Kildarian plague

The Kildarian Plague hit both the little farm communities as the large cities.

In 2580 ASC Kildare was hit by a devastating plague - for which it received the name Kildarian plague - which spread from the Raynor Isles to the other Counties. Where the plague arrived, death soon followed, and the population sharply declined. Within ten years, the illness had reached the western shores of Kildare, and one fifth of the population had already died.

Drastic countermeasures were taken to avoid more deaths: horrible human scientific tests were held in places like Huise Castle, travelling between Counties became illegal and Melangia even went into isolation in 2601 ASC (there would be no contact for over 400 years). The Temple of Ryvenna, seen as a holy place in Kildarian minds, would be closed to avoid that the plague would be brought with visitors.

In 2631 ASC the plague had cost one third of the population. The rulers of Hallucigrad lost in those dark days not only their library, but also their heir. The Dukes of Kildare remained ruling the lands in theory, but because of the restrictions to travel, their power didn't reach further than their own estates (and even within those estates their power was questioned).

In 2700 ASC the plague came abruptly to an end and population and food production once again more increased slowly. The plague, which had been over for more than 400 years, had still left its marks, and the Dutch began with his own attempts to reuniting the Counties.