2813  Miecoth

The attacks first began in the Miecoth lands. Men and women becoming rabid out of nowhere and attacking fellows. People who seemed lethargic or ill only a day earlier or two were now frantically spewing out mumbled nonsense and jumping at every little thing, ultimately attacking their caretakers. The Daresh in their lands were sought after for aid - perhaps the foreigners full of universal wisdom knew what was happening? Their lodges became full in droves and the tents radiating from them were full of either sickly or those tending to them. The Daresh did not have an answer, and soon enough their own people were being taken by this plague.

Only three of ten affected survived, and only one (if at that) would go on to a normal life unaffected by its symptoms. Those treating were growing wary of admitting anyone, as there was a high chance of the patient lashing out at any moment. But despite their good intentions, people were dying every day due to a lack of treatment. The Miecoth who assisted helped greatly, for their knowledge of medicine was advanced beyond what the Daresh thought possible, but still deaths occurred day after day.

2814  Almaroth

The sickness soon spread to the Almaroth, who's city and villages were affected rapidly in such numbers as to dwarf the deaths in the seas of grass. People clawed and fought for a spot atop a Meswoth vessel, desperate to leave. The city itself became a ghost town of proportions, with people refusing to go out in belief it was contagious. Sadly, this didn't work, and many died locked into their homes.

Ironic, then, that the Krioth and Daresh tendency to help became their downfall. Not every initiate and monk was so willing to help those who could not be, for there was no known way to treat them. They returned home on those same ships - to Alana, to the Northern Runs, to Krigata - and then the first breakouts began. The Nautaragin, with their gifted horses, unknowingly brought with them the deaths of their siblings.

2815

Reports continued flooding in from all over. Large numbers of Daresh stayed in their chosen Darfa (place where they shall do good), helping to establish sick homes, though many died in the process. Those who survived and treated others were rarely left without signs of their hardship in the form of cataracts, or half their face unable to move. These, however, were considered lucky and far and few in between. There had not been found any way to treat the symptoms - just pray and hope Daksha would reward you for your good deeds.

The city of Terrkarn was ravaged much like the Almaroth, however their numbers reached unspeakable heights. Sometimes ships landed with their entire crew dead, or with only a few survivors. Here as well the Sick Homes were created, and though they didn't exactly treat the illness, they helped in quarantining the sick.

2824, Alana

A young man stabled his horse and fell into a coma while sleeping in a Trade House in Alana. The next morning he woke screaming that they were trying to kill him, and jumped at the nearest Meswoth to bite and claw at him. Then, more and more of the people from the same ship had gone insane. The plague had reached their lands.

How could the Daresh reconcile such atrocities? People dying in the thousands; good people, innocent people. Thankfully for them, the eye of culpability did not fall on them right away. For who was losing numbers the fastest, if not the lowlanders? People ran to the hills and hid in their cliff dwellings, bringing with them their spouses, children, goats and animals.

Alana, the first key settlement of the Krioth, home to Trade Houses which boasted goods from overseas and over the mountains, origin of the olden Priestess Mothers, was now quickly reduced to its original size. Bodies floated down river as often as pyres were lit to burn bodies. Their Nyarlothan brothers further down the river were being hit just as hard, if not harder, for they did not have mountains to hide in.

It took several years for people to begin realizing the causes, and that it was somehow related to animals. The only one seemingly unaffected was the pig, the filthy creature who people believed harbored diseases immeasurable. It was a hard pill to swallow for the Krioth who saw the animal as a walking trash bin, but in places like Alana who were being ravaged, they saw it as necessary.

No one bothered to think the disease was carried by flies. Most people thought it was airborne. Because of this, Krioth went as high into the mountains as they could for “pure” air. Surprisingly enough, this seemed to work, even as misguided as it was, since the flies could not withstand the cold or heights.

Even so, their misfortune had just begun.