Haelyn's Malice

Greatly feared among practitioners of divination, Haelyn's Malice or as it is commonly referred to as - Sage Rage - is an affliction of the mind. While it does not interfere with divination itself, sage rage can lead to long term issues with everyday activities and self-care.

Transmission

While many believe that the affliction can be passed from one practitioner to another, evidence suggests that this is not possible. There has however been shown a strong connection with the use of some herbs that strengthen prescience and the onset of the symptoms.

Causes

Haelyn's Malice is believed to be cause by the displeasure of the goddess for whom it is named. Haelyn, the goddess of wisdom, seeks to punish those who try to gaze too deeply into matters they are not yet ready to comprehend. Whether this is truly the cause is yet unknown.

Symptoms

The onset of the disease is often preceded by nosebleeds as well as migraines. These may commonly be confused for side effects of the sleep deprivation that often accompanies complicated divinations.

Shortly after the afflicted will begin to experience increased thirst, as well as a general dulling of their traditional senses. Sounds will seem further away, vision will blur, and food will begin to lose its taste.

As the disease settles into its third stage the symptoms appear to vary. While delirium is common, reports of unwanted visions also appear with great frequency. Sufferer’s report being unable to stay focused on the current reality and often experiencing several overlaid visions at once making it difficult to interpret them.

In some rare instances, those afflicted reported feeling as though they were forever connected to - but separate from their bodies. Seeing as though they were an outside observer, and losing all sense of touch, smell, or taste.

Treatment

There is no currently known treatment for the affliction, although like other severe maladies submersion in the waters of Ran'sin Daul in the light of dawn should cure it. The Pyrsic Brotherhood however has not allowed such a treatment to be carried out for fear of angering the Grand Divines.

Prognosis

Those that contract the "illness" are unlikely to ever rid themselves of the effects outside of the extraordinary method mentioned above. The best result that they can hope for is to stop its progression. Unfortunately, the only way to ensure the progression stops, is to stop attempting divination. Even then, the symptoms that already afflict the individual will persist until death.

Affected Groups

This illness is restricted solely to those who engage in the art of divination. Practitioners of other forms of magic have not been found to suffer from it, or any similar affliction that would indicate a common origin.

Prevention

It has been widely spread among practitioners of the divination, that attempting to gaze too far into the future, or to divine the outcome of world-changing events all carry the risk of the affliction. Those who engage in lesser forms of divination have to this date remained unaffected, save those who have already started to progress in the sickness from previous larger efforts.

Cultural Reception

Those who contract Haelyn's Malice are viewed as pariahs in both the community they dwell, as well as among their diviner counterparts. The first view them this way primarily because of their ever-increasing erratic behavior as the illness progresses. The latter share the disdain for entirely different reasons. They look upon the afflicted almost as heretics - those who defy the will of the gods and seek to go places forbidden to the minds of mortals. It is likely that those who are aware of the afflicted's status will go out of their way to make the soul's life as difficult as possible.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare