Spellmadness

All forms of magic have their own particular, life-threatening risks, and spellmadness is no different. Specifically affecting those who use magic to alter or peer into the minds of others, its effects range from mild eccentricities to a complete crippling of self. Usually brought on by mind-influencing spells gone too far, spellmadness eats away at the infected's mind over time, gradually eroding all sense of identity. Most commonly obtained by prying too deep into another's mind, fragments of the person's memories and consciousness worm their way into the mind of the caster. Warping and twisting themselves into a life of their own, it causes those infected to fragment in consciousness, becoming less and less able to discern others' thoughts from their own. It is not uncommon to see those further along in the process seek steadily more drastic remedies in attempts to cure themselves. All too often these treatments themselves end up exacerbating the sickness, if not outright killing the patient. It is the tragic inevitability of spellmadness; if the disease does not kill you, the treatment almost certainly will.

Transmission & Vectors

Spellmadness is not known to be transmittable, affecting only the caster in question. There are rumors of circumstances in which spells affecting the mind, cast by someone afflicted with spellmadness, "infect" the target to some degree. These are, however, unsubstantiated, and likely a result of paranoid magic users.

Causes

Though not fully understood, spellmadness is believed to be caused by delving too deeply into another's mind via magic, or by the attempts too magically influence the minds of beings of greater power.

Treatment

Remedies vary by region; in the Sultanates, alchemists prescribe concoctions made from rare plants such as Desert's Judge. In the Arborvale Concord, the preferred method is arrangements of arcane focuses and ritual spells, often differing by a college's preferred methods. In the Stewardlends and Augurweald, folk remedies range from odd brews to secret rituals.

Type

Magical