Diseases
Disease is a key gameplay mechanic in Echoes of the Plum Grove. The player can catch diseases from other Villagers, from Visitors to the island, or at random. Diseases can lead to premature death and unsightly symptoms; they can be avoided with soap or cured with potions.
There are six diseases in Echoes of the Plum Grove: The Common Cold, Influenza, Dysentery, Smallpox, Consumption, and Malaria. Each disease has a different level of both lethality and transmission. When a high-transmission disease develops in the village, it has the capacity to create an epidemic, spreading quickly and causing mass death. Sick NPCs tend to isolate themselves in their houses, in private living areas that you cannot enter. You will not be able to talk to them or finish quests in person. Instead, quests can be completed by mail on the quest tab by selecting the letter option in the top right.
If the PC is sick, you receive a nonspecific status effect. Visiting the doctor in the apothecary during working hours allows them to diagnose you, telling you the specific disease. The doctor will also have cures and inoculations available for purchase. These treatments have different success rates. Currently, these treatments may only be applied to the PC, but future updates might allow them to be administered to family members 2
In a pre-release TikTok1, the Dev team referred to the diseases by three separate levels according to how serious they are; the Common Cold and Influenza as Level One, Dysentery and Smallpox as Level Two, and Malaria and Consumption as Level Three.
LEVEL 1
The Common Cold
The Common Cold is a mild disease that is mostly non-life threatening, though if left to fester it can develop into pneumonia. Symptoms include occasional stops to sneeze, with no visual change in facial expression. The Cold will spread to others at a rate of 25% likelihood, and is more common during Winter. It can sometimes be cured through taking a Coryza Remedy.
Influenza
Influenza is a low-level disease that is mostly non-life threatening. It causes the player to be inflicted by the Nausea condition for the full duration, slowing walking and making them stop to vomit every so often. It can spread to others, with a 25% likelihood of doing so. It can sometimes be cured with Wine of Ipecac; rest is recommended.
LEVEL 2
Dysentery
The Flux is a serious, non-contagious disease. It causes depletion of the hunger bar, nausea and intermittent vomiting, and wobbly walking.
Smallpox
Smallpox is a highly virulent disease (60% chance of spreading) with a high fatality rate (30%). Symptoms include visible pustules on the face. There is no cure, but it can be avoided by inoculation ahead of time by the doctor NPC. Currently, only the PC can be inoculated: the developer roadmap for the game suggests the possibility for inoculation of family members in a future update 2
LEVEL 3
Malaria
Malaria is non-contagious, but highly fatal. It causes rapid depletion of the sleep bar, and visible dark eye bags, greenish or yellow skin, and walk wobbly, In the village tab only the dark eye bags are visible.
Consumption
Consumption is an extremely fatal disease with a spread rate of 15%. It causes rapid depletion of the sleep bar, visible dark eye bags, and grey skin. In the village tab only the eye bags are visible. The curative potion is successful only 25% of the time.
