flay Blight of 2E 565, wherein hundreds of Dark Elves on the western shore of Vvardenfell contracted rashes that caused irritated, blotchy skin. The Flay Blight was caused by a change to the alchemical formula of a popular face cream of the time.

During the Third Era, the term "corprus" became especially associated with the so-called Divine Disease, which was the most terrible of the ailments associated with the Blight. The infection was created by Dagoth Ur and spread by contact with a corprus beast or by a specific curse. It destroys the mind of the sufferer and grotesquely deforms the body. It is not known how the transformation of Sixth House cultists into Ascended Sleepers and other monsters is related to Corprus. Some of the physical effects are similar, but the cultists remain lucid and attain a higher spiritual state whereas more mundane sufferers become mindless husks, like the common undead raised by necromancers.

Crimson Plague

The Crimson Plague is a dangerous common disease which spreads easily and acts quickly. Symptoms include weakness and headaches. Infection can result in muteness. The disease, once widespread across Tamriel, was thought to have been stamped out during the Second Era. In 3E 427, the tomb of Gedna Relvel in the ruins of Old Mournhold was unsealed. Relvel, once a powerful sorceress condemned for studying and practicing forbidden magics, had cheated death and become a lich. She then attempted to spread the Crimson Plague throughout the city of Mournhold by infecting rats with the disease. The lich was destroyed by the Nerevarine before the disease could spread to more than a few people.

Dampworm

Dampworm is common disease with serious effects. Symptoms include uncontrollable muscle spasms and twitching. It may be contracted from deer and nix-hounds.

Dementia

Dementia is a hideous disease which slowly robs the victim of their intelligence, willpower, and even personality.

Droops

Droops is a serious common disease that affects a victim's strength and ability to use a weapon. Symptoms include weak and flaccid muscle tissues. It may be contracted from all forms and stages of kwama, as well as sheep and ash hoppers.

Feeble Limb

Contracted from rats, victims of Feeble Limb suffer from loss of strength.

Flay Blight

Flay Blight ravaged the western shore of Vvardenfell throughout the long and scorching summer of 2E 565. Hundreds of Dark Elves contracted rashes that irritated the flesh and blotched the skin. After an extensive investigation by the Council of Healers, it was categorically concluded that the Flay Blight was the direct result of a change to the alchemical formula of Mystic's Majestic Face Cream.

Frost Limbs

The disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar.

Gangrene

A repulsive disease associated with Namira.

Gray Fever

Gray Fever is a disease with similar symptoms to Lunar Chills.

Greenspore

Greenspore is a serious common disease affecting a victim's behavior. Symptoms include irritability and violent outbursts, and may include mild dementia. It may be contracted from slaughterfish or zombies.

Grievous Harm

This disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar and in the dungeons of Stormhold.

Guedoilic Plague

Lord Auberon Flyte of Anticlere, contracted this plague after an encounter with an Argonian ambassador, which caused the once strong and healthy lord to become sickly and weak, in state of chronic infirmity.

Gutworm

Gutworm is a disease that can be contracted from trolls in Skyrim. Symptoms include reduced stamina and obtaining less nutrition from consumed food.

Helljoint

Helljoint is a mild common disease affecting a victim's mobility and dexterity. Symptoms include persistent irritation and inflammation of joints. It may be contracted from wolves, cliff racers and zombies.

Knahaten Flu

The Knahaten Flu (also known as the Knahaten Plague or the Crimson Plague) was one of the deadliest diseases to infect the populace of Tamriel, lasting for 43 years, from the year 2E 560 to 2E 603.

Leprosy

A repulsive disease associated with Namira. Victims of Leprosy slowly waste away, unless a cure is provided.

Llodos Plague

The Llodos Plague is a contagious disease that turns victims into violent husks. The time it takes to corrupt a person's ability to think depends on the strength of the sample they are exposed to. The disease spreads through physical contact with a victim, and can also become airborne, though it is only infectious over a few meters before it disperses. The disease originated in Serkamora but has subsequently spread across the region of Redolent Loam to Narsis and Muth Gnaar monastery. It was created by the Maulborn as part of a plot to end the worship of the Tribunal.

Lunar Chills

Lunar Chills is an unusual disease that is often mistaken for Gray Fever. It can be lethal, but Hoar Frost Root can be used to cure it.

Madness

Madness (also called Insanity) is any illness of the mind that limits rational thought. It can be brought about by any number of factors. The souls of madmen are the property of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness.

To the Dunmer of Morrowind, it is called soul sickness. When Dagoth Uthol took over the ruins of Kogoruhn in 3E 400, soul sickness began to spread to regions closer to Red Mountain. Years later in 3E 427, it became more prevalent as Dagoth Ur continued to vie for power against the Tribunal. Those weak in their faith were targeted by Dagoth Ur and stricken with strange dreams and uncontrollable impulses that caused them to commit bad deeds. Those that were strong in their faith to the Tribunal were able to resist these attacks but those that were susceptible were advised to seek counsel from the Tribunal Temple.

Noxiphilic Sanguivoria

Noxiphilic Sanguivoria is a strain of vampirism that was common during the Second Era. Its origin can be traced back to the first vampire, Lamae Beolfag. Unlike other vampiric diseases such as Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, vampires of this strain are not weakened by daylight, but are instead strengthened during the night. They also do not grow stronger as they starve; instead, they grow more powerful as they feed. Vampires afflicted by noxiphilic sanguivoria can shroud themselves in mist. Full-blown vampirism can be avoided by receiving disease-curing services from a priest of Arkay, and not seeking to complete the blood ritual required to become a vampire. The only known way for a soul shriven to become a vampire is to be exsanguinated and have their blood replaced by that of Lamae Beolfag herself.

Ostraekeratic Fever

A rare virus that begins to show symptoms when dark and rigid splotches appear on the victim's arms and chest, eventually hardening the skin like stone or oyster shell. It also causes blindness and eventually drives the victim to insanity. It is speculated to have been created by the Sload after a merchant fleet was shipwrecked on a Sload island during the mid-Second Era and the entire crew became infected. Any attempts to fragment the developing stones will not stop the disease's progression; it will instead spread faster. The disease spreads in the blood, converting elements of the blood into rigid grains that accumulate in the veins just beneath the skin, then clumping together into larger growths. The only known cure for the disease is giving those inflicted Porphyric Hemophilia and turning the infected into a vampire, provided that the virus has not progressed far enough.

Plague

The Plague is a very serious, often fatal disease. Very quickly it will spread through the victim's system. Few who contract it live for more than a few days unless they are cured quickly. The Plague has been known to wipe out entire cities.

Porphyric Hemophilia

Known as the "vampire's disease", those infected with Porphyric Hemophilia will succumb to vampirism after a three day incubation period. By itself, the disease affects the victim's stamina, and on the third night of infection the victim will become vampire. The disease can easily be cured within the three-day period, but vampirism is notoriously hard to cure. The disease is similar to the less-common Sanguinare Vampiris and Noxiphilic Sanguivoria.

Rabies

Rabies is a serious disease which leads to madness and eventual death. It can be contracted from rabid wolves.

Rattles

Rattles is a mild common disease affecting a victim's willpower and dexterity. Symptoms include muscle spasms, listlessness and poor stamina. It may be contracted from nix-hounds, zombies and chaurus.

Red Death

Red Death is a very serious disease which can quickly decimate a victim's endurance and even destroy personality until a cure is given or the victim dies.

Red Fever

An infectious disease. Vexis Velruan once experimented on victims of the Red Fever during his time as a temple healer, attempting to use magic to turn the disease on itself. He was expelled from the temple for trying and failing to find a cure.

Red Plague

A common disease.

Red Rage

Contracted from rats, victims of Red Rage suffer from loss of willpower and strength.

Rockjoint

Rockjoint is an acute common disease affecting a victim's manual dexterity and ability to use melee weapons. Symptoms include painful swelling and immobility of all joints. It may be contracted from wolves, alit, zombies and domesticated guar.

Rotbone

Contracted from Durzogs, Rotbone causes fatigue.

Rust Chancre

Rust chancre is a mild common disease affecting a victim's mobility and behavior. Symptoms include swelling and rash, and painful muscle spasms. It may be contracted from waste rats and zombies.

Sai's Affliction

Sai's Affliction is a disease caused by excessive worship of Sai, the God of Luck. Sufferers of the disease have been abandoned by Sai, and long for the god's presence. They are driven to incessant gambling, seeking proof of the god's favor. This usually leaves the victim in poverty or debt.

Sanguinare Vampiris

Similar in nature to Porphyric Hemophilia and Noxiphilic Sanguivoria, victims of the less-common Sanguinare Vampiris will become vampires after a three day incubation period. By itself, the disease negatively affects the victim's health: the victim will experience weakness during the day and acquire a peculiar thirst. On the third night of infection, the victim will turn into a vampire. The disease can easily be cured within the three-day period, but vampirism is notoriously hard to cure. Sanguinare Vampiris is found in the province of Skyrim.

Sanies Lupinus

Sanies Lupinus, also called Canis Hysteria, is contracted from lycanthropes, and causes drowsiness. However, after a three day incubation period the victim will become a lycanthrope (the type of which depends on the creature that caused the infection). The disease can easily be cured within the three days, but lycanthropy can only be cured by ritual.

Scalon Blight

Contracted from Scalon, creatures native to the Shivering Isles. Symptoms include loss of endurance and a weakness to frost and fire.

Scalon Fever

Contracted from Scalon, creatures native to the Shivering Isles. Symptoms include loss of endurance and a weakness to frost.

Scalon Sunburn

Contracted from Scalon, creatures native to the Shivering Isles. Symptoms include loss of endurance and a weakness to magical attacks.

Serpiginous Dementia

Serpiginous dementia is a serious common disease affecting the victim's mind and behavior. Symptoms include hallucinations and an itchy and unsightly scaly skin condition resembling snake scales. It may be contracted from netch and zombies.

Shakes

Contracted from rats, victims of Shakes suffer from loss of agility.

Sloughskin

A disease contracted from fleshflies. Commonly afflicts mounts unsuited to travel through the swamps of Black Marsh. Lizard-Steeds are notably immune.

Stomach Rot

Stomach Rot is a permanent condition, unless cured, characterized by a slight daily drop in health.

Stone Blood

Stone Blood is a disease found in the dungeons of Stormhold.

Swamp Fever

Swamp fever is a mild common disease affecting the victim's strength and behavior. It may be contracted from mudcrabs, baliwogs and zombies. The symptoms include high body temperature and delirium, but there are no easily visible signs. The Bitter Coast region of Vvardenfell is infamous for the abundance of Swamp Fever cases.

Swamp Rot

Victims of Swamp Rot will have their willpower, agility, and strength fall daily, until they waste away or are cured.

This disease is not to be confused with the Voriplasm-like creatures known as Swamp Rot.

Thrassian Plague

"It was ever present, ever penetrating. It seeped into every person, every creature, every drop of water, seeking to be quenched. The afflicted drank themselves to corpulence with each passing day, until their bones cracked under their bulging flesh." — Kinlord Nemfarion

The Thrassian Plague (called slug famine by some ancient texts) was an artificially-created pandemic of mass proportions that occurred in 1E 2200. It is estimated that half of the population of the Iliac Bay, and even Tamriel as a whole, perished because of it. It was created by the Sload and received its name from their homeland, the coral kingdom of Thras.

Ticklebritch

Symptoms of Ticklebritch include a loss of endurance and attractiveness. Contracted from handling dirty equipment.

Troll Thirst

Victims of Troll Thirst are blinded by rage. They must continuously kill to stay alive. The ailment is mercifully short-lived, and the victim will return to normal if they manage to survive. The disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar.

Tunnel Cough

Tunnel Cough is prevalent among miners. An inconvenience to those who want to remain undetected, as it negatively affects their ability to sneak.

Typhoid Fever

Typhoid Fever is a deadly disease affecting a victim's intelligence, endurance, and health. The condition is permanent, barring a cure or death.

Winter Worn

The disease can be contracted in the wilds around Dawnstar.

Witbane

Witbane is an acute common disease affecting a victim's memory, thought processes and ability to regenerate magicka. Symptoms include loss of memory and disorientation. It may be contracted from dogs, sabre cats and rats.

Witches' Pox

Witches' Pox will slowly deteriorate the victim's strength, endurance, and health until they are cured or dead.

Witchwither

Witchwither is a common disease which paralyzes its victims. It can only be contracted from the curse of a witch.

Wither

Wither is a mild common disease that affects the victim's strength and endurance. Symptoms include loss of energy and shortness of breath. It may be contracted from dreugh, mountain lions and zombies. The disease is prevalent among Sixth House cultists.

Witless Pox

Contracted from rats, victims of Witless Pox suffer from loss of intelligence.

Wizard Fever

Wizard Fever is a sometimes merely irritating, sometimes devastating magical disease. Some have suffered this and barely noticed it before the fever broke on its own, and some have been left feebleminded. The victim's innate magicka and intelligence will trickle away, day by day, for as long as three weeks.

Wound Rot

Wound Rot very slowly erodes the victim's strength, endurance, and health until cured.

Yellow Fever

The endurance, willpower, and health of a victim of Yellow Fever will decline each day, until they find a cure or die.

Yellow Tick

Yellow tick is a mild common disease affecting a victim's strength and mobility. Symptoms include dark, bruise-like swelling, sensitive to touch. It may be contracted from wolves, bears, kagouti and zombies.

See Also

• The Blight
• Vampirism
• Lycanthropy
• For game-specific information, see the Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, Stormhold, Dawnstar, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Elder Scrolls Online articles.