Drummond's Disease

The most virulent and mysterious disease that plagues Aperion and, to a lesser extent, Rachma. Drummond's Disease is always lethal, and its victims always suffer before death.

Overview
Drummond's is a poorly-understood disease, despite the fact that records of certain strains date back to the Briar Era. It's theorized to be an airborne disease, though victims are almost always quarantined and physical contact with the patient is prohibited, just to be sure.

It's generally associated with air travel; Uplanders and rovers have historically contracted Drummond's with far more frequency than Downlanders. Unfortunately, there is little anyone can say about the illness with any certainty.

Symptoms
Drummond's is a weakening disease. It's not unknown for the patient to start to show the signs while suffering from colds or the flu.

Drummond's has been nicknamed the "Pale Lady's Lace" because of the telltale loss of pigmentation. The body begins to shut down as all senses are rendered numb. First the patient becomes weak and their complexion pales. Then, their hair turns white. Their eyesight goes next, as the pupils gain the pale color of a blind man's eyes. The loss of hearing generally follows, though by this point the patient is usually sleeping for long periods and unable to interact with the outside world much at all. They usually pass away in their sleep.

From first signs to death, Drummond's can take anywhere from two weeks to three months. Doctors who have studied cases have found no correlation between those who suffer short periods and those who last longer.

Treatment
As of yet, there is no known cure for Drummond's Disease. Remedies varying from homeopathic cures to scientific methods to even some of the medicinal rememedies of Vidbel and Heruba have proven useless. Most "cures" are old wive's tales and heresay, and there is no officially recognized treatment in Aperion.

The only known case of a patient survivng more than three months comes from rumors that surface from both Hypponia, the Noble City of Medicine, and, oddly enough, a small town in the Downlands called "Ennis."