Creeping stone disease

Creeping stone disease is an affliction that began to appear in Barat Rkund starting around Y9930^*. Those with the condition slowly turn to rock, especially when injured; instead of healing normally, the damaged tissue is replaced with stone. While some take advantage of this in the early stages, as they become tougher and more inured to pain, this only accelerates the spread of the stone as they inevitably gain additional injuries. Eventually, those with the condition lose the ability to move before they calcify entirely. The disease’s cause is unknown, though it is rumored it might be caused by interaction with some type of exotic mineral deep underground. No treatment is known either, besides trying to comfort patients. The affliction seems resistant to magical healing - attempts at magical treatment might appear to work temporarily, but in reality only cause a slight remission before the affliction is back and worse than before.

The disease does not only affect dwarves, but they make up the vast majority of known cases.