INFECTIONS

The simplest of infections that attacks the brain of a wolf. The first sign is increased thirst. The wolf will start drinking more and more till eventually it's body releases it in the form of extra saliva. Soon after that, the wolf will find it difficult to pronounce certain words or make simple sounds and a sense of confusion will follow. Because of the confusion, he won't know if he's hungry or not and severe weight loss with ensue. It is best, at this point, to help your loved one eat. This Infection wears off after awhile. You wouldn't want him or her to starve before that. This will continue for a few weeks till they will finally loose all ability to walk, let along stand. Large tufts of fur will begin to fall out and a sort of insanity will be shown. Eyes will roll around, he or she will attempt to bite anyone who gets close to them and often times, they can be seen tearing into their own flesh. Luckily, this only lasts twelve hours. After the twelve hours, the wolf will succumb to a coma like sleep and, once he or she wakes up, they will be back to normal. The time spent in coma's depends on the wolf. No one can say when a wolf will wake up.

-- Because it wears off, there is no known cure.

This Infection can turn two different ways. In the less violent of ways, you will begin to notice a lack of hearing and a lack of awareness. Everything around them will become surreal and they will begin to see themselves on another dimension. They are called Ghost Walkers because it is often times they can see and talk with those close to them who have passed away. It is entirely made up in their heads but many wolves will see this as a spiritual journey. Normally it's the wolf who must bring themselves out of it. Many shamans believe that speaking directly to the Infected wolf you can "jump" into their fantasy and bring them back with your words but it has never been put to practice. Most wolves with this form of the Infection come back on their own. The violent side of this Infection starts the same way, the wolf will show a lack of awareness. But then it gets twisted. Instead of seeing the "ghosts" of those who had passed, the wolf will see sides of him or herself, sides that can range from evil and sadistic to sensitive and cowardly. Each of these "sides" of the wolf's personality will continue to beat away at the mind of the wolf till he's left screaming at random things or crying out in pain. Remember, this is all in their head. No actual physical harm is being done. But it can be hard on those forced to watch this. Not many wolves come out of this side of the Infection on their own. Certain herbs from your shaman should help clear it up.

-- This Infection can be cured by simply putting lemon verbena and sweet myrtle together in a strong concoction and letting it dry in the sun. Apply in small doses! Large doses could make the Infection worse!

It starts out as a fever which will force the wolf to sleep long hours just to relieve the pain. Eventually their mouth and throat will become parched and talking becomes hard to do. The tongue of the wolf will begin to swell, making it harder and harder to talk, eat and breath. If untreated right away, the tongue will continue to swell till it splits in two, making what gives this Infection its name, Serpent's Tongue. Massive blood loss will ensue. You can stop the bleeding with the right herbs but the tongue will never grow back. The wolf would be unable to talk because of this splitting.

It's first noticed during a meal. The wolf will devour his meal as if he's never going to have another then the increased hunger starts. Often times, the wolf will hide this particular obsession, sneaking off in the night to kill. Soon the blood of it's own kills won't be enough. You will begin to find wounds on the wolf where they have literally eaten their own flesh to satisfy the blood craze. It has been known for a wolf to loose whole limbs to this Infection before given the cure. The wolf will continue to devour themselves until they perish.

-- Cured by eating sweet myrtle. Please wait a week for Infection to be completely gone.

It will start with a high temperature. A wolf will appear hotter than normal but will not notice it themselves. They will complain of pain when they eat and you will come to find that their tongue and esophagus will be covered in bright red blisters. Soon, these blisters will radiate out and appear on the skin of the wolf. When opened, these blisters will produce an acid like substance that burns anyone it touches. All wolves who get acidum maculis will loose their fur around their spots and often times, will become hostile and violent to keep others from touching the blisters. They will swell in size to resemble apples and become so painful, most are forced to open them just to ease the pain. Most wolves at this point die because of the acid but if given the cure before the spots are too big, they will be fine. During the time of the Great War, wolves with acidum maculis used their spots to hurt their enemies, waiting until battle to break them open and burn those around them.

-- Effects are smothered by eating kukui nut oil. A wolf must continue to eat kukui nut oil for the rest of his or her life to keep the effects at bay

It starts as a horrible smell, the smell of something rotting. You won't know what wolf it is until you notice the one not eating at meals. They become quiet and outcast and will take many hours out of the day to sleep. As the weeks go by, the wolf's skin will grow thin and taut, the bones showing from beneath. Large holes will appear in the wolf's skin, allowing the skeleton beneath to show through. It usually starts at the rib cage and the tip of the ears and tail, followed by the feet and legs and lastly, the head. There have been some wolves known to survive a few short weeks in just their skeleton but it's rare. More often than not, osseus putrescat, eats away at a wolf's body then stops, leaving them with certain parts of their skeleton showing. A great warrior in the Great War, was said to have worn the skull of a deer into battle to hide his mutilated face and wore the skin of a mountain line to hide the deterioration of his back and sides. Often times, wolves who get this Infection, are cast out and become unstable outcasts.

-- No known cure.

This Infection is rare among the Clans. The first thing that happens is the mind of the wolf begins to twist, becoming much more dark and malicious. They will find humor in those that are hurt and, often times, will cause the harm themselves. They start to shed in mass quantities, causing them to become as naked as a pig. Their spine will twist and break, leaving them with a hunch backed and sometimes, wolves tend to loose their tail. Their veins will turn blue then black, pulsing beneath their skin like snakes. Their eyes will turn red and they will start consuming their own kind. There are prophecies that when this Infection starts becoming wide spread, the doorway will open once more, releasing the armies of the Demons who have come for their new recruits. The wolf that once was will die in the mind of this twisted Infection. These wolves are extremely dangerous and it is suggested that these wolves be killed before they have a chance to complete they are completely lost to the transfer.

-- No known cure.