Chronosis
Chronosis, more commonly known as "Timesickness", is an acute illness caused by chronotraversion (time travel). Thought to be similar to motion sickness; caused by a difference in actual and expected perception of time. This illness usually effects mages who practice chronomancy, and while it can effect those who use spells to slow or alter the perception of time, it is particularly common in those who use magic to travel through time or pause time.
Symptoms
Chronosis usually manifests in the form of "attacks". These short bouts of nausea, dizziness and confusion often occur shortly after a spell is cast, especially, if the individual is not used to casting such a spell. Some effects may then linger for a few days, but the condition is usually mild.
Symptoms commonly include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness and confusion
- Excess salivation
- Problems with concentration
- Tiredness and lethargy
- Sweating and chills
- Headache
- Light sensitivity
- Difficulty accurately perceiving and measuring time passage
Severe symptoms
Some individuals are particularly sensitive to chronosis and may exhibit more severe symptoms or attacks. Risk factors for more severe chronosis symptoms include; a history of migraines, pregnancy, pre-existing tiredness or stress, and malnutrition or dietary deficiencies.
Time Migraines
Some individuals may experience a chronopathic migraine, or "time migraine" after performing risky chronomancy. Time migraine attacks much like a usual, severe migraine and can be particularly distressing to individuals who do not experience migraine attacks already. These migraines are often short-lived compared to a common migraine attack, and last only an hour or so. The attack is often followed by a period of confusion.
Seizure
Though vary rare, there are documented cases of mages having seizures following chronomancy. Almost always, this occurs when the mage is exhausted or reaching their physical casting limit, and is thought to occur due to neuron exhaustion.
Treatment
Typically, chronosis goes away on its own and symptoms can be managed conservatively as the sufferer chooses. Sufferers may choose to treat their nausea or headache with common herbs or medicines, though many choose to sit or lay down to wait out the symptoms.
Individuals who commonly experience chronosis and practice chonomancy regularly may have a routine they perform before casting magic to prevent or reduce symptoms. This often includes drinking plenty of water and being well-fed, and sometimes includes prophylactic antiemetics or stimulants.
Arcatar
Arcatar is a mild stimulant drug commonly used as a performance enhancement by scholarly and arcane circles. It is often considered a preventative drug to avoid some of the symptoms of chronosis. Additionally, it is often used as a "hangover cure" for those suffering the groggy, lethargic after-effects of chronosis.
Stigma and Social Factors
Chronomany comes with many of its own stigmas in the arcanoschollarly world, and chronosis holds special stigma of its own. Because chronosis symptoms seem to be reduced through exposure and practice, it's seen as weak or unskilled to become sick following chronomantic spells. Some individuals never "get used" to chronomancy or take much longer to become resistant to the effects of chronosis, which can lead to ostracisation.
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