GreedFall's Malichor Plague Explained

Game ZXC

GreedFall 2: The Dying World

By Josh Cotts

Published Apr 14, 2024

The following contains spoilers for GreedFall .

GreedFall's story is one of political intrigue, colonization, and greed, where various factions compete for control of Teer Fradee, an island cherished for its abundant natural resources and what many believe to be a cure for a deadly disease known as Malichor. Despite every major and minor storyline in GreedFall, Malichor is arguably at the heart of it all, manipulating and coercing the people groups of its world into taking any action necessary toward achieving their own good. GreedFall 2: The Dying World is Spiders' upcoming sequel — or rather, prequel — to the first game, and it seems Malichor will be at the center of its story as well.

GreedFall's Malichor is a silent killer and has thus proven to be an effective motivator. However, it nonetheless plays a significant role in GreedFall's story and could likely play an even bigger role in GreedFall 2. The secret to Malichor's success lies in what it is capable of doing to the human body, as well as how fast it can spread between people. Although many of GreedFall's most prominent characters consider others to be their greatest threat, one could argue that the Malichor plague is the greatest enemy of them all, and the sole reason why some people do the drastic things they choose to do.

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GreedFall's Malichor Plague Explained

Malichor Played a Significant Role in GreedFall's Many Moving Parts

As with any story, GreedFall starts at the beginning. Players take control of De Sardet, whose mother is shown suffering from Malichor. In an effort to save her, De Sardet travels to the island of Teer Fradee, as it is rumored to be the home of a cure for the deadly disease. This is largely the reasoning behind why so many others have recently flocked to Teer Fradee, and the increased popularity of the island has only led to many of those parties competing for dominance over the territory. Thus, Malichor serves as the great puppet master of GreedFall's many moving parts, urging those who fear its power to perform actions they might not otherwise.

In GreedFall, Malichor is a deadly disease that has been consistently spreading for the last few years, and whether foreigners have fled to Teer Fradee in search of a cure for themselves or a loved one, the illness is the instigator. When a person contracts Malichor, they experience symptoms such as blindness, nausea, fatigue, numbness in the legs, and painful splotches on the body and face. A person who has had Malichor for some time will begin to resemble something akin to one of Fallout's Ghouls, so finding a cure for it is imperative. As GreedFall's story comes to a close, it is revealed that Malichor is a result of the Old Continent being exploited for its resources and the pollution that arose because of it.

In GreedFall 2: The Dying World, Malichor Is Only Just Beginning to Spread

Whereas Malichor is well-established in GreedFall, Spiders has confirmed that the disease is only just beginning to spread in GreedFall 2: The Dying World. GreedFall 2 is technically a prequel that takes place three years before the events of GreedFall and will place players in the shoes of a Teer Fradee native who has been forced from their home and transported to the Old Continent. The newly discovered Malichor disease is likely where GreedFall 2: The Dying World gets its name, as players are more than likely going to witness the illness beginning to spread, forcing residents of the Old Continent to make for Teer Fradee.

It will be interesting to see the beginning stages of the Malichor plague in GreedFall 2, especially given the fact that the deadly disease is arguably the primary antagonist of the series. Thankfully, as GreedFall has proven, GreedFall 2's protagonist should be immune to the disease, since they are a native of Teer Fradee.