Boonbreak
The Boonbreak is the consequence of breaking covenants with the gods of the Heavenly Council or the evil spirits. When a person breaks a covenant, their Talent (the magic they alone are able to use) is twisted to become a source of personal misery - a permanent reminder that the gifts of the gods are not to be lightly held or used.
For example, if one's Talent is to manipulate sound waves, after breaking covenant you could find yourself either profoundly deaf or dumb, or your sense of balance might be permanently disrupted as every sound becomes an assault. If your Talent is to make plants grow, they might instead wither at your touch, or actively attack you. The possibilities are endless and inevitably painful.
However, there is a way to escape the Boonbreak: to make a new covenant, and keep it. This, however, is not easy for those who have broken their connection to the gods, and may require considerable sacrifice and work to achieve.
Transmission & Vectors
The Boonbreak is a condition that can only be achieved through breaking covenants. It has no transmissibility, unless the one affected convinces others to also break their covenants.
Causes
Boonbreak happens when the mortal party in a covenant with the gods violates a specific covenant they have made, for example: "I swear to war without wrath or contention." If the mortal party then kills someone in wrath, the Boonbreak will immediately take effect.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Boonbreak vary as widely as the Talents that mortals possess. So a green man will have different symptoms than a stone-singer, who will have different symptoms than a wind caller.
Treatment
The only treatment for Boonbreak is to renew covenants with one of the gods or evil spirits, and then to keep that covenant strictly.
Prognosis
Boonbreak is rarely fatal.
Sequela
Boonbreak can lead the sufferer to make covenants with evil spirits, who offer much that sounds attractive but whose promises often have a catch.
Prevention
Don't break covenants, and you won't deal with Boonbreak.
History
Before the Three Realms split, many mortals broke covenants; their descendants live in the Dragomir, where their Talents are strictly proscribed in order to prevent them from hurting themselves and others.
Cultural Reception
Most of the time, the Boonbreak itself is not stigmatized; it's the action that led to it that gets the sufferer into hot water. After all, murder tends to be frowned upon in polite society.
Type
Divine
Origin
Divine
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired
Rarity
Uncommon
Oh, interesting! So all 'magic' like this comes from the gods? Are there any evil gods or devils you can also make deals with to get out of this (and get into trouble in other ways :D)? Great stuff!
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.
Some people who break covenants with the gods choose to make covenants with evil spirits instead, which is easier in the short term as there are always spirits willing to make such a pact. But such oaths inevitably have a catch. For example, you may sign over your free will and become a shadow servant in exchange for the power you had before, but must always follow orders when your name is called by your new master. It is unwise to make covenants with anyone but the gods (who are bound by their own law never to misuse a covenant), but there are definitely those who have tried to game the system.