Drakonid Wrath
Causes
While the disease devastates most living beings beyond recognition, drakonids only show mild symptoms before the plague disappears again. The reason for this remains unknown, although it is possible that either their scaly nature or their redundant organs help them to deal with the effects of the plague.
Sometimes a drakonid who was affected with the plague visits a settlement he leaves the plague in his wake, causing another outbreak. The reason behind this is unclear but has lead to widespread stigmata against drakonids, who are seen as plaguebearers or heralds of a new plague.
Symptoms
The Drakonids touch
In the first stage of the plague, the skin of the victim starts to develop red rashes covering almost the entire body. The only exception is the head, who starts swelling. The victim also develops a light fever and starts feeling phantom touches. Occasional vomiting may happen to some. Old and weak victims might die at this stage.The Drakonids Strike
After around a week, the rashes give way to red pustules, some as large as apples. Opening them leads to heavy bloodloss potentially killing the victims outright. The body becomes frail and weak, unable to lift anything heavier than a small box. The phantom touches stop, instead, the victim starts hearing voices, mostly commanding them to seek death in various forms. Rage is also a typical occurrence, albeit that most victims are far too weak to pose any threat.The Drakonids mercy
After two weeks of intense pain and illusions those who haven't already died to it recover enough to live again. This stage is marked by abnormal happiness of the patients, who are often ecstatic about the smallest things and seemingly cannot be phased by anything. Oftentimes these patients are drawn towards other sickly individuals in an attempt to help them.The Drakonids Wrath
After about three days of relative health, the victim relapses into an even worse state. The body develops black rashes and pustules, who burst into slime and blood. The fever comes back, higher than before. Limbs start to die off, although arms have a better chance to survive than legs. Finally, the victim begins to hallucinate, hears voices, is prone to fits of rage and feels phantom touches all across his body. Without exaggeration, he goes mad beyond saving. Nine out of ten diseased die during the wrath, which can last for up to six weeks. Most patients are killed at this point, so their suffering is shortened and their body can be burned to destroy their ability to spread the disease.The Drakonids Curse
Those who survive the Wrath are left as shambling husks of their former selves. Plagued by hallucinations, phantom pains, and phantom touches, they are almost unresponsive to any outside stimuli. It is possible for the victims to experience short moments of sanity, which most use to attempt suicide, as they cannot deal with their miserable existence. Occasionally they develop rashes and pustules, albeit they are small and generally not harmful.Treatment
The current advances in medicine do not allow for any effective treatment of Drakonids Wrath. The only methods that seemed to aid the patients were to provide sufficient nutrition and water.
Drakonids have several potions that they can use to ease the workings of the disease, unfortunately, they are also lethal to anyone but them.
Cultural Reception
Due to its contagious and deadly nature, victims are often shunned and rather cast out than treated, due to the risk they might pose for any doctor daring to treat them.
Those who have survived the plague can rarely count on a better fate. Having gone completely mad from it and being unable to care for themselves, it is normally seen as acceptable to kill them, as they would otherwise only drain resources and may infect others. The latter could never be proven to happen, but superstition runs rampant.
Type
Mental
Origin
Natural
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired
Rarity
Extremely Rare
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