An infamous and highly contagious disease known to strike settlements within Rukhmarite lands. It is believed to be a form of divine punishment, brought down upon a city's population as a result of excessive indulgence; be that from feasting; drinking; whoring; or other vice. Its arrival is always announced by the appearance of nineteen crows upon the town hall or other central building of the city, who will alight atop the building and remain there until the end of the day. Once they depart, it is said that the disease will arrive within the next two weeks.
Symptoms
Those who find themselves afflicted by the plague often suffer symptoms similar to those of many other diseases; coughing; fever; and trouble breathing. The disease most often kills through asphyxiation, as moisture accumulates within the lungs and renders it difficult to breathe. Despite this, it is rarely fatal in comparison to many of the other diseases that exist in Pretheya. Rather, it is the aftereffects it leaves upon its victims that make it so feared. Those who contract it often find themselves robbed of their sense of taste or smell, sometimes both, and this effect may persist for years even after the disease has left them; with certain particularly unlucky souls never regaining them.
Transmission
The disease is known to commonly spread from infected individuals to those who spend time close to them. Beyond this, the exact method of transmission is not known. Some, however, believe that the shrill squawks of the crows serve as a warning; one meant to caution against the evils of boastfulness. For this reason, it is thought that if one covers their mouth and refrains from speaking for the duration that they are infected, they will not transmit the disease to others.
