Bloodwrack

Bloodwrack is an infectious disease that causes severe coughing, mixed with blood as the disease progresses. Spread through airborne particles or through bodily fluids, the disease has an incubation period of 3-4 days before the victim begins to exhibit symptoms. Early symptoms include joint pain, low fever, loss of apatite and difficulty sleeping.
The disease first emerged in the empire in the early spring of 304E in the several small villages within the Ellindar Forest. During the early stages of the initial outbreak, the fatality of the disease was over 90% with many of these locations of origination being completely depopulated by the disease. The disease quickly spread through the forest, having a major impact on the largest city in the forest, Erian. With greater access to healing magics and further developments in treatments, the fatality was reduced to 30% in the initial wave with in the city.  Still, the effect of the disease devastated the populations and economy of the city and most of the villages and towns within the forest.  
The Emperor, realizing the terrible nature of the disease, dispatched several imperial legions in the fall of 304E to the region to help combat the disease.  The majority of these were medical units and groups to support them and the populations that were heavily effected by the plague.  These troops helped to stabilize Erian and coordinate the care for the afflicted within the areas they were deployed.  
By the summer of 305E, an effective treatment for the disease was discovered. An infusion of concentrated Inch Bark vapor was found to relieve the symptoms and give the patient time for their body to recover. Unfortunately, this treatment remains very expensive leaving many of the poorer members of imperial society unable to this medicine. As a result, several hundred deaths are still reported each year due to Bloodwrack.