Great Plague

The **Great Plague**, also known as the **Late 6th Century Plague**, was a major pandemic that affected most of Afbarkeean. At the time that it occurred, it was the most severe outbreak of any infectious disease in recorded history. The plague was first reported in Muubrin in around 690, and spread throughout Afbarkeean via trade routes over the next few years. It reached its peak in around 692 before starting to decline, although isolated outbreaks were still being reported well into the 7th century.

The Great Plague had a devastating effect on Afbarkeean society. Huge sections of the population fell ill and died, and international trade was effectively brought to a standstill, wrecking the global economy. It also brought an end to the Great Build, and as populations started to decline, many of the buildings that had been constructed during this period fell to ruin. In some cases, entire towns were wiped out and left abandoned.

There was a widespread belief that the plague was a punishment being inflicted on humanity by the Aba and this lead to a surge of religious activity and sentiment known as the Second Spiritual Revival. In some regions of the Lantoo (particularly in the south), the sparsity of Glaan leads to a trend of lay preachers who offer spiritual and moral guidance to their community. This trend was closely linked with the Jregan religion, and many of the preachers were heavily inspired by Jregan philosophy, though most people did not renounce their allegiance to the Glaan.

## Aftermath

In the decades after the Great Plague, there is a greater demand for workers, which eventually leads to a higher standard of living for most people. In the Lantoo, this was taken by many as a sign that lay-preaching had a positive effect on society, and this helps Jrega become more socially acceptable. The majority of fatalities were from cities (especially large coastal cities) and the early 7th century was marked by rapid rural-to-urban migration as it became much easier for common people to become successful in the city.

Sailors were among the worst affected by the plague and so there was a huge demand for experienced crews in the aftermath. Moorers (typically poor males who hung around ports helping incoming/outgoing vessels with mooring for a small tip) started to be employed as crew-members, mainly responsible for physically demanding work such as rowing. Initially, they were taken on as replacements for crew-members who were sick, but as these moorers started to become more experienced at the job, some traders started to rely on them more than permanent crews, mostly to save money. Eventually, the term "moorer" referred to any sailor who was not part of a permanent crew and hung around the port waiting for work. There were still some inexperienced moorers who made a living on land helping with the mooring, though this was usually reserved for disabled/elderly people who could not earn a living any other way. The fit moorers who worked on vessels would typically go drinking in the local tavern after completing a voyage, and would often share their wage with the moorers who were not able to work.

The population decline caused by the plague led to an increased demand for males, both as labourers and as romantic partners. There was a steady rise in the number of arranged marriages over the 7th century, as many parents attempted to secure a dowry for their son from wealthier families. Over time, parents started to restrict their sons' freedom to see women, for fear of them losing their virginity and hence their value. By the year 900, males practically had no freedom in their love life.

In the decades after the plague, those who had lived through it were often referred to as survivors, to distinguish them from the younger generation who had not been alive at the time. In contrast, the younger generation was called lucky because they had not only avoided the devastation of the plague, but had also benefited from the demand for labour and higher standard of living that came with it. This was the first instance of generational identity, and it lead to a tradition in Afbarkeean of naming different generations that lasted for centuries.