The Blood Fever is an infectious disease that struck Arland in the early years of the Sixth Age of the Gizadi Record. Originally identified in the winter of 5230 GR, the fever originally infected Arcanists but eventually spread to commoners.
It is this disease that gave rise to the Azure Queen.
Transmission[]
The Blood Fever is transferred through the blood. Any direct contact with infected blood will increase the likelihood that the fever will be transferred from person to person.
Arcane Weakness[]
For reasons unknown, the blood plague seemed to infect Arcanists more easily than others. Those arcanists who had recently cast spells were apparently more vulnerable than those who had not.
Divine Protection[]
Clerics, of nearly any sort, were protected from the virus for some reason. They could easily come into contact with the blood of an infected victim and not show even the first sign of infection. It is thought that because Clerics were immune and Arcanists were so susceptable that it was a curse upon them.
Symptoms[]
The Blood Fever, once caught, moves fast through the body.
Day One[]
The Blood fever begins like any other winter malady with aches and pains and a general feeling of fatigue. The fatigue persists for a day as a fever will start to burn the victim by the end of the first night.
Day Two[]
By the second day, often as the person awakens, the fever will have advanced so much that it causes the victim to sweat. By the end of the second day, the sweats will continue until the victim begins to sweat blood from their pours.
Day Three[]
By dawn of the third day the fever persists with waves of nausia that rid the victim of most of their remaining strength. Bleeding from the pours continues and is now accompanied by bleeding of the eyes and nose. Wracking coughs will send spasms through the victim until dusk of the third day.
Day Four[]
By the dawn of the fourth day the victim has lost nearly half of their blood and is most likely dead. Those who haven't died by morning will not last until night.
Contamination[]
Once a victim has been infected they are a perfect carrier and will spread the virus to anyone who comes into direct contact with their blood. The virus remains contagious for nearly forty-eight hours after it has left the body which is why many victims were burned along with any possession that was contaminated with their blood.
Treatment and Cure[]
Initially the fever was treated like any other malady and the victim is cooled to quench the fire within them. As the nausia starts to weaken them and the blood begins to weep from their skin herbal remedies were found to be ineffective. Clerics who were advanced in their faith enough to cast Remove Disease found it to be effective but as not many villages or towns had a cleric of suffecient faith this treatment was rare.