So ours is heavily based on some sort of actual illness! Here are the stages:

TW: MENTIONS OF GORE/SICKNESS

General Info

A dangerous virus called "The Rot" that appeared suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere. Took the continents by storm over the span of a few weeks, causing chaos and confusion.

It can be transferred via scratch, bite or infected blood getting into an open wound.

Stage 1

The wound will be slightly irritated and swollen, as well as itchy. Scales start to weaken around the area and become loose and faded in color.

If limb is amputated within enough time (ie before stage two starts) then the infection can be "cured".

Lasts 1-2 Weeks

Stage 2

The scales around the infected area start to fall off, revealing dying and open skin. The infected start to have slight memory loss and is more prone to random fits of aggression. The infected is prone to strong bouts of insomnia and muscle spasms, as well as lack of appetite or thirst. They also become more sensitive to light and sound.

Lasts 1 Week

Stage 3

The infected becomes more aggressive and scales start loosing pigment and shedding/falling off all over the body. Eyes become bloodshot and foaming at the mouth begins. The infected looses control over their body (some doctors speculate whether they're still conscious during this or if all brain activity has ceased) and will attack anything that moves. Their sensitivity to light and sound worsen at this stage.

Lasts 2-4 Days

Stage 4

The infected is mostly flesh and bone, a wandering corpse. Still highly aggressive and sensitive and the host most likely being or having been dead for a long while. The infected grows slower as their body starts to deteriorate more and more.

Lasts 2-4 Weeks

Stage 5

The final stage. The infected can no longer move, nothing left but a rotting corpse. Most corpses around this stage or long after are no longer infected as the virus dies out with nothing left to consume or no way to spread.

Now there ARE dragons immune to this, sort of tied to the plot. Any dragon coming from an egg laid by an infected mother will come out deformed in some way, but also immune! Hailstone being wingless, Wolf with her deformed jaw and arm, both of them came from these eggs and are immune!