Rot

Rot is a Plague subspecies created by  Kogoruhn.

Lore
Rotties are a mess of shambling, oozing, rapid decay, with darkened and discolored scales. A wealth of foul smelling, viscous secretion is left in their wake, slimy to the touch, bearing a unique, earthy smell reminiscent of a grave. The only known detail of their condition is that it began with 'Patient Zero'. Once infected, they rapidly deteriorate into nonexistence. Life expectancy, if it could be called that, is meager. There is an astronomically insignificant chance a victim will withstand the pestilence spread through their drippings long enough to share the same slow fate... however, death would be a much kinder road. This subspecies retains full sensation despite their circumstances. The longer they survive, the more agonizing their existence. They grow increasingly aggressive with the passage of time.

These dragons can thrive for an unexpectedly long time in Lightning and Ice territories due to the dryness and climate preventing their deterioration; humidity will vastly accelerate the process. However, the deserts of the Abiding Boneyard are where most of them call home. A sure way to find their lair is to follow the swarming, infested slimy trail. The affliction of the Rot dragon is such that it overwhelms any other disease vying for a chance to spread. Therefore, the only thing it can spread is that which it suffers from.

First recorded in the Southern Icefield, Rots are the extremely unfortunate few who have fallen victim to the horrors of an illness known as “Wing Rot.” A dread ailment, the first generation of this “subspecies” were doomed to a short life of illness, though the generations to follow grew to adapt. Now, regardless of Flight, most Rot dragons are adamant followers of the Plaguebringer and her ways, a savage and ferocious lot who are gradually learning to harness their “gift” for their own gain. Many clans find them to be appalling additions, save for the protection they can bring: while letting one inside your immediate lair may be a bad idea, having one just outside is a godsend.

Wing Rot
Wing Rot is a nickname given to an unidentified necrotic disease that originally appeared in Imperials living within the Cloudscape Crags, though unrelated instances across Sornieth have now been recorded. Little is known about how the victims contract it, but it is known that it was capable of decimating entire clans and drove the unlucky survivors mad. Dragons who fall prey to it seem to decay before their very eyes, their coloration growing dimmer and darker as it progresses and a strange, viscous liquid leaking from beneath their scales. They appear slick, and smell faintly of earth and mold.

Fortunately, the disease isn’t very contagious, save for bodily fluids. This means that it is most common among the offspring of Rots, and those unfortunate enough to have been bitten by one.

Unfortunately, it is possible to contract it from the bite of an insect that has been infected, and the Rots’ peculiar ooze attracts thousands of the pests...

Behavior
Rots are an unfortunate lot, and it shows in their mannerisms. Early generations that still survive vary between angry, vicious creatures that lash out like wounded animals, to very lethargic sorts who don’t quite have the strength or energy to keep up with the world around them. Later generations--the offspring of the “Patient Zeroes” of Sornieth--are a bit more energetic and level, having been born with Wing Rot and a body capable of keeping the worst of it at bay.

In temperament, these later generations are more adept at doing everyday activities, forming bonds with other dragons, and keeping their wits about them. They are, however, quite fierce, and glass cannons in every sense. Quick to lash out, quick to bite, but very brittle, they prefer to strike like snakes in attempts to infect their enemies rather than engage in drawn-out tussles. Some have even learned to utilize the beetles that seem to be attracted to them...

Habitat
Most Rots are fervent worshipers of the Plaguebringer, and it is unsurprising that the bulk of the infected live deep in the heart of the Scarred Wasteland. However, Rots are comfortable in any environment that preserves the flesh and stalls decay, with several heading to Dragonhome or back to the frozen south. More adventurous types will try their luck elsewhere, though it would take quite a clever workaround for one to last long in the Viridian Labyrinth or (gods forbid) the Sea of a Thousand Currents.

There’s a first time for everything, though.