Psionic Metadisease

Psionic Metadisease (PMD) is a neurological and usually lethal disease which, since the first documented case in the 141st Cycle, has begun to manifest in some Hodeth Belt teenagers and younger adults.

Signs and Symptoms

Sufferers of PMD demonstrate strange pseudo-arcanic (ie psionic) abilities - some showing precognitive, telepathic or telekinetic abilities not currently explainable by science. If these powers are not reigned in quickly and subjects are not taught to keep them under check, the neural pathways of untreated patients degrade so quickly and painfully, which results in quick-onset dementia. Death follows shortly after, usually the result of unvoluntary arcane discharges or critical damage to parts of the brain which control breathing.

Prognosis

If left untreated and untrained, most sufferers will rapidly die within a few months of the first symptoms. However, by learning to control the strange powers which come alongside the disease, it is possible to stabilize the condition before it becomes crippling or lethal. Arcanists work to lessen the disease's psionic influence on the brain whilst a combination of drugs and therapy teaches the subject to control their affliction before their neural pathways torch out.
Such is the goal of fringe programmes like those offered by Hexo-Geni, Inc or the Arkblazer Order - all heavily influenced by the sometimes illegal work of Majorn Li, who had been working on PMD ever since the very first cases back in the 141st cycle.
In the 141st Cycle (ten cycles ago), only 34 cases were recorded; yet by the 151st Cycle, a cumulative 20000 cases had been found across Tau Elpis. Thanks to the aforementionned programmes, it is estimated that perhaps 1000 to 3000 people learnt to overcame their condition and at least start to control their newfound powers, though the way forward is still unclear.

Possible causes

Whilst the disease is not believed to spread from person to person, some scientists believe that proximity to working dive-drives may lead unborn and younger children to be at higher risk of developing the condition in puberty or early adulthood. This theory is under a considerable deal of debate, given that more powerful Dive Drive were routinely used for thousands of years prior to the Great Jump with no adverse effects ever recorded.
Conversely, it seems that magically able people are immune to the disease and thus cannot develop psionic powers, and Mewei similarly seem near-impervious to it.

Society & Culture

Ever since the first outbreak started a decade ago, PMD has been feared and poorly understood by most cultures. Even today, most psionics must learn to hide their abilities, as societal attitudes towards them range from mixed to negative. Such is the hostility shown within the Hhrot Dominion and the Mewei Domain that their leaders will shun and exile anybody found with PMD, whilst survivors might find themselves discriminated against in all other societies. The Chantry of the Void has offered sanctuary for trained psionics, though they offer no treatment to early sufferers as of the 151st cycle.

Type

Magical