Zilchbrain

You cannot summon ideas from the void.

Uhhhhhhhhh...............

Overview

Zilchbrain is a short term mental condition that affects artists, mathematicians, scientist and spell-casters alike. It is described as the complete absence of all ideas and capacity for constructive thought production. The mind is left empty. A void. Nothing there. Zilch.
This condition can last anywhere from a few minutes to several months, depending on severity. Thankfully, there are a number of cures that can be taken - but if dog bile tinctures aren't your cup of tea, then the zilchmind condition will generally go away of its own accord after some time.

Causes

Zilchbrain is known to be caused by over-working the mind for extended periods of concentration. This is commonly seen in great thinkers: artists, scientists, architects and enchanters, but it can also be caused by common stress and anxiety. If the mind is subconsciously concentrating on worrisome problems, that can also cause severe zilchbrain.
Grief and depression are another cause of zilchbrain, though they are not widely attributed to it as the grief is a removal of all things, not just the creative mind.

Cures

There are many schools of thought on the cures for zilchbrain across Melior. Whilst many believe it is possible to force yourself through it by continuing the tasks of concentration that caused it, others believe this to be severely damaging, and that the mind needs complete isolation to rest and recover gradually.
Alchemists in dust-covered apothecaries are more than willing to recommend their latest cure-all remedies to you for this condition, but the common wive's tale is that one potent dog bile tincture is enough to shock the mind into 'waking up again'.

The condition is quite serious and has a major impact on folks with high levels of responsibility and performance. Despite its severity, this condition is widely used as a light-hearted slang term to describe forgetfulness or thoughtlessness.

Oh silly me, I'm such a zilchbrain today!

— Common phrase

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Zilchbrain by TJ Trewin

Type

Mental

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Common

Affected Species

• Tarmagan
• Rakuwan
• Quargan
• Manavaxian
• Human