Black Flesh

A serious infliction that needs to be treated quickly. It's a poison that makes the flesh rot in a short time.
during war time arrows dipped in the blue-ish solution are fired and if the arrow doesn't kill right away, a scratch will inflict horrible pain within a few minutes. The flesh blackens becoming necrotic. Only radical measures, magic or the right medical treatment within a few minutes of the blackening can prevent loss of a limb or worse, death. In war it isn't used as much. It sounded good for enemys, but the screams and horrible effects scared friend and foe alike.

Transmission & Vectors

Liquid, adhesive, so it can be applied to arrows. touching it will start the process of contamination. This makes the liquid effective, but also difficult if not deadly to handle.

Causes

when human flesh is touched it will enter the skin and within minutes it starts to attack healthy flesh. if it is applied to an arrow or knife it will have a more devastating effect and infect the blood. Only magical means can stop the process.

Symptoms

Healthy flesh turns red, darkens to a deep red before it starts to smell as the skin begins to rot and turns to blue and finally black.
The flesh rot will inflict tremendous pain.

Treatment

if a body part is inflicted (rotting) it might help to remove the body part to prevent death. additional proficient medical treatment or magical healing is still needed to stop the blood rot and allow the victim to heal.

Prognosis

if untreaated it is fatal within an hour. Amputation comes at risk, and doesnt prevent death, but slows down the infection. Treatment without magical means is very expensive. Alchemists might have a digestible remedy magic users can use healing spells. A body part that has inflicted with the rot is lost. There is no 'normal' way of healing.

Sequela

The infliction is certain death if untreated. If a part is blackened and death it is irreversible and the part needs to be removed before treatment is possible. (magical or otherwise)

Prevention

Alchemists claim to have a digistible solution that nihilates the effects of the black rot. the chance that they carry it with them and a ptential victim digests it before the infliction is only during the preparation of the liquid or appliance of the liquid.

Epidemiology

it is only contageous when you toch the black skin. wearing leather gloves is sufficient to prevent contact.

History

Black flesh was created to create chaos on the battlefield within enemy ranks (infict terrible pain, make them scream and distract their comrades in dying agony etc.) it was only used once. and it didn't work as expected. friend and foe where both distracte by the horrible death screams.

Cultural Reception

the effects where horrible for everyone and the pro's and con's didn't help win the war.

Origin

Mutated

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Extremely Rare