The Gold Hunger

"To have the hunger is to have lost yourself. Satisfaction in life becomes abstract and intangible and only in dreams of the future does one find peace. I cannot help but think these charitable visions have been tampered with, forced into a hopeful shape by the self's will, born from desperation and despair. The truth none of the hungry will admit is that both their existence in the present and in the future are as hopeless and empty as each other."

— Dymos o Maenon

Those who overindulge in ichor may find themselves afflicted with the gold hunger, also known as ichor addiction. It is an insatiable craving which, if not satisfied, causes a sharp deterioration in mental faculties in everything from memory to logical thinking; many also suffer from extreme emotional outbursts. The gold hunger is thought to be caused fundamentally by a lack of meaning in the afflicted's own present life which causes them to turn to optimistic visions of the future for solace.

Properties

As an illness, ichor addiction is difficult to define as it principally affects the mind. Those who suffer from it may be seen to have a disheveled appearance, but this stems from a lack of self care that may occur if their cravings are left unsatisfied rather than as a direct symptom of the condition, despite what is commonly believed. Weight gain, however, is quite regular among the hungry due to ichor's richness. The gold hunger's primary symptoms, however, manifest as a rampant desire for more ichor. This is thought to be linked to the visions of the future the substance grants rather than anything to do with taste.
Those suffering from the gold hunger live their lives almost entirely through these visions, dependent on the gratification they provide and their service as a temporary escape from problems. This dependency often leads the addicted to neglect their own present in the process. They are typically willing to abandon possessions, property, friends, family and professions to secure more ichor if need be. When starved for ichor, those with the gold hunger will become single-minded, agitated, desperate and aggressive. Additionally, their memory and capacity for logical thinking suffers. Ichor addiction also regularly leads to the onset of ichor blindness and the Divine Sight.

Significance

The gold hunger represents a significant problem in Thripia, particularly among the richer populations of the city. Their wealth allows for frequent purchase and usage of ichor upon which a dependency is often quick to form. Massive spending follows, sometimes leading to the collapse of relationships and even homelessness. As such, the city's upper class go to great lengths to hide gold hunger should it appear in their friends or family members. It is possible to cure ichor addiction, but only through a period of intense withdrawal wherein the disease's symptoms worsen.
Thripian society at large views the gold hunger as a weakness reliant on escapism and attributed to a lack of will. As a culture that places great emphasis on ambition and the ability to realize ambition, ichor addiction is the crippling failure of a self which is unable to manifest its desires. It is a sign of an individual's inability to overcome their personal problems and crises. Little to no support systems exist for those afflicted with the gold hunger and it is expected that they either deal with the condition themselves or face the natural consequences of their weakness.

Type

Mental

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon