Fey-Touched

The boy sat, toys in hand, but with no expression. Who could say how he felt? He stared into the floor, eyes lacking any recognition; his hands moved, mimicking how a boy would play with toys, but moving through tar. Who could say what he saw, beneath the milky lenses? The boy's father spoke to him in gruff tones, reverberating his body, but devoid of affect. Who could say what he heard, within endless echoes?
"Boy! Are you listening? I told you not to go near that wood!" The father snatched the young child's wrist, raising his hostage to the air; a single toy soldier, metal sword firmly in hand, loosened in his grip. The toy dangled. "Boy, look at me when I'm talking to you!" The soldier, stiff in his parade, swung to and fro, clutched between disinterested fingers, the copper of the shield gleaming as a pendulum in the light. "Damn it, son! Just speak to me! Say something!" He cast the youngling down in frustration, seeking comfort in his palms as he planted his elbows to knees. "Damnit, damnit. Ohh, no. No, no," the man shook his head in disbelief. He massaged his eyes, digging them into his skull, but one cannot console against the unknown. Grief overtook him.
The toy soldier had cracked. It had hit a single stone when the boy fell. It snapped along its long ways, sword and shield separated by a crevasse. Turning it over, he crumbled the figurine in both hands, breaking it in two. The sword, glimmering in the sun, skittered across the stone. In his hand, he took the copper shield, running his finger over its point. It was as wide as his palm. It fit neatly. He rolled onto his four limbs, propping himself up, looking at his father's exposed neck.
He tensed.
And sprang.

Causes

Becoming Fey-touched is a symptom of spending too much time in the wood, far away from the Common Folk. Specifically, it is the madness that afflicts one once they have come into contact with the Faerie. Common folk, particularly humans, fear the Fey creatures of the The Brec'hwood and it is told in stories that they come to take men to their undying host, serving as slaves; the children they steal in the night to roast for dinners and desserts; handsome nymphs lure young virgins to sleep with elk and goat-men. So it is with the wood, that all stay well clear of it lest they fall victim to deathly desires and fatal fates.
It's told that one simply needs only to speak with a creature of the wood to be exposed to the bizarre speech and disturbing thoughts of the Faerie. Those who spend too much time in the wood near or in West Clough are most likely to be affected, but any native wood, on the fringes of society may prove dangerous enough.

Symptoms

Broken and bizarre speech, emotionless affectation, violent outbursts, excessive sadness, excessive happiness, "wild" and spontaneous behavior, and generous amorousness are just a few of the common traits associated with a Fey-touched. Depending on the village or town, additional traits may be attributed to the condition based on regional culture.

Treatment

Most solutions to those who are "touched" is simple banishment: banishment from the village, banishment from the town, banishment from the region, etc. Banish as far away as one can banish before they can't be found anymore. One could interpret such treatment as to include destruction of the offending body, however, the common folk believe the soul of the "corrupted" individual contains the faerie spirits and when destroyed releases them back into the world. The safest means of ensuring a community cannot maintain the illness is to send it as far from home as possible.
More generous prescriptions involve attempting a treatment of myths from local druids and peddlers. Iron that is forged (specifically with the intention to harm), or cold iron, is placed on the body of the afflicted individual for a series of hours, up to their age in years, in increments of three (12 years old, four hour treatments three times a day) until the offense is shaken. A handful of thistledown consumed with water three times a day should temper the faerie spirit and catch them in the stomach, so as not to rile the tongue.
Of course, all of this is inherently snake oil, as the condition is hardly scientific. An aside, The Blooded are immune to this illness, which most folk attribute to their mystic training, but in reality it is because the Order knows it is no more than myth (though try telling that to the The People of Perth).

Cultural Reception

As a mental condition, it cannot spread throughout a population legitimately. However, considering the condition is highly speculative, fear rules the mind of the commoner. People fear those who are Fey-touched insofar as they would prefer to banish those whom they fear hold it. Those who maintain close contact with the Fey-touched are cursed by mind and mouth and believed to suffer confusion, delirium, excessive speech, and lack of control.

Type

Mental

Origin

Magical

Rarity

Rare