Energy Sickness

Energy Sickness is an illness in Map of the Woods. Ganymedes Beauford and Makara Endith are two prominent characters who have the illness. However, the disease is not exclusive to only humans nor only men.

Causes

Energy Sickness does not spread like the flu or most other illnesses--rather, it occurs based on an individual's actions, meaning its likelihood varies between people.
Overexertion in magic can lead to Energy Sickness. This must be extreme, as some people can overexert themselves and bounce back with proper rest and care.
Coupled with overexertion, attempting too much magic or too much unknown magic at once greatly increases the likelihood of Energy Sickness. With this in mind, students are carefully taught magic in steps to prevent illness. Even without the extremes of Energy Sickness, pushing oneself too hard in magic without precaution comes with risk.
Young Equivalent children may show some symptoms, but this is due to their growth into physicality and not illness--Energy Sickness is extremely rare among young children.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary based on the patient's magic abilities, with some common traits.
Early Stage: As per 'regular' magic overexertion, early symptoms include high fever, fatigue, and weakened abilities until proper care is given. More on care in the 'Treatment' section below.
Testing: If the overexertion symptoms do not go away with prolonged care, usually 2 or more weeks, then the patient likely has Energy Sickness and must be given medical attention in a hospital. If this care relieves symptoms and they do not return after a month, then the patient is not sick but is eventually discharged with caution against further exertion. Repeated overexertion increases the chances of Energy Sickness, especially if within a short timeframe.
Mid Stage: If hospital care does not relieve symptoms, the patient has Energy Sickness--magic users who can sense magic energy extremely well test the patient without causing harm. The test results usually show that the patient's body cannot contain magic energy, which drains out over time. Hospital care helps stabilize the patient's condition, but the draining cannot be stopped permanently. Mid stage symptoms include continued fatigue, unintentional weight/muscle loss, on and off fever, and volatile mood swings. This stage is often the longest, lasting years in some cases.
Late Stage: Even with hospital care, the treatment becomes ineffective once too much energy has been drained. The patient, while still mentally themselves, may be extremely emotional and physically 'frayed'; as the last energy goes away, the person loses much physicality. In humans, this is weight loss with some fading, while equivalents have much more fading, appearing almost ghost-like. Magic abilities may unfurl and increase the speed of the late stage if preventative measures aren't taken.
Death: The late stage ends in death. Equivalents lose all physicality and return to their vessel items, whereas humans die in weakened and ghostly states. The Third Law of Equivalents comes into effect soon after, killing the patient's equal. Death results in a surplus of magic energy within the area, which may cause problems for hospitals; some surplus energy may be accidentally drawn in by magic users, whether or not they have the illness. In turn, this can cause the magic users to overexert themselves on this new energy, renewing the cycle of illness. After several days, the energy disperses and lays dormant, either returning to the human body or remaining in the ground/air, untouchable.
Sample Ability Specific Symptoms: Most of these occur in the mid to late stage, but some more minor versions may occur as a result of overexertion (ex: using a lot of heat symbols may make the user very warm or very cold, but this alone does not imply illness)

• Heat-based abilities may be at the extreme ends of bodily temperature, either very cold or very hot. Energy may manifest as fire or frost depending on the patient's abilities.
• Liquid-based abilities may dry up or sweat / cry excessively. This can be dangerous if the patient loses too many fluids.
• Wind/Gas-based abilities are more likely to be fatigued or run out of breath, feeling lightheaded or passing out in the process.
• Plant-life Connection abilities may result in the patient growing plants on their body, needing to sit in sunlight for energy, and lose their appetite.
• Animal-life Connection abilities' symptoms vary based on the animal and the strength of the bond, but the patient may embody more traits of their familiar(s) than normal, ranging from sleeping cycle to the ability to eat raw meat, and much in between.
• Boost Connection abilities may result in sensory overload or sensory deprivation, and in some extreme cases, paralysis.

Treatment

Early magic overexertion can be fixed without a hospital visit.

Type

Magical

Parent

The Equivalent Phenomena

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species

• Equivalent
• Human