Kambrona Plague
Meaning & Name origin
The name Kambrona stems from ancient Human dialects spoken before The Great Migrations, combining the root words "kamb" ("gasp" or "to grasp") and "rona" ("death" or "curse"). Thus, Kambrona roughly translates to "The Gasping Death" or "The Grasping Curse".
History
Kambrona originated in the ancient Human homeland of Hyperborea, long before The Cataclysm and the subsequent Ice Age drove its inhabitants southward and in to Arboria. Initially rare and confined, the plague began to spread rapidly when climatic upheaval forced Humanity to migrate from their cradle. In the east, amidst the desperate struggles of the Slaya against the Feynarin, the disease found fertile ground in the cold, marshy swamps of Vostoswat, quickly spiraling out of control. Soon, even the Elves succumbed, inadvertently spreading Kambrona throughout the southern realms. The plague ravaged population centers relentlessly during the better part of the Ice Age and well into the early Age of Embers.
In the present day, the Kambrona plague is largely under control. Victims are swiftly identified, quarantined, and isolated to limit outbreaks. Although outbreaks are now rare, the plague remains incurable. Existing treatments can only temporarily alleviate suffering, merely delaying an otherwise inevitable fate.
Symptoms & Progression
Early stage (day 1 - 2 )
- Sudden high fever and severe chills
- Persistent cough accompanied by sharp chest pains
- General weakness and fatigue
Middle stage (day 3 - 5 )
- Violent coughing fits, producing thick, blackened mucus
- Distinctive dark, bruise-like markings spreading along the throat, upper chest, and shoulders
- Increasing difficulty breathing, as though victims are slowly suffocating
Final stage (day 6 - 7)
- Extreme respiratory distress and panic as airways swell shut
- Internal bleeding, leading rapidly to asphyxiation
- Death follows swiftly, often within hours after the onset of final symptoms
Spread & Containment
Kambrona primarily spreads through airborne droplets expelled by coughing victims, rapidly infecting those nearby. The disease also persists in bodily fluids and particularly in corpses, which exude highly contagious black fluids even after death. Burial was quickly found insufficient, as contaminated fluids seeped into the ground, infecting soil and water, sparking new outbreaks.
The devastating mortality and rapid spread of Kambrona had profound cultural consequences. Communities soon discovered that isolating the sick and burning the dead was the only reliable method of neutralizing the contagion, preventing contamination of the earth and water supply. Initially a desperate health measure, cremation gradually evolved into deeply respected rituals, symbolizing purification, renewal, and the banishing of lingering evil spirits associated with plague victims, particularly in the faiths of The Divine Flame and Church of the Mason. Even centuries after Kambrona’s wrath subsided, the tradition of burning corpses endured, becoming ingrained in Human cultures as both practical necessity and solemn reverence.
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