The Great Plague

The **Great Plague** is a global pandemic that started in the border villages between Tyavyli and Umia between the start to middle of 2020. The inadequate response by local authorities led to millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths across the central forest region of the world (almost all of Tyavyli, southern Xandu, and the southern two-thirds of Umia). The collapse of the food and goods supply across this region of the world set off a domino effect of societal collapse across much of the world, barring Thornia.

## The illness

The illness had previously existed in a much weaker form that saw people being turned into zombies (who are susceptible to death by sunlight). A new mutation has made it severely more infectious than previously seen.

## Effects of the plague

The sudden drop of manpower due to mass casualties in the central forests saw the already economically vulnerable region suddenly cease food production, leading to severe food shortages by early June. Tyavylian and League authorities refused aid from Thornia in late June.

What was left of the local militias cut links with their central governments in retaliation. Anti-separatist operations by Tyavylian authorities led to even more infections, thus leading to an increasing number of units being pulled out of action. Tyavylian federal authority collapsed completely by early August. League authorities withdrew from mainland Umia around this time.

Infected League regiments marching from mainland Umia through Xandunese territory enroute to Cataracta led to local Xandunese civilians being infected. Thornian regiments occupying Xandu were also infected. The densely populated nature of Shanjing made the infection rate in the city and its satellite villages dramatically higher than Tyavyli's or Umia's. Most Thornian regiments were quickly withdrawn to recuperate in the mountains separating Thornia from Xandu. This led to a power vacuum in Shanjing, leading to locals mounting a rebellion against the remaining Thornian forces (who were subsequently forced out of the city).

By mid August, the Crown of Thornia ceased all shipping activity within the country to preemptively prevent a spread of the plague within Thornian borders. Curfews were also imposed in all cities, towns, and villages. Public anger against the supposedly 'pointless' curfew led to civil unrest in Elysia and Palus. The Crown decided not to act on the unrest fearing the possibility of being overthrown like its counterparts on the continent. Ironically, the Thornian Army forced the King to abdicate to make way for a transitional council by presenting false reports of local infections and threatening to frame the King's inaction as being the cause behind it.

The military-backed transitional council quickly reinforced the curfews nationwide and also quickly reorganised the recovered Thornian forces in Xandu to retake Shanjing. Thornian forces returned to the city finding few survivors of the plague, apparently freeing the city of the plague. The border between Xandu and its southern neighbours were quickly closed-off. The transitional council announced its intention to annex Xandu and laid claim to the plague-riddled League of Palus.

Towards the end of August, the transitional council reversed course and restored Xandu's former status as a jointly-administered territory of the Chen dynasty and Thornia. Tyavyli's government was propped-up by the council and Ume and Shuxian's Domain were restored as nominally independent territories.

On 29 August 2020, a massacre in Elysia by an unprecedented, large pillager force took place. Much of the city's defences were also destroyed. The transitional council quickly declared the start of the Second Pillager War. Remaining Thornian forces in Xandu withdrew and were redeployed across the Province of Elysia.