Stiakros

The main symptom a thick rock-like growths scarring on the skin. Over the course of six months, these growths slowly fill the lungs and cause muscle stiffness until the subject is unable to move and breathe, experiencing a slow and painful death.
— Archani Conclave notes on Stiakros

Stiakros also known as Stoneskin is a natural condition that for many centuries was believed to be a variant of petrification, until it was discovered as a different irreversible condition in 726 AR. Despite the identification of the disease, the method of transmission is unclear, as is the many sources of the disease.

Description

When someone contracts Stiakros, they quite quickly find themselves possessing small pebble-like growths on a part of their body. Eventually over the next few months, the number of these growths increases and causes an intense muscle stiffness over any muscles and joints inflicted with the disease. By the second month, the infected finds themselves becoming darker and more angry as the stone-like growths influence their mind. By the end of the fourth month, most inflicted are unable to move many of their muscles, this results eventually in full body paralysis. However, the person is still able to breathe and is aware, but is unable to act upon anything. By the end of the sixth month, someone inflicted with Stiakros is unable to breathe as the growths overwhelm their lungs, resulting in the final demise of the infected.

Stiakros

General Information

Also Known As	Stoneskin
Type	Natural Disease

Biological Information

Symptoms	Rock-like Skin Paralyzation Anger
Transmission	Unknown
Source	Stone Beetle

Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies

Curing the Disease

While there have been many different variants of paralyzation, many of these are curable by restorative magic. However, Stiakros seems to be more resilient, with many common remedies failing to even slow the condition. Since 726 AR, there have been many scholars who have sought out different potential cures to the disease. In the past 25 years, there is said to have been three things that have successfully cured the disease.

Amputation

The first is catching it early on a limb, the cure was severing the limb entirely from a person, which seemed to stop the spread of the disease within the infected person. This method seems primarily to work within the first month or two of infection, but some contend that the wound from severing the limb has to be burnt quickly to ensure the individual does not bleed too quickly.

Removal

The second method was successful in less than five percent of cases. It requires the peeling and treatment of the growths. It is an immensely painful treatment and requires dedication from a learned healer over the course of many hours. Some writings claim that attempts could last in excess of twenty hours. This procedure becomes more difficult as the final stages of the disease approaches, as growths cannot be removed from inside the infected.

Powerful Magic

The third successful method is highly contested as it was claimed by the alleged infected. They claimed that the usage of immense magics, more powerful than most mages could wish for was able to recover their form. While some write that magic with the ability to bend reality is a cure to the condition, some provide the conjecture that the ability to bend reality in such a way could eliminate all diseases and conditions.

Placeholder Flower by Owen Davies

Notable Inflictions

Name	Pronouns	Description
Chyvera Moores	She/Her	Human Scholar. Chyvera was infected in 726 AR and was the person through which it was discovered that Stiakros was a separate condition from petrification. Chyvera was stung by a Stone Beetle in the forests of the Ossaman Tribes. Over the next few months, she got slowly sicker and was attended to by many great physicians, scholars, and clerics trying to find a way to heal her. Unfortunately, by the winter, she passed from Stiakros. A dedicated library in her local town was named for her heroism in the face of such a painful and lethal condition.
Luthra Mendrix	They/Them	Wood Elf Wizard. Luthra claimed to contract Stiakros in 739 AR from an unknown source. Aware of the lethality of the condition and lack of a viable cure, they sought to further their divine magics beyond the natural limits. Eventually, they claim to have learned the ability to bend reality through the casting of a wish, using this power to save themselves. While they proclaim this miracle and it even granted them a title in the Veritas Convention, many note that they have not been able to replicate the ability to cast such a spell since, and no one was aware of Luthra being claimed by the common effects of the disease.
Delmor Yewbridge	He/Him	Grassfolk Warrior. Travelling up with an investigative team to Tokevis in 753 AR, Delmor found that he had contracted Stiakros when he attempted to take part in an arm wrestling competition with a compatriot. Being acutely aware of the condition from personal experience and noting its positioning along his right arm below the elbow, he deftly cut off his own forearm and hand in an attempt to save his life. For the remainder of the trip, he had a high fever, but was mostly unharmed seemingly catching it before the first week had passed. He now works as a blacksmith in Grantour trying to find a way to use his skill to earn enough coin to replace his missing arm.