Red rash was a disease that appeared primarily in western Oshmondu in warm areas. It was sexually transmitted and had a long incubation period, appearing suddenly and at the same time for many people.

Biology

Incubation

When infected with red rash, a creature could feel itchy, most often in the genital area, but there were very rarely other symptoms. This incubation could last a few months to the creature's entire life. No nonmagical means existed to detect for sure whether a creature had red rash.

Symptoms

Red rash surfaced suddenly and in large groups of people at the same time, even if they were infected at different times. An infected creature was rapidly covered in red flecks and felt a desperate need to scratch itself. This seriously damaged the skin, and humanoids with a thicker hide or even scales sometimes lost these and were more vulnerable to damage. An affected creature also could not concentrate and couldn't sleep.

The symptoms typically lasted at least five days. After this time, some people quickly recuperated, while others took longer before the rashes were gone. People rarely died from red rash, but exhaustion and larger scares were a serious problem for societies. Affected creatures were also very vulnerable, leading to their death from other causes.

Healing

Some clerics were able to destroy the disease.

More commonly, an antidote named Jackal's Breath was created by alchemists from jackal's blood, a humanoid creature that was immune to the disease. This could cure people before the five days were over and also ended the incubation period, if the disease could be detected earlier.

History

Red rash apparently was common in the early days of human expansion, notably in the small tribal or rural communities of pre-Luche San Morin and Conelu. However, there was not much historical evidence of these smaller societies.

Cuprien Epidemic, 465 b. OW²

During the colonization of Conelu, Cuprien soldiers had encountered some small native human tribes, which they had enslaved and gifted to navy officers. However, many of the natives were incubating red rash. The naval general staff was infected and spread it in their hometowns, until most of Litchy had the disease. The infections were noticed and some preventive measures taken, but no antidote was found. The rashes suddenly popped up in 465, paralyzing Cuprien society for two weeks. Some people died, but social structures suffered far more, as looting destroyed cities and many women were killed because they were seen as responsible for the plague.

Eastern Armies during the Dragon War, 353 b. OW

During the Dragon War, thousands of eastern soldiers were transported across Oshmondu to the Archaen ocean, where they fought against chromatic dragons. However, the east had never really been exposed to red rash, and the soldiers were very vulnerable. Many were infected by locals on whose land they were staying. There was no singular epidemic, but various units were knocked out for multiple days because the disease popped up among them. This led to military command, notably the Ochebanian Imperial Guard, to crack down on homosexuality and sodomy within the army. They also forbade natives to enter army camps without trade licences. Luckily, the disease never became a major problem, because the Jackal's Breath antidote was known and large amounts of blood were imported from northern Balebu, northern Litchy and Conelu.