As days went by, the dark sky over Archester only intensified.
The Blackthorn Plague spread through the four corners of the old world, and the death toll rose dramatically. Vivian had to halt most of the work at ViTech headquarters until further notice.
Nations began to close their borders, and most trips to the New World were halted. It was said that Avalon was spared from the infectious plague, as the colonists there had applied strict rules to those who newly arrived, which ended up with some infected individuals being burned alive.
Within House Moore, Count Julian's condition deteriorated; he grew more tired, and his cough intensified. With no cure available, the infected nobles became increasingly desperate amidst rising fatalities.
To encourage the search for a cure, the Moores offered a bounty, leading to an influx of charlatans and quacks at the mansion gates, even though that was not where the cures were to be submitted.
