Barklung

Barklung is a debilitating and potentially fatal respiratory disease. It spreads through seeds in the victim's throat which begin to grow into vines, bark, and fungi, eventually spreading to the lungs and strangling them from within.

Transmission & Vectors

Barklung is spread through either inhalation or ingestion of small seeds found within the bile produced by Forest Folk. This bile is projectile vomited at its victim and has a high chance of causing infection should it make contact with them.

Symptoms

Barklung first presents itself as a fever accompanied by a dry, hacking cough. These symptoms will generally worsen over the course of the week and cause fatigue as the internal flora spreads and absorbs all nutrients within the body. Over the following weeks sufferers will begin to lose motor functions, suffer from severe shortness of breath and periodically cough up blood, fungi, and bark. The afflicted will eventually succumb to the illness and die from internal strangulation.

Treatment

The only known treatment is incredibly painful. The seeds must be burned before they can truly take hold. The main treatment is to rub a handful of hot ash over the sufferer's throat before inducing vomiting to force the dead remains of the infection back out.
This process may need to be repeated several times to ensure complete removal of the fungus and will inevitably cause long term damage to the victim's throat and voice.

Prognosis

If not treated then Barklung is always fatal. If treatment is too late and the fungus has time to spread too far then this will also result in death. At this point it is usually kinder to put the sufferer out of their misery before they succumb to the horrific strangulation.

Type

Fungal

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term