Magic Poisoning
Due to the amount of magic in Actrein's atmosphere, the air on Actrein is highly toxic to humans in large enough doses. The humans won't die outright upon first exposure, often being able to survive for several weeks. Sometimes, in rare cases, humans have survived for a month or two.
Causes
The element that allows for magic to exist on Actrein is highly toxic to humans. It isn't known entirely why, as no other species has been shown to have this reaction to the element. This has led to some theorizing that the humans are coming from another world, or perhaps another time.
Symptoms
- Difficulty breathing
Often the first sign of Magic Poisoning is wheezing and gasping for breath. In earlier stages, it's only every few minutes. In later stages, though, it's every other breath, sometimes even every breath. - Hallucinations
It's believed that the hallucinations are similar to those caused by Magic Deprivation or suffocation. These hallucinations are most commonly either visual or auditory hallucinations. - Chest Pain
The humans suffering from Magic Poisoning often report pain in their chests. This pain increases in severity as the illness progresses, until the human dies. - Death
Eventually, after a long enough time, the unlucky human will die. - Damaged Lungs
This is only discovered after the human dies, but the magic element actually damages the humans' lungs. It's believed that this damage becomes more and more severe as time passes. Perhaps the damage even contributes to the humans' deaths.
Treatment
There are some who say there is a substance that is capable of allowing a human's system to slowly adapt itself to Actrein's atmosphere, effectively curing them of Magic Poisoning and preventing them from having it again. However, in so doing, they are made vulnerable to Magic Deprivation.
Prognosis
Magic Poisoning follows three main stages. In the first stage, occasionally the sufferer is unable to breathe. In the second stage, this occurs more often, and in the third stage it's every other breath. A short period before death, the sufferer would only occasionally be able to breathe.
If the afflicted human isn't treated in time, Magic Poisoning is fatal. Treatment is possible (though difficult), and often results in adapting to Actrein's conditions.
Affected Groups
All humans are affected by Magic Poisoning, regardless of age, sex, body type, habits, or any other typical pointers towards a cause of disease.
Prevention
The only way to prevent a human from succumbing to Magic Poisoning is to get their respiratory system to adapt to the atmosphere in Actrein - in other words, to get them to adapt to the magic-causing element. This also has the added benefit of enabling the humans to use magical spells.
History
The first recorded case of Magic Poisoning was in 2035. The unlucky human began wheezing some days after ending up in Actrein, before dying some days later.
Actreine doctors studied the body, hoping to find a physical sign of what caused the human's death. They found that the lungs were damaged, though there was nothing in the lungs that could have caused the damage.
It took several other humans' unfortunate deaths for doctors to discover that the cause was actually the air itself, and a small handful of other humans' deaths before they realized that it was the element responsible for magic.
Actreine doctors studied the body, hoping to find a physical sign of what caused the human's death. They found that the lungs were damaged, though there was nothing in the lungs that could have caused the damage.
It took several other humans' unfortunate deaths for doctors to discover that the cause was actually the air itself, and a small handful of other humans' deaths before they realized that it was the element responsible for magic.
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