According to local legend, there was a healer in the small town of Ferlangen in the province of Ostland. A devout follower of Shallya, Gisela Saaur gave her life to easing the suffering of the afflicted, injured, and dying. In those days, there was much suffering to go around, since the world lay under the pall cast by the Black Plague, and the dead filled the streets. So many were the corpses that the living were outnumbered, and it was simply easier to burn the dead in their homes rather than to brave the dangerous vapours. Unfortunately, the fires claimed as many dying as they did dead, and some whispered that the living and healthy were also killed by the cleansing fires.[1a]