Blood veil is the street name of a mysterious disease that had suddenly befallen the entire city of Korvosa about a month after the death of King Eodred II.

It is characterized at first by headaches, fatigue, coughing, and a characteristic red rash which spreads over the infected person’s face. As the illness worsens, the rash develops into pox-like blisters which spread from the face to the neck and limbs, the cough worsens considerably, and lymph glands swell into painful buboes. In the final stages of blood veil, the blisters grow to the size of grapes, black patches are visible under the skin due to internal bleeding, and the victim coughs up blood. If left untreated, blood veil can kill the average human in about a week.

To combat blood veil, Queen Ileosa Arabasti has founded the Queen’s Physicians, who tirelessly work all across the city to gain control of the situation. In case the Physicians find themselves in need of additional authority, a new elite bodyguard made up entirely of female warriors, called the Gray Maidens, were founded by the Queen as well to protect and enforce the doctors’ rights.