The Rotting Plague

Other names	The Rot, The Great Dying, The Pestilence, Rotting Flesh Disease
Date	Active between 1506 to 1511 A.F.S.
Specialty	Infectious disease
Classification	Pneumonic Plague
Period of Incubation	4 - 5 days
Prognosis	Invariably fatal when left untreated
Fatality ratio	50 - 90 percent if untreated
Total Casualties	Estimated millions

Introduction

“I had the unfortunate opportunity to come across an Attian village in the throes of an outbreak of The Rot. While trained in the arts of medicine, I was unprepared for what I found. The entire population seemed to be in the grip of inactivity and dread. The outskirts were littered with bodies of both animals and humans. Some were even burned on now-smoldering pyres, making me question if the Temple of their so-called faith saw it as divine justice or a means to contain the disease. It seemed the sky was darker. The feeling of death surrounded me; it enveloped me. Sadness, despair, and hopelessness were as invasive as the plague that wormed its way through the rotting flesh of its victims. To them, death was the only mercy their god could bring.” Milu'var Brymaris, High Elven Scholar of Medicae of Aerial

The most infamous and horrendous of plagues and contagions on Eseron, the Rotting Plague, often known by its other name The Rot, is known by many names and has appeared in countless realms. This terrible pathogen of blight and decay has desolated kingdoms and claimed the lives of over 60 percent of the entire population of the continent of Eden. A plague so vile that no official cure exists to this day, with people still praying for it never to return. In the end, the Rotting plague created religious, social, and economic upheavals that profoundly affected the course of history.

Overview

Between the years 1506 and 1511 A.F.S., the Rotting Plague brought forth a seething mass of decay and entropy, ending in Eden’s history as the most destructive and deadliest plague ever imagined. Being the primary cause of the downfall and decline of many Kingdoms and Empires at the time, the plague affected all races differently yet spread all the same. Its name originates from the damage it causes to all living organisms, turning the infected hosts into decaying husks until they would literally fall apart in a screaming mess of rotting bone and gore. Nevertheless, the pestilence affected both nature and the civil world, causing food shortages that caused massive famine outbreaks and killed animals to the point of near or complete extinction. Despite the knowledge of its spread and the harm it inflicts upon the infected hosts, the origin of the plague remains disputed. The immediate territorial origins of the Rotting Plague and its outbreak remain unclear, with some evidence pointing towards the Magna Attia, the northern reaches of the Glade of Dragons, the Norlanden, and the Heartlands. The pandemic made its initial emergence in the northern province of Flüssland, within the then-Kingdom of Hadriana, during the early months of the Emerald Dusk in the year 1506, with the first victims being the family of a farmstead. The surviving victim, a man by the name of Elbrecht Hugosöhne, was discovered by merchants on the road and transported from Lünburg to the capital city of Hadriana, now known as Norbüren. The contagion rapidly expanded from there, propagated by the movements of merchants and travelers and through interactions with nature, causing widespread impact across the continent. Per the victim’s account, the family exhibited symptoms of illness after consuming one of their livestock, prompting physicians and scholars around the continent to surmise that the animals were the first initial carriers of the infection, preceding the infection of the family members. Studies and evidence indicate that the spread of the plague progressed through distinct stages as the infection took hold of its host. Scholars discovered that the Rot is transmitted through direct contact with infected tissue, consumption of contaminated foods and drinks, and exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected animal or individual. At different stages and upon death, the plague had the potential to become airborne, as bacteria could detach from the host and be inhaled by a nearby individual. Insects, notably flies and fleas, played a pivotal role by serving as carriers of bacteria or blood droplets from previously infected or deceased hosts. The spread of the bacteria through natural water sources led to a significant decline in the population of fauna and flora on Eden. As a result, hunters found it increasingly difficult to track wild animals, many of which had either migrated or perished due to the destructive nature of the plague. Those of lowborn standard; the peasantry, suffered the worst and were struck the hardest due to lacking hygiene standards.

Due to the severe population decline from the pandemic, wages soared in response to a subsequent labor shortage, many laborers, artisans, and craftsmen—those living from money wages alone—suffered a reduction in real incomes owing to rampant inflation. Those who possessed vast portions of land were also pushed to substitute monetary rents for labor services in an effort to keep tenants. With even those last tenants succumbing to the plague, crops, and livestock that had yet to be affected by the plague became unattended and fell prey to looters and drought. It was estimated that world trade had collapsed in the last quarter of the first plague year. In the midst of the spreading plague, it was quickly revealed that only the various Elven races of Eden had a natural immunity to the devastating effects of the disease, shielding them from the worst horrors it inflicted on others. Despite this advantage, the decimation of their livestock and crops triggered widespread famine, leading to a heavy loss of life in the Glade of Dragons and Myln Arbor. Additionally, the magical forest of Myln Arbor bore the brunt of the plague, with its once-thriving expanse dwindling significantly over the years as the disease consumed nature itself. Only through immense sacrifices did the Wood Elves preserve the substantial forest that remains today. As for the Denur, deciding to seal off their realms from the outside world seemed like a successful strategy in the early years, as they suffered their own internal struggles years before the plague even appeared. However, isolated outbreaks eventually emerged, precipitating famine and causing significant decline within the Denur realms. The desert realm of Anjyarr, home to a diverse range of races in its port cities, managed to maintain some semblance of order throughout the four years of decay. Despite implementing a quarantine after Hadrian merchants brought the plague to their ports, the realm still suffered significant losses in terms of both lives and territory. Many of their settlements inland, who were dependent on the resources coming from the ports, perished and were reclaimed by the desert. Notably, the preservation of crucial knowledge about the plague can be credited to the dedicated efforts of physicians and scholars from the Dark Elves and Khadan. The Kingdom of Hadriana suffered the worst of the plague. Various factions within the kingdom, including the royal family, its nobles and knights, and the ruling clergy, held divergent opinions on how to combat or possibly cure the plague, leading to internal conflicts that worsened the situation. To make matters worse, heretical cults, some of which believed that the end was imminent or had pledged their allegiance to dark gods, intensified the chaos by targeting innocent civilians, nobles, and destroying or pillaging strongholds. The Temple of Alderism implemented extreme measures and made significant sacrifices, including the loss of many innocent lives, to quell the threat and prevent the complete collapse of the nation. It was Hadriana who suffered the most with the highest death toll. The once prosperous kingdom suffered a sharp decline, with crumbling borders, the nation that remained was but a shell of its former self after a devastating civil war in the aftermath of the Rotting Plague. After years of reconstruction and conflict, the kingdom finally began to regain its former glory with the founding of the Hadrian Empire in 1524.

Historians dubbed the five years the “Years of Rot” or the “Plague Years,” with the Rotting Plague earning many nicknames from various sources, including The Rot, The (Great) Dying, The Pestilence, and the Rotting Flesh disease. As a result of the significant number of losses suffered by the continent and the remaining survivors living in isolation, the plague was unable to find sufficient hosts to sustain its spread, leading to its eventual decline. Nevertheless, there are speculations that the plague may not have disappeared entirely. Today, it is uncommon for travelers to stumble upon the remnants of settlements that once thrived prior to the infestation of the Rotting Plague.

“All things must wither and die. Let root rot and bower blight to feed the pestilence of abandoned hope. Accept the salvation it brings, for Zarzareth embraces all who love him!” Last words of a cultist of The Withering Children before being executed by burning for heresy by the Alderist Temple.

Signs and symptoms

Upon infection, the initial four days are designated as the incubation period, during which the bacteria remain dormant within the host. After this period, the infected individual presents with symptoms akin to those of the common cold: a mild fever, a general sense of malaise, mild bodily discomfort or a moderate headache, nasal and throat irritations, and coughing. Due to the resemblance of these symptoms to those of alternative ailments, a significant number of afflicted persons go unnoticed during the early stages, thereby inadvertently continuing the spreading of the plague bacteria to others.

In the second stage, the manifestation of the Rotting Plague becomes apparent as patients exhibit severe rashes in the groin, waist, neck, and armpits, which ooze pus and bleed when scratched open. The eyes of the infected become bloodshot as the veins begin to swell. Furthermore, a distinct discoloration of the fingertips around the nails becomes evident as they start to blacken, indicating the commencement of tissue necrosis. Often, the infected would occasionally experience vomiting, be it their consumed sustenance or even blood. These symptoms almost completely replace the previous of the first stage.

Diagnosis and infection cycle

“Log 8, Wineday 11, Rainswrath, 1506 - The patient's fever has suddenly lost its severity overnight, and the rashes on the body started to turn yellowish-brown. The patient claims the rashes have lost their itchiness and sensitivity, making me concerned that necrosis may have already begun inside the body. However, the patient claims to feel no pain and shows no signs of deteriorating bodily movement or muscle function. It seems as though the body is still functioning despite breaking down. My treatments have only managed to soothe the fever, having not done anything to halt the disease or cure the man. The patient has also developed a rough cough, leading me to believe that the lungs may be deteriorating as well. This sickness, this... rot... It spreads more rapidly than I feared. When the day comes, I hope his death will be quick, though I doubt the disease will let him go easy, seeing its nature. Based on my calculations and previous experiences, the patient is projected to have a remaining lifespan of only six days before succumbing to the disease. Note: I will burn my clothes once I move on to the next person.” From Wolfgang Von Heilsberg's notebook, found in the physician's home next to his body, succumbed to the plague three weeks later.

The Rotting Plague is a disease that manifests in distinct stages within the body, ultimately resulting in the demise of the afflicted individual after a two-week period. What distinguishes the Rotting Plague is its unique capability to render the body inert by disrupting the nerve system. Doing this causes the host not to experience any pain yet continue their motor functions even while witnessing their own body wither and decay over time. The host would often go through a state of delirium and madness before reaching the final stage, where the nullification finally subsided. At this point, the host would feel the full extent of the pain from the bodily damage caused by the plague. Eyewitnesses have described the moment of death itself as “falling apart in a screaming mess of rotting gore.” This messy endeavor causes plague bacteria to become airborne for a short period of time. Based on their research into the disease, scholars and physicians have identified six distinct stages of the plague, which are measured from the initial infection to the eventual outcome of death.

Stage one:

Following exposure, the bacteria initially remain dormant within the body for a period known as the incubation period, which typically spans 3 to 5 days. At this stage, the infected individual does not display any signs of illness or report any symptoms. However, the host may experience an increased thirst and fatigue at a faster rate.

Stage two:

After day 4, the infected individual finds themselves covered in severe rashes that have formed overnight in the groin, waist, neck, and armpits. These rashes irritate and cause itchiness. However, when scratched open, the wound begins to ooze pus and blood. The individual’s eyes start to turn bloodshot as the veins begin to swell. Signs of necrosis are then discovered on the fingertips, which start to darken and eventually turn black near the end of this stage. The infected experiences vomiting of consumed sustenance or even blood, followed by severe headaches, which increase the need for water. Near the end of this stage, the host’s sense of pain from the rashes begins to fade.

Stage three:

The bacteria responsible for the plague have effectively numbed the body’s ability to feel pain. While the severity of the itchiness from the rashes and the intensity of the headaches have decreased, discoloration and darkening of skin tissue surrounding the rashes act as the first signs of necrosis of the body. Despite ongoing general discomfort and persistent thirst, no apparent signs of physical weakness are evident. Surprisingly, some individuals even claim to feel “relatively fine” despite the symptoms.

Stage four:

On the ninth and tenth day of the infection cycle, the fourth stage, known as the “carrier stage”, begins with the necrosis starting to seep deeper into the flesh and the skin beginning to deteriorate severely. The rashes on the body’s soft tissue begin to peel open, exposing decaying flesh and, in worse cases, even muscle. The diminishing sensations of taste and smell suggest that the bacteria may have damaged the sensory receptors responsible for these perceptions. As a result, the host’s craving for water persists while their appetite for food diminishes. The emergence of a persistent cough indicates that the lungs are being impacted, leading to the release of bacteria into the surrounding air. This stage marks the host’s transition to being classified as a carrier, hence the name of the stage.

Stage five:

During stage five, the necrosis intensified, causing significant damage to the bone and internal organs. The skin becomes covered in dark spots and shows signs of extreme decay. Additionally, a mild burning sensation begins to spread throughout the entire body. Scratching away at the skin may reveal bare muscle and bone, with some even beginning to lose their fingers, which fall off due to the damage inflicted on the muscle, bone, and tissue. The infected individual’s eyesight deteriorates, with some losing vision in one or both eyes. They also begin to experience weakness, to the point of being barely able to move. Despite the severe damage to their body, including exposed bone, muscle, and even organs, the host does not feel any sensation of pain. Remarkably, the brain is the last organ to be affected, so the infected person continues to be conscious, leading to delirium or madness in some cases due to witnessing the experience done to their body.

Stage six:

In the last stage of the disease, which occurs on the last two days of the two-week infection cycle, the infected person experiences the sixth and final stage, which ultimately ends with the host’s passing. During this stage, the individual awakens to the excruciating pain, now fully experiencing the profound extent of the physical damage caused by the Rot bacteria within their body. Due to the unbearable pain, many do not make it through the first day, recorded accounts mention that due to the severe damage to the body inflicted by the Rot, limbs often detach from the body. Written accounts by physicians and eyewitnesses describe the passing of the host to be a gruesome, agonizing one where the body falls apart due to the withering tissue now having no strength to keep the body together. However, some pass away in their sleep before reaching stage six.

Treatment

Research has shown that attempts to cure the host beyond stage four have been declared ineffective and show minimal impact. Immediate treatment is crucial for those potentially infected with the Rotting Plague to contain the bacteria and prevent its spread. However, an official cure has not yet been developed, so treatment approaches vary based on the attending physician or medical practitioner. Those who can afford or are fortunate enough to receive treatment are typically administered a range of approved and experimental medicines. However, the heavy doses of medicine can sometimes have the opposite effect of worsening the host’s conditions. Despite this, there have been numerous instances where the disease’s symptoms were effectively managed, ultimately disallowing the bacteria to take root and saving the patient from the clutches of the Rot.

An alternative method used in Hadriana was the amputation of infected body parts or the removal of infected skin tissue. While being the least effective method and the most painful one, there were instances where it saved the patient from infection in return for severe scarring or amputated limbs. This method, however, was found to be highly infectious for those involved closely in the treatment. Knowledge of the importance of hygiene was lacking at the time, including among the individuals performing the surgeries, leading to the bacteria’s continuing spread.

The most effective approach to treatment at the time involved the practice of arcane sorcery. Biomancers, well-versed in the art of healing magic, utilized their skills to heal injuries and combat diseases prior to the emergence of the Rotting Plague. As the outbreak swept through, sorcerers and other types of mages took on a pivotal role in fighting the disease, successfully curing numerous individuals. Their mystical abilities even enabled them to treat those in advanced stages of the illness. Despite their efforts, sorcerers often struggled to reverse the damage caused by the bacteria, resulting in individuals who appeared to have recovered eventually succumbing to organ failure if their body had been internally damaged. Moreover, due to the high transmission rate and prolonged exposure to the infected, many sorcerers tragically lost their lives while attempting to halt the spread of the plague and heal the afflicted. The onset of the plague had a profound effect on the magical community, leading to the near extinction of specific arcane knowledge and contributing to a significant decline in magical practices and expertise on Eden.

"I was there when, almost overnight, three warriors from different watch squads broke out in bloody rashes. We tried everything—steam baths, strong brews, and even rare stonewort—but nothing took hold. All three passed to the Stone. That’s when it struck me: isolation was the only way to halt the blight. This sickness cared nothing for Denuran grit or iron remedies. When a fourth showed the same signs, I gave the hardest order of my life—quarantine. It felt colder than the deepest mine, but it saved the rest of the company." From "Field Notes of an Iron-Bound Healer" by Thorvin Blackvein, medic of the Granite Legion.