The Floral Plague or Flowering Blight

A plague that was first noticed in 150 AE and spread widely over the course of about a decade.

A recent resurgence, although not quite as widely spread, has caused significant disruptions accross all of Ashnoor.

Transmission & Vectors

The Flowering Blight is thought to be transmissable both by touch, touching surfaces not cleaned and it may also be airborne.

Causes

The original cause of the viral infection is not known

Symptoms

The blight starts with tight chest, after this some coughing and some aches. Then the mucus hits, lots of that and more coughing. Coughing is getting a bit more violent – aches have gotten worse, this can go on for a week or a little longer, all the while increasingly more intensely. The flowering welts are the really bad sign – they come near the end. By this stage everything hurts, breathing, moving, lying still, the cold, the heat – everything. Within two days after the welts come they will burst and shortly thereafter it is all over for the victim.

Treatment

Herbs/Spices used:

• - Bequshell – Grows freely in most regions, hardy plant can survive in a range of climates, soils and positions. In short, easily found. A popular spice. - Bitter Flower – Sunny location plant, thrives in clay soil but a dark sandy soil will sustain them (will need more water though). A hardy plant, colourful flower (lots of colours) with a tough, thorny stem and small, prickly leather like leaves. Every part of this plant can be used, for widely different purposes, mostly “external use only”. In very measured amounts, pieces of the flower and some leaves, dried and mixed carefully can have a few medicinal applications. - Cave Creeper – not found out in the open. A range of preparations and uses. - Azeoce – Generally considered a rare and exotic spice – apart from a few other locations, the region the story takes place is one area Azeoce grows abundantly. So much so, it is a rich income stream for the little village, with ample supply for their own use. - Hibernation Salt – widely grown, both wild and cultivated. Named for its mild sedative effects when properly prepared

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Alcohol used: - Klyzol: A golden coloured alcohol, disarmingly easy to drink due to being reasonably potent alcohol. Home brewed. - Berserker Embrace: OP almost pure alcohol, one step back from poison (well, extreme over indulgence there’s no guarantees on the step back…) – The ultimate pain killer. - Bloat: Very heavy, dark ale (almost need a spoon to consume it). - Iwen Acescence: Fruity white wine. Popular in this region. - Wicella Rich: Locally produced red wine. Popular in protagonist’s house… - Various types of mead. Either homemade (main dude’s home) or homemade someone in the town.
The mix:

1. Build your fire.

Prep:

• 4 X Bequshell plants (entire plant). Remove seed pack (fruit) – Open fruit cut out seed lines and place in large mortar and pestle. The fruit can be cut up into a large bowl. Wash and finely chop roots, stem, leaves and flowers then into large bowl. Cave Creeper. Given the sometimes difficulties in obtaining cave creeper, it is difficult to give an exact measurement. If you only have a small amount, that will have to do. Ideally, the bunch should be no larger than twice the volume of what is already in the large bowl. Pull apart the hair like plant and mix it through with the other ingredients in the large bowl. Azeose. Unless you live in a region where this is grown, it may be in short supply. If possible two cups of dried bark into the mortar and pestle add a cup of Hibernation salts and grind until all ingredients mixed thoroughly. You now have the creeping salad and sleeping powder. In a clean cauldron/pot poor half cask of Bloat and six cups of Klyzol, heat over fire and stir until mixture thins (Bloat is a really, really thick dark ale), add a skin of Wicella Rich and a skin of Iwen Acescence, slowly add a cask of mead (mead of your choice, there’s quite the range – you might even make your own…) and stirring between pours. Heat mix until steaming. Once steaming you will add half a cask of Berserker Embrace. If you have a half cask with a tap, this is an excellent way to add the drink. However, a slow steady pour will suffice if you don’t have a tapped cask. Once the mix gets a slight green tone to it you have reached a good temperature to add herbs. First, your mixed dried Bitter flower and leaves goes in. You will only need one flower and three to five leaves (and no more) for the required measure. Stir in sleeping powder mixture. Let mixture steep for a few minutes (long enough to sample the Klyzol for certs). Take cauldron off fire, stir in creeping salad. Stir mixture vigorously for one full minute. Let stand until served.

Can be served hot/warm (recommended) or cold.
Will serve approx. 60 (usually more) shots of remedy to Flowering Blight Scourge. Also leaves a cracker of a hangover…
Recommended use a “shot” (about 30 mil) twice daily until recovered – usually no more than a week.

Prognosis

Fatal left untreated.

With treatment the majority of victims recover. The aged, infirm and very young are most vulnerable even with treatment.

Prevention

No known prevention strategies currently.

History

The floral plague first appeared 150 AE and was unabated until a cure was stumbled onto in about 158 AE with the plague eradicated, or thought to be about two years later.

Cultural Reception

Appears virulent in all humanoid races currently.

Type

Viral

Parent

The Floral Plague or Flowering Blight

Children

• The Floral Plague or Flowering Blight

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Unique