[Disease/Illness] Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure

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[Disease/Illness] Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure

Name: Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure

Quick Facts: A disease similar to heart failure in other races where the asterism isn't strong enough to spread its light and energy to the entire body of the Yludih. Its symptoms are visible in all a Yludih's forms but is most clearly visible in the true form of a Yludih in Uleuda. It can be potentially deadly if not treated, managed properly or if it is outright ignored. About ten percent of all Yludih, a similar percentage as other races, are born with a weak asterism due to complications at birth, although one in ten do not survive past a single arc without constant care.

Origins: Asterism Failure often develops after other conditions have damaged or weakened the asterism. Asterism attacks or physical damage to the asterism could result in Asterism Failure later on as well as old age, obesity and an irregular asterism rhythm. However, it is not necessary for this to happen to cause Asterism Failure. For some a Weak Asterism is a constant from birth due to complications during birth or if the baby Yludih is born prematurely.

Races: Yludih

Symptoms: A faint(er) Asterism light: Due to the weakness of the asterism, the light they are able to produce is weaker than that of normal Yludih or, if it does manage to produce as much light, it is much more erratic, like that of a candle in the wind. This is the most visible symptom of the illness while in Uleuda, although completely impossible to see in Idalos, which is why many children and parents aren't aware of this before a child is Yludih is invited to Uleuda.

Mosaic Crystal Body: A Yludih suffering from this illness from birth will find their true body to be made up of many small(er) crystals, forming a mosaic-like body build up. Because the Asterism is unable to exert as much strength while growing within the mother, it will collect thousands of little crystals together to form its body, instead of a few hundred larger chunks. These Yludih often look very thin because of this. While in Uleuda, this symptom is the second most visible one out of all of them. Because of the make-up of their body, these Yludih will find their illusionary forms in Idalos to be thinner, shorter and/or paler than the norm.

Feeling of 'dead' limbs, pins and needles: While the asterism does its best to provide light and energy to all the parts of a Yludih's body, it will prioritize the areas that need it most. When a limb or extremity doesn't receive enough light it will start to lose feeling in it, much like other races when they cut of blood from their limbs, which increases to the feeling of pins and needles over time. If the Yludih doesn't slow down and give their asterism time to recover, the feeling can become like torture to them. While other races might find their limbs dying after a while without blood, a Yludih's body isn't limited by this and, as such, there is no end to the pins and needles except to take care of it. This symptom is invisible to people looking in from the outside, except for Graft users who can see the Energy in the affected limb dim to the smallest amount possible.

Exhaustion and fainting: Physical exertion or extended periods of strong emotions will leave the Yludih exhausted as the asterism fails to collect and distribute enough light to keep all the crystals in the body in peak condition. Yludih suffering from this illness find themselves out of breath quicker than others and their stamina is always limited and only increases slowly, even with focused exercises. Their illusions will project these effects as a shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing and/or a paleness of the skin. If overdone, this can even lead to the Yludih fainting as a last ditch effort to get a moment of rest for the asterism to recover.

Frequent use of physical aids (like a cane, walking rack, a wheelchair, some sort of domesticated carrier creature,...) to move around and at a younger age: Usually in an attempt to combat the weakness or exhaustion, Yludih (and other races suffering from heart failure instead) might opt to use physical aids to try and stave off the symptoms during a trial. It is unknown how effective this is but is quite a visible symptom to onlookers, although not one that is specifically caused by a Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure.

Treatments: The only permanent solution is thought to be to Graft a new or extra asterism to a Yludih suffering from the illness. While this is theoretically possible, it is unknown if it is even possible to replace an asterism or add a second one to help out. Unlike a heart, asterisms also exert a pulling force onto the crystals that keep the body of the Yludih in its form and they are the central point of any illusions created to protect the Yludih in Idalos.

Long term care is possible by massaging or Graft Energizing the limbs that suffer from symptoms and helping the asterism to spread its light and energy to all the limbs and extremities of the body. Higher levels of massage or Graft make it easier to help guide the light and energy from the asterism but neither are a permanent solution to the problem, only temporarily helping the asterism until it can catch up and provide light everywhere it is needed.

Complications: Asterism rhythm problems (arrhythmia) is a possible complication of heart failure which, in turn, can cause or worsen a Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure. The pulsing pattern of the asterism can be temporarily or permanently changed because of the illness. This becomes quite visible in Uleuda, where the Yludih's asterism produces light so irregularly that it looks like there is a candle or fire flickering in their chest, instead of the steady light that is present in healthy Yludih.

Credit: Sintih
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Trouble
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Re: [Disease/Illness] Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure

Hiya Sintih,

This looks like it's ready for review. Apologies if I'm being too hasty.

Overall I like this idea. It'll be good to have a specific illness for Yludih. However there are a few key points I feel need ironing out.

1.
Sintih wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:29 pmAbout ten percent of all Yludih, a similar percentage as other races, are born with a weak asterism due to complications at birth
I'll admit I'm not doctor, but this seems like a very high percentage. Now I get that this is set in a fantasy world lacking in modern medicine, so illnesses would probably be a lot more commonplace than I'd imagine, and I can understand the only permanent treatment being via Graft, but it strikes be as odd that the Yludih community would not have found any other methods of long-term care besides a massage. Surely a Yludih doctor of alchemist would have studied a condition so widespread and come up with some sort of medicine that can alleviate the symptoms a little more effectively? It might be that this medicine requires rare ingredients and is thus expensive, but I would have expected there to have been some degree of research into this condition.

Please don't get be wrong: I'm not saying that the percentage is too high, nor that this illness shouldn't have no non-magical cure or effective treatment. It just strikes me that these two facts are a little inconsistent with each other.

2.
Sintih wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:29 pmBecause of the make-up of their body, these Yludih will find their illusionary forms in Idalos to be thinner, shorter and/or paler than the norm.
This is where things get tricky with illusionary forms. Thinner and shorter I can see, but I'm not sure about paler. A weak asterim might affect the yludih's real body, but I can't see why this would make the illusionary form look paler. Translucent maybe, but paler?

Unless of course a yludih's body is instinctively designed to change the illusion surrounding it to appear ill when the real body becomes ill as well. I suppose that would be a useful feature for maintaining a yludih's cover.

Other than those two points I am very happy with this submission, and would be happy to approve it.
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Re: [Disease/Illness] Weak Asterism/Asterism Failure

Hello Sintih, should you return in another PC guise please feel free to reopen this to discussion or finishing the article as per Trouble's recommendations. For now I'm moving it over to Unfinished.
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