Invasive Fungal Cultures, Origins of the Orange Fungus - Fadkat

Though fungus, molds, and other types of decomposers have been on the material plane since its inception, Arnon is technically Queen of all fungus. Though she is classified as a demon lord and lives on the 222nd level of the abyss, her influence on the material plane continues through the naturalized mushroom growths located there. Fungi are one of the most resilient and diverse life forms due to its ability to thrive in almost any environment. Saprobes can reproduce through spores in the air, water, soil, or physical contact with a host.
Arnon utilizes a rare variety of fungus that allows her to infect, kill, reanimate, and control a creature. She utilizes a stand of fungi that only grows on her living fungal gown. Those that have fallen prey to her infection don't become mindless, but instead one mind, serving her. Individuals who have been infected with the disease report experiencing a strange buzzing, white noise, or torturous sounds from their past that constantly plays in the background of their mind. Observers state that the infected individuals become increasingly manic over the course of three days, ending with the infected individuals taking their own lives as a form of escape from the madness.
A recent breakout on the island of Kurnst occurred in approximately 147 AFD that ended when a group of adventurers constructed a bronze staff imbued with the power of a nightmare hag. The staff was placed in the center of the downtown square where a large portion of the population had fallen ill to the fungal infection. Anything that touched the staff was instantly healed of Arnon's Madness. Sadly, the epidemic was so expansive that the bronze staff melted as a result of the constant magical demands made on it. To this day the staff remains in the center of the town as a reminder of the lives lost to Arnon's disease, though it remains inert.
Prior to the outbreak on the island, the last recorded outbreak of Arnon's Madness occurred during the battle for Dawn. It was believed that Arnon and her fungal forces were thrown out of the city and back into the abyss by Alertse the Resplendid, where she remains to this day.