A Fungus Among Us

The Grand Duchy of Helderbourgh - A small mountaintop city-state rich in history and culture.

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Orion
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A Fungus Among Us

Post by Orion »

What began as a mere absence of liches swiftly grew into something much more malign.

Resuming their place among society from a long slumber the liches of Lichbrook bore a fine white powder of undefined nature. Not all liches carried it, but enough that a noticeable percent of the undead population was affected in some way or another. Those thus afflicted were slower than those without the powder. They appeared lethargic, confused, disoriented. Memory often lapsed and logic was flawed. The powder itself was a fine dust, clinging tightly to the body and clothes, but just as easily made airborne by a strong breeze. Thus the epidemic introduced itself to the environment.

By the time doctors and scientists caught on to what was happening, the situation had flared into a full-scale pandemic. The powder, it seemed, was a fungus. Its origins were unknown, and its biology baffling to researchers. It affected only the undead and appeared to originate from their long slumber. But the reason why that slumber came about in the first place eluded discovery. Likewise a cure also remained utterly elusive.

The fungus multiplied by spores, spread quickly on the air, and infiltrated even the most tightly sealed lich tomb. It ate away at undead flesh and bone. But from the inside out. The brain, that most sensitive of organs, was affected first with a slow spread of dementia. But even as the mind slipped into a vegetative state the body too began to crumble. In the end a lich was reduced to dust itself, often filled with spores of the fungus. Soon all of Treisenberg was infected.

The only answer was quarantine. As liches died left and right the government was thrown into chaos. Riots began to occur. The fungus must be stopped, so the people shouted. And when medicine failed to kill the disease, so it must be purged by fire. Cities burned alongside the mounds of bodies. To invoke order the military was brought to bear and martial law declared. The principalities were locked down. No one could enter or leave the country without the approval of a dozen committees and military bureaus.

And in the meantime spores spread on the wind...



(Note: Yes, I'm trying to get back into things.)

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