E P I D E M I C



Summary: Over the next couple of weeks, Khloros, the permanently diseased horse (an RCS character who is half-rotting at all times, not merely a 'sick horse'), will be wandering Origin and spreading his plague.

What does this mean? Well, nothing, if you don't want it to! But, if you're interested in spicing up (or tormenting your characters or adding gruesome grimdark evil into their lives) your roleplay, feel free to interact!

Details: Khloros will be spreading plague along Pisces' watery shores, via rats, along other Lesser Gembound where he can, and more... unless stopped! Feel free to interact in any way you want--all threads will be AW, or you can make your own interacting with the effects of his plague.

Some interaction possibilities:

- Try to find the source of the spreading illness (Khloros himself)
- Question him to find his motives, perhaps try to convince him to stop...
- Get plagued, either directly or by what he's left behind
- Cure the plague that he's spread, by killing or curing Lesser Gembound he's plagued, or cleansing the areas he touches, and so forth
- Ask his motives and join his efforts to eradicate all life in Origin
- Hunt him, fight him and drive him out of an area entirely, even kill him if there's a strong enough concerted effort with a few characters banding together to stop him!

Any suggestions are welcome. Note that nobody HAS to interact with this. I don't expect to force anything on the full caves but I thought it could be fun :) I don't at all mind him dying if it becomes big enough and enough characters come after him.

So, what's this plague do? Well, it's most similar to the Black Death of medieval times. If you're interested in roleplaying out either looking for diseased Lesser Gembound to kill/cure, or to roleplay out an illness yourself, feel free to pick and choose from (or embrace all of) the following symptoms: coughing, muscle soreness, mouth sores, swollen and painful lymph nodes, fatigue, anorexia and weight loss, vomitting and diarrhea and dehydration, very swollen and infected painful lymph nodes, more serious oral lesions, total exhaustion, chest pain along with heavy coughing, even abcessed lymph nodes (draining pus, very painful and tender), gangrene, internal bleeding and/or coagulation, difficulty breathing, shock, or even death. It can be cured with Fauna Cleanse, Immunity, etc... or a malicious type might adopt it for their own with Incubate. Those ill with it might even spread it further...

That's all; I hope people can have fun with this! :) Any suggestions are welcome, and just PM me any requests for private threads about it!

Threads (in chronological order):

Epidemic: The Water (Pisces) - Khloros has exited, but the plague is spreading. (OPEN)
Epidemic: The Rats (Eridanus) - Khloros has been countered by three cats, being badly injured and chased off, having now exited. (FINISHED)
Epidemic: The Swamp (Cetus) - Khloros has exited. One cub has taken the plague to carry and spread; another is challenging this. (FINISHED)
Epidemic: Starlight (Orion) - A by-now gravely-wounded Khloros heads to the Throne to continue his work. Khloros has now exited. (OPEN)
Epidemic: Heat (Monoceros) - Khloros spreads plague to bats in Monoceros, hoping that a spread by air will move things along more quickly. Umbra asks to carry his plague; Artume questions Khloros's motives. (OPEN)
Epidemic: To Heal and To Mend - Rohan's thread: Rohan cleanses Pisces' water as best he can. (OPEN)

____________

Private Threads:

Death's Scales - χάος questions Khloros about his methods and motives.
Plague and its Ramifications - The noble ram Aries challenges the plague-spreader, in defense of the innocent, after a chance encounter. Khloros fights Aries off--if barely--and escapes wounded.
An Approaching Rider - Khloros, wounded by battle with Aries, moves off into a dark corner of Orion to suffer and--hopefully--recover alone. Valeria finds him.

The first three threads are winding to a close; the latter two public ones have just been put up. A finale will likely occur in Canis eventually.

I’d love for Gabriel to do some experiments on the rats, probably with @valeria ’s help. It could try and figure out a cure, etc... maybe secretly learn how to make it too.

@Gabriel @Khloros I was thinking the same thing! Valeria would try to take on the role of a plague doctor
I also have a strong feeling that this epidemic will draw in Mortis

Awesome! Feel free to do it in a separate thread or in one of mine--in Eridanus Khlor is busy failing at plaguing rats, but... :D If you want Khloros himself in any thread just prod me otherwise feel free to decide what they manage!

@Valeria @Envy

CHÁOS WANTS TO PLAUGE ERRONE WITH KHLOR

She wants to grow close to him presumably. Possibly if they have a bond early on (hence now. Since shes a baby without adoptive parents though reseda is hopefully gonna be her mama).. @khloros Her loyalties are absurdly true. Dangerous to those who dont have it.

100% cool with that! As mentioned in Cbox just let me know where you want the thread and I'll pop it up somewhere.

@χάος

Polaris please since shes there. @khloros

Update!

Khloros has now exited the initial three threads. My plan is to do a thread in Orion and in Monoceros, and then perhaps (depending on in-character events) a finale in Canis, all dramatic among the bones and so forth.

I'm putting up the Orion and Monoceros threads now, and linking them back. I would prefer he doesn't die just yet, so I can make an actual finale thread at some point where all those invested can take part. In that finale thread I'll be open to any consequences up to & including death.

I also encourage threads that I am not in, or you can tag me to join, re: hunting down and purifying rats, rping out being plagued or whatever!

Update!

The final threads are now being exited.

In order to try and get a bit more involvement before the end, I'm encouraging others to make other threads either regarding infection, the plague's effects on Lesser Gembound, etc. After that, those who have been in some way involved in this plot will be free to attempt to kill Khloros, however, he will fight back. I will happily accept character death if he loses, and if he wins, he will either flee, leave for dead or chase off your character unless for some reason you want them to die.

I fully expect him to die, but it might be best (and make for a better story) if it's done by more than one Gembound, for their own safety.

As a reminder, this will be limited to those who have in some way participated. I'd love to see a thread or two with people trying to cure Lessers, or suffering the effects of the plague, or lack of prey, or what have you. If people are interested in Lesser Gembound stuff, tag me for it and I can DM some plagued lessers for you.

Let the hunt begin! ...Soon!

~ Khloros

P.S. If the RP for some reason takes an unexpected turn to "Khloros not dying," he'll still be open to future character death as a result of these events!