Steeltoe plague Condition in Tûran | World Anvil

Steeltoe plague

This disease originated deep in the copper mines of Steeltoe, a tiny Island in the Raven Sea, about 100 years ago.
The Dwarven run mine and island was suddenly hit by a mysterious disease, those first affected were the Dwarves that worked in the deepest parts of the mine, but it was spread around quickly: old, young, men, women, all were affected, but only the Dwarves. The other races on the island seemed to be fine and showed none of the symptoms.
Pelor's Chosen started an investigation, hoping to find a way to help the Dwarves of Steeltoe. Gnome Clerics and Paladins were sent deep into the mine. The activity in the mine had halted because so many of the workers had fallen ill or died. So the mine was left almost the same as it had been when the disease struck. When they found what they thought was the source, they were both amazed and horrified. In the deepest layer of the mine, the miners had come across the remains of a massive ancient monster. Instead of honoring its resting place, they had begun to take it apart, probably hoping to sell the parts. The investigators figured that a slumbering virus had been released this way.
The lower levels of the mine were closed off, but because so many Dwarves had fallen sick, the island was left nearly abandoned and the mine had gotten in disuse.
All that seemed to help against the virus was a Greater Restoration or a Wish spell. Many of the affected were unable to pay for that and even though Pelor's Chosen does mostly charity work, needing all that diamond dust became a big strain on the organization. So at one point, they were left with no choice but to charge their patients, resulting in many of them going untreated and passing away. At one point, diamond dust even became scarce.
The disease had a massive impact on the Dwarven population of Tûran, leaving their numbers dwindling and Dwarven strongholds ripe for looting.
Even now, 100 years later, the Dwarven population has not fully recovered from the blow and Steeltoe is still off-limits to Dwarves.
Why the disease only targeted Dwarves is, to this day, still unknown.

Transmission & Vectors

Airborn

Causes

Investigators think it was caused by the remains of a massive ancient monster found deep in the Steeltoe mine.

Symptoms

Those affected first get green spots all over their body, which seems to be the same color as the skin of the monster used to be.
The spots last for about 3 days and then they vanish overnight, for about 2 days the infected person thinks they are healthy again, but this is the point where the disease is the most transmittable and the most contagious.
Five days in, the infected will start coughing up green slime, almost constantly until, a day later, they choke in the amount of slime present in their lungs.

Treatment

Greater Restoration or Wish spell

Prognosis

Deadly. The survival rate is less than 4% and seems to be completely random.

Affected Groups

The Dwarven population seems to be the only one affected by it.
Type
Viral
Origin
Natural
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired
Rarity
Rare

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