[Diseases] Sick, sick minds...

Fractal Dementia

Spread by mental contact with infected psionic beings or by visual means mentioned below; mental contact or visual; Will DC 16; incubation 1d4 days; damage fractal dementia.

Fractal dementia is linked to the mind's need to find patterns and shapes. Almost everyone at some time has been momentarily intrigued by the shape of an object or a particularly interesting pattern. Some however are literally mesmerizing, more so to individuals of particular mental might. Their minds see more than a pattern, they view a fascinating enigma whose solution is right on the brink of being understood. Perhaps it could be solved if they just concentrated enough...
Captivated by this puzzle they no longer care for such unimportant things as drink, food or even simple comfort. For the disease causes the mind to spiral internally, seeking with infinite anticipation the end of the riddle. But there is no known end, or if there is an end, it dwells so deep that once within, it is nigh impossible to pull oneself out.

Such fractals can be crafted into any transparent or semi-transparent material, usually crystals, with the Craft Fractal Pattern feat. Those who make contact with the mind of an infected individual suddenly recieve a clear image of the fractal and must make the same saves or contract the disease as well.

Even if they make the save they become Dazed. If they fail, they become Fascinated by the pattern. An infected creature dwells upon the mystery of the pattern and it fills their thoughts so as they cannot achieve Psionic Focus or cast spells requiring concentration. Each day of their incubation period they may attempt a new save to keep from becoming enthralled and normal disease healing spells will remove the condition. If they fail every save their mind turns completely within itself and they are considered permanently helpless. Only psychic chirurgery, bend reality, reality revision, or other similiar powerful abilities can bring the subject out of themselves.

Non-psi's with an intelligence score of 12 or greater can also be affected, but if they fail they merely become Fascinated.

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Craft Fractal Pattern (Item Creation)
You may etch enscribings that enthralls intelligent beings.
Prerequisites: Int 16, psionic ability (spell-like abilities described as psionics, psi-like abilities, or psionic powers)
Benefit: You can work intricate three dimensional patterns into an object that cause the Fractal Dementia disease. Psionic beings who look upon it from within 5 feet must make an initial will save.
The save DC for the disease is equal to DC 16 + Int mod. Even if moved away and no longer in sight of the fractal the being remains infected, the image burned into their memory.

Mindsong

Spread by telepathic contact, Will DC (10 + half HD + Int or Cha modifier), incubation period one day, damage mindsong.
The mindsong is a malady picked up after telepathic discourse with an exceptionally powerful intellect, leaving a sort of psionic ringing in the mind that disrupts telepathic communication. It is also passed by telepathic contact with one suffering from this affliction, such as the telepathy special ability or mind-affecting spells and powers or similar.
The victim becomes telepathically deaf, unable to send or receive telepathic communication, nor able to use psionic powers with the mind-affecting descriptor. 1d4 days later the ringing forms into a melody lovely yet eerie beyond words that starts to play in the subject's mind. Spellcasting, or concentrating on spells requires a Concentration check (DC = original DC) and the target takes a –2 penalty on initiative, skill checks, and ability checks for the duration. This state lasts for a number of days equal to the Intelligence or Charisma modifier of the creature (whichever is highest).
It can be cured by Psychic Chirurgery, but the manifester has a chance of contacting the malady in doing so (a roll of 1 on a six sided die means it has spread to the manifester). Reality Revision can also cure the mindsong.

VT: you continue to produce levels of awesomeness that others can only hope to achieve.

Does Psychic Chirurgery run the risk of spreading Fractal Dementia? Does Mindsong allow a save if the d6 comes up a 1?

I like the first one... guess the bear that Oren Otter suggested to me and I statted out got you thinking? Like Snow Crash's little brother... the Ear Worm origins of the second are obvious to me (which isn't a bad thing).

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Originally Posted by DracoDei

Does Psychic Chirurgery run the risk of spreading Fractal Dementia?

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Yup :smallwink:

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Does Mindsong allow a save if the d6 comes up a 1?

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Yup to that to.

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I like the first one... guess the bear that Oren Otter suggested to me and I statted out got you thinking?

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Ha, actually, one of my PrC's I made a couple years back (Cold Ken) could spread this.

Those all look very interesting, although I won't go in to game balance or how exploitable they may be.
Have you ever seen the 2nd ed Ravenloft compendium III by any chance?
Near the back of the book it has a series of horrible viruses, among them the Combustion, Crystalline, Shadow, and Psionic viruses.
The combustion is my personal favorite. If they fail the save (which I'm not going to try to translate into 3.5 directly), they start feeling like they have a high fever. Another failed save later, they start coughing up small puffs of flame and feel like their stomach is on fire. Finally, they feel better. Then they explode and demolish half the party if they're standing too close.

How "exceptionally powerful" are we talking here for Mindsong? How do you measure that?
...or is it just up to the DM?

Shouldn't Mindsong refer to Autohypnosis?