Sickness in the Sands

[Rosencrat]

Beaufort Bay

Settled by Clarence Beaufort, the Beaufort Bay Settlement was an exercise in stubbornness. The original Beaufort, a cantankerous man, found the crescent shape of land between mountain and sea and built a shack upon it. Within that shack he created rotgut rum, which he sold to passing ships for a tidy sum. During the years the shack expanded to a modest house, where other minor supplies were also kept. Also rum. From a house it expanded into a mansion and, after the unfortunate still fire, a smoking crater. Yet, before Clarence was burned alive by sentient rum monsters, he had managed to sire a few children.

The Beaufort children proved to have all the entrepreneurial spirit as their father without the morbid obsession on pickling oneself with rum. Together they established a new trade post, settling it as a stop-over for passing ships that wanted to avoid the monopoly of the goblin traders. Workers were hired and soon what began as a trade post evolved into a settlement, where all manner of individuals now live.

Beaufort Bay is now a humble place, simple and unadorned. The population is pressing a thousand and they live comfortable within their means. Crime is present, of course, but there are plenty of good, honest people among the bad.

Presided over by the three Beaufort children, everyone lives pleasantly enough. They build ships, trade, study and live their passions out.

It was this settlement that was selected for the New Scum and all its denizens proved perfect candidates for the new breed of parasite.

Bubonic Bay Redux

Some of you may remember Bubonic Bay way back when. It was a fun event but, ultimately, had its flaws.

Well, after two months of work with the GM team, we’ve managed to iron out the major problems. And so we bring it out again, a new, free-form event for the player’s pleasure. While the idea remains intact, the event is to be held with a new area, a new virus and a new motivation for involvement.

What has changed from the last event:

• No Forced Infection. Players will be allowed to play infected but it is not required. At no time will the players be forced to play an infected without their desire.
  
• No robot death machines. Simple as that. Logical bosses. Since the plague will cause mutations we can explain realistic zombie-esq enemies/abominations.
  
• Clean Up Event Afterwards. Either we work it into the week event or hold minor events afterwards. I had planned to do this with the origional Bubonic Bay but, after the final event, was so thoroughly done with the event that I decided against it.
  
• In later stages spread the event out into Tanaris. Just hold some events out into the world as a whole.

The settlement of Beaufort Bay and its population have been infected with a new parasite, a malicious worm that warps the mind and the body. The infected population has been sealed off within the town’s walls by a rag-tag group of goblins and survivors. Yet the defenses can last but so long and already the infected are striving to escape and pollute the world.

Heroes have been called to the small collection of tents outside the city to help in its defense. Survivors are still trapped within the walls, dangers are still forming in the ruined city and –bit by bit- an odd change is beginning to come over those wind-warped slaves to the worm. It is the duty of the heroes (or villains) to deal with these problems…In whatever way they so happen to decide.

The event will run, continuously, for a week. Signing up for the event is not required; the area will be open for the duration of the week, with random events and encounters ready for those who wander into the infected city.

The New Scum

The New Scum is the name of the parasites that has infected the populous.

The New Scum is a thin worm-like creature which enters the body through breaks in the skin or consuming food infected with the worm's eggs. The parasite enters the brain and grows over the period of a day until it is fully intertwined with the brain matter and spinal cord.

Removal of a full-grown parasite by physical means is impossible, and healing does not damage the parasite.

The parasite causes a gradual degradation of sanity. The individual begins to suffer full sensory hallucinations. The worm drives them towards violence until, driven by the images, the individual wanders towards a settlement where they deposit the worm's eggs in the food supply.

When an infected is killed the worm will seize control of the body's functions. The worm will gradually siphon water out of the corpse's body to maintain control. When the corpse has become completely dehydrated the parasite will die and the corpse will cease to function.

The infection will only affect players if they wish. The infection can only be passed by consuming infected food or being attacked by a carrier who releases the parasite and it burrows into them. Being harmed/bitten/stabbed by an infected person will not pass it along.

If a player chooses it they can say they are infected, but any actions during the event will not force them to play as an infected.

A cure can be found after a week’s time through the player’s actions and events.

The cause behind the plague can be found as well, with the players going to route the source and bring justice to those behind the evil.

Events

The first event will be at Sunday, December 18th at a time to be announced.

[Aerikan]

Yay! I enjoyed the first event. Was a great way to meet people when I was new to the server.

In addition to the planned events, there was some very cool side events driven by players that popped up in the initial bubonic bay - villains taking advantageous of the chaos, healers and doctors setting up a hospital and working on a cure, heroes investigating the cause, etc. it sounds like those things are possible, and I encourage GMs to run with them and aid players

[Holynexus]

Why don't we keep Beaufort Bay for alternative to goblin hubs in neutral RP... ^_^

[Avitz]

A question, How would this infection affect undead characters? Would they be immune or since undead still rely on their brains to function they would be affected the same way?

[Caravan]

Excitement!

[Aphetoros]

A question, How would this infection affect undead characters? Would they be immune or since undead still rely on their brains to function they would be affected the same way?

They would likely be affected the same, though perhaps a bit more durable (they won't get it from eating, probably.) Just a guess.

[Rosencrat]

It effects the undead. All they need to do is eat infected meat, ie zombie flesh.

[Kira13]

Bloodworms, a Death Knight spell, makes the caster/target spill out worms that attack the target. I understand the New Scum virus is a little parasite at first. Can a Death Knight use those bloodworms of his own to attack the parasite before it attaches itself on the brain and spinal cord, thus escaping un-parasited ?

[Duraza]

Is there really any need to find away around the parasite? After all no forced infections so no need to seek ways to stop yourself from being infected... Simply don't be infected.

[c0rzilla]

Is there really any need to find away around the parasite? After all no forced infections so no need to seek ways to stop yourself from being infected... Simply don't be infected.

Who's to say one or two parasites aren't derps?

[Rosencrat]

Bloodworms, a Death Knight spell, makes the caster/target spill out worms that attack the target. I understand the New Scum virus is a little parasite at first. Can a Death Knight use those bloodworms of his own to attack the parasite before it attaches itself on the brain and spinal cord, thus escaping un-parasited ?

Well, if you mean eating the parasite when it's outside the body then yes.

However, when the parasite is in the brain it will be rather hard to remove. A blood worm is...Well, rather large. Much larger than what is required to wriggle into brain tissue safely.

A novel idea, however!

[Reigen]

OOoooh. I do like the sounds of this! Now I must decide who to throw into this. Perhaps one of the many...many alts I have that never see use.

[Krent]

I am much excite.

[ThePharaoh]

This is awesome, I can't wait.

[Reese]

Well, the rum isn't gone.

But our lives might be.