Ombagra

A much feared disease, ombagra causes the victim's body to become completely depleted of magic before slowing withering away. There is no known treatment or cure, and the mechanism of contagion is unknown. It will spread within a community if not contained and was responsible for the destruction of the Sixteenth Court.
Historically, outbreaks have been controlled only by the extermination of all potential carriers and incineration of all bodies, possessions, and buildings that may have been exposed to the infected. The exterminations are considered to be mercy killings since no one has ever recovered from the illness and death by ombagra is a prolonged and painful process.
Although there have been no cases in the past five cycles, ombagra is still feared as the greatest threat to public safety and political stability, due to both the disease itself and the critical role of magic in keeping natural disasters at bay.

Transmission & Vectors

Unknown

Causes

Given that ombagra has not appeared recently, most modern research into its causes has centered around historical documents and other evidence that survived the fires used to halt the spread of the contagion. The disease has only appeared at points in time when an epidemic seems least likely, when there is adequate health care and education, slow population growth, and political stability.
The usual drivers behind disease outbreaks (natural disasters, inadequate access to medical care, temporarily housed populations, etc.) are rarely present when ombagra manifests. Nor are there any commonalities behind the first victims of the disease, having originated in a variety of professions and socioeconomic statuses.
A few historical texts blame different demographics, such as invading forces or refugees from previous eras, but there is no evidence to support these claims and they align with the discrimation and personal biases of the authors.