Moon Sickness

Illness of the North

In the northern reaches of Vóreios, the sun shines little in the late months, bringing a cycle of little sunlight and stretching darkness. For the fair folk that call the Northern Outposts their home, this cycle of darkness brings with it a sickness that for millennia had no cure. The only answer to the sickness was to send those afflicted away from the edge of the Neither Tundra, away to where the sun still shone.
As long as the Knights of Yggdrasil stood on the edge of the Neither Tundra, serving as the separation between the Giants of the north and the fair folk of the forest south, what the Elves called Moon Sickness reigned upon them. The fair folk of the forest were not meant to be bathed constantly in a light that was so far from the sun. Their brethren in the tunnels of Káto were equipped to deal with the soft light of the moon, but the fair-skinned Elves of the surface needed the light of the sun to thrive.
Centuries passed, and those that found themselves washing out under the light of the moon were asked to return to the forest, back to the capital where the sun shone with the glory of a god. But some must remain to hold the border, to keep the forest safe from the Giants and others that tried to expand into the Elves' domain. The visage of ghostly Elves, washed out to a pale white, became a constant sight in the Northern Outposts, but with magic, all things eventually have a cure.

Causes

Moon Sickness is caused by a lack of sunlight. While it is most commonly found in Elves, it has been seen to occur in other races, such as Humans, that have spent a great deal of time of the edge of the Neither Tundra. Here, the sun shines very little in the winter months, eventually afflicting those that live in these areas with a variety of symptoms.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Moon Sickness include washed-out or pallid skin, deep circles around the eyes, sleeplessness, and sometimes depression. These symptoms can range from very minimal to extremely severe depending on the person and the amount of time spent in these conditions.

Treatment

The treatment of Moon Sickness is a fairly new discovery, only having been discovered in the years since the end of the Eldritch War. While the solution seems simple, the complexity of magic that is needed required intervention from the casters of the Unending Scroll in the Elven capital.
Simulated sunlight was created through a mixture of complex spells. A light created to serve as the area’s sun is placed in a central location in a city or village, bringing a cycle of sunlight that mimics what is currently happening in the capital. Smaller pieces can be broken off and sent in jars with those that may be away from civilization for days.
For those already afflicted with the illness, Somamancers from the capital are sent and treat the afflicted with similar magic. This magic is spread across the afflicted like a blanket and is left on them for hours, sometimes days, as the reproduced sunlight returns nutrients and other things that are the cause of the illness.

Winter Nights

Polar Lights by Vincent Guth on Unsplash

In the later months of the year, the closest the Northern Outposts will come to sunlight is the glow of the Scales of Kallex. Sunlight is limited in the winter, if seen at all in some areas, causing Moon Sickness to be prevalent without the correct precautions.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon

Affected Species

• Elves