Heart Sting

Summary

Heart Sting is a disease that first appeared during The Time of Strife. It was detected in Velarris, and was studied and cured by Aviela of Velarris for a time. After her disappearance, Heart Sting rapidly spread, infecting the populace at large and turning Velarris into an empty state littered with corpses.

History

Heart Sting first appeared in Velarris after the occupation of the city by The Dustborn. Whether it was a disease carried into the city by the invaders or one that evolved naturally, many scholars attribute the disease to the cursed Gardens of Collapse.
The disease is best known as the sole reason for the rapid deteoration of the City of Harmony. It was initially treated by Aviela's Enhanced healing abilities, but a cure was eventually developed. However, it was too difficult to obtain the reagents required to make the cure, and the healers of the city were unable to address the rapid spread.
Heart Sting has appeared in other places across Teralt through time, each time with incredibly high death counts. And though it has not been seen in centuries, it is a well-known and deeply studied plague.

Symptoms

Heart Sting causes multiple initial symptoms, with the predominant one being a sharp pain in the heart, thus giving it its name.
Initial Symptoms:

• Chest Pain: Often the first sign of the disease, the afflicted will feel intense stabbing pain in their heart while performing intensive activities. Over time, the pain will occur more frequently, and with less strenuous activity, until it is near constant.
• Flaking Rash: Irritation is common around locations of frequent contact, such as under the arms, between the legs, on the palms and fingers, and if the afflicted touches their face enough, around the eyes. The skin will itch, burn, and then finally flake or peel off. The dead skin is a dark purplish black, giving the afflicted the appearance of a bruised body.
• Hair Loss: Left untreated, the final initial symptom of Heart Sting is hair loss across the body, with the strands losing much color and turning brittle just before falling out.

Severe Symptoms:

• Respiratory Issues: Difficulty breathing accompanied by frequent coughing that sounds as if through a punctured lung, as well as passive wheezing, is an advanced symptom of Heart Sting. Many afflicted perish at this stage as the lungs become inflamed and the airways close. This symptom may be treated with tinctures that reduce inflammation.
• Blood Leakage: Predominantly occurring around the heart, the afflicted begins to bleed through their skin, leaving scabs and cracking skin. These areas must be cleaned regularly or lesions will form, weaking the afflicted further and risking wounds that do not stop bleeding.
• Cardiac Arrest: The afflicted will frequently go into cardiac arrest, requiring a manual restart of their heart.

Means of Death:

• Heart Failure: The most common death to Heart Sting is cardiovascular collapse.
• Dehydration: Difficulty drinking and blood loss contribute to death by dehydration.
• Blood Loss: Due to the wounds that, left untreated, will continue to bleed, many victims of Heart Sting die from simple cuts or bursting lesions.

Type

Viral