Diabetic NPC [Archive] - Wizards Community

Diabetic NPC [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ariath Ska'Vhor
12-20-06, 04:44 PM I've recently decided I want to put an NPC into my campaign that is diabetic. I don't know what kind of penalties and such to give him mechanically. I myself am diabetic so I don't need to know how one would act if say thier bloodsugar is high or low, I only need possible mechanics.
High Octane
12-20-06, 04:53 PM I know my friend certainly has loss of wisdom during his low blood sugar times. He becomes less focuesd and more erratic. He also tends to be more irritable.

I would say a loss of wisdom, charisma, and non-lethal damage abnd also the fatigued status.

Depending on the severity
Ariath Ska'Vhor
12-20-06, 06:20 PM I know my friend certainly has loss of wisdom during his low blood sugar times. He becomes less focuesd and more erratic. He also tends to be more irritable.

I would say a loss of wisdom, charisma, and non-lethal damage abnd also the fatigued status.

Depending on the severity

I'd also imagine there'd be a general loss of Con for maybe those who aren't as good at taking care of it as others.
Tequila_Sunrise
12-20-06, 06:42 PM As one who also suffers from the big D, I'd say fatigue and a loss of all mental stats after any significant intake of carbs.
Archmage_of_Blood
12-20-06, 06:43 PM Sounds good. I have diabetes too.
Righter8
12-20-06, 06:57 PM Diabetics Unite!!

But seriously, wouldn't a trip to the local cleric and a cure disease spell pretty much solve the issue?
Or, assuming he/she can't, anyone who had insulin dependent diabetes would be in a pretty bad condition assuming there isn't anything to treat it in the fantasy world. Assuming the NPC lived long enough, blindness, nerve-damage and possible organ failure are some of the issues he could possibly have.
High Octane
12-20-06, 07:00 PM Diabetics Unite!!

But seriously, wouldn't a trip to the local cleric and a cure disease spell pretty much solve the issue?

Not necessarily. Cure disease may only cure diseases caused by bacteria and viruses, so it may cure AIDS but not cancer.
Archmage_of_Blood
12-20-06, 07:00 PM Yes, we are well aware of the complications of Diabetes, thank you for bringing up such a painful subject. The first insulin was extracted from pigs though, so y'never know.
Seeker95
12-20-06, 07:37 PM Just asking overall -- if insulin does not exist in your world, you are probably looking at a dead PC. As a diabetic, you know the effects of an insulin /sugar imbalance. Now make that imbalance completely untreated. Assuming Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, your PC never would make it to adulthood.

If insulin does exist in your world, then translate your own experiences into game mechanics. Fatigue, weakness, reduced Fortitude, reduced Reflexes, reduced Wisdom, etc. (These are symptomatic, not chronic conditions.)

If you are talking about Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, then you probably have an obese character, complete with heart trouble, vision problems, peripheral numbness (neuropathy), reduced Fortitude, and possibly even depression.

Diabetes is definitely not a managable disease in a fantasy setting.
Seeker95
12-20-06, 07:38 PM Yes, we are well aware of the complications of Diabetes, thank you for bringing up such a painful subject.Umm... isn't that what the thread is about in the first place?
Archmage_of_Blood
12-20-06, 08:05 PM Umm... isn't that what the thread is about in the first place?

Yes, but in general, not the whole blindness organ damage nerve failure stuff. I was kinda being sarcastic anyway.
jeffepp
12-20-06, 09:08 PM My mother has diabetes and my sister is hypoglycemic. You could have the NPC work from the hypoglycemia (random possibility of total fatigue for a short period of time), into diabetics (loss of hp due to "open wounds"). But it would help to know how "healthy" the NPC is before the onset of the medical problem.
Phobos
12-20-06, 09:13 PM Also as a fellow diabetic (and pump wearer), I'd have to ask..in a world of magic, how does diabeties still exist?

I myself am 100% fine normally...

When High I become sluggish and lazy, I feel sore and weak, so I'd drop CON, DEX, STR and INIT

When Low I become hyper, but clumsy, I become brave and reckless, I don't become stupid as some suggest, but I clearly don't gain intelligence. I'd up CON (temp hp), drop DEX, add STR and INIT bonus. I'd relate this to a Barbarian rage to be 100% game oriented.

However, as others have pointed out, this really isnt a game disease...I think all of us in your boat understand you, but you'll be much happier living in a world without diabeties, even if ony for a few hours.

Good luck
Archmage_of_Blood
12-20-06, 09:13 PM Sounds decent. I'd go with that.
Phobos
12-20-06, 09:20 PM Hum, I'm going to add something. When I was younger, read 20 years ago, and quite the avid D&D player back then, I often would halucinate when I went low. My sugars often got into the 30s easily back then.

Not only did I suffer from D&D related halucinations, I became very agressive and paranoid. I once, so sayith the hospitol, took a 250 lbs security guard and picked him up easily and threw him in a fit of paranoid defense. Its a great story now, but I was clearly out of control back then.

Perhaps your NPC has an unknown (undiagnosed) illness that causes him/her to go into fits of rage, paranoia and halucination..believing himself or herself to be lycanthropic. Don't call it diabeties, but hint at its strange symptoms. Mead (a common honey based drink), oddly is often a remedy for the NPC during these strange fits, who then becomes fatigued and suffers from memory loss of the episode.

Just a suggestion.
EcthelionKarakse
12-20-06, 10:52 PM Hum, I'm going to add something. When I was younger, read 20 years ago, and quite the avid D&D player back then, I often would halucinate when I went low. My sugars often got into the 30s easily back then.

Not only did I suffer from D&D related halucinations, I became very agressive and paranoid. I once, so sayith the hospitol, took a 250 lbs security guard and picked him up easily and threw him in a fit of paranoid defense. Its a great story now, but I was clearly out of control back then.

Perhaps your NPC has an unknown (undiagnosed) illness that causes him/her to go into fits of rage, paranoia and halucination..believing himself or herself to be lycanthropic. Don't call it diabeties, but hint at its strange symptoms. Mead (a common honey based drink), oddly is often a remedy for the NPC during these strange fits, who then becomes fatigued and suffers from memory loss of the episode.

Just a suggestion.

Best suggestion FTW
Ariath Ska'Vhor
12-21-06, 01:06 AM Best suggestion FTW

I have to agree that's deffinetly a good suggestion. Way back when they knew the disease as the 'sweet urine' disease but they're not gonna be testing anyone's pee in my setting.
ArcTan
12-21-06, 04:28 AM Also as a fellow diabetic (and pump wearer), I'd have to ask..in a world of magic, how does diabeties still exist?

Because magic is expensive and rare?
Thelandrach
12-21-06, 01:47 PM Anybody who became insulin-dependent before the discovery of ways to extract insulin and store it for human use tended to die in fairly short order.

I'd say that's a condition that, in a fantasy setting, would kill in a week or so--CON damage most likely. Depending on how technically accurate you want to go, even a Cure Disease wouldn't fix it, because the diabetic isn't technically diseased--he has a pancreas which is damaged beyond his body's ability to repair, and it's damaged enough that it no longer generates enough insulin to keep him alive. A Heal would probably take care of it fix the pancreas and kill off the parasitic infection which hurt it in the first place, or any Cure hit points spell followed by a Cure Disease to kill off the infection.
Ocalus
12-21-06, 02:07 PM Just asking overall -- if insulin does not exist in your world, you are probably looking at a dead PC. As a diabetic, you know the effects of an insulin /sugar imbalance. Now make that imbalance completely untreated. Assuming Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, your PC never would make it to adulthood.

If insulin does exist in your world, then translate your own experiences into game mechanics. Fatigue, weakness, reduced Fortitude, reduced Reflexes, reduced Wisdom, etc. (These are symptomatic, not chronic conditions.)

If you are talking about Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, then you probably have an obese character, complete with heart trouble, vision problems, peripheral numbness (neuropathy), reduced Fortitude, and possibly even depression.

Diabetes is definitely not a managable disease in a fantasy setting.

Pretty much. There are a huge number of diseases that we treat or manage with drugs now which would, in a pre-industrial society magical society as modelled in D&D, either be cured completely by magic or would simply be fatal.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ariath Ska'Vhor 12-20-06, 04:44 PM	I've recently decided I want to put an NPC into my campaign that is diabetic. I don't know what kind of penalties and such to give him mechanically. I myself am diabetic so I don't need to know how one would act if say thier bloodsugar is high or low, I only need possible mechanics.
High Octane 12-20-06, 04:53 PM	I know my friend certainly has loss of wisdom during his low blood sugar times. He becomes less focuesd and more erratic. He also tends to be more irritable. I would say a loss of wisdom, charisma, and non-lethal damage abnd also the fatigued status. Depending on the severity
Ariath Ska'Vhor 12-20-06, 06:20 PM	I know my friend certainly has loss of wisdom during his low blood sugar times. He becomes less focuesd and more erratic. He also tends to be more irritable. I would say a loss of wisdom, charisma, and non-lethal damage abnd also the fatigued status. Depending on the severity I'd also imagine there'd be a general loss of Con for maybe those who aren't as good at taking care of it as others.
Tequila_Sunrise 12-20-06, 06:42 PM	As one who also suffers from the big D, I'd say fatigue and a loss of all mental stats after any significant intake of carbs.
Archmage_of_Blood 12-20-06, 06:43 PM	Sounds good. I have diabetes too.
Righter8 12-20-06, 06:57 PM	Diabetics Unite!! But seriously, wouldn't a trip to the local cleric and a cure disease spell pretty much solve the issue? Or, assuming he/she can't, anyone who had insulin dependent diabetes would be in a pretty bad condition assuming there isn't anything to treat it in the fantasy world. Assuming the NPC lived long enough, blindness, nerve-damage and possible organ failure are some of the issues he could possibly have.
High Octane 12-20-06, 07:00 PM	Diabetics Unite!! But seriously, wouldn't a trip to the local cleric and a cure disease spell pretty much solve the issue? Not necessarily. Cure disease may only cure diseases caused by bacteria and viruses, so it may cure AIDS but not cancer.
Archmage_of_Blood 12-20-06, 07:00 PM	Yes, we are well aware of the complications of Diabetes, thank you for bringing up such a painful subject. The first insulin was extracted from pigs though, so y'never know.
Seeker95 12-20-06, 07:37 PM	Just asking overall -- if insulin does not exist in your world, you are probably looking at a dead PC. As a diabetic, you know the effects of an insulin /sugar imbalance. Now make that imbalance completely untreated. Assuming Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, your PC never would make it to adulthood. If insulin does exist in your world, then translate your own experiences into game mechanics. Fatigue, weakness, reduced Fortitude, reduced Reflexes, reduced Wisdom, etc. (These are symptomatic, not chronic conditions.) If you are talking about Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, then you probably have an obese character, complete with heart trouble, vision problems, peripheral numbness (neuropathy), reduced Fortitude, and possibly even depression. Diabetes is definitely not a managable disease in a fantasy setting.
Seeker95 12-20-06, 07:38 PM	Yes, we are well aware of the complications of Diabetes, thank you for bringing up such a painful subject.Umm... isn't that what the thread is about in the first place?
Archmage_of_Blood 12-20-06, 08:05 PM	Umm... isn't that what the thread is about in the first place? Yes, but in general, not the whole blindness organ damage nerve failure stuff. I was kinda being sarcastic anyway.
jeffepp 12-20-06, 09:08 PM	My mother has diabetes and my sister is hypoglycemic. You could have the NPC work from the hypoglycemia (random possibility of total fatigue for a short period of time), into diabetics (loss of hp due to "open wounds"). But it would help to know how "healthy" the NPC is before the onset of the medical problem.
Phobos 12-20-06, 09:13 PM	Also as a fellow diabetic (and pump wearer), I'd have to ask..in a world of magic, how does diabeties still exist? I myself am 100% fine normally... When High I become sluggish and lazy, I feel sore and weak, so I'd drop CON, DEX, STR and INIT When Low I become hyper, but clumsy, I become brave and reckless, I don't become stupid as some suggest, but I clearly don't gain intelligence. I'd up CON (temp hp), drop DEX, add STR and INIT bonus. I'd relate this to a Barbarian rage to be 100% game oriented. However, as others have pointed out, this really isnt a game disease...I think all of us in your boat understand you, but you'll be much happier living in a world without diabeties, even if ony for a few hours. Good luck
Archmage_of_Blood 12-20-06, 09:13 PM	Sounds decent. I'd go with that.
Phobos 12-20-06, 09:20 PM	Hum, I'm going to add something. When I was younger, read 20 years ago, and quite the avid D&D player back then, I often would halucinate when I went low. My sugars often got into the 30s easily back then. Not only did I suffer from D&D related halucinations, I became very agressive and paranoid. I once, so sayith the hospitol, took a 250 lbs security guard and picked him up easily and threw him in a fit of paranoid defense. Its a great story now, but I was clearly out of control back then. Perhaps your NPC has an unknown (undiagnosed) illness that causes him/her to go into fits of rage, paranoia and halucination..believing himself or herself to be lycanthropic. Don't call it diabeties, but hint at its strange symptoms. Mead (a common honey based drink), oddly is often a remedy for the NPC during these strange fits, who then becomes fatigued and suffers from memory loss of the episode. Just a suggestion.
EcthelionKarakse 12-20-06, 10:52 PM	Hum, I'm going to add something. When I was younger, read 20 years ago, and quite the avid D&D player back then, I often would halucinate when I went low. My sugars often got into the 30s easily back then. Not only did I suffer from D&D related halucinations, I became very agressive and paranoid. I once, so sayith the hospitol, took a 250 lbs security guard and picked him up easily and threw him in a fit of paranoid defense. Its a great story now, but I was clearly out of control back then. Perhaps your NPC has an unknown (undiagnosed) illness that causes him/her to go into fits of rage, paranoia and halucination..believing himself or herself to be lycanthropic. Don't call it diabeties, but hint at its strange symptoms. Mead (a common honey based drink), oddly is often a remedy for the NPC during these strange fits, who then becomes fatigued and suffers from memory loss of the episode. Just a suggestion. Best suggestion FTW
Ariath Ska'Vhor 12-21-06, 01:06 AM	Best suggestion FTW I have to agree that's deffinetly a good suggestion. Way back when they knew the disease as the 'sweet urine' disease but they're not gonna be testing anyone's pee in my setting.
ArcTan 12-21-06, 04:28 AM	Also as a fellow diabetic (and pump wearer), I'd have to ask..in a world of magic, how does diabeties still exist? Because magic is expensive and rare?
Thelandrach 12-21-06, 01:47 PM	Anybody who became insulin-dependent before the discovery of ways to extract insulin and store it for human use tended to die in fairly short order. I'd say that's a condition that, in a fantasy setting, would kill in a week or so--CON damage most likely. Depending on how technically accurate you want to go, even a Cure Disease wouldn't fix it, because the diabetic isn't technically diseased--he has a pancreas which is damaged beyond his body's ability to repair, and it's damaged enough that it no longer generates enough insulin to keep him alive. A Heal would probably take care of it fix the pancreas and kill off the parasitic infection which hurt it in the first place, or any Cure hit points spell followed by a Cure Disease to kill off the infection.
Ocalus 12-21-06, 02:07 PM	Just asking overall -- if insulin does not exist in your world, you are probably looking at a dead PC. As a diabetic, you know the effects of an insulin /sugar imbalance. Now make that imbalance completely untreated. Assuming Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, your PC never would make it to adulthood. If insulin does exist in your world, then translate your own experiences into game mechanics. Fatigue, weakness, reduced Fortitude, reduced Reflexes, reduced Wisdom, etc. (These are symptomatic, not chronic conditions.) If you are talking about Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, then you probably have an obese character, complete with heart trouble, vision problems, peripheral numbness (neuropathy), reduced Fortitude, and possibly even depression. Diabetes is definitely not a managable disease in a fantasy setting. Pretty much. There are a huge number of diseases that we treat or manage with drugs now which would, in a pre-industrial society magical society as modelled in D&D, either be cured completely by magic or would simply be fatal.