The spotted plague, sometimes called spotted fever,[4] was one of the Three Plagues of Faerûn,[2] a disease highlighted by blistering boils that burst, leaving scattering spots of pock marks.[1] It was regarded as one of the most dangerous non-magical diseases, even more than smallpox or typhus.[4]
Acquisition[]
The spotted plague was spread by skin-to-skin contact and took effect in one day.[2]
Effects[]
When infected, an individual's skin looked flush and their flesh broke out in swollen, white pustules referred to as "spots" or "festers".[1][3] They eventually burst and left behind permanent pocks and scars.[1]
The infection ran throughout the internal structures of the body, rotting away nearly all types of tissues. It caused a temporary loss of balance, reasoning, and sense of spatial awareness, and occasionally vision. In nearly all cases the sense of smell was lost, and this was nearly always permanent.[1]
The spotted plague usually killed within 24 hours of the first symptoms.[3] If a victim of the disease survived past the first two days and nights, a time fraught with mortality, they were usually ensured survival as the plague ran its course. These fortunate souls were often extremely sick for a matter of days and experienced notable weakness for around a month.[1]
History[]
In Hammer of the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, an outbreak of spotted plague struck Iriaebor, but was contained with only 20 casualties thanks to the quick collective efforts of the churches of Chauntea, Eldath, and Selûne. Given the strangeness of a plague striking in winter, the outbreak was blamed on followers of Talona, specifically a group of tattooed individuals who had been seen in town a few tendays prior.[3]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0786960345.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 19. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 slade et al. (February 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 495.