“The Blood Blight is a fearful disease that has taken many a premature life in its wake. It spreads from host to host in the blood, often through open wounds. After one contracts the disease, it is unlikely that they survive for more than two weeks. Symptoms include: bloodshot eyes, fatigue, fever, violent fits and vomiting blood.”
- from ‘Northern Plagues’ by Gauwill Everine
Blood blight is one of the most feared diseases in all the Wester Lands. Despite the rarity of it surfacing, the memory of those taken in its red claws is fresh on many poor soul's mind. Luckily for us, it has been many years since Dunneland has experienced the blood blight. It was many years ago, as far back as 125th year of the Fifth Age that a plague on a mass scale was last recorded, where Fellmoor was struck first, and it soon spread to Tarcott and then the county capital of Caperacre. Those that wrote about it tell of feverish screaming in the night, piles of bodies by the roadside and a fear of going outside held by everyone with any sense about them.
Gauwill Everine, in her book 'Northern Plagues' has documented many of the symptoms in great detail, as well as the causes of the disease. If you fear that your town may be struck, or that you are at risk, I recommend heartily this fine book, available in many libraries and bookshops.
During my reading up on the blood blight, it got me thinking. Maybe it's time for the blood blight to strike again. Maybe Fester has been summoning all his forces to strike us with all his might. Maybe this time, the county will not recover. That is why it is only a few weeks until I am travelling across the sea to the Eastern States. I wish not to experience it again.
~ 'BEWARE! The Blood Blight!', a pamphlet by Robert Ventril
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