Moon Glow Fever

This is a Summer Camp article written AT GREAT SPEED! It has not yet been edited, so apologies for the copious typos and small text issues.

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"Sporess Simplex" (pronounced "SPOR-ess SIM-plex"), also known colloquially as "Lunaticism" or "Moon Glow Fever", is a fungal infection of the underdark, and is carried harmlessly by many creatures who originate there. In overground species, infected victims pass through several stages of symptoms of increasing severity, from a mild fever and lunar evervescene, to full-on blood lust. If untreated, is usually fatal.

History and Origin of Sporess Simplex

Sporess Simplex is a fungal infection that originated in the Underdark. Some naturalists believe the fungus originally formed a symbiotic relationship between the species of the underdark and a now-extinct form of Underdark-dwelling mushroom body. No such mushroom bodies have ever been observed on the surface, however.
While isolated cases were recorded in antiquity, the disease reached the surface in prevelance following the events of the Underdark Collapse, the emergence of underdark species during the Battle of the Beasts, and the subsequent Underdark Concord that settled in uneasy treaty with the Empire on the surface world.

Social Impact

The first outbreaks of Moon Glow Fever, which appeared only in areas that had been settled by the Underdark Concord, created deep suspicion and distrust from the Empire. While the disease was not fully understood, it was believed to be a weaponised attempt by the refugees to claim more land from the Empire.
The effect was devastating, decimating already vulnerable settlements of overgrounders, and eventually led to increased animosity between the two organizations that culminated in the infamous "Great Betrayal".

Phases of Infection

Moon Glow Fever has several phases of infection in surface creatures, beginning with a mild fever, and potentially ending in death.

Phase 1: Infection & Incubation

Infection occurs when a creature comes into contact with fungal spores of Sporess Simplex. Usually, this involves coming into close contact with a creature carrying the disease. It is worth noting that those who are of underdark origin may carry the disease without showing symptoms beyond light moonlit evervesence.
Spores are carried through the air, but may also be present in blood.
The incubation period of the infection is 7-12 days.

Phase 2: Fever and Moon Glow

During Phase 2, patients will experience occasional bouts of fever with increasing intensity. If a patient is frail or vulnerable, or has particularly high or untreated fever, this phase may be fatal.
Also present in this phase is the so-called Moon Glow - the lunar eveversencce. Infected patients may notice that, where their veins are close to the surface of the skin, they glow in the moonlight. The sclera (the whites) of their eyes will also glow in sever cases, creating an ethereal appearance. Anecdotally, some recovered patients explained that they felt compelled to stand in the moonlight, although this symptom is not universally observed.
Phase 2 may last 14-21 days.

Phase 3: Bloodlust

Phase 3, for patients who survive the previous phases, is characterised by dangerous bouts of blood lust. Patients have been known to display vampiric tendencies. Naturalists have theorised that this is due to the spores using up iron in the blood, forcing the patient to seek other sources.
This phase is the most likely to be fatal through misadventure, as patients become a danger to themselves or others.
This phase lasts 3-10 days.

Treatment

Moon Glow Fever is caused by a fungus, which must be eradicated as early as possible to prevent it taking hold of the system. As well as warm baths, which aid the fever in driving out the infection, another treatment that has proved effective has been Masticha, a resin taken from the mastic tree found only in Mediterranean environments.