The Crystal Plaque

Transmission & Vectors

The crystal plaque is a sickness caused by particles of the crystalline Halorbis-Wall and the smaller structures, so called Halorbits. The particles can be transported over the air, which causes people, creatures and plants to fall ill, many kilometers away.

Symptoms

The symptoms follow a similar pathway as the earthly known "Silicosis", a lung diseases caused by airborne silica dust.

Early-stage symptoms are:

1. Coughing
2. Shortness of breath, which often gets worse with activity
3. Chest pain
4. Chest tightness
5. Abnormal breathing patterns
6. Wheezing
7. Scratchy, dry, or sore throat

Later symptoms are:

Later, the disease will start to manifest as crystallization of internal organs, as well as the "crystalline gaze" which is a purple-blue hue caused by crystal fragments bulking up in the eyes, causing people to turn blind over time.

Late-stage symptoms are:

Late symptoms can range from heart problems, to psychological / neurological problems, to inability to move.

In the end, the patient will die from the crystallization of the internal organs.

Treatment

A treatment is only possible in the early stages, as the crystal formations inside the body have their own growing potential by connecting with the individuals AO energy. So removing the person from the infected area is crucial, since the severity of the crystal plaque can become a lot more vast, if the individual inhales more of it.
Later the treatment contains cleaning rituals of the body, as well as different medicines. Many folks treat their infected differently, but a common line between all of them is clear water, clear food, and clear air.

Prognosis

The crystal plaque is not a disease to be cured. That is what one must understand at all times. If you catch it, it will cause havoc on your body. The only question is, if you make it out of the area before it manifests too heavily, shortening your lifespan drastically. There are known cases of those who lived around 80% of their original lifespan, yet the treatment must become a permanent addition to their lives, and pain in many ways is unavoidable.

Sequela

Many patients suffer from severe pain in different ways, which oftentimes leads them to fall addicted to pain medication. Others suffer more from mental stress and neurological problems, while the physiological symptoms develope slower. The 'crystal madness' is very severe and can affect different personalities in different ways.
One prominent example is the case of the mad driven weavers, who wandered towards the crystal scar in the north of Saigon - and into it. Their madness turned violent against themselves and others, as they tried to break the outter hard shell of the crystals and reach the more liquid AO energy below it. Their action had major consequences for the region, as they used any magic they could weave to destroy said crystal formations. You can read more about them here.

Hosts & Carriers

The crystal plaque is not contaigious in the classical way - yet you can consume crystal particles by consuming water, plants and animals that are infected.

Prevention

The best prevention is to avoid the contaminated areas and also check if the food and water you plan to consume have any visible signs of contamination or, in worst cases, comes from a region close to a contaminated area.

History

The biggest outbreak was right after the creation of the Halorbis-Wall, which forced many people to flee from the affected regions. It took several generations to re-establish life in certain areas again, while the areas close to the wall are still highly toxic because of the radiating energy and the crystalline particles.

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Unique