Verdant Plague

In the town of Lelita, a strange and terrifying illness has emerged, baffling healers and causing widespread panic. This disease, which locals have started calling the "Verdant Plague," begins innocuously enough with symptoms resembling those of a common cold. Infected individuals initially experience mild fever, a persistent cough, and fatigue. However, as the illness progresses, its true and horrifying nature becomes apparent.
Within a week, the infected start noticing unusual changes in their limbs. Their skin takes on a greenish hue, and their veins bulge and darken as if filled with sap instead of blood. Soon, patches of skin begin to harden and crack, revealing tender green shoots and delicate leaves sprouting from the flesh. This grotesque transformation continues, with limbs gradually decaying and transforming into branches, bark, and other plant-like structures. Fingers become delicate vines, arms turn into sturdy branches, and legs stiffen into rough trunks rooted to the ground.
The final and most dreadful stage of the Verdant Plague occurs when the infection reaches the brain. The unfortunate victim's mind deteriorates, leading to confusion, memory loss, and eventually a complete vegetative state. As the brain succumbs, it morphs into a beautiful, albeit tragic, flower that blooms from the victim's head. The rest of the body continues its transformation, ultimately becoming a magnificent but eerie shrub, deeply rooted in the soil where the person once stood.
Despite the best efforts of healers, alchemists, and clerics, no cure has been found for the Verdant Plague. Preventative measures are equally elusive, as the exact cause and mode of transmission remain unknown. Some speculate that the disease is a curse from a vengeful nature deity, perhaps Sylvoria, the Verdant Mother, punishing the town for some unknown transgression. Others believe it might be the result of dark magic or an ancient, long-forgotten ritual gone awry.
Fear and uncertainty grip the town, with people avoiding those showing the slightest symptoms of a cold. Quarantines are hastily established, and families are torn apart as they desperately try to avoid the spread of the plague. The once lively and bustling town of Lelita now lies under a shadow of dread, its streets eerily silent except for the rustle of leaves that were once human. The true nature and origin of the Verdant Plague remain a mystery, leaving Lelita to grapple with an uncertain and terrifying future.