Plague of Orcs

Over 5,000 years ago a magical cataclysm rocked the world of Niya-Yur. The true events of that event were lost and suppressed by the immortals and governments. But, like the tails of lost Atlantis which continue in our shared mythology through these new worlds long after our home universe was destroyed, stories of the fate of the great city of Imridu-Nam persist in various forms.
In the year 15,293, a team of Daggers on a special mission for Duke to end the Niya-Samri war discovered irrefutable proof of the terrible tragedy and crimes of the once praised Lady Dalpha. The myth of the lost city of Imridu-Nam, like the fabled city of Atlantis, tells of the city vanishing in a single tragic day. The stories of Imridu-Nam vanishing in an all-consuming fire created by its own arrogance are half right. The city of Imridu-Nam along with the entire nation of Elraci was consumed in a powerful firestorm fed by the complex magical and mundane power systems used to provide all means of interesting conveniences.
However, the truth is far more infamous. The fires of Elraci stole the lives of many immortals who came to save the once beautiful land. It also ended the lives of all the Elracian elves, a lost clan of gray elves who spent their lives in magical and mundane research. The fires that consumed their country also mutated a powerful disease-controlling magic they created to protect the health of all the races of Elraci and Niya-Yur. The once beneficial health magic turned on the race of elves and mutated them.
It is not known how to stop this disease that creates or mutates living beings into the horrid and fiendish race known as Orcs. Throughout the kingdoms of the Duianna Alliance, a standing bounty is honored even 5,000 years after it was first proposed and accepted. City guards in every city will pay a bounty of 50 Chira In exchange for two orc ears and an orc scalp. Because of this bounty, the race of orcs has been hunted to extinction. Yet, at irregular periods a band of orcs will appear and begin raiding and attacking an area. It has been assumed there is some hidden orc city or hive hidden deep underground or in some remote area of Niya-Yur.
The truth is far more terrifying. The Plague of Orcs continues to exist in the world of Niya-Yur and although it originally only infected the now extinct line of gray elves that were the root of Elraci people it is now known to attack other races. The special team of Daggers reported, and the immortals confirmed, the vast array of free Temples of the Palm built and run by Lady Dalpha were not as altruistic as believed. Lady Dalpha was directly responsible for the Elracian tragedy and the subsiquent Plage of Orcs. It is through her shame and attempts to atone for her mistakes that the Temples of the Palm were built.

Disease Progress

The Plague of Orcs may begin to infect any number of creatures or races. When it starts it must be found and utterly destroyed before it becomes a pandemic to the entire world.
The disease begins as a sore throat, with congestion and a general aching feeling through the body. This stage lasts for between ten and twenty days before more symptoms begin.
As the disease progresses the infected individual slowly loses their ability to think or remember things clearly. The infected individuals become more and more aggressive and greedy.
Once this stage is reached the disease progresses rapidly with the infected changing completely in less than a month.
The disease causes physical changes as well. The canine teeth grow rapidly into formidable tusks. Muscle mass doubles and body hair becomes coarse almost spike-like. The back of the scalp flattens slightly and the eye ridges expand shading the eyes. All infected creatures become light-sensitive preferring to remain in deep woods or underground during the day and foraging during the night.
Some extraordinary individuals have been able to resist the mental degeneration caused by the disease for longer periods. However, they inevitably lose the fight and become a shadow of their former selves.
All orcs who lived to young adulthood or older as another race have memories of their prior lives and are furious at what has happened to them. Parents will remember children and children will know who their parents are. All orcs have a ferocious family loyalty and will avenge all slights and injuries to family members.

Spread

No one has figured out how the disease spreads.
More specifically, no one who hasn't been infected has figured out how. A few doctors have, upon being infected, kept meticulous journals that hint that they discovered how the disease moves. However, all of the records have only been partially recovered as without exception those poor but dedicated souls once fully converted into an orc ransacked and destroyed their own homes, labs, and records including ones they had tried to hide or protect from themselves.

Treatment

There are no known cures for the Plague of Orcs. The immortals have confirmed they've been trying to find a cure since Elraci burned. Once an individual is infected early peaceful termination is recommended. All Temples of the Palm offer comfort and self-termination assistance to the infected.

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