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Rot Stages

“The Progression of Corruption”

The Four Stages of Rot Corruption The Four Stages of Rot Corruption

Stage 0: Uninfected

Status: Normal, healthy

Risk: Exposed to infection vectors

Action: Prevention (avoid exposure)

Stage 1: Early Infection

Duration

Typical: 1-5 years before Stage 2

Variable: Depends on individual resistance, exposure, psychological state

Physical Symptoms

Psychological Symptoms

Consciousness

Fully Intact: All mental faculties normal

Functionality

Minimal Impairment: Can work, socialize, live normally (with precautions)

Treatment Options

Kael’s Compound Theta-7: Can arrest progression - Requires continuous dosing - Expensive/unavailable for most - Ethical sourcing issues

Social Response

Exile: Most settlements expel Stage 1 infected Exceptions: Murky Chasm, Weeping Halls accept them

Examples

Stage 2: Moderate Corruption

Duration

Typical: 6 months to 2 years before Stage 3

Accelerating: Faster than Stage 1

Physical Symptoms

Psychological Symptoms

Consciousness

Intact But Strained: Self-awareness remains, but changing

Question: Is this still “them” or Voice influencing?

Functionality

Impaired: Difficult to pass as normal - Social interaction awkward - Physical changes obvious - Employment impossible (most places)

Treatment Options

None Effective: Theta-7 doesn’t work on Stage 2

Acceptance: Morrigan’s path only real option

Social Response

Kill or Exile: Even tolerant places nervous

Weeping Halls: Only real refuge

Examples

Stage 3: Advanced Corruption

Duration

Variable: Months to years (or arrested here?)

Question: Can progression stop at Stage 3?

Physical Symptoms

Psychological Symptoms

Consciousness

Questionable: - Morrigan Claims: Fully preserved, just transformed - Orthodox View: Lost, Voice puppeting memories - Evidence: Stage 3 individuals articulate, remember, reason - But: Thought patterns alien enough that “consciousness” ambiguous

Functionality

Non-Human: Can’t integrate into society

Capabilities: Enhanced (stronger, tougher, don’t tire)

Treatment Options

None: Irreversible (medically)

Acceptance: Morrigan’s community only option

Social Response

Execution: Most places kill on sight

Weeping Halls: Only sanctuary

Examples

Stage 4: Full Transformation (Rot-Beast)

Duration

Permanent: No return

Physical Symptoms

Psychological Symptoms

Consciousness Lost (apparently): - No speech - Hostile behavior - Coordinated attacks (Voice-directed?) - No recognition of former life - Bestial

Functionality

Monster: Threat to all uninfected

Behavior

Treatment Options

Elimination: Only option

Social Response

Kill Immediately: Universal response

Question

Is Consciousness Truly Gone? - No communication - Hostile always - But: Coordination suggests thought - Maybe: Consciousness transformed beyond recognition - Maybe: Voice complete control - Maybe: Suffering inside (horrifying)

Atypical Progressions

Arrested Development

Possibility: Some Stage 3 stable (years without Stage 4)

Examples: Brother Thane, some Weeping Halls residents

Mechanism: Unknown (acceptance? Theta-7? Natural resistance?)

Rapid Progression

Occurrence: Rare, Stage 1 to 4 in months

Cause: Intense exposure, despair, unknown factors

Outcome: Usually death

Conscious Rot-Beasts?

Rumor: Stage 4 that retain consciousness

Evidence: None verified

Terrifying: If true, trapped in monster body

Transition Triggers

What Accelerates Progression? - Despair (psychological state matters) - Continued exposure (cumulative effect) - Trauma (physical/psychological) - Giving up resistance (Voice wins)

What Slows It? - Hope (genuinely seems to help) - Community (Weeping Halls effect) - Compound Theta-7 (Stage 1 only) - Resistance (willpower matters)

Kael’s Research Notes

Chemical Markers: Each stage has distinct signature

Predictability: Can predict transition (weeks advance notice)

Intervention Window: Stage 1 only

Stage 2-3 Mystery: Why do some arrest?

Stage 4 Inevitability: Barring exceptions, everyone reaches it

Sister Morrigan’s Alternative View

Stage 1: Beginning transformation (accept it)

Stage 2: Deep transformation (embrace it)

Stage 3: Advanced form (new existence)

Stage 4: Complete transformation (consciousness persists, just unrecognizable to outsiders)

Orthodox Response: Heresy

But: No way to disprove (can’t verify consciousness from outside)

Islands by Corruption Level

Environmental Corruption Stages

Individual corruption (human) differs from environmental corruption (islands). Islands progress through similar stages but on vastly longer timescales.

Clean Islands (No Visible Rot)

Characteristics: - No black veining in rock - Normal vegetation - Clean water sources - Safe for habitation - No Rot-Beast presence

Time Remaining: Indefinite (if isolated from spread)

Examples: - Skyport Eos - Ironhold - Windmere Farms - Thornvale - Constellation’s Reach - Stormwatch - Storm-Sailor vessels (mobile) - Highfall - Throne of Stars

Status: Majority of inhabited islands (for now)

Threat: Southern drift bringing them closer to Murk

Touched Islands (Early Rot, 10-20 Years Remaining)

Characteristics: - Minor black veining visible - Some vegetation corrupted - Water sources tainted (treatable) - Habitable with precautions - Occasional Rot-Beast sightings

Time Remaining: 10-20 years before uninhabitable

Examples: - Glimmering Spire - Outer Bright Reaches islands (12 known) - Several farming settlements (declining)

Status: Population declining (refugees fleeing)

Response: Some attempt to save, most evacuate

Corrupted Islands (Mid-Rot, 5-10 Years Remaining)

Characteristics: - Extensive black veining - Most vegetation corrupted or dead - Water sources unsafe - Dangerous to inhabit - Rot-Beast common

Time Remaining: 5-10 years before Hollow stage

Examples: - Edges of The Murk (20+ islands) - Murky Chasm (fragments) - Former settlements (abandoned)

Status: Mostly abandoned, some desperate/criminal populations

Response: Avoid unless necessary

Hollow Islands (Late Rot, 1-5 Years Remaining)

Characteristics: - Massive corruption throughout - All vegetation corrupted - Water sources toxic - Uninhabitable - Rot-Beast swarms - Rock itself transforming

Time Remaining: 1-5 years before dissolution

Examples: - The Hollow (former Luminara) - Deep Murk islands (15+ islands) - Former major settlements (lost)

Status: Completely abandoned, extremely dangerous

Response: Avoid absolutely

Consumed Islands (Dissolved)

Characteristics: - Island dissolved into Aether - Nothing remains - Corruption disperses or concentrates elsewhere

Examples: - Windcrest (The Silence, 234 S.) - Clearwater (The Silence, 274 S.) - 50+ other former islands (documented) - Unknown number (undocumented)

Status: Gone forever

Impact: Population loss, refugee crises, territory shrinkage

Rot Acceleration Timeline

Historical Progression (Islands Lost Per Year)

The rate at which islands succumb to Rot has been accelerating since the first outbreak around 20 S.

Period Islands Lost/Year Notes
0-50 S. 0.5 First outbreak: 20 S., slow initial spread
50-150 S. 1 Slow but steady spread, manageable
150-250 S. 2 Accelerating, concern growing
250-287 S. 5 Current rate, alarming acceleration

Total Islands Lost: Approximately 400-500 islands since 20 S. (267 years)

Current Rate: 5 islands per year (average, last 37 years)

Trend: Exponential acceleration

Projection Models

Conservative Estimate (Alchemist Kael Greythorn): - Current rate continues: 20-30 years until Bright Reaches significantly corrupted - 50-100 years until most habitable islands lost - Assumes rate doesn’t accelerate further

Pessimistic Estimate (Bishop Ardent Vael’s suppressed data): - Rate continues accelerating: 10-20 years until Bright Reaches threatened - 30-50 years until civilization collapse - Based on exponential growth model

Optimistic Estimate (Constellation Clergy public position): - Divine intervention will halt spread - Humanity will find cure - 100+ years of habitable space remaining - Based on faith, not data

Reality: Unknown, but acceleration is undeniable

Regional Impact Timeline

The Murk (Current): - Already heavily corrupted - Expanding northward - Consuming ~5 islands/year - Will reach Bright Reaches edge in 10-20 years

Bright Reaches (10-30 years): - Currently clean - Southern islands showing first signs - Glimmering Spire already Touched - Major settlements (Eos, Ironhold) safe for now

Howling Expanse (Unknown): - Western region, separate from Murk spread - Storms may slow corruption - Storm-Sailors report no significant Rot - May be refuge if Bright Reaches falls

Veiled Heights (50+ years): - Highest islands, furthest from Murk - Altitude may provide protection - Highfall, Throne of Stars likely safe longest - Last refuge?

Factors Affecting Acceleration

Why Is It Accelerating?

Theories: 1. Exponential Growth: Natural progression of any spreading phenomenon 2. Critical Mass: Enough corrupted islands to spread faster 3. Voice Beneath Strengthening: Entity gaining power 4. Divine Abandonment: Constellations no longer resisting 5. Unknown Catalyst: Something changed around 250 S.

Evidence: All theories have some support, none proven

Consensus: Acceleration is real, cause unknown

Quest Hooks

  1. The Diagnosis: Determine someone’s stage
  2. The Treatment: Acquire Theta-7 for Stage 1 infected
  3. The Question: Is Stage 3 conscious? Investigate
  4. The Transition: Witness progression (how respond?)
  5. The Arrest: Why did this person’s corruption stop?
  6. The Rot-Beast: Former friend now Stage 4 (mercy kill? Save?)
  7. The Research: Help Kael study stages
  8. The Acceptance: Help Stage 2 reach Weeping Halls

“Stage 1: You fight. Stage 2: You struggle. Stage 3: You question who ‘you’ are. Stage 4: The question ends.” — Kael’s clinical assessment

“They describe stages as deterioration. I describe them as metamorphosis. Same process, different interpretation.” — Sister Morrigan