Hollowpox

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This article is about **the ailment**. You may be looking for **the novel**.
**Hollowpox** is a parasite that acts like a viral disease affecting both Wunimal Majors and Minors. It is extremely contagious due to its sentience. The parasite takes hold of the host body and incubates for several days. Then, during the "culmination" stage it makes the infected go frenzied and act unnimalistic often hurting themselves and bystanders. After the virus/parasite has run its course, it leaves the infected an empty shell, or hollow. Signs of 'Hollowness' are a comatose state. A Witness can be useful in seeing all stages of disease.

## Description

In its natural state, Hollowpox appears as a glowing green ball of light. It can split itself up in order to infect wunimals quickly or join itself together. The Hollowpox's light is visible only to some during the culmination state; only Witnesses (such as Jack and Jupiter) and Wundersmiths (Morrigan and Squall) are known to be able to see it. If visible, it appears as if the host's eyes glow green. The parasite feeds on Wundrous energy, hence the reason it chooses Wunimals as its hosts. It is unclear if it can infect a human, as it is mentioned by Squall that Wunder fights for Morrigan, implying that the Hollowpox could infect her if it did not.

## Treatment

There is no known treatment of Hollowpox in the Free State. In the Wintersea Republic there is said to a cure that can be administered. However, a Wundersmith is able to eradicate and reverse the effects of the disease. If a witness can find a victim before culmination they can plan for the culmination to happen in a controlled way. After a variable period Wunimal Majors will emerge from their comas and can be treated as directed by the appropriate unnimal experts or managed by sedation.

## History

### Origins

The Hollowpox was made by Ezra Squall, sponsored by President Wintersea near the end of the Eighth Age of the Wintersea Republic (Age of Southern Influence in the Free State). The Hollowpox devastated Wunimal populations in the Wintersea Republic but remained relatively unknown. News of the disease did not get to the WunSoc Secret Police or the Wunimal Smuggling Ring. President Wintersea knew Ezra Squall could stop the Hollowpox, but it is unknown if she asked him to do so.

### Age of the Aristocrats

#### Winter of Two

President Wintersea arranged for an infected otterwun to sneak into the Free State using a submarine. The unsuspecting otterwun had the Hollowpox and eventually died or survived to live as an unnimal otter. The Hollowpox that escaped the otterwun infected celebrated leopardwun fashion designer Juvela De Flimsé. The leopardwun went to the Battle of Christmas Eve, perhaps drawn by high levels of Wunder. The leopardwun experienced the frenzied culmination of the disease in the presence of the young Wundersmith Morrigan Crow.

Several weeks later, the Hollowpox infected bearwun Brutilus Brown who was also drawn to the young Wundersmith Morrigan Crow who had recently used Wunder to create a small fireball. The Wundrous Society started to suspect a new disease had arrived and the propagandist Holliday Wu effectively suppressed the next half dozen incidents from being reported in the news media.

#### Spring of Three

The horsewun actor Victor Oldershaw experienced a frenzied culmination of the disease at the Nevermoor Opera House, once again in the company of Morrigan Crow. This incident at the premier of *The Maledictions* was very public and widely reported. The next day the Wundrous Society revealed to their members that there had been about a dozen culminations. In an early and rare advance, the Wundrous Society used a Witness scan as a gold standard diagnostic tool.

The Wundrous Society released an internal poster, informing Wunimals of a new disease in an attempt to find patients before the culmination phase.

#### Summer of Three

As Wunimals throughout the city of Nevermore were struck by the disease, the public became increasingly aware. The disease received widespread attention after ostrichwun librarian Colin Feathers experienced its culmination at the Gobleian Library. Once again, the disease in the infected Wunimal culminated in the presence of the young Wundersmith Morrigan Crow

The Nevermoor Bazaar proved to be a fertile breeding ground for the Hollowpox. Fortunately Morrigan Crow was kept away from Old Town during this time by Jupiter North. At the end of Summer, three Wunimals experienced culmination of the Hollowpox at the Hotel Deucalion's Sunset Gala, in the presence of young Wundersmith Morrigan Crow. The three Wunimals—an owlwun. a giraffewun minor, and a dogwun—lost consciousness at the scene; it is unknown if these three Wunimals experienced remission later on.

#### Autumn of Three

The leopardwun, Juvela De Flimsé, came out of a coma after six months. She had no memories, was confused, and was entirely unnimal in her diet and behaviour, but otherwise healthy.

The foxwun academic, Sofia, experienced culmination of the disease in the presence of Wundermith Morrigan Crow. The foxwun's coma lasted for only about four days.

Three days later, Wundersmith Morrigan Crow destroyed the Hollowpox using a novel, untried treatment. She began by luring all the infected Wunimals in Old Town and surrounding burrows to Courage Square by making herself a beacon of Wunder. Once the Wundermith and Wunimals had gathered at Courage Square, Crow used the Wundrous Art of Inferno to light up the Square. This impressive Wundrous act caused the Hollowpox parasites to leave their Wunimal hosts and gather around the Wundersmith. Crow then clearly and unequivocally instructed the Hollowpox to die, which it did.

Many of the Wunimals at Courage Square experienced full remission of the disease at Courage Square.

Two days later, the hollow Wunimals at the Wundrous Society teaching hospital were then successfully treated by Crow, with outside guidance, using the Wundrous Art of Ruination. Although early, it appeared the Wunimals made a full recovery.

## Known Sufferers

 Lionwun university professor

## Behind the Scenes

* This should not be confused with a different (unnamed) pox Jupiter mentions in passing during *Nevermoor.*

## Appearances

* *Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow* (First appearance)

## Notes and References

1. ↑ *Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow*, Chapter 27 (*Spark*)
2. ↑ *Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow*, Chapter 33 (*Dear Prime Minister*)
3. ↑ *Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow,* Chapter 9 (*Wundrous Welcome*)