Candlekeep Forum
Candlekeep Forum
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Active Polls | Members | Private Messages | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Forgotten Realms Journals
 General Forgotten Realms Chat
 Great Plague equivalent in FR's history?
 New Topic  New Poll New Poll
 Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  15:30:36  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I was listening to a podcast on medieval warfare, and the narrator mentioned the great hit Europe took from the Black Death and its influence on militaries, municipalities and governments. In a measure of a 3 to 5 of years the plague took hold in southeast Europe and spread out to the Scandinavia, killing millions (some estimate 70 to 200 million souls!).

Think about the power Talona could gain if she could engineer a plague of such magnitude, that over a hundred million souls are pleading you for salvation from it.

Do any scribes know of a pandemic on Toril that has had a similar great sweeping range or death toll? Or is the presence of divine magic of shaman, clerics and druids such a great panacea that no continant spanning diseases are possible?

My campaign sketches

Druidic Groves

Creature Feature: Giant Spiders

sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
12094 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  15:52:20  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The Imaskari were swept by a dangerous plague that made them go get the mulan.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
Go to Top of Page

Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:01:27  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Would that have anything to do with their lack of respect for divine spellcasting?

My campaign sketches

Druidic Groves

Creature Feature: Giant Spiders
Go to Top of Page

Icelander
Master of Realmslore

1864 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:02:27  Show Profile  Visit Icelander's Homepage Send Icelander a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind

Would that have anything to do with their lack of respect for divine spellcasting?


It was a contributing factor, yes.

At the least.

Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!

Forgotten Realms fans, please sign a petition to re-release the FR Interactive Atlas
Go to Top of Page

Icelander
Master of Realmslore

1864 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:03:49  Show Profile  Visit Icelander's Homepage Send Icelander a Private Message  Reply with Quote
A plague with fairly wide-spread effects through the southern Inner Sea area was the Dragon Plague (I think that was the name) from ca 1317-1320 DR. Depopulated a lot of Chondath, Chessenta, Threskel and Unther.

Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!

Forgotten Realms fans, please sign a petition to re-release the FR Interactive Atlas
Go to Top of Page

Gustaveren
Learned Scribe

Denmark
197 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:29:29  Show Profile  Visit Gustaveren's Homepage Send Gustaveren a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think it was the anauroch sourcebook there mentioned some areas there in old times had been hit hard by plague due to a power plot from talona.
Go to Top of Page

farinal
Learned Scribe

Turkey
270 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:33:32  Show Profile Send farinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Spellplague :P
Go to Top of Page

Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:51:01  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote
That Dragon Plague's fairly recent! Sounds like it had visual symptoms that caused rash and scaly skin (or was it originally a draconic disease?).

I found some interesting ones meself (though most are of a regional scale at best):

Kiputytto 'out-plagued' Talona in Asram, a Netherese city, spreading a plague so virulent and so uncurable by priestly magic it killed the whole municipality in a matter of weeks (and stiffled her worshipbase by it completely dying off). [-31 DR]

Calimshan sees the effects of the Infernal Death (mania and fevers) waste a good part of its city populations, and the massive corpse burning resulted in Plague Fires. [320 DR]

The civil war (War of Regency 1260 DR) between the regent and the rightful heir of Cormyr instigated a bloody battle, and from its battlefields spread a plague that ravaged the immidiate countryside. [1260 to 1261 DR]

The Wailing Death is (deliberatly) spread in Neverwinter, resisting most curative magics but contained by stringent quarentines. [1372 DR]

My campaign sketches

Druidic Groves

Creature Feature: Giant Spiders

Edited by - Bladewind on 15 Oct 2012 16:53:59
Go to Top of Page

Hawkins
Great Reader

USA
2131 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  16:58:29  Show Profile  Visit Hawkins's Homepage Send Hawkins a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I am in the middle of the last book in the Scions or Arrabar Trilogy, and prominently featured is the a virulent plague that infected the Chondathan region in the past.

Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane

* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
* Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document (PFRPG OGL Rules)
* The Hypertext d20 SRD (3.5 OGL Rules)
* 3.5 D&D Archives

My game design work:
* Heroes of the Jade Oath (PFRPG, conversion; Rite Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 1: Cantrips & Orisons (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 2: 1st-Level Spells (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
Go to Top of Page

Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  17:17:39  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Awesome, Hawkins, I might have to pick up that series to brush up on my Chondothan lore. Does that plague have a name?

More plagues for Calimport:
The Plague of Terror and the Sunset Plague devastate the city of Calimport, decimating the ruling Marekh family and leaving the city abandoned and empty for nearly a century [-4770 DR]

The Temples Plague (because its unwittingly spread by priests and clerics themselves) causes the Ports and Palaces to be walled off for two years [-676 DR]

I wasn't aware of it either, but the very near future of the realms might see a widespread pandemic if the visions of Agauthra the Mad are any indication. 1502 DR is called the Year of the Pox Plague!

My campaign sketches

Druidic Groves

Creature Feature: Giant Spiders
Go to Top of Page

Hawkins
Great Reader

USA
2131 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  21:40:43  Show Profile  Visit Hawkins's Homepage Send Hawkins a Private Message  Reply with Quote
IIRC, it does not actually name the plague, it is just mentioned that it was a magically-caused plague released at the Battle of the Fields of Nun. I think it is pretty much how now days many refer to the Bubonic plague just "the Plague." There is also a bit about it by Ed here at the 'Keep.

Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane

* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
* Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document (PFRPG OGL Rules)
* The Hypertext d20 SRD (3.5 OGL Rules)
* 3.5 D&D Archives

My game design work:
* Heroes of the Jade Oath (PFRPG, conversion; Rite Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 1: Cantrips & Orisons (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 2: 1st-Level Spells (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
Go to Top of Page

The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2012 :  23:15:17  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind

Awesome, Hawkins, I might have to pick up that series to brush up on my Chondothan lore. Does that plague have a name?

More plagues for Calimport:
The Plague of Terror and the Sunset Plague devastate the city of Calimport, decimating the ruling Marekh family and leaving the city abandoned and empty for nearly a century [-4770 DR]

The Temples Plague (because its unwittingly spread by priests and clerics themselves) causes the Ports and Palaces to be walled off for two years [-676 DR]

I wasn't aware of it either, but the very near future of the realms might see a widespread pandemic if the visions of Agauthra the Mad are any indication. 1502 DR is called the Year of the Pox Plague!




By the way, that trilogy is one of the hidden gems among realms novels........very well written, great realms books

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
Go to Top of Page

Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 16 Oct 2012 :  03:11:55  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker

quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind

Awesome, Hawkins, I might have to pick up that series to brush up on my Chondothan lore. Does that plague have a name?

More plagues for Calimport:
The Plague of Terror and the Sunset Plague devastate the city of Calimport, decimating the ruling Marekh family and leaving the city abandoned and empty for nearly a century [-4770 DR]

The Temples Plague (because its unwittingly spread by priests and clerics themselves) causes the Ports and Palaces to be walled off for two years [-676 DR]

I wasn't aware of it either, but the very near future of the realms might see a widespread pandemic if the visions of Agauthra the Mad are any indication. 1502 DR is called the Year of the Pox Plague!




By the way, that trilogy is one of the hidden gems among realms novels........very well written, great realms books



which one?
Go to Top of Page

Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  01:06:45  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The Scions or Arrabar Trilogy.

Found another interesting mention of The Three Plagues in Power of Faerun, a trio of well known common infectious diseases. One of them is Featherlung, a respiratory disease spread by inhalation and causing wheezing and a slow death of asphyxiation.

Seems that the Pox has been on Toril for quite a while, as I found a localized name for one strain of pox, the fatal Marsember Pox. Clerics must be quite good at containing pox like diseases spread by vermin such as rats.

Putrescent Anathema is another disease found in the rural areas of the (Northern) Swordcoast, that got a hold in the city of Waterdeep.

Naturally vampirism, lycantrophy and mummy rot occur ( see what I did there?) in many parts of the realms. I would say that in the case of lycantrophy, the north would see a higher count of infected. Vampirism seems more prevalent south of the Inner Seas.


My campaign sketches

Druidic Groves

Creature Feature: Giant Spiders

Edited by - Bladewind on 17 Oct 2012 01:10:11
Go to Top of Page

Gustaveren
Learned Scribe

Denmark
197 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  01:18:59  Show Profile  Visit Gustaveren's Homepage Send Gustaveren a Private Message  Reply with Quote
There was also a plague in hlondeth in the 1370-ties
I seem to remember it was due to a yuanti-plot
Go to Top of Page

Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  11:41:12  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message  Reply with Quote

Not exactly a plague, but close:

The phaerrimm's lifedrain destroyed Netheril's crops, caused their spells to go haywire, and turned their land to sand.

Every beginning has an end.
Go to Top of Page

Thauranil
Master of Realmslore

India
1591 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  13:18:45  Show Profile Send Thauranil a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by farinal

Spellplague :P


Good point lol
Go to Top of Page

Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  13:49:27  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message  Reply with Quote

Well, joke aside, the Spellplauge did inflict some strange magical maladies to random people, magic-users and non-magic-users alike.

Every beginning has an end.
Go to Top of Page

Thauranil
Master of Realmslore

India
1591 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  13:54:18  Show Profile Send Thauranil a Private Message  Reply with Quote
True enough plus it was certainly a large scale event , affecting people from all walks of life and in every land . Most often with disastrous consequences. So it certainly qualifies.
Go to Top of Page

Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader

USA
3750 Posts

Posted - 17 Oct 2012 :  23:10:13  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
What about the plague in Shadowbane? I forgot the name, but it's spread by rats and seems impossible to cure. Luskan is quarentined and it seems to leave behind nothing but skeletons that can't even be used to create undead. Also drives people slowly into a rage as it progresses. Raging Death? I think it might have been called.

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469

My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188

Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u
Go to Top of Page

The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3567 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  01:16:11  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Firestorm

quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker

quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind

Awesome, Hawkins, I might have to pick up that series to brush up on my Chondothan lore. Does that plague have a name?

More plagues for Calimport:
The Plague of Terror and the Sunset Plague devastate the city of Calimport, decimating the ruling Marekh family and leaving the city abandoned and empty for nearly a century [-4770 DR]

The Temples Plague (because its unwittingly spread by priests and clerics themselves) causes the Ports and Palaces to be walled off for two years [-676 DR]

I wasn't aware of it either, but the very near future of the realms might see a widespread pandemic if the visions of Agauthra the Mad are any indication. 1502 DR is called the Year of the Pox Plague!




By the way, that trilogy is one of the hidden gems among realms novels........very well written, great realms books



which one?



The Scions of Arrabar. Very well written, good story, interesting characters. Highly recommend it.

A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka

"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -

John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
Go to Top of Page

The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31799 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  02:49:14  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis


Well, joke aside, the Spellplauge did inflict some strange magical maladies to random people, magic-users and non-magic-users alike.

I really don't think there's any joking about it, actually. Bruce Cordell's Plague of Spells more than makes the case for noting descriptions of some of the Spellplague's more "mundane" effects among mortal folk being "plague-like" to a degree.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage
Go to Top of Page

Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  04:07:22  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage

quote:
Originally posted by Dennis

Well, joke aside, the Spellplauge did inflict some strange magical maladies to random people, magic-users and non-magic-users alike.

I really don't think there's any joking about it, actually. Bruce Cordell's Plague of Spells more than makes the case for noting descriptions of some of the Spellplague's more "mundane" effects among mortal folk being "plague-like" to a degree.
That's a reply to Thauranil's statement which kinda sounded like a joke to me. Agreed on Plague of Spells. I read it not too long ago. Raidon Kane is no magic-user, yet he was 'suspended' in time, while the world around him continued to slide through the 'normal' time stream.

Every beginning has an end.
Go to Top of Page

Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  05:28:51  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote
That does sound kinda awesome. Was Raidon aware during the time suspension?

My campaign sketches

Druidic Groves

Creature Feature: Giant Spiders
Go to Top of Page

The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31799 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  05:39:30  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind

That does sound kinda awesome. Was Raidon aware during the time suspension?

From what I can recall of my reading, no, he wasn't entirely aware. He seemed to have been shocked by most of the post-Spellplague developments when he emerged from his temporal suspension.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage
Go to Top of Page

Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader

USA
3750 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  06:32:10  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Heh, suddenly I'm reminded of a song by Olivia-Newton-John, from Xanadu....

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469

My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188

Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u
Go to Top of Page

Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  07:20:35  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message  Reply with Quote

Sage has the right of it.

That Raidon survived while many perished could be credited either to his sentient talisman, or the randomness of the SP; or maybe both.

Every beginning has an end.
Go to Top of Page

Thauranil
Master of Realmslore

India
1591 Posts

Posted - 18 Oct 2012 :  14:58:22  Show Profile Send Thauranil a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think it was due to the effect of his tailsman , after all he was caught in a particularly violent storm of the spellplague.
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  New Poll New Poll
 Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Candlekeep Forum © 1999-2025 Candlekeep.com Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000