The Brainstorm

The Brainstorm is one of Buryadeen's more peculiar natural wonders, for two reasons:

• Its phenomena are still unexplained by scientist and magologists.
• Contrary to what you'd expect if someone described its phenomena to you, it's not located on Koglodur.

The Brainstorm has been around since before recorded history. A strange type of crystal grows in a part of the Nelom Desert, most likely the result of a meteor strike, which resonates oddly with the atmosphere itself. The result is an area that is constantly stormy, with lightning striking in all directions, even horizontally.
Those who decide to brave the storm will encounter another phenomenom, the one the storm was named after. The charge in the air will scramble one's mind in many different ways:

• The most common symptom (because it affects everyone and everything) is losing one's sense of direction. Most people who survive the Brainstorm do so by randomly stumbling outside far enough that they can be rescued, while others are able to (barely) follow signs showing the way out.
• Many have claimed losing their sense of taste or smell, but never both at the same time.
• About 75% of those who stay in the Brainstorm for more than 6 hours report suffering memory loss; the longer you stay, the greater the effect, and the longer the memories take to return.
• In large groups, hysterical behavior is common: those affected will often, but not always, turn violent towards their comrades within the day.

Research is hindered by the fact that all attempts to obtain or study crystals from the Brainstorm have failed: constructs and other nonsentient beings are affected by the Brainstorm as well, and so are vehicles, hindering attempts to mine the crystals, and the only recorded instance of someone managing to damage a crystal (through a long-range cannon that stood outside of the Brainstorm) caused a large explosion and the Brainstorm rapidly expanding to consume the area where the expedition stood, leaving no traces of the expedition when it retreated - only a lone scout survived to bear witness.
Studying the Brainstorm through magical means is also impossible: using astral projection or scrying has even been banned, because those who attempted it went on insanity-driven violent rampages. The general consensus about the Brainstorm is that it does not want to be known.

Type

Natural Wonder