Blight

Appearing within years after the supposed GodFall, this supernatural condition is considered one of the worse things in Valnoagawa in the era. Uncommon in its occurrence around the world, each location where it is exist is considered death zone where walking nearby is to invite death an opportunity to overtake you each minute. The land itself is becomes bleak and covered in a dark miasma that hangs in the air at all hours regardless of the intensity. Various monsters/creatures have been found to exist and thrive in the Blight ZoneBlight that are created where the Blight bleeds from the Astral Void. Currently, the only known sentient creatures the reside within are the Bleak who are creatures that were once a member of a number species/race. Time will tell if it is possible for this to ever be truly dispelled and removed as an issue for existence.

Transmission & Vectors

Transmitted through traveling in Blight Zone where the supernatural disease infest the very air around it and all items within the location. Contact with anything in zone including the water, flora, & fauna with direct skin contact allows for it start building up in the body of an individual. Strangely, contact with the blood of infected individuals does not cause it to transmitted unless it is ingested intentionally. It builds up in the bodies of the entity in question and slowly interferes with its' normal processes until it has completely taking over the new host body.

Symptoms

The infected entity starts to show a paling of the skin as it starts to consume them, the eyes start to sink into the skull as rest becomes harder to acquire for the individual. Those of a frail constitution become gaunt as their bodies start to waste while the become inured to physical needs. During this time, the mind slowly deteriorates as the Hivemind of the Bleak takes over most of the higher functions. The longer an infected creature lives, the more it will manifest aggressive or even rabid behavior, hair loss and numerous deformities, protrusions, boils and sores.

Treatment

Lesser/Greater Restoration are known to be able to remove its effects from a living entity as long as it used in within a period of five days of exposure. Otherwise, there is no known treatment that can heal the condition, instead they are only able to prolong the existence of those that are under the full infection. Eventually it does reach the point of no return and the infected entity must be put out of it misery.

Prognosis

The bulk of those that are infected by the Blight are able live in a gaunt, ghoul-like state were they are able to survive for an extended period of time even though they have long abandoned taking care of their physical needs. These individuals are accepted by the Bleak as they are connected with what most have described as a Hivemind. When the creature has progressed to this stage, they are fully lost to the disease and death is the only salvation.

Sequela

Creatures that are able to make it back to a Blight Zone are able to restore their gaunt bodies due to the Blight building up in their body. Depending on the severity of the creature's physical body, once it has sufficiently recuperated from its time in the Blight Zone, it joins the ranks of the Bleak fully and becomes a hazard for all existence. At that point they are able to continue growing strength and exhibit more characteristics that make them vastly more dangerous as times passes.

Hosts & Carriers

All Flora & Fauna in the world are able to carry and transmit the disease without fail if they are exposed long enough. Even inanimate objects and stone are able to carry Blight if allowed to fester on it long enough.

Prevention

Prevention comes from avoiding the areas in which the corruption lies, the use of Lesser/Greater Restoration within a short time frame after contact with those that are infected or traveling through a Blight Zone. Furthermore it has been seen that divine beings do seem to be immune the Blight with those that have divine protections from disease seemingly have similar protection as well.

Epidemiology

The disease spreads through populations by individuals bringing it back with them after travelling from Blight Zones. Contact with items that have spent time within these zones and that have not been cleansed will also transmit the disease, though the buildup is much slower granting a greater chance of survival.

History

The first records interaction with the Blight and Blight Zones occurred within two decades after the GodFall. Though not very numerous at first, several new zones have cropped up in the following centuries from which all manner of creatures have become infected. 

Cultural Reception

Those that are infected with the disease are viewed differently depending on what stage. Those that are in the early stages are treated and study to try and understand what can be done to alleviate and cure the disease. As they reach later stages and turn into a Bleak, they are hunted down and killed as they become a problem for the local populace. 

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon