Force Domain Function Fuels Present in
Void Kinetic The engine of existence - keeps things moving, binds Od to Anima to Aether. Damaging if overused. Voidart Matter, Living things
Void Affliction is a specter that hangs over the heads of every person who knows and engages with the Dance. However, of the two, most fear Madness far beyond Consumption. More than physical danger, more than the risk of pain or burnout or the fear of failing to excel in our chosen field, we fear the possibility that we may lose ourselves to the temptation to overextend. We fear that we will be unable to stop ourselves, for lack of self-control or by the necessity of circumstances. We fear that once we tumble off of that ledge, we may never return.
— "Power: A Treatise on the Existence and Interaction of the Four Systems" by Oriana Tansea

 

The Condition

It is well known that to dance with the Void is to flirt with self-destruction... and it would be dishonest to deny that many people have been lost - mind, body or both - to the void that breaks and devours.

Prevalence

Low level Void Affliction is common, particularly in Incaendium. That said, its prevalence increases markedly in any situation that requires or encourages frequent or intense uses of Voidart & Magic.

The most obvious example of this would be military conflicts, however other situations include things like disaster recovery or treatment of plagues.

While every Ability Sphere has its danger, and Odaturgy can even result in death as well, it is Void alone that attacks those who dare to interact with it both physically and mentally.

A common Aedvecti saying claims that power corrupts. No one seems to add to that observation that it can also consume.

In the following text, the physical and mental effects of VoidArt will be laid out, along with case studies to demonstrate the dangerous effects of carelessness when dealing with the Void. Additionally, the effect of using a Magic System will be addressed - how it does and does not differ from the effects of direct access and use.


 

The Workings of Affliction

Causes

The terror known as Void Affliction is invariably a result of a VoidArtist attempting to channel Void beyond their capacity, be that by taking on too much or taking it on for too long. This is well known, and in theory should be entirely avoidable. No one needs to fall prey to the Void.

Two Faces of Affliction

The more common face of Void Affliction, Void Madness causes thought, emotion and perception dysfunction. This includes relatively minor effects such as a loss of inhibition similar to the effects of alcohol as well as more extreme effects such as paranoia, hallucinations or loss of executive functioning. At its worse it causes irrecoverable catatonia or coma.
Though less frequently encountered, Void Consumption is no less debilitating than its invisible cousin. Consumption causes physical damage or loss of function from minor wounds, burning or blistering to harsher effects including the loss of senses, tissue death or even death.

However, circumstances do not always make this as easy as it might seem.

For example, when faced with an invasion of one's hometown, the local Dancer might find themselves caught in a difficult position: do they protect their body from the effects of overexertion or do they protect their home from attack?

In many cases, they will choose defense of their home... and that is the origin story of many a tragedy

Cultural issues are contributors. If one lives in a culture that emphasizes might over constraint, as (for example) Incaendian Culture often does, ego, fear or bravado may encourage a person to push beyond their limits. The attempt to score higher marks in the presence of a Tikadynti av Ogjur is also the origin of many a bout of madness.

So, why does Void abuse result in these Afflictions?

Void energy is a naturally overwhelming and in many ways chaotic force. As the engine that runs the world, the energy is ever churning, ever moving, ever shifting. And there is a lot of it. Once a pathway is opened like a river it "wants" to run through. However because the supply is bottomless, and because the energy itself is moves without restraint, it is imperative that the person opening that pathway control the flow and tame the river, so to speak.

Limit differences by Species

The three metaspecies will tend to react to Void differently due to their different physical and mental makeups. Specifically, Demons will generally reach their mental limits earlier than their physical limits simply because they are generally physically resilient but emotionally erratic. For the Celestials the opposite is true due to their strong minds. It should be understood, however, that this is a generality based on the usual balance of the metaspecies, not a true rule. An especially resilient demon could easily reach their physical limits earlier than their mental limits. Mortals, being balanced as a metaspecies, are more difficult to predict.

The Effect of Systems

While Void Affliction is still possible when using Magic Systems, the more structured and pre-limited method of access makes it much easier to avoid and much harder to trigger. Since mortals most often use Systems, there are very few cases of true Void Madness among mortals.

However, there is a problem... particularly as regards Madness.

Because one part of Void Madness is often a loss of sound judgment similar to that that falls upon an intoxicated person. This means that they frequently believe they're better than they are. Advice to pull back may be met with a claim that everything is fine and they aren't being affected yet... because their judgment is too clouded to accurately assess the danger.

This is one of the reasons Void Madness is more commonly encountered than Void Consumption. At least getting a magical burn doesn't make it more difficult for a user to tell that they're being burned magically.

Those who regularly make use of Void energy can tend to drift slightly toward chaotic action. This is a contributor to the sometimes erratic personalities of Demons, however the effects at this level are not fairly minor.

Because Void is drawn from outside the body and is essentially limitless, there is technically nothing permitting anyone from drawing as much metaphorical water from that bottomless well as they like. However, every person has a specific natural limit to how much they can handle without beginning to destabilize. This limit can be expanded through practice, or through the use of Magic Systems (see Magic) that provide a structure to the chaos, but there is always a limit nonetheless. Once a person crosses over that line, they begin to lose themselves in the Void.

From there, things will escalate quickly without corrective action.


 

Progression & Symptoms

The progression of Void Affliction can be easily tracked through observation of the soft, hard and catastrophic limits for the body and mind. These progress separately - it is actually rare for someone to reach both simultaneously. Limits are individual based on the health, durability and resilience of one's mind or one's body.

Examples of effects are outlined below and in the accompanying tables.

Void Madness

As a disease of the mind, Void Madness destroys a person's psyche from the inside out. It moves forward slowly at first - a tweak here and there. A feeling of intoxication or exhaustion. A mild surge of unusual energy. Grandiosity, mental depletion.

TierMental & Emotional Effects
SoftEmotional instability, erratic judgment, "mental intoxication." Reversible.
HardPermanent Void Madness: paranoia, hallucinations, loss of empathy or self-regulation. Depletion of executive function.
CatastrophicTotal mind burnout: vegetative state or permanent coma.

All things that affect the moment, but will fade after a bit of rest.

But it doesn't stop there.

Mental Soft Limit

When passing the mental soft limit, Void Madness begins to set in at low and reversible levels. This can include a rush of euphoria or grandiosity. Intrusive or violent thoughts that feel external to oneself. A person may become impulsive, or emotionally erratic. Increased depression or aggression.

As the Dancer approaches the hard limit, symptoms escalate, but they remain temporary... until they don't.

Gorgo Asther is one of the most famous cases of permanent changes inflicted due to surpassing Hard Limits. During his reign as Dominus Regas of Amaya, he descended into paranoia and uncontrollable violence. This led him to murder most of his family, including his father, his twin, his first consort and his own children. Eventually this escalated to the point where his son Samael publicly murdered him.

While it is believed that the initial stages of his mental degradation occurred due to traumatic stress from centuries on the frontlines of the Three-Cycle War, it is undeniable that his mind eventually fell victim to Void Affliction, likely due to overuse of his abilities because of his traumatic stress symbols keeping him on edge.


 

The descent of a prominent leader always makes waves. Syrik Ainham is the father of Katyr Ainham and former Regnant of Osoving in Koraxis. Syrik fell into Madness while defending Osoving from an alliance of two neighboring settlements trying to take control of the territory. Syrik was able to defeat the invaders, but the Void defeated him - he has been catatonic and unresponsive for centuries.

His son, Katyr, visits him weekly to tell Syrik stories, though Syrik can no longer hear him.
Mental Hard Limit

Moving past the mental hard limit, permanent changes begin to take root, often starting with the minor afflictions that they are already suffering becoming permanent. This happens in increments - if one passed the Hard limit just a little, their increased impulsivity may harden into permanence, but at a reduced level such that they initially begin to recover, but never quite reach their starting point again.

After that, new symptoms begin to develop. Persistent paranoia that does not fade, hallucinations or fixed delusions. Memories may become distorted or lost as complex reasoning deteriorates, Emotional instability escalates, and executive functioning deteriorates and then collapses.

Mental Catastrophic Limit

Beyond that lies true mental destruction as the Anima is severed or silenced, resulting in a permanent complete loss of functioning. This could mean catatonia or coma. Occasionally it has meant a complete dissociation from reality wherein the person no longer perceives the actual world and simply lives inside their own mind.

Once the Catastrophic limit has been reached, it is too late to save the user. An immediate severing of Void use will not bring them back.

This is the price paid by those who reach too far, too quickly, and too recklessly. The price of not knowing and respecting one's own limits.


 

Void Consumption

Void consumption is the second face of Void Affliction. It is not nearly as prominent as Void Madness, primarily because the primary users of Voidart, the Demons, are far less susceptible to Consumption than Madness as a side effect of overuse. It is also arguably easier to avoid, as it cannot cloud the user's judgment the way that the early stages of Madness can.

TierPhysical Effects
SoftBurning flesh, blistering, muscle weakness or pain, heart palpitations, sensory flickering, headaches. Reversible with rest.
HardPermanent damage including organ scarring, loss of senses, permanent limb weakness, tissue death, development of chronic pain or exhaustion conditions.
CatastrophicFatal consequences: total organ shutdown or fatal internal burns.

However, once it is triggered, it is equally debilitating, albeit in a different way.

Soft Limit

At its lowest levels, Void Consumption can leave a person exhausted, achy... and as it progresses minor, recoverable physical damage begins to set in. Burns and blisters appear on the skin. Vision may begin to darken. The user may develop tinnitus, or suffer from headaches. All painful, or at least inconvenient... but recoverable with rest.

Hard Limit

Once the Hard limit is passed, Permanent damage begins to set in. At early stages this is still minor - minor scarring, for example, minor weakening of the limbs. As one continues to push past limits, more serious effects occur. Second degree burns, permanent reduction or even loss of senses, the development of chronic pain or other illnesses. A person may physically age.

The first known victim of Void Affliction, the moral Void-Dancer Saldan Larr went past his hard mental limits while protecting his village during the Caelestise-Sura War. At the time, mortals had little access to healing or calming Odic or Aetheric abilities and so his mental state went unaddressed. After causing extensive property damage, he ran into the forest where his continued Void use resulted in passing the Hard Physical Limit as well.

Though the damage itself did not kill him, he was too paranoid to seek assistance, and so the wounds ultimately festered, leading to his death.

Catastrophic Limit

Finally, if a person does not cease to push past their limits, extreme consequences will begin. Organs begin to shut down, or they may suffer internal burns. Gashes may appear on both the inside and outside of the body. Rapid aging may begin.

At this point, death is imminent and ceasing to push is no longer sufficient to save the user's life. Other - extraordinary - measures are necessary to save them, and those measures must be undertaken immediately.


 

Emotional and mental instability, bursts of rage or other uncontrolled emotions or paranoia. Destructiveness to the self and/or others. Violence beyond one's natural tendency toward violence. In its most advanced form, it can trigger delusions, hallucinations, and the inability to tell fantasy from reality.


 

Prognosis & Treatment

The appropriate treatment -- as well as whether treatment is even possible -- is strongly dependent on the extremity of the overreach. At low levels - to the point where soft limits begin to transition into hard limits, the usual treatment is just rest (or time to heal), or perhaps standard medical care, supranormal or otherwise.

A Helping Hand

For those who do not have the patience (or the time) to recover naturally, or for those who are hoping to counter or mitigate the effects of hitting a hard limit, it is customary to visit one of the Hand of Restoration's hospitals or mobile clinics.

Going does not guarantee success, but it is the best bet...

...unless there is a local talented healer, that is.

Left alone, effects may hours, days or even weeks to recover depending on the severity, but at the other end of that recovery is life as the void-dancer once knew it - essentially unchanged.

Once one passes the Hard or Catastrophic limits, however, things quickly begin to change.

As mentioned above, the effects of surpassing the Hard limits are considered permanent in whole or in part (depending on how far past the limit one has gone).

However, at this point is may still be possible to restore much or all of the VoidArtist's previous state of being with the help of exceptionally strong and skilled practitioners of Odaturgy or VoidArt. This is not guaranteed - if someone has gone too far, for example, one may find that effects can be intractable, or one might find that they can be reduced but not eliminated.

However, Catastrophic limits are very different.

Surpassing these limits will result in complete and irreversible incapacitation. The only way to even have a chance of saving such a person is for a Vaham or higher rank Odaturgist or Voidartist to immediately intervene. Immediately cannot be stressed enough; once these limits are passed, the user's body and/or mind functioning begins to crumble and there is only a handful of seconds before the user is well and truly gone. Intervention must come within those few seconds.

Even then, what is saved may not quite be the same as they were - severe mental, emotional or physical changes are likely.


 

History

The first known case of Void Affliction (Madness in this case) occurred in 649Y. At the time, Mortal magic-users had just begun to establish themselves. Magic Systems had not yet been established. It was the thick of the Caelestise-Sura War, and demand was high for the few mortal mages capable of holding their own against the Immortals - or at least protecting others from becoming accidental casualties.

Facing Affliction

Saldan's downfall was not immediately perceived as linked to the use of Void... but soon other cases followed, and Mortals became more careful about their use of magic. This would severely hamper their ability to progress in VoidArt for nearly 25 years, until the appearance of Samar Kalil in 672Y.

With her assistance they were able to begin constructing the first Magic Systems. Once the systems were solidifed, Mortals became by far the least likely of the metaspecies to fall prey to Void Affliction.

Void Affliction would visit Demons much later than it had humans... but they did not have a Samar to rescue them, and they already struggle with self-control. It would take decades before they managed to stabilize their Void use, during which time their battle against the Celestials suffered immense setbacks.

Celestials - specifically the Aurali and Fey, would suffer their crisis of Affliction centuries later in Astrum. In the wake of the war's closing - and realizing that their rivals had begun focusing on Odaturgy thanks to the success of Laelea Kanete - they began experimenting with VoidArt... and suffered the consequences.

This created a dangerous situation, particularly when paired with the relative ignorance of the energy and its effects that was inevitable for a people so new to its use. Indeed, at the time, however, these new Voidartists were completely unaware of the side effects of pushing too far. The danger was great, but they had not yet larned to recognize it.

The first victim was Saldan Larr, a prominent Cambion mage who had been protecting his small village from the fallout of the war around them. He was a quiet man, and already a bit eccentric, which is likely why no one noticed his increasing instability until it was too late. Eventually, he became paranoid, and then hostile, before burning down several houses in the vicinity and disappearing into the forest.

Larr was not seen again until several days later, when his body was located near a cliff-side. Though the body had already begun the process of decomposition, evidence of extreme burns were found on the corpse. At the time, it was assumed that he simply immolated himself with his power; it was heavily theorized that he had finally reached despair from pushing himself too hard and chose to leave the world voluntarily.

Now it is widely believed that his progressing Madness caused him to continue using his abilities until he also met his Physical Limit.

Saldan's tragedy, along with the cases that followed, brought it to mortal attention that magic could be as dangerous as it was useful. This led to an increased emphasis on self-control and understanding/respecting one's own limits. This not only led to the stabilization of magic among mortals, this increased emphasis on discipline eventually led to the discovery of how to access Od as well.

Changes in Immortal society were not nearly so obvious. However, after the war, an outbreak of Void Madness among Demons who were panicked by the rise of the Golden Cage led to changes in the formal training given to those Demons with the resources to undergo it.

That training was eventually universalized in many areas after the rise of Samael Asther.