Omon blight

The Omon blight, named after the human civilization where it was first discovered, is a highly devious plague that spread through Orid Xem.

Developed by adventurers of the Museum human necromancer vampire Ketas Kakthrilzop and dwarf necromancer Kosoth Sibrekakmam for less insidious reasons than imagined, it was inoculated by Kosoth in various creatures and left to spread.



Effects
The plague may lay dormant in a victim for decades, perhaps even centuries at a time. Being a syndrome developed by necromancers and thus of a supernatural nature, it may very well make its victims immortal - until present, no creature afflicted with the plague was found to die of old age.

The plague activates in one of two cases: when a creature visits a fortress supervised by an overseer or when in proximity of an adventurer, similar to the activation of the Death Curse of Adventurers.

The worst effects are not the spread through the air - it is in fact a curse similar to that of werebeasts or vampires in that it can be transmitted during melee fights - nor any debilitating harm upon the victim. It is the taking of the victim's rational mind and giving it the mentality of an undead, seeing all conventional living creatures as enemies. This is important for the victim still retains some of their rationality and when in great numbers or feeling threatened by adventurers, they devise a hastily plan of "Insurrection" and co-opt hidden undead in the vicinity, be they vampires, necromancers or night creatures. This in turn sometimes turns into a blood bath, as has happened with the 825 and 826 massacres.

Spread
The first cases were found by Galka Linarad in Omon Obin, giving its name. Galka would also (mistakenly) chronicle the (likely unwilling) participation of the vampire Uja Kusutbepa at what he believed was the head of the plague victims, resulting in a furious battle that led to Uja's death and Galka's infection with vampirism. Galka, believing it the result of corruption in the human civilization rather than the work of mad necromancers, decided to leave for a remote dwarven hold.

However, the plague had been spread far and wide, taking roots in Ilrallenod even before good King Bralbaard Nilthatlosh's rule. Bralbaard had initially wanted to modernize the capital of, but visions of mass slaughter of his own nobles stopped him from starting this plan. In 825 however, he decided to leave on a prolonged visit to various Adilatír holds, as well as begin discussions with the King Tobul Melbiltenshed of the only other living dwarven civilization and elven Dark Queen at the time Vafice Falethefama of.

Accounts vary, but there is agreement that Bralbaard's move to action triggered a civil war in Ilrallenod spearheaded by the blighted thralls. As mentioned above, the hidden but benign undead among the population were forced to fight and kill on the side of the thralls, creating a bloodbath and (mostly figuratively) decapitating the nobility of Adilatír.

Though it appeared to be contained and new nobles were ascended and called to the capital, in 826 the tragedy repeated, this time likely triggered by the visit of the adventurer Moldath Leshaltölún.

Both the cases of Omon Obin and Adilatír were considered resolved, however this was not so. Omon Obin wisely chose a human Law-Giver from the old line of House Jalisac-Atektiquo, Ago Cocuewom. However, he had been infected since 797 with the plague by Kosoth himself, making him even to the present a walking time bomb. Meanwhile, it is believed that at least an inhabitant of Ilrallenod still retains the plague.

The spread did not stop here, however. Quogubpesor also has its share of dormant infected, waiting (likely unknowingly) to sow chaos into the world.

Sadly, no cure was ever developed to this day, the only way of ending the blight being to kill all infected. A cure had been tried on Amsir Kupestruslot of House Bestiejed‏‎, at the time Guild Representative of Omon Obin by Kikrost Órnomal of Eskôn, and though apparently successful, saw him returned blighted the next year. Kikrost repeated his success, but once again it wasn't permanent, the advent ending in Amsir's death in 802 at the hands of Galka Linarad in the Omon Obin hamlet Atraolo.

Related events

 * The 825 massacre in Ilrallenod unwilling activated by the movements of then-King Bralbaard Nilthatlosh
 * The 826 massacre, a repeat of the previous year in the same settlement, this time activated by the arrival of Moldath Leshaltölún
 * The 864 massacre, a third repeat of these events