Ecology of plague doctors

Monsters of Porphyra 3 introduced plague doctors as a monster. It explains them as appearing to be benevolent doctors treating victims of plague epidemics, but they are secretly undead creatures which spread the plague as a pretense to euthanizing their patients. Plague doctors have a long history in real life.

In real life, plague doctors were just plague doctors. Their getup was based on the (now discredited) miasma hypothesis of disease, which hypothesized that disease was caused by bad air. The doctors wore the early equivalent of hazmat suits, which actually did a little protect them from the plague (which was spread by fleas, who could not get past the suit). The mask was beak-shaped in order to hold pleasant-smelling potpourri, which was (falsely) believed to keep the plague at bay. Unfortunately, fleas could hitch rides on their suits, causing the well-meaning doctors to unintentionally spread the plague. The overall efficacy of the suit has also been questioned in modern times as our understanding of the medieval plague has increased.

The plague doctor's iconic getup inspired Venetian carnival masks, and the creepiness inspired numerous creepypastas. In these creepypastas the plague doctors are typically described as not wearing masks and involved in situations completely unrelated to treating the plague.

Contrary to typical adaptations of folklore and myth monsters to fantasy gaming, Porphyra's plague doctor is a nearly accurate depiction of the real plague doctors (aside from the spreading of plague being made intentional).

One could also play around with this idea. Maybe there are good plague doctors who really do treat the plague, by may spread it by accident due to their relative ignorance. Maybe the plague doctor is insane and thinks normal people, aside from doctors oddly enough, are suffering from a plague that must be treated by a bizarre procedure that kills/reanimates/mutates/etc the would-be patient. Maybe the plague doctor is an Aliens-style bug-hunter who wears steampunk weapons and armor. Maybe plague doctors are a character class...

Relevant links

• http://porphyra.wikidot.com/plague-doctor
• https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/6an14i/5eclass_plague_doctor_revised/
• https://plaguedoctormasks.com/history/
• https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-science-behind-todays-plague-doctor-costume-1737404375
• https://www.quora.com/How-effective-was-the-plague-doctor-costume?share=1
• http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-049
• http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-049-j