Dancing Plague
Description
The Dancing Plague, known in whispers as the "Endless Waltz" or "Mad Jig," is a bewildering and eerie malady that steals the will of its victims, compelling them to dance with feverish intensity. The afflicted seem bewitched, their movements a frenzied, relentless dance that pays no heed to exhaustion or injury. Their eyes often glaze over with a faraway look, as if dancing to the tune of an unseen orchestra that only they can hear. Some say they see the shadows of ghostly figures dancing alongside them. The continuous dancing wears down their bodies, as they neither eat nor rest, and after several days of this tormented performance, they often collapse from sheer exhaustion or heart failure.
Typical Exposure
The Dancing Plague spreads like wildfire among those who dare to gaze upon the haunted dance of the afflicted. It is as if the eyes become the gateway through which the madness enters. Onlookers who see the frantic movements, even from afar, find their feet tapping along to an inaudible rhythm, and before long, they too are ensnared in the unyielding grasp of the dance. During times of the Dancing Plague, townsfolk shutter their windows and avoid the streets, fearing the entrancing movements of the possessed dancers.