Diagnosing a patient

From Onward Mud Wiki

DIAGNOSING EXTERNAL WOUNDS:

The diagnose command is instrumental in getting a basic sense of your patients physical condition, however, it is limited to external injuries.

Healers who are not in combat, and using diagnose on non-combatants will see additional information, such as treatment effectiveness, and binding quality, on any treated wounds as well as a more detailed picture of the patients overall health.

usage: Diagnose <target>

       diagnose lanky

       diagnose Peter

DIAGNOSING DISEASE AND POISON: CRAFTS AND KNOWLEDGE

If a character is suffering an illness or poison, it is up to the healer to determine the illness through the coded symptoms experienced by their patients as these will not show up with the diagnose command.

All healers have access to knowledge crafts which will provide them with basic information concerning  common maladies, specific to their region and race. The healer will have to make use of their own insight gleaned knowledge crafts provided to determine which illness their patient has, and treat it with the correct remedy.

As a healers skill grows, so will the knowledge crafts they have access so. However, some knowledge may be hidden or difficult to come by and might require the healer to seek outside assistance from learned individuals who may possess it, sages, skilled masters, books, if they have literacy, travellers, and more. Knowledge crafts are a fundamental part of Onward Mud and travellers, or those of a different race might have insight beyond the current scope of your own healer.

Usage: Type craft Healing to see which healing knowledge crafts are available to you.

You have the following Healing crafts:

Subcraft: common-cold               Command: knowledge               

Subcraft: common-flu                 Command: knowledge             

Subcraft: pneumonia                  Command: knowledge

Subcraft: sand-flu                Command: knowledge

Usage: craft knowledge common-flu

As a healer from the small town of Haven, you know that the common flu typically arrives during the month of Noclis, coinciding with the season's heavy, cold rains. This illness, known locally as the "Noclis Chill," is as predictable as the downpours that herald its arrival.

Typical Symptoms:

  • Persistent sniffling and coughing
  • High fever accompanied by chills
  • Aching joints and muscles
  • Flushed and pale features
  • Itching and sore throat

Treatments Include:

To combat the Noclis Chill, you rely on traditional remedies passed down through generations. These include:

  • Feverfew Poultice: A mixture of feverfew leaves and embersage, placed on the chest to reduce fever and ease congestion. The aromatic properties of feverfew help open airways, while embersage soothes the respiratory system.
  • Honeyroot Elixir: A potent drink made from crushed merrberries and honeyroot, which helps to reduce fever and provide a boost of energy. Merrberries are known for their cooling properties, and honeyroot is celebrated for its natural sweetness and energy-restoring qualities.
  • Willowbark Tea: Brewed from the bark of the silver willow tree, this tea alleviates joint pain and muscle aches. Silver willow is renowned for its analgesic properties and is a staple in your healing arsenal.
  • Blightmoss Gargle: An infusion of blightmoss and mint, used to soothe an itchy and sore throat. Blightmoss has a numbing effect, while mint provides a refreshing, cooling sensation.

DIAGNOSING SICKNESS: ROLEPLAY AND INSIGHT

When a patient is affected by an illness, symptoms will manifest through code at various intervals.

The patient will have more insight into their own condition than the external echoes, healers are encouraged to engage and question their patients on how they are feeling to confirm a suspected diagnosis.

The patient will almost always experience additional symptoms that might be hidden to the external observer.

Example case:

If the patient has the common flu:

External echo. What the healer and everyone else in the room will see.

  • A lanky, foppish man is sniffles repeatedly.
  • A lanky, foppish man is shaken by a sudden sneeze.

What the patient, a lanky, foppish man will see:

  • An insistent tickle in your throat prompts the urge to cough. You suppress it, but it lingers.
  • The bridge of your nose feels swollen, and you long for a clear, unobstructed breath.
  • Your lips feel like parchment, paper dry, cracked, and begging for moisture.
  • Your limbs carry an invisible weight, a heaviness that makes even lifting your arm seem like a daunting task.
  • It is as if tiny thorns have taken residence in your throat, causing a constant itch

DIAGNOSING BROKEN BONES / CONCUSSIONS AND INTERNAL INJURIES

Internal injuries such Sprained limbs, broken bones, and concussions and more, will not show up under the diagnosis command.

Your patient will be experiencing echoes that will assist roleplay and diagnosis. These injuries, similar to illness, will have coded effects that will handicap them.

Be certain to engage with your patient to make a diagnosis before applying treatment.

All healers start off with knowledge crafts on how to treat the more basic variety of such afflictions, so be certain to check your healing crafts with the craft healing command.

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