Recently I've been reading a fascinating book by noted world historian William H. Mcneil called "Plagues and People", a history of human disease. McNeil is a big name in the field of world history, and this book was fairly ground breaking, causing many historians to reconsider the role of disease in human history (prehistoric and historic). One of the things he discusses is that the earliest civilisations - Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese - constituted disease pools, with separate diseases afflicting human populations in each (urban populations in particular). As trade between these cultures developed, diseases spread causing initially terrible damage. Overtime humans grew accustomed to the new diseases, the lethalness of each disease was reduced as people developed generational degrees of immunity to each disease. The biggest impact was when a disease reached a community without any experience with the disease. A good example of this are the Mongol conquests, which reopened ties of trade and communication between China, the steppes and Europe/western Asia. This is the main reason why the black plague appeared around that time (originally it was from somewhere in the eastern steppes or the eastern himalayas). The same applies to the European arrival in the Americas, a large cultural region without any experience of any of the Eurasian diseases. So the Incas and the Aztecs fell and were annihilated not because of the power of the small groups of Spanish conquistadors, but because of the disease riddled native populations. This made me think about Qaiyore, Qaiyorean trade as well as contact with Elyria. The last few decades has seen what I think to be greater Midsea trade, and increased movements of people because of trade, religion and war. The Taltheran Annexation is one case in point. Troops from Mir, allover Sedonia, and Kaeir are in various parts of Taltheran. Some of the illnesses they are used to the Taltherani might have less experience with, and vice versa. Perhaps something like the Spanish Flu that was brought by troops from rural American states to Europe might happen in Taltheran. Increased trade with northern Qaiyore would have a similiar affect probably too. Kaeireans trading with Shanari who trade who the Bel'Adnese who trade with other groups north of them. Likewise trade with Celpalar, or with the Torphan Empire. The biggest problem might be when a searoute with Elyria is opened, and diseases in Elyria and Qaiyore that have appeared since the separation are carried over. Lastly, I think that Qaiyore would every few years or decades face reappearances of new strains of old diseases, especially from the northern Jungles, easten forests and western plains. Something to consider for gameplay. War is also another time for new epidemics to appear. Ibrahim ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
Hm. Of course, in Qaiyore, this is moderated somewhat by access to healing/curative magic. Looking at Sedonia as a disease pool, malaria is endemic throughout a large portion of the Imperial River valley. Another major category would be diseases transmitted by contaminated water: cholera, amoebic dysentery, the bacterial and viral diarrheas, and polio. I think measles, mumps, diptheria, and pertussis* might also be present. I'm not sure about the big killers: smallpox and bubonic/pneumonic plague. As for influenza, given that virus's propensity towards mutation and species-hopping, I'd say that Sedonia is a sub-pool of a greater MidSea pool, constantly being mixed by migratory bird populations. *My home state of Wisconsin saw more cases of pertussis, aka whooping cough, in 2004, than any other state: 5,162 reported cases, 25% of the national total for that year. I suffered through a case in '02, but was lucky enough not to vomit or fracture a rib--both of which can happen with whooping cough. It was over six months before my lungs healed completely. Nasty, nasty disease in an adult, and potentially lethal in small children and the elderly. Andrew ibrahim wrote: > Recently I've been reading a fascinating book by noted world historian > William H. Mcneil called "Plagues and People", a history of human > disease. McNeil is a big name in the field of world history, and this > book was fairly ground breaking, causing many historians to reconsider > the role of disease in human history (prehistoric and historic). > > One of the things he discusses is that the earliest civilisations - > Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese - constituted disease > pools, with separate diseases afflicting human populations in each > (urban populations in particular). As trade between these cultures > developed, diseases spread causing initially terrible damage. Overtime > humans grew accustomed to the new diseases, the lethalness of each > disease was reduced as people developed generational degrees of immunity > to each disease. The biggest impact was when a disease reached a > community without any experience with the disease. > > A good example of this are the Mongol conquests, which reopened ties of > trade and communication between China, the steppes and Europe/western > Asia. This is the main reason why the black plague appeared around that > time (originally it was from somewhere in the eastern steppes or the > eastern himalayas). > > The same applies to the European arrival in the Americas, a large > cultural region without any experience of any of the Eurasian diseases. > So the Incas and the Aztecs fell and were annihilated not because of the > power of the small groups of Spanish conquistadors, but because of the > disease riddled native populations. > > This made me think about Qaiyore, Qaiyorean trade as well as contact > with Elyria. > > The last few decades has seen what I think to be greater Midsea trade, > and increased movements of people because of trade, religion and war. > > The Taltheran Annexation is one case in point. Troops from Mir, allover > Sedonia, and Kaeir are in various parts of Taltheran. Some of the > illnesses they are used to the Taltherani might have less experience > with, and vice versa. Perhaps something like the Spanish Flu that was > brought by troops from rural American states to Europe might happen in > Taltheran. > > Increased trade with northern Qaiyore would have a similiar affect > probably too. Kaeireans trading with Shanari who trade who the > Bel'Adnese who trade with other groups north of them. > > Likewise trade with Celpalar, or with the Torphan Empire. > > The biggest problem might be when a searoute with Elyria is opened, and > diseases in Elyria and Qaiyore that have appeared since the separation > are carried over. > > Lastly, I think that Qaiyore would every few years or decades face > reappearances of new strains of old diseases, especially from the > northern Jungles, easten forests and western plains. Something to > consider for gameplay. > > War is also another time for new epidemics to appear. > > Ibrahim > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net. > ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
Andrew Janssen wrote: >Hm. Of course, in Qaiyore, this is moderated somewhat by access to >healing/curative magic. > > However, given that most diseases are version XXXXXX of earlier diseases, what about diseases that adapt to certain types of healing/curative magic? Certainly, viruses that were extremely effective at this would kill themselves off by wiping out a pool of hosts before they could spread to other pools, but..... it wouldnt be impossible. Additionally, magic is a two sided coin. I am certain dark magicians and demon priests would have attempted to create or manipulate viruses, to produce maligant, magically powered viruses. If certain Sedonian and Mirrish magic users/priests can manipulate the body to accelerate healing, the reverse should be possible too. >Looking at Sedonia as a disease pool, malaria is endemic throughout a >large portion of the Imperial River valley. Another major category would >be diseases transmitted by contaminated water: cholera, amoebic >dysentery, the bacterial and viral diarrheas, and polio. I think >measles, mumps, diptheria, and pertussis* might also be present. > >I'm not sure about the big killers: smallpox and bubonic/pneumonic >plague. As for influenza, given that virus's propensity towards mutation >and species-hopping, I'd say that Sedonia is a sub-pool of a greater >MidSea pool, constantly being mixed by migratory bird populations. > >*My home state of Wisconsin saw more cases of pertussis, aka whooping >cough, in 2004, than any other state: 5,162 reported cases, 25% of the >national total for that year. I suffered through a case in '02, but was >lucky enough not to vomit or fracture a rib--both of which can happen >with whooping cough. It was over six months before my lungs healed >completely. Nasty, nasty disease in an adult, and potentially lethal in >small children and the elderly. > >Andrew > >ibrahim wrote: > > >>Recently I've been reading a fascinating book by noted world historian >>William H. Mcneil called "Plagues and People", a history of human >>disease. McNeil is a big name in the field of world history, and this >>book was fairly ground breaking, causing many historians to reconsider >>the role of disease in human history (prehistoric and historic). >> >>One of the things he discusses is that the earliest civilisations - >>Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese - constituted disease >>pools, with separate diseases afflicting human populations in each >>(urban populations in particular). As trade between these cultures >>developed, diseases spread causing initially terrible damage. Overtime >>humans grew accustomed to the new diseases, the lethalness of each >>disease was reduced as people developed generational degrees of immunity >>to each disease. The biggest impact was when a disease reached a >>community without any experience with the disease. >> >>A good example of this are the Mongol conquests, which reopened ties of >>trade and communication between China, the steppes and Europe/western >>Asia. This is the main reason why the black plague appeared around that >>time (originally it was from somewhere in the eastern steppes or the >>eastern himalayas). >> >>The same applies to the European arrival in the Americas, a large >>cultural region without any experience of any of the Eurasian diseases. >>So the Incas and the Aztecs fell and were annihilated not because of the >>power of the small groups of Spanish conquistadors, but because of the >>disease riddled native populations. >> >>This made me think about Qaiyore, Qaiyorean trade as well as contact >>with Elyria. >> >>The last few decades has seen what I think to be greater Midsea trade, >>and increased movements of people because of trade, religion and war. >> >>The Taltheran Annexation is one case in point. Troops from Mir, allover >>Sedonia, and Kaeir are in various parts of Taltheran. Some of the >>illnesses they are used to the Taltherani might have less experience >>with, and vice versa. Perhaps something like the Spanish Flu that was >>brought by troops from rural American states to Europe might happen in >>Taltheran. >> >>Increased trade with northern Qaiyore would have a similiar affect >>probably too. Kaeireans trading with Shanari who trade who the >>Bel'Adnese who trade with other groups north of them. >> >>Likewise trade with Celpalar, or with the Torphan Empire. >> >>The biggest problem might be when a searoute with Elyria is opened, and >>diseases in Elyria and Qaiyore that have appeared since the separation >>are carried over. >> >>Lastly, I think that Qaiyore would every few years or decades face >>reappearances of new strains of old diseases, especially from the >>northern Jungles, easten forests and western plains. Something to >>consider for gameplay. >> >>War is also another time for new epidemics to appear. >> >>Ibrahim >> >> >>---------------------------------------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net. >> >> >> > >---------------------------------------------------------------- >To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net. > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
