Rakghoul plague

The Rakghoul Plague was a disease designed by Sith Lord Karness Muur in addition to the Muur Talisman in order to turn others into mindless thralls he could command. After under unknown circumstances the Talisman ended up in the Undercity of Taris, the Rakghoul Plague raged in the Undercity for many centuries.

History
All non-Force-sensitive who encountered direct contact with the Talisman were almost immediately transformed into Rakghouls. These monsters further spread the plague amongst the Outcasts&mdash;the inhabitants of the Undercity&mdash. Individuals infected with the disease would later transform into rakghouls themselves. After contact with a rakghoul infection with the disease was a rapid and painful experience. The victim was transformed into a rakghoul within 6 to 48 hours. Bodies would become twisted, skin pigmentation would drain and the victim would turn attain a whitened corpse-like state. The plague hovewer did not affect Force-user and many non-human species.

In 3,963 BBY the excavation team of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, lead by Pulsipher, located the Talisman in the Undercity and took it to Jebble, where, unfortunately, the Rakghoul Plague was also throughout the base. But since the Talisman now had a host these rakghouls were different, they could tap into their learned skills to use weapons and vehicles. Fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick was able to warn the approaching Mandalorian force prepared to make an attack on Alderaan. After he escaped the planet Cassus Fett ordered a nuclear bombardment of Jebble, wiping the Rakghouls from the face of the planet.

Now, when the original source of the Rakghoul Plague was removed from Taris, it was further spread only by those already transformed into Rakghouls. This, hovewer didn't make it any less dangerous. By the time of the the Jedi Civil War it was estimated that up to 60 million people of Taris had been infected.

When the Sith forces occupated the planet in 3,956 BBY they brought with them a serum that could heal those infected but not yet transformed into Rakghouls. However the Sith restricted access to the serum to the Sith troopers sent down to the Undercity sent to look for crashed escape pods.

Revan later found a vial of the serum on the body of a dead trooper, and took it to the Upper City doctor, Zelka Forn, so he could be able to mass produce the serum and sell it for a very low price.

Shortly after that Taris was subjected to an orbital bombardment by the Sith forces of Darth Malak and the eventual effects of the serum on combating the disease, as well as the fates of the rakghouls and Outcasts, are unknown. But the rakghouls on Taris were eventually wiped out by an undisclosed time before 19 BBY.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Vector
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars Dark Times 11: Vector, Part 5
 * Star Wars Dark Times 12: Vector, Part 6