Withering Cough
Withering cough was a magical illness which was originally created by the Illithids to battle against the drow dominance in Zilvraena Noqu'yl a few millenia before The Turbulence.
Transmission & Vectors
How the withering cough was transmitted is not completely known, but at least magically enhanced crystals played a vital role for the spread of the decease. These crystals are abundant in The Underdark and often used as a lightsource by the inhabitants of the Underdark. Therefore it was a cleverly made plan, as the decease seemed to affect those who were in the vicinity of the infected crystals.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of the disease were fatigue, loss of appetite and sleeping problems (or in the case of drows, not being able to fall into the trance). The exhaustion piled up quickly and only in the late stage the deep coughing would tell that the desease had spread to the lungs. After that it was impossible to stop it from spreading. The inflammation caused fever and as The lungs started to fill up with fluid the patient usually suffocated to death.
Treatment
The withering cough quickly spread through the populace and it didn't choose its victims, which shook the matriarchal drow society, which favored the rich and influential. Sadly money or power couldn't save anyone from this disease. Khazariel Melviir, a powerful necromancer and later a lich, found out a way to cleanse the crystals and therefore stop the spread of the disease, but no one but Khazariel herself knows how she did that, as her research papers have been lost to the time.
Prognosis
If the withering cough was noticed before any major symptoms began, the prognosis was good. Sadly the more noticeable symptoms started only in the late stage of the disease, making it difficult to treat if the person themself didn't know they were affected. In early stages it could be cleansed by magical means and also certain antidote made by the aforemention Khazariel Melviir seemed to work well.
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