Withering

Withering is not technically a disease, but more of an affliction. It has the ability to damage victims on both physical and metaphysical levels. It can lead to death, but not always - if it persists after a respawn and no action is taken, death is almost guaranteed.

Transmission
Withering can only be spread by contact with a weapon or other item able to inflict the Withered status effect. Normally, this is only achievable by Wither Skeletons (and in some cases the Wither itself), by standing on a Wither Rose or consuming stew made with one. Special enchants, weapons, and items in the world of Sockscraft can have the same effect, however it is unknown if these special means can cause prolonged Withering.

Basic Withering
Observed symptoms of Withering include:
 * Numbness
 * Weakness
 * Death

Prolonged Withering
Prolonged Withering can affect one's soul. Additional symptoms caused by prolonged Withering are as follows:
 * Injury site(s) turning black/grey
 * Weakness/tiredness which worsens over time
 * Similar symptoms to Soul Sickness or Soul Withdrawal

The severity of symptoms can vary based on several factors including the severity of the injury, whether there are multiple sites of injury, and the size or persistence of one's soul.

Known Infected

 * Lottie Moon
 * Blair Rattle
 * Buttercup
 * Cyd

Cures
In most cases, Withering fades naturally in less than a minute unless the victim dies, in which case it is generally gone by the time they respawn. It can be cured sooner by drinking milk or a vanilla milkshake.

Prolonged Withering
There is currently only one known cure to prolonged Withering; a ritual known as Soul Stitching. The ritual involves removing the Withered part of both body and soul, then replacing the missing soul piece with the soul of a living sacrifice. A full overview written by bugju1ce, cappucceetle and mousesweater can be read here.