Sphinx Pox

[Jubal_Barca]

OK, there's been a bunch of speculation on this and I feel it warrants a thread.

Is the sphinx pox going to turn out to actually have: a major effect, a minor effect, or no effect?

Personally I'm leaning to one of the latter - it's been mentioned once, wasn't foreshadowed particularly, and wasn't introduced in such a way as to set it up as a credible threat - it was used for a joke more than anything. Mechanically, however, it's unclear how the characters will know they've got it in order to cure it, and it does appear to be a serious illness.


My current thoughts are that we'll get Hel's defeat end-punchline being something like:

Hel: "Ah, but there is still the Sphinx Pox to get my revenge!"
Durkon: "Cure disease."

(But probably funnier)

Anyone got any good arguments for the possibility that it's going to play a bigger role?

[RatElemental]

If any of the order made their saving throw they straight up don't have it. If any do have it then after the incubation period (which is longer than the comic is likely to run), then they take damage after that and every day thereafter must make a fortitude save to avoid repeated damage. If they make two of those in a row, they're cured.

However, if under the care of a character making heal checks, the character can use the result of the heal check in place of their saving throw if it's higher, and the infected character will continue to heal ability score damage every day even while the disease is in progress.

This is of course assuming they aren't cured of the disease before then, either deliberately or by accident. A few high level healing spells (such as heal) will cure a disease along with a whole host of other effects. If cast to treat the ability damage the disease likely inflicts, Durkon (or whatever cleric does it) could conceivably cure the disease without ever even knowing it was the cause of the damage they were dealing with in the first place.

[Jubal_Barca]

It's more the crew of the Mechane that I'd worry about rather than the heroes, I think. Also, if the whole crew were to start having their brains bleed out at once (from Hel's description it sounds like a pretty fast-killing disease with madness as an earlier effect), would a single cleric be able to cast fast enough (aka does Durkon likely have a mass version of Heal, or enough spell slots of sufficient level to prepare it 10-15 times in a single day)?

[Mightymosy]

The entire "dwarves go to hell unless they died honorably" thing seemed to be a throwaway joke at first, so if anything that speaks for the Sphinx Pox to actually be important.

Are Sphinx Pox a D&D thing or did Rich invent them for OotS?

[The MunchKING]

OOTS Special as far as I know...

[Fish]

It's probably something to prevent the OOTS from having access to a room full of high-level clerics they can team up with to face Xykon. The clerics must disperse to all the places in the North and cast cure disease everywhere.

[Kashem]

I never thought of the Sphinx pox as a legitimate plot point. It was just a side joke, it's just that it ended up leaving open a plot point, because it defined a condition of the characters.

Theoretically, Durkon should not have it anymore after he is resurrected, since he will have died. I could totally see Thor mentioning it in an offhand way like, "Hey, you should mass heal your group when you are alive again. They're all infected. Maybe follow up with a couple of Cure Disease shots."

But no, it was not a serious thing. Though it would be insanely funny to have all of the dwarves break out in Pox in a few weeks and die and end up in Hel's domain anyway, as a plot it is far too much "Raiders of the Lost Ark" where the protagonists don't really have an effect on the story, and the whole rest of the plot was pointless.

The Giant is a better writer than that.

[Particle_Man]

If Mr. Scruffy dies and Belkar finds out who caused it we will see if a mortal can kill a god.

[denthor]

If Mr. Scruffy dies and Belkar finds out who caused it we will see if a mortal can kill a god.

But will sharpen his daggers first or leave them dull?

[Synesthesy]

If Mr. Scruffy dies and Belkar finds out who caused it we will see that a mortal can kill a god.

Corrected for you :)

[brian 333]

If Mr. Scruffy dies and Belkar finds out who caused it we will see if a mortal can kill a god.

If Mr. Scruffy dies he will be instantly revived because cats get eight free raises. There's a song about it somewhere, (https://youtu.be/ltlPINPn8UU) but the cruelty to animals lobby has made it illegal.

[KorvinStarmast]

Corrected for you :) Given that he's the sexy shoeless god of war, might it be that versus Hel, it's God vs God? :smallcool:

[CJG]

Can disease’s jump that easily amongst species in D&D? IRL viruses that can infect a cat are rarely a problem for humans

[KorvinStarmast]

Can disease’s jump that easily amongst species in D&D? IRL viruses that can infect a cat are rarely a problem for humans Nothing says they can't, so I'd offer that the risk is present generally, and as Hel observes, for sure in OoTSland.

[The MunchKING]

Can disease’s jump that easily amongst species in D&D? IRL viruses that can infect a cat are rarely a problem for humans

Maybe it wouldn't bother the cat, but it can still infect people. Like the Rats with Black Death in the real world.

[CJG]

Nothing says they can't, so I'd offer that the risk is present generally, and as Hel observes, for sure in OoTSland.
That’s a fair point. I don’t actually expect the game/comic to work like life, but it still would be kinda funny to me if the disease fizzles out because it only affects cats.


Maybe it wouldn't bother the cat, but it can still infect people. Like the Rats with Black Death in the real world. The reason why it stood out was the word “pox”, it tends to be used to describe viral diseases (think chickenpox; smallpox) instead of the more easily spreadable bacterial infections (plague). Vector jumping isn’t unheard of (remember the avian/pig flus?) but it’s not so common.

I’m making a lot of assumptions though, and I admit it’s more to have fun with the idea than thinking it a serious plot twist.

[Goblin_Priest]

I never thought of the Sphinx pox as a legitimate plot point. It was just a side joke, it's just that it ended up leaving open a plot point, because it defined a condition of the characters.

Theoretically, Durkon should not have it anymore after he is resurrected, since he will have died. I could totally see Thor mentioning it in an offhand way like, "Hey, you should mass heal your group when you are alive again. They're all infected. Maybe follow up with a couple of Cure Disease shots."

But no, it was not a serious thing. Though it would be insanely funny to have all of the dwarves break out in Pox in a few weeks and die and end up in Hel's domain anyway, as a plot it is far too much "Raiders of the Lost Ark" where the protagonists don't really have an effect on the story, and the whole rest of the plot was pointless.

The Giant is a better writer than that.

Same. I mean, who knows, but it's a made-up disease with no possible short term impact, nor any impact at all before well after the end of the planned timeline.

[Mightymosy]

That’s a fair point. I don’t actually expect the game/comic to work like life, but it still would be kinda funny to me if the disease fizzles out because it only affects cats.

The reason why it stood out was the word “pox”, it tends to be used to describe viral diseases (think chickenpox; smallpox) instead of the more easily spreadable bacterial infections (plague). Vector jumping isn’t unheard of (remember the avian/pig flus?) but it’s not so common.

I’m making a lot of assumptions though, and I admit it’s more to have fun with the idea than thinking it a serious plot twist.

Since when are bacteria more easily spreadable than viruses?:smallwink:

[brian 333]

Since when are bacteria more easily spreadable than viruses?:smallwink:

Tuberculosis. Typhus. Syphilus. Cholera. Ebola. Yellow Fever. Malaria.

The list of highly infectious bacterial diseases is very long. As to whether they are more easily spreadable is debateable; both viruses and bacteria have proven extremely contagious.

[CJG]

Since when are bacteria more easily spreadable than viruses?:smallwink:
Only between species! Though one could make an argument for cowpox!

[Mightymosy]

Quote( brian33) - for whatever reason it doesn't work on phone:
"Tuberculosis. Typhus. Syphilus. Cholera. Ebola. Yellow Fever. Malaria.

The list of highly infectious bacterial diseases is very long. As to whether they are more easily spreadable is debateable; both viruses and bacteria have proven extremely contagious."

Indeed the list of bacterial infections is long.
Your list is TOO long, though ;-)
Let me tell you:
Tuberculosis: Yes, this one is bacterial, and transmittable via aerosol. Less contagious than one might think, and a lot less deadly than one might think. But still. Full points here.
Typhus: Yes, also bacteria. Only really transmittable by fecal oral route, but I give credit for it being one of the most contagious BACTERIAL gastrointestinal infections.
Syphilus: Also called Syphilis, is one of the WORST transmittable infectious diseases EVER. Basically you can ONLY get it sex or direct inheritance in your mother's womb or during birth. So, yes, bacterial infection, but not very contagious at all if you ask me.
Cholera: This one, ok. Counts. Like Typhus, you basically need to swallow quite some bacteria (i.e. no transmission via air), but at least it's bacterial and somewhat contagious.
Ebola: Now this is the number one agens people probably think of when they hear "DANGEROUS AND HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE". It is the basis for the Outbreak movie (or the Marburg virus, for those who care). You know why it is so freaking contagious? Because it is A VIRUS. Oh, and to stay on topic, it infected people who were doing animal experinents with apes. In other words, came from a different species. Well, suits them right, right??
Yellow Fever: Another virus. Oh, and you will usually get infected by insect bite, and the insects collect the virus from animals.
Malaria: This one is neither a bacterium nor a virus, but a parasite. Also, it is being transmitted by insects.

Now if you want REALLY infectious, deadly infectious agents that ALSO infect different species, please look up
Influenza Virus
on Wikipedia.
For everyone who is two lazy, two words:
Bird Flu.
Or two more:
Swine Flu ;-)

For bonus points: RotaVIRUS.
It infects and probably kills more humans than the mentioned Tuberculosis, Typhus, Syphilis and Cholera together, but for this you might have to look up WHO data ;-)

Bonus bonus section: Google up how the vaccination was invented. It is an interesting story, shocking for our modern eyes, and it contains both the Pox (although not Sphinx variety) and something about different species. But I don't want to spoil more ;-)

[Particle_Man]

I wonder if spouting riddles is a way to transmit the virus and solving them a way to cure it. But then I don't know how Mr. Scruffy would be able to spread the virus to anyone that can't speak with animals. And the Mercanites are already infected so likely not that. Never mind. :smallbiggrin:

[Eric 541]

I never thought of the Sphinx pox as a legitimate plot point. It was just a side joke.

You're probably correct about the pox, but I just flashed back to the Belt of Gender Changing, lol

[Particle_Man]

I wonder if the Linear Guild's kobold's missile attack on Mr. Scruffy was the vector for the Sphinx Pox? Or is my timing off?

[denthor]

I am more interested in the rhyming aspect of the disease

[martianmister]

Andi was right about how dangerous OotS was for the crew.

[Snails]

Andi was right about how dangerous OotS was for the crew.

Sure. But their usual captain was a man who purposefully tangled with Tarquin on multiple occasions, which is the kind of hobby that gets you liquified or worse. The Order is not actually looking for trouble with that ship, but they are not backing down from the quest either, when trouble comes looking for them.

[Kish]

Saying that the Order was dangerous to the Mechane crew relies on taking the extreme short-term view. If the world is destroyed all the crew die. That the world would end if the Order didn't get there in time to stop Greg is something that had been explained to them. That at least one of them gave an "oh, whatever" response to this reflects badly on him.

[denthor]

Comic 1081. Is when it is mentioned. 5 weeks to start.

They left the desert in comic 945

Assume that contraction of the disease happened before 898.

How much time has pasted?

[Rrmcklin]

Comic 1081. Is when it is mentioned. 5 weeks to start.

They left the desert in comic 945

Assume that contraction of the disease happened before 898.

How much time has pasted?

About a week, apparently.

[Mike Havran]

I wonder if the Linear Guild's kobold's missile attack on Mr. Scruffy was the vector for the Sphinx Pox? Or is my timing off? The Order encountered a sphinx with pox marks on the face on their route from Sandsedge, in one of the bonus strips in book 5.

[The MunchKING]

I thought that was acne...

[AceOfFools]

The reason why it stood out was the word “pox”, it tends to be used to describe viral diseases (think chickenpox; smallpox) instead of the more easily spreadable bacterial infections (plague)...

"Pox" is a very old term for the skin blemishes that come from those diseases. Its like how fever is genetally a symptom of scarlet fever. The term is still used today, but modern medicine and hygiene has dramatically reduced the incidence of most poxes, so it's now an uncommon word to hear.

When I say "pox" is old, I mean it predates germ theory by a fair bit, so (unless medicine has redefined the term) even certain bad environmental rashes that aren't technically even infections at all could be described as a pox.

Bonus linguistic nerd fact, "pockmarked" comes from a description of skin scarred by pox, particularly poorly treated (e.g. badly scratched) pox. The result was skin with a large number of permanent dimples. These days your more likely to see pockmarked sidewalks than faces, at least in the developed world.

Etymology is fun.

[CJG]

"Pox" is a very old term for the skin blemishes that come from those diseases. Its like how fever is genetally a symptom of scarlet fever. The term is still used today, but modern medicine and hygiene has dramatically reduced the incidence of most poxes, so it's now an uncommon word to hear.

When I say "pox" is old, I mean it predates germ theory by a fair bit, so (unless medicine has redefined the term) even certain bad environmental rashes that aren't technically even infections at all could be described as a pox.

Bonus linguistic nerd fact, "pockmarked" comes from a description of skin scarred by pox, particularly poorly treated (e.g. badly scratched) pox. The result was skin with a large number of permanent dimples. These days your more likely to see pockmarked sidewalks than faces, at least in the developed world.

Etymology is fun.
Awesome! I also bear a few poc-marks myself! I missed the chickenpox vaccine by about 5 years, and I had a nasty case (landed me in the hospital) so I have a few to show off to “the youngins”!