Swappage

In the most remote Kyoleva villages, tucked away amongst the hills and mountains, feuds and arguments are commonplace. Due to the absence of a court or bailiff to settle disputes, villagers often go the the village elders for guidance. Unbeknown to most, however, most of these elders are just as clueless as anyone else when it comes to deciding who stole who's chickens. So, taking a leaf from Kyoleva ideals of independence, many elders decide that the only people who can solve such arguments are those dierectly involved. More combative elders might suggest trial by combat, whilst others might demand a trial before the Gods. This article, however is about what the more magically inclined elders often turn to when faced with a decision like this one: the drug Meylokyin.
When administered to the two warring parties, this drug not only acts as a mild sedative, but also gives each person a glimpse into the mind of the other. This will calm the disputers, and show them their rival's point of view, leading to a peaceful end to arguments, in most cases. I say 'in most cases' because occasionally, if the ingredients are mixed in the wrong proportions, or if it is an individual's first time being exposed to the drug, a bizarre and dire side effect can manifest: SWAPPAGE

Causes

Swappage is caused by the ingestion of the drug Meylokyin. Meylokyin is designed to allow brief insight into the mind of another person to sho their point of view, however, if the concoction (which is taken in the form of a potion) is mixed in the wrong order (Oil of Krabbits before Griten) or if the ingredients are impure, the effects can be much more severe, swapping the victims' minds. Other causes include being administered the drug for the first time, coming into contact with it's ingredients for the first time, or (in exceedingly rare cases) supernatural influence.

Symptoms

The signature symptom of swappage is the minds of the target being swapped. However, the shock of your soul leaving your body for that of another can create extreme shock and trauma. Many victims of swappage have gone into extreme existential crises, and have left for the mountains to contemplate the meaning of life and individuality (Are we all just the same being, living through thousands of pointless lives?). Others will simply slip into a coma or go mad.

Treatment

Treatments for swappage are varied in method and effectiveness. Some of the most used are detailed in the table below:

Treatment	Effectiveness
Re-administration of Meylokyin	Limited success, as it is rare to trigger swappage a second time
Greater restoration spell	100% success rate, but the high level magic is hard to come by
Julokwort salve	Julokwort is a very rare lichen, and it has a low success rate as treatment
Petition the fey spirits	Fey spirits are annoying idiots who probably caused the swappage in the first place. Don't trust them.
Ritual involving Varnil-seed candles	High success rate, but the incantaions take a lot of practice, but the Varnil fumes have interesting side effects

Prevention

Kyoleva communities make a point to regularly expose their children to the less dangerous ingredients of Meylokyin, to build up their resistance to Swappage. Furthermore, cautious elders will perform the production and administration of Meylokyin under the effects of protective charms.

Cultural Reception

Swappage in a Kyoleva community is often seen as very bad luck, if caused by fey spirits or supernatural influence. The members of a community will most often blame the victims of the swappage for angering the spirits and bringing bad luck to the village. They may even perform dangerous rituals to "purge" the spirits from the victims.
On the other hand, if the swappage was caused by impurities or mixing errors, the elder responsible is to blame. Punishments include being forbidden to again administer Meylokyin, being removed from power, banishment, and anything in-between.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare

Meylokyin

Meylokyin is a drug central to Kyolevan culture. It is meant to give a person an insight into the mind of another, and is used to settle arguments and as part of marriage rituals.

Production

Each Kyolevan community has it's own unique recipe for Meylokyin. This recipe is passed down generations from elder to elder, as this is the group which is tasked with it's production. Although each community adds it's own nuances in the form of different mountain herbs, or even using dried leaves instead of fresh, the core ingredients remain the same: Oil of Krabbits, Gritten sprigs, and a solution of Meedin crystals.

Side effects

The wide range of components added in defferent communities to Meylokyin can cause side effects ranging from swapped hair colour to mild death.