Red Death

The Red Death, also called the Red Plague or the Great Dying, was a viral plague that wiped out nearly a third of all life in Vildrel from 1522 to 1540 SE. It is still remembered in art and song as a time of darkness, fear and paranoia among man.

Symptoms

The viral infection attacks the lungs, leading to a whooping cough that expells phlem, bile, and eventually blood. The membrane of the lungs eventually decays, leading the victim to choke on their own blood. Victims of the plague would die with blood pooling in their mouths, leading to the name.

Origin

The origin of the plague remains unknown. The official explanation of the atovist church was that it was a corruption brought from sinful and debaucherous practices. This is why the Gateway Summit was called in 1532. Other supernatural explanations are of a powerful curse from an Aberration, or an aetherial poison from Aether smithing. None of these explanations stack up to scrutiny, however, and the mystery remains unsolved. 

Spread

The Red Death spread through air particles and physical contact. It was highly infectious and affected Humanity, Giants and Droven equally. The spread of the virus was worsened in cities, where the dominant medical theory of the Six Pillars lead to people attempting bloodletting as a cure, which did nothing to stop the spread.

Decline

The plague declined in transmission rate steadily as time progressed. As the virus mutated, it became more deadly, and killed its host at a faster rate. Eventually, the plague killed so quickly and with such extreme symptoms that it wasn't able to transmit before its host was dead. The disease steadily declined until cases all but ceased in the winter of 1540.