Burial chambers and crypts are sealed for centuries, their contents swallowed in darkness and devoid of purifying air. Over time, everything within gets covered with dust like a protective blanket. This fine powder, parts of which are invisible to the naked eye, becomes airborne when disturbed and lodges in the lungs if inhaled. After the first day of exposure, victims experience nasal and chest congestion, making it difficult to breath. As the disease progresses, a persistent cough develops, increasing in severity until the victim coughs up blood. The coughing becomes so violent that death occurs as the victim breaks his back from a violent coughing fit. The disease is contagious and can be passed to others through inhalation when a victim coughs.[1a]
Death’s Breath is most often found in Khemri and other places in Araby where the dry air and sand contribute to the potency of the dust. Confirmed cases of the disease in the Old World are disputed by scholars as some of the early symptoms are similar to the lesser illnesses. Survivors of the disease are never truly rid of the ill affects. Every year around the anniversary of the date of first infection, survivors experience the coughing again for about a week.[1a][1b]