Faemind
Forgetting the natural rhythms of the body.
Cycle 1: The patient arrived and I am told they have missed two cycles of sleep. I have given them something to help.
Cycle 2: The patient slept properly but for a duration longer than it should have been. I will have to look deeper into this condition.
Cycle 4: After speaking with the patient further I have noted that their responses to my questions are delayed. They also haven't expressed hunger after not having eaten for most of a cycle. They don't seem to be in further danger and will be able to return home with a prescription for sleep.
Cycle 7: The patient has returned but they don't seem to think they have been gone as long as they have. This explains it. Their ability to understand time has been disrupted.
Cycle 8: Another patient has arrived with the same symptoms. This reminds me of a play I once saw and the fae, how a person meets them for what seems like minutes but returns home years later.
Cycle 10: I wonder if tengu can be affected by the condition as well. They do not sense the passage of each moment as we do.
Transmission & Vectors
Inhalation of the pollen from the Faerie's Bell in sufficient quantities disrupts one's bodily rhythms. The quantities are, under most circumstances, not high enough naturally to cause any harm. It is collected and refined to produce escape, a powerful drug.
Causes
There are competing ideas as to why the condition happens. The first is that the pollen inhibits the body so that the brain won't know things are happening to it. The second is that it affects the brain directly, suppressing or damaging the part responsible for timekeeping. The third is the superstitious belief Faerie's Bell was created by the fae to bring misfortune to people.
Symptoms
The first symptoms appear within moments of inhaling the pollen or the drug when the person loses their internal clock, they can no longer tell the passage of time. The more dangerous symptoms appear later when the inhaler does not realize they need to eat, drink, or sleep.
Treatment
No alchemical treatment has been devised for faemind. The condition is temporary, though it can go on for many cycles based on how much escape was taken. Other people can remind them to eat and drink while a drug can be administered to induce sleep.
Prognosis
In most cases the victim will regain their bodily rhythm; however, in cases of extended use of escape the damage can become permanent.
Affected Groups
Faemind can affect any human, young or old, large or small. The most vulnerable groups are people who believe their lives to be monotonous, the people who would consider taking escape to be able to ignore the incessant passage of time.
Prevention
Wearing a face covering while handling Faerie's Bell is the best way to avoid it in the wild. Not taking escape will ensure the condition is not acquired.
History
The first recorded case of faemind was in 64EX in Grara. A large number of Faerie's Bell were found and subsequently destroyed though the burning of the plants caused minor symptoms in everyone present.
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