Ohn's Bane

What can be said of the force that singlehandedly led to the Empire of Man's fall? It was no force of war or people, but a plague. Only affecting humans and with a cure still undiscovered to this day, it swept through the empire, eradicating most of humanity. It was quickly discovered, though, that other races had immunities that were present even in half-races with humans. This is part of what led human bloodlines to become intermixed with other races so much. Humans, especially aristocracy, were desperate to preserve their families so they had children with other races to give them immunities.
Nobody can say with confidence where this disease came from, with most of the theories of its origin stemming from hearsay or vague discoveries. Such rumors include a god putting an end to the empire, an experiment gone wrong (or right), or all manner of other ideas. The most likely cause though is simply a natural origin, a virus that thrived on the large numbers of humans and was able to spread quickly.

Transmission & Vectors

This virus is airborne, though it became especially dangerous because even though it doesn't affect other races, anyone could be a carrier of the virus, spreading it to nearby humans.

Symptoms

Often the virus's symptoms start with a feeling of fatigue, often associated with only being tired and needing to sleep. Next, the virus's victim will find themselves getting progressively weaker. Another symptom that shows up around the same time is hallucinations (due to the virus damaging its victim's brain), causing the sufferer to find it difficult to think straight or know what is actually real. This can cause a patient to become paranoid, believing loved ones or healers have ulterior motives. Finally, the virus's victim will begin to grow boils, which make it harder and harder for them to breathe and cause unbearable pain. This quickly leads to death.

Treatment

There is no known cure for this virus, and even magical healing fails to cure it. This has led many to believe that Ohn's Bane has some kind of supernatural origin, as no mundane virus would have such resistance. Magical healing can subdue some of the worst effects of the disease, as it restores some of the damage caused. No scientific solution has been found, and very little can be done without magic to subdue the effects of the disease.

Sequela

The few humans that have survived this virus end up scarred and disfigured. Often they become outcasts in whatever society they live in since they become unsettling to look at.

Affected Groups

Humans

Hosts & Carriers

Any humanoid

History

The first recorded case of this condition was in [YEAR NEEDED], after which time it has always been very prominent. As human populations thinned out, the disease was less prominent. Occasionally, though, nations wishing to control a human-inhabited region will send in a non-human carrier of the disease, acting as a bioweapon to weaken opposition.

Type

Viral

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Uncommon