Magna Pestis

The Catalyst of Plague

Magna Pestis is a spell that summons forth a plague called Dragon's Doom, the catalyst for the Age of Plague that nearly destroyed all of Totanian civilization in the year 232. It is Draconian for "The Great Plague."

Spreader of Plague

Magna Pestis is an ice magic spell, where the mage creates ice of any size from a small chunk to a glacier. Within this ice, they manifest something that has been frozen for "centuries" within it, though it is in truth a modern creation of the imagination.

Viaxis Vammush by Jarhed

This is the disease known as Dragon's Doom.
The ice is then melted, either through use of heat or repeated attacks to it.
Viaxis Vammush was said to simply pelt the ice at a target until it shattered on their very skin (or scales, in the case of other Draconians)

Dragon's Doom

When exposed to the disease, ones body becomes overtaken with warts, which drain the energy in the body. These warts are different colors depending on the power and personality of its victim, drawing not just from the body, but also being known as a "disease of the soul."
The warts can be different colors, one for each color of Dragon, thus the name. Each color emits a different magical element from the wart. These colors are:

• Red- Emit flames
• Blue- Emit lightning
• Green- Emit poison
• White- Emit ice
• Black- Emit darkness
• Orange- Emit flames
• Yellow- Emit light
• Brown- Emit rocks
• Purple- Emit gas

The Plaguewalker

The creator of Magna Pestis and, thus, Dragon's Doom, Viaxis Vammush was a Draconian that aspired to be like his ancestor, Qelbor Vammush.
He was also known as the Plaguewalker for his role in spreading the plague.
Qelbor had created a simple spell called Plague, which created a disease centered in the body of one person, which did not spread, and killed them nearly instantly.
It was based on the death of first Grand Wizard, Kilprax Ildial, and was used to help Qelbor become the ninth Grand Wizard.
Viaxis wanted to improve on this and become an even greater figure than even Qelbor, with a spell that surpassed his ancestor's singular disease. Magna Pestis was the result of this.
Viaxis became the 20th Grand Wizard, using Magna Pestis to kill the 19th Grand Wizard, Vimbish Baxcol.
Qelbor led the Draconian people for a mere four years before he died, having succumbed to his own disease.
For nearly 200 years after his death, the Age of Plague still carried on, with Dragon's Doom tearing apart the world, and Viaxis Vammush being blamed for the destruction. He is remembered as one of the greatest villains in history for creating this spell.

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This magic is not just for show. As someone is suffering from it, being drained of their energy, the magic is also attacking them and weakening them both externally and internally. By the time it takes full effect, it is said that the victim is even breathing the element themselves, having become a Dragon in a way.
Then, they pass away.

Orlayas Ojeux by Jarhed

Infamy

To many, there was no greater fear than Dragon's Doom. The world was driven into isolation, with all of the citizens knowing that if they stepped outside, Dragon's Doom would take them. Magna Pestis would take them.
Magna Pestis is believed by many to be one of the most powerful spells in history. After all, its range is planetary when the infectious nature of Dragon's Doom is taken into account.

"No single action has done more damage to the world more than the casting of Magna Pestis.
If it is to be considered a spell like all others, the world would be better off without magic, for this monstrosity is an atrocity by virtue of its existence alone."

— Orlayas Ojeux, Catalyst for Plague: Magna Pestis and the Folly of Envy

The fear that it could resurface has remained even after the Age of Plague ended. The very utterance of the phrase Magna Pestis sends shivers down the spines of Totanian residents, and the sight of even benign warts is said by many to be the first step towards death.
If Magna Pestis were to resurface, the world would not be prepared. They did not learn how to avoid it, and learning that they did ultimately overcome it has left many complacent and cocky towards potential recreation of the spell and the disease that follows it.

Grand Wizard Salasar Feaphed by Jarhed

Research and Replication

The exact way to perform the spell is unknown. Whether Dragon's Doom is manifested with sheer willpower within the ice, as with most powerful spells, or if it is an alchemical creation that is surrounded in ice as the alchemical background of Viaxis Vammush would suggest is unclear.
This is a secret that most mages have wanted to keep hidden, as they do not want this spell to be reproduced.
While many believe the spell has never been replicated, this is not entirely true. Particularly powerful academics, such as Salasar Feaphed and Orlayas Ojeux, have been able to replicate Magna Pestis, but did so in controlled test environments and destroyed anything that it touched.
Orlayas Ojeux would go on to gather his own and the late Salasar's data and publish their collective research on Magna Pestis, titled Catalyst for Plague: Magna Pestis and the Folly of Envy.