The Rot

A ritual in the temple, supposedly the same one they did every year as part of the town's yearly celebrations, led to a dark cloud flooding up from the ground and causing all the food in the town to rot instantly. Anything fresh brought with the cloud that hangs around the town instantly turns black and gooey, and anybody unfortunate enough to die within the zone - by any means, from old age or murder - turns to tar, leaving no body for the clerics to work with, or for a family to bury.

Causes

Clerics in the temple were performing their end of the lunar year ritual, as part of a town celebration, and something went wrong. It is not fully known what happened, but is greatly assummed to be that the young apprentice inscribed a rune backwards in error and summoned an entity determined to destroy the town.

In their panic, the clerics managed to seal the worst of it in the underground chambers of the temple, unfortunately sealing the young apprentice in there too. The wards are now strengthened every year in place of the previous rituals, to try and reduce the amount that is seeping out underneath.

Symptoms

Short term contact causes dry eyes, a difficulty to breathe, and a feeling of dread, as if somebody or something is standing right behind you. The longer spend within the cloud, the stronger this feeling gets, until it is reported that shadowy figures can been seen following people around. Those wearing masks to limit the amount of the cloud they breathe in say that it reduces the symptoms.

Old Stoop claims that the shadow who follows him is called Ja'kept, which the clerics claim is an intense hallucination from the fact that he has not left the cloud in many decades.

Treatment

Time outside of the area does lift symptoms, making it somewhat safe for travellers to pass through. However those who have lived within The Rot for a long time do not get much in the way of relief from being outside of it, and sometimes get worse, as if their bodies have gotten used to the effects.

Origin

Magical

Rarity

Unique