Inadvertent Sphinx Pox Apocalypse

[WindStruck]

I was reading an unrelated topic regarding a particular comic strip, then clicked to this one (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1081.html), and then sudden realization dawned upon me.

Apparently, a single cat somehow contracted a deadly disease from... who knows what or how. And it infected every other humanoid being on the mechane within a span of a few days. Or perhaps, it spread to a couple people who then spread it to some more, etc.

It's not that I think Sphinx Pox will have a huge impact on the story. For all we know, the Order will wrap up this Dwarven Council business in short order then fly on over to the last gate and have their final showdown with Xykon. The disease will probably never be an issue for the main story. My main concern is the disease's seemingly alarming rate of transmission, and what happens after.

Think about it. The one who probably spent the most time with the cat is Belkar. And I don't imagine other members of the Order or Mechane shipmates getting particularly close to either of them for long, yet the disease still spread to every other member of that crew.

For now, the Order is visiting Dwarven territories, so it seems likely that the disease will spread to any dwarf that they have any amount of prolonged contact with. And of course, from there, the disease could spread to just about every last dwarf in the kingdom before the symptoms start manifesting, and it might take them a few days to figure out what's going on. By time they do, they'll all be muddled in riddles, and there won't be nearly enough cure disease magic to save most. I think Hel could get a huge score on Dwarven souls without even realizing it.

What is even more alarming than this is that the Order almost certainly spread this disease earlier at different locations. It's unlikely that they spread the disease to Tarquin or any of his goons, but after that, they visited a gnome civilization and had prolonged contact with many of its inhabitants, having joyful brunches and visiting various temples.

After that, the Order came to the godsmoot, wherein clerics from all over the world have gathered. Imagine, if just a few of them initially contracted that disease (actually Wrecan and Veldrina almost certainly got it, along with her pet tiger), and they were forced to stay waiting for the tie breaker vote for some weeks. Probably every last one of them would have the disease too, without even realizing it, and then they'd all go back home, to their places all across the globe. This situation is probably the perfect, most catastrophic "ground zero" for the beginnings of a pandemic disease, if there ever was one.

Laugh it off, play it down as you will. But I do think Rich is an extremely brilliant writer, who could take a comic that appears to have a harmless, forgotten joke, and turn it into a serious threat.

[Quebbster]

Would Sphinx Pox be resistant to Cure Disease somehow? It might have been a problem aboard the Mechane where there was no clerics (at least not powerful ones), but in large population centers it should be manageable.
It might still matter to the story, but it could easily be a one-off joke too.

[WindStruck]

I don't think it would be resistant to the cure disease spell. But I do think that its long incubation period and seemingly high contagiousness mean that there won't be nearly enough clerics and paladins to cure everyone.

They'll all get infected and spread it around more before even realizing they have it, and that is the biggest challenge.

[Fyraltari]

Hel used her powers to ensure that everybody on the ship got the disease. This she ahs altered either
1) The disease itself,
2)The immune system of the people on the ship,
3)Both.

Since she was unable to speed up the incubation phase it seems like she can't modify the disease itself.
so it was most likely B, which I guess would manifest as an autofail on whatever saving throw is used when you are in contact with an infected person. As such I am confident that Sphinx pox won't be as infectious to the people who were not on the Mechane.

[Bogardan_Mage]

Note that Hel says "Thanks to my unholy power", which I take to mean that everyone on the ship becoming infected not as a natural outcome of the disease but rather by Hel interfering as goddess of disease. [ETA: I've been beaten to this observation while I was researching the time hints for the following]

But you've got me thinking about that five week incubation period. How much do we know about how much time has passed since the end of Don't Split the Party when Belkar had seven weeks to live (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html)? The Order spent three days in the Empire of Blood waiting for Tarquin to tell them what he knew about the Draketooths, and another day to rescue V from the Semi-Elemental Plane of Ranch Dressing. Then they spent one day in Tinkertown and I think that's been it so far? So there is enough time for the Sphinx pox to kill Belkar on schedule. It might not, of course, and this theory wouldn't explain how others (at least Elan, for his happy ending) survive (if it is Cure Disease why not cure Belkar?) But I think the timing checks out.

[Fyraltari]

Note that Hel says "Thanks to my unholy power", which I take to mean that everyone on the ship becoming infected not as a natural outcome of the disease but rather by Hel interfering as goddess of disease. [ETA: I've been beaten to this observation while I was researching the time hints for the following]

But you've got me thinking about that five week incubation period. How much do we know about how much time has passed since the end of Don't Split the Party when Belkar had seven weeks to live (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html)? The Order spent three days in the Empire of Blood waiting for Tarquin to tell them what he knew about the Draketooths, and another day to rescue V from the Semi-Elemental Plane of Ranch Dressing. Then they spent one day in Tinkertown and I think that's been it so far? So there is enough time for the Sphinx pox to kill Belkar on schedule. It might not, of course, and this theory wouldn't explain how others (at least Elan, for his happy ending) survive (if it is Cure Disease why not cure Belkar?) But I think the timing checks out.

They spent two days with Tarquin, Nale showing up made him agree to give them info early. And Durkon was vampirized for around six days. Also it took them some time to get from the ships to the fake coordinates point to Bleedingham. I think the disease is set for after Belkar's death.

[Keltest]

Along with what the others have mentioned above, I highly, highly doubt that this story is going to end "And then the Dwarven Kingdom was devastated by Sphinx Pox, killing untold thousands until the plague was contained, allowing Hel to rise as the queen of the Northern Pantheon anyway."

[Squire Doodad]

It's more likely that if Hel has brief cutaway to her, then she will probably bring up Sphinx Pox...just in time for someone to say "and we've gone ahead and cast cure disease on everyone, just in case!"

[Bohandas]

For now, the Order is visiting Dwarven territories, so it seems likely that the disease will spread to any dwarf that they have any amount of prolonged contact with. And of course, from there, the disease could spread to just about every last dwarf in the kingdom before the symptoms start manifesting, and it might take them a few days to figure out what's going on. By time they do, they'll all be muddled in riddles, and there won't be nearly enough cure disease magic to save most. I think Hel could get a huge score on Dwarven souls without even realizing it.

If it comes down to that they can always use Eugene's plan and charge a dragon or start a quick civil war

[WindStruck]

"Thanks to my unholy power" could be interpreted in a lot of ways. I'm thinking that she can enhance the success rate that it spreads. Given the couple weeks the ship crew all spent on board with Belkar and his cat, that turns into just about a guarantee. But:

1) Note that at the end of the strip, apparently Hel can't alter the disease that much anyway.
2) People and animals can naturally contract the disease anyway. Otherwise, how did Mr. Scruffy get it in the first place?

I doubt that the story ends with the whole world dying to Sphinx Pox, but I just think that it will go from "haha funny one liner joke!" to "oh wow, this is something that needs to be dealt with!"

[Schroeswald]

"Thanks to my unholy power" could be interpreted in a lot of ways. I'm thinking that she can enhance the success rate that it spreads. Given the couple weeks the ship crew all spent on board with Belkar and his cat, that turns into just about a guarantee. But:

1) Note that at the end of the strip, apparently Hel can't alter the disease that much anyway.
2) People and animals can naturally contract the disease anyway. Otherwise, how did Mr. Scruffy get it in the first place?

I doubt that the story ends with the whole world dying to Sphinx Pox, but I just think that it will go from "haha funny one liner joke!" to "oh wow, this is something that needs to be dealt with!"

I think it will be mentioned at some point in the next ten years (because OOTS will probably be over by then), but it will only be as brick joke of sorts, nothing serious.

[Fish]

I think it will come down to “Cure Disease.”

Hel will threaten not to grant that spell to a priest of Thor, but Thor (or Loki) reminds her of the domain agreement. Hel boasts that she’s going to do it anyway, but they tell her what Durkula said to Durkon: “Frankly, you’re just not that important.”

[The Pilgrim]

"Remove Disease" is still a 3rd level Cleric Spell, that any cleric of level 5 or beyond can cast.

Also, since Hel's unholy power was involved in it's rapid spread, it makes sense that Thor might have already eliminated while Hel was busy following the infiltration of her vampires in Firmament.

[Vinyadan]

Am I the only one to think that

they got sphinx pox from that sphinx with pox at the counter? I thought it was acne, but now I'm not so sure.

[hamishspence]

It was brought up not too long after the book came out - in this post from mid-2018:


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.

[Schroeswald]

It was brought up not too long after the book came out - in this post from mid-2018:




Was Mr. Scruffy at all nearby then?

[hamishspence]

Was Mr. Scruffy at all nearby then?

Depends how you define nearby:

he wasn't, as far as we know, in the same room with the sphinx - only Haley, Elan, and Vaasuvius were. But he was in the vicinity of the little building the sphinx was in - everybody was.

[Schroeswald]

Depends how you define nearby:

he wasn't, as far as we know, in the same room with the sphinx - only Haley, Elan, and Vaasuvius were. But he was in the vicinity of the little building the sphinx was in - everybody was.

Not nearby enough to reasonably get any disease from him, so not nearby (in this situation).

[hamishspence]

A possible way:

Sphinx fleas hopped to one of the three who were mere feet away from the sphinx, then hopped off the person and onto Mr Scruffy shortly after the party were reunited.

[HeraldOfExius]

Given that Hel attributes the mass infection to her unholy power, maybe she gave Durkula some sort of spell to make it spread more while he was still on the ship?

[Squire Doodad]

Given that Hel attributes the mass infection to her unholy power, maybe she gave Durkula some sort of spell to make it spread more while he was still on the ship?

I guess, though I don't see why Durkula would risk his ride in the event that everything goes wrong.

[CriticalFailure]

Am I the only one to think that

they got sphinx pox from that sphinx with pox at the counter? I thought it was acne, but now I'm not so sure.

I went back and reread that part... A reminder why V is one of my favorite characters.

[Bohandas]

Am I the only one to think that

they got sphinx pox from that sphinx with pox at the counter? I thought it was acne, but now I'm not so sure.

Which strip was that?

[The MunchKING]

"Remove Disease" is still a 3rd level Cleric Spell, that any cleric of level 5 or beyond can cast.

Also, since Hel's unholy power was involved in it's rapid spread, it makes sense that Thor might have already eliminated while Hel was busy following the infiltration of her vampires in Firmament.

Thor's power is Storms and Thunder/Lighting. He's not the super healer guy.

[Vinyadan]

Which strip was that?

687a in the book.

[JohanOfKitten]

I think that Rich choose the cat as a vector of contagion for a feline monster is somewhat significant.

Maybe the sphinx pox is a feline disease that can spread among all feline races (even if the main race dealing with this disease is the sphinx).
The disease can be transmitted from feline to human, but is not able to transmit from human to human.


Let's look at an equivalent disease in our world : the avian influenza due to H5N1 virus.
It's a bird flu that transmitted strongly among the birds, the poultry as well as the wild ones.

The epidemy was big among the birds, few people were infected and were mostly in prolonged exposure (workers of poultry farms).
There's a few cases of infections that are suspected to be human to human transmission, but it isn't confirmed.



So I think that the sphinx pox is a bit like that.
Transmission between feline is common and really highly possible.
Transmission feline-to-human(oid) is a risk less common, but possible, specially with prolonged exposure (like being all living on a flying boat with an infected cat)
Transmission human(oid)-to-human(oid) is really rare if not even possible.

Hel may have given a little push in the infection on the boat to be sure everyone is infected (giving the virus a longer life outside organism for example), but she can't really alter the whole way the disease works (like the incubation period of five weeks she had to deal with), so it's unlikely she can change the list of infectious races.

Mr Scruffy have been walking through the dwarf city (and a bit in the gnome city), but the "not-prolonged" exposure of the gnomes and dwarves make it unlikely there's a lot of contamination. Well, in the dwarf city, Hel may have pushed a bit the infection like in the flying boat, to gain a few more souls, but I don't think she was really focused on that goal at that time.

So there might be a bunch of unfortunate dwarves dying on the way, but I think we won't but close to a tragic epidemic.

[jidasfire]

I would be surprised if Sphinx Pox adds nothing at all to the story. It seems an awfully detailed and specific plot element to throw out there for it to cause no problems whatsoever for our heroes. That said, I don't think it's going to be what ends the world. I can see a few possibilities, however, including:

1. It's Hel's final card to play. Our villainous goddess has had layers upon layers of contingencies and fallback plans in this arc, but she seems to be running out of tools at this point. While it's certainly complicated by the fact that Loki is watching her at the moment, she seems wily enough that she could possibly try to activate the disease, either as a final bit of leverage or just out of spite.

2. It will come up at an inconvenient time in the future. Somewhere down the line, the Order may have to pause whatever mission they're on to save the Mechane and themselves and anyone else affected, possibly giving whatever villains they're facing some extra time or something similar.

3. It could be widely cured, but someone (possibly Belkar) slips through the cracks and dies of it. I don't consider this mutually exclusive with my theory #2, so both could possibly be the case.

[Squire Doodad]

I would be surprised if Sphinx Pox adds nothing at all to the story. It seems an awfully detailed and specific plot element to throw out there for it to cause no problems whatsoever for our heroes.

You might be overthinking this a bit. It seems like its a one-off joke that doesn't actually set up anything. If anything, it's poking fun at how inept Hel actually is in comparison to how powerful she feels she is.

[D.One]

For all that's been said here, it's clear that the riddle of Sphinx Pox has not been deciphered yet...

[Crusher]

Its a pending apoxalypse!

[Squire Doodad]

Its a pending apoxalypse!

Not this again, these puns make me sick

[Crusher]

Not this again, these puns make me sick

A pox upon these puns!

[D.One]

Not this again, these puns make me sick

Then you need to improve you Punstitution Score... :smallwink: (Bad pun intended)

[Squire Doodad]

A pox upon these puns!

A plague upon thee for reusing pox! :smallbiggrin:

[CriticalFailure]

A plague upon thee for reusing pox! :smallbiggrin:

Now you're just letting this conversation fester...

[WindStruck]

You might be overthinking this a bit. It seems like its a one-off joke that doesn't actually set up anything. If anything, it's poking fun at how inept Hel actually is in comparison to how powerful she feels she is.

Yes it definitely seems like a one-off joke.

But this isn't comic strip #3. The disease is still present, it is is completely capable of doing what Hel said it would do. Albeit 5 weeks after infection.

[D.One]

Yes it definitely seems like a one-off joke.

But this isn't comic strip #3. The disease is still present, it is is completely capable of doing what Hel said it would do. Albeit 5 weeks after infection.

And don't forget that comic strip #7 seemed a one-off joke, and was referenced more than 1000 strips later...

[Schroeswald]

And don't forget that comic strip #7 seemed a one-off joke, and was referenced more than 1000 strips later...

It was also mentioned 33 strips later (and then mentioned again 1000 strips later).

[Dion]

It was also mentioned 33 strips later (and then mentioned again 1000 strips later).

Also, I do believe that Elan does not, in fact, have colon cancer.

[Schroeswald]

Also, I do believe that Elan does not, in fact, have colon cancer.

You sure about that? Maybe its just a slow growing tumor that no one has noticed yet.

[Emanick]

You might be overthinking this a bit. It seems like its a one-off joke that doesn't actually set up anything. If anything, it's poking fun at how inept Hel actually is in comparison to how powerful she feels she is.

I don't think the fact that dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of people have secretly contracted a fatal disease makes any sense as a "one-off joke." The only humorous element is that it's not spreading fast enough for Hel to immediately benefit from it. But the idea that a fatal disease that all the main characters have contracted will somehow never be mentioned again is... bizarre. That would be blatantly disregarding continuity, and OOTS hasn't done that since Book 1, if ever.

[Dion]

I don't think the fact that dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of people have secretly contracted a fatal disease makes any sense as a "one-off joke.".

Mel Brooks said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.”

[Squire Doodad]

Mel Brooks said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.”

To quote the intro for the Girl Genius thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?593272-Girl-Genius-XXVI-Madness-is-the-best-possible-response): "Things happen. Usually, they happen to other people. This is entertainment."

As long as we don't know for a fact that the Sphinx Pox does kill off a tenth of the cities that the Order visits, then we can safely assume that it spreads to one or two people tops who were perfectly fine, and we can all have a good laugh about it.

[Emanick]

Mel Brooks said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.”


To quote the intro for the Girl Genius thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?593272-Girl-Genius-XXVI-Madness-is-the-best-possible-response): "Things happen. Usually, they happen to other people. This is entertainment."

As long as we don't know for a fact that the Sphinx Pox does kill off a tenth of the cities that the Order visits, then we can safely assume that it spreads to one or two people tops who were perfectly fine, and we can all have a good laugh about it.

Setting aside the fact that I don't think The Giant fully subscribes to the philosophy behind that Mel Brooks quote, when the protagonists fall into an open sewer and die - or contract Sphinx Pox and die, for that matter - it's tragedy.

Now, I don't think for a moment that they'll all die of Sphinx Pox (the only person who's at all likely to is Belkar). I do, however, think it's too substantial an event to be a one-off joke that is never mentioned again. It will have to be addressed, although it's impossible to say whether it will be done in a tragic or comedic way (or it may involve elements of both, which is my guess). To leave it unaddressed would simply be ignoring continuity, which is bad writing that I certainly don't expect from The Giant.

[Schroeswald]

Setting aside the fact that I don't think The Giant fully subscribes to the philosophy behind that Mel Brooks quote, when the protagonists fall into an open sewer and die - or contract Sphinx Pox and die, for that matter - it's tragedy.

Now, I don't think for a moment that they'll all die of Sphinx Pox (the only person who's at all likely to is Belkar). I do, however, think it's too substantial an event to be a one-off joke that is never mentioned again. It will have to be addressed, although it's impossible to say whether it will be done in a tragic or comedic way (or it may involve elements of both, which is my guess). To leave it unaddressed would simply be ignoring continuity, which is bad writing that I certainly don't expect from The Giant.

It’ll be comedic and post-climax, because “Sphinx pox falls, everyone dies” is not great, even if it only kills nameless characters.

[Squire Doodad]

It’ll be comedic and post-climax, because “Sphinx pox falls, everyone dies” is not great, even if it only kills nameless characters.

Sounds about right.
Someone mentioned "Durkon says something about cure disease but doesn't even bring up Sphinx Pox by name, cut to Hel with her scrying pool shaking her fist". That seems like the most probable scenario where it gets brought up again.

[Rollin]

I assume it's common ground that Durkon is probably not infected with Sphinx Pox, not having been alive at the time when Hel spread the disease on the Mechane. So at least he will indeed be around to perceive and react to the situation--assuming, as I think someone pointed out earlier, that he's not in the middle of something just as important.

[Emanick]

I assume it's common ground that Durkon is probably not infected with Sphinx Pox, not having been alive at the time when Hel spread the disease on the Mechane. So at least he will indeed be around to perceive and react to the situation--assuming, as I think someone pointed out earlier, that he's not in the middle of something just as important.

Assuming Mr. Scruffy is still contagious, Durkon can probably still catch the disease from him. He'll just get sick a little later than everybody else.

Then again, he's probably got a great Fortitude save, so it's possible that he'll remain healthy indefinitely.

[snowblizz]

Not this again, these puns make me sick

And if puns make you stick, you might have found my missing tube of a-poxy-glue.

[Jannoire]

And if puns make you stick, you might have found my missing tube of a-poxy-glue.

The puns are contagious

[D.One]

The puns are contagious

Everybody is afraid of the Sphinx Pox, but the should really fear the Sphinx Puns...

[Squire Doodad]

Everybody is afraid of the Sphinx Pox, but the should really fear the Sphinx Puns...

"What coughs on four legs in the morning..."

[KorvinStarmast]

"What coughs on four legs in the morning..." Whomever first turns their head.

[Squire Doodad]

Whomever first turns their head.

...in bed!

Because...they're still sick...and...okay.

[Jannoire]

...in bed!

Because...they're still sick...and...okay.

How can they be sick and okay at the same time?
Is that the new Sphinx riddle?

[D.One]

How can they be sick and okay at the same time?
Is that the new Sphinx riddle?

One of the main symptoms of Sphinx Pox is that the victims start talking in riddles only.

Sphinx Puns, its cousin-disease considered even more cruel, does the same, but the victims talk only in riddles riddled with puns...

[brian 333]

What do you call a military command related to a small-dimension piece of lumber?

[mjasghar]

Tactical withdrawal of the splinter

[The MunchKING]

What do you call a military command related to a small-dimension piece of lumber?

A Boarding Party.

[WindStruck]

What do you call a military command related to a small-dimension piece of lumber?

Abandon Shim!

[brian 333]

Damned good answers!

My solution was, 'Order of the Stick,' but I like those better.

"I have a mouth but cannot talk, I have limbs, but cannot walk. Who am I?"

[The MunchKING]

Pretty much anything from The Binding of Issac.

Man Enemies in that game are GROSS. :smallyuk:

[D.One]

Damned good answers!

My solution was, 'Order of the Stick,' but I like those better.

"I have a mouth but cannot talk, I have limbs, but cannot walk. Who am I?"

The Sarlacc? :smallconfused:

[WindStruck]

Soo... this thread was about Sphinx Pox. When did it become a riddle game?

[D.One]

Soo... this thread was about Sphinx Pox. When did it become a riddle game?

"What disease is riddled with riddles?" :smallbiggrin:

[Squire Doodad]

"What disease is riddled with riddles?" :smallbiggrin:

"What disease is asymptomatic in the morning, causes riddles in the afternoon, and brain hemorrhaging in the evening?"

[Goblin_Priest]

I don't think it would be resistant to the cure disease spell. But I do think that its long incubation period and seemingly high contagiousness mean that there won't be nearly enough clerics and paladins to cure everyone.

They'll all get infected and spread it around more before even realizing they have it, and that is the biggest challenge.

Some diseases are harder to remove than others. Mummy rot, for example. Which, given the themes, I'd kinda expect it to be based on.


Mummy Rot (Su)

Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude DC 16, incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Con and 1d6 Cha. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Unlike normal diseases, mummy rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below.

Mummy rot is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with mummy rot must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character.

To eliminate mummy rot, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the mummy rot can be magically cured as any normal disease.

An afflicted creature who dies of mummy rot shrivels away into sand and dust that blow away into nothing at the first wind.