Lore sickness/ The DarkBlood.

The darkness overcomes you, you feel pain, terror, and then? Nothing. You cannot decide whether you should be horrified or thankful that you cannot seem to control yourself as well as you would like. You long for your home but the light hurts your eyes. You can speak, but you need to work for it. You can walk, but it hurts, you're stiff, and your body is beginning to grow something. A fungus. Some pleasant smelling, some awful, all painful. And they will continue until you walk no more. You're so. very. hungry.

Transmission & Vectors

The Darkblood virus is hard to trace as some can be infected simply by being near someone who has the parasite, whilst others must have a ritual preformed before they succumb. Some even seek it out for the dark power it offers, thinking they can stave off the negative effects with their newfound power. Though such an approach is a double edged blade.

Causes

The Darkblood sickness stems from the elemental plane of darkness, known as Lore. The Plane of Lore is an endless abyss of sickness and misery, it houses dark parasites and horrible abominations of unthinkable plane shaking power. When it is capable of punching it's way into other worlds, it seeks to destroy the light by any means. Thus the Darkblood plague was unleashed on the Planes.

Symptoms

Sensitivity to light, Loss of judgement, boils and fungal growths protruding from the skin, inflammation, swelling, loss of color in iris, restricted movement, insatiable thirst or hunger, trouble communicating.

Treatment

No known cure has been developed. So far the destruction or surgical removal of infected tissues or individuals is the only way to remove the curse. Although moving to a plane farther from Lore can slow the progress, but exposure to any portal might push it into double time so the risk is a serious talking point among scholars.

Addendum: A cure was discovered at some point in Evermore, through usage of Black stones carrying the infection, crumbled to dust, mixed with a strange, peppermint smelling herb, gold powder, and the magic of one Wen Weaver. Sadly, with the witch the recipe went. Further research is required. - Professor Ducky of the College of Vattmaa.

Prognosis

Often early infected will seem normal. Often tired, marked with bags under their eyes, they lose their senses of judgement, and self preservation. These tells are unassuming and incredibly dangerous if overlooked. After a time they will begin to become morbidly in tune with the dark and become like an animal, often preferring to eat meat raw and stay indoors during the daylight hours.
The later the infection is allowed to persist the more plantlike the person will become, until finally they will simply become a conduit of lore. A Sporecolumn. Sporecolumns are the most dangerous versions of darkbloods to be around. While they are the slowest, often opting not to move at all, they prefer to attack by infesting the air with living darkness, clouding the air with deadly lore spores and shadows that become shades and dervishes that protect them.

Affected Groups

All.

Hosts & Carriers

Flora is capable of carrying the plague but it grows best in warmblooded beasts.

Prevention

Most everyone that might be exposed to creatures of the darkness such as that are often told to cover exposed skin and wear face masks. The Scarlet Sentinels specialize in hunting and eradicating these creatures.

Epidemiology

Often being brought to the surface by ill fated adventurers and archaeologists that refused to take the right precautions, the Lore virus is often stamped out asap. But hither and yon it pokes up from the sand, seeping into gardens, appearing to be a welcoming shade tree only to infect and slowly destroy weary travelers, or outright unleashing a horde of undead or rotting vegtablelike tendrils.

Cultural Reception

The Darkblood plague is a byproduct of living on Sorenthis. You get used to it. Stay in the sun, and let those who know what they are doing do their job and you'll be safe. It's taught in history classes worldwide and has it's own study wing and infirmary in the college at Occulil.

Type

Fungal

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare