Malady

The Malady is an ancient necromantic disease that, until recently, was locked up in the Banewarrens. Now that it has been released, it threatens to consume the world. When infected with the Malady, a victim becomes nearly mindless, with a constant need to feed on the flesh of the living. Though this doesn't technically kill the victim (it is closer to a form of possession), mechanically the infected are treated as undead in every way. Each of them can also easily spread the disease to others, quickly creating massive hordes of infected.

The Malady disease, injury, fluid exchange; save DC 20 (if from injury), DC 15 (if from sexual or other fluid); onset 1d4 rounds; frequency 1/hour; effect 1d4 Con, this damage may be healed while the creature is infected, but this does not cure the infection; cure 3 consecutive saving throws. Anyone whose Constitution reaches zero while infected immediately gains the templates listed below.

Infected templates

Victims of the desease gain one or more templates while they are infected. Some victims may also gain special templates, based on their traits in life. The infected gains all templates that apply to the base creature.

Malady Infected

All infected gain this template, which is exactly the same as the zombie template, except for the following:

Abilities: As the zombie template, but Malady infected retain some degree of intelligence, retaining an Int of 4.

Attacks: As the zombie template, but adding a bite attack that deals damage based on the infected's size, but as if it were one size category larger than its actual size (see Natural Attacks).

Skills: Malady infected retain their skill ranks, but take a flat -20 penalty to all skill checks. They can understand language, but cannot speak.

Special Qualities: Malady infected do not have the staggered special quality of zombies. They do have these:

Death Burst (Ex) When a Malady infected dies, it explodes in a burst of decay. All creatures adjacent to the infected are exposed to its plague as if struck by a bite attack and must make a Fortitude save or contract the Malady. This is transmission through fluid exchange, so the DC is 15.

Disease (Su) A successful bite from the Malady infected transmits the Malady to the target. Other natural attacks do not.

Overreaction to Positive Energy (Su) Malady infected you make a saving throw against a positive energy attack are affected as normal; however, if they fail the save, they take double damage. Further, if they reach zero hit points from such an attack (with or without a made saving throw), they explode more violently than usual. This deals 1d6 piercing damage to all creatures adjacent to the infected. Creatures who take damage from this must resist the Malady (injury transmitted). Adjacent creatures who avoid the damage (through damage reduction, for example) and all other creatures within two squares away from the infected, as splashed as if by the Death Burst quality.

Energetic Malady

If the base creature had the ability to cast arcane spells, the infected visibly crackles with arcane energy. They gain this template:

Challenge Rating: +1

Feats: Improved Critical (Natural Attacks)

Special Qualities: In addition to other Malady related qualities, gains:

Bursting With Energy: Natural attacks deal 1d6 additional energy damage (type determined randomly for each attack). On a critical hit, add an additional 1d10 of the same kind of damage.

Energy Feedback: When hit in melee, the attacker is dealt 1d6 energy damage (type determined randomly for each attack).

Necrotic Malady

If the base creature had the ability to cast divine spells, when infected is covered with a wispy, necrotic energy. They also gain this template:

Special Qualities: In addition to other Malady related qualities, gains:

Necrotic Feedback: When hit in melee, the attacker is dealt 1d6 cold damage.

Death Blast: When killed, in addition to any other effects of the infection, negative energy explodes out of the infected. For every two full hit dice the creature possesses, this blast does 1d6 damage to living creatures in its 30' radius. Undead within the blast are healed for the same amount.

Curing the Malady

Thus far, the only certain way to fully contain the Malady is by using the malady lock. It remains a disease, however, so particular cases are treatable individually. A succesfully cast remove disease spell will eliminate the disease from the target, as will any other disease curing magic.

Since the victims of the Malady are not truly undead, curing the disease removes any templates it placed on the victim. Cured victims are considered alive and normal (presuming they were when infected) and regain a Constitution score with a current value of 1. This is considered ability damage that will heal over time to its normal level. The victim may also still have injuries or be under other effects from when they are infected, which remain and must be healed or removed by other means. Most victims will remember most of their actions while infected. Some may also have stomach contents which are no longer safe for human consumption.

templates for alignment?