Voidhollow

Voidhollow is transmitted through repeated Void exposure, like becoming Voidtouched. There may be a genetic component, in that Voidtouched beings may be able to pass the condition, or a susceptibility to it, on to their offspring.

You ever talk to someone with MS, or lupus? It looks a lot like that. Myko might wake up one morning and find she's blind in her right eye. Or that her left hand has ceased to function. Or maybe she can't control her bowels. Or maybe everything on the right side of her body feels like it's on fire. It sucks, Sunny. It really sucks.

— Queen Sable, explaining the symptoms to Princess Sunny

  Initial symptoms seem to manifest like more "typical" Voidtouched symptoms: unpleasant malfunctions of internal organs, particularly digestive-related issues, and odd physiological changes, some of which can be positive and present as supernatural powers or magical abilities. However, over time, these sorts of symptoms worsen. For instance, Archon Mykola began to experience worsening liver problems and fatigue that presented something like fibromyalgia.   New symptoms begin to manifest themselves, like a chronic ongoing autoimmune disorder, and may continue to worsen, stabilize, or flare up at seemingly random intervals. On occasion, the Archon experienced pain flares, swelling in her knees and issues with balance that affected her ability to walk, extreme nausea, IBS-like symptoms, and tachycardia. This stage is potentially fatal, as the internal organs and brain can be affected.   In the late stages of the illness, the magical nature of Voidhollow begins to manifest, as random parts of the body seem to fade or disappear. This does not seem to involve a "complete" disappearance, but the affected body parts become translucent and insubstantial. This may present as an ongoing "incorporeal" state, or a "flickering" effect.   When an affected part of the body is experiencing this "hollow" state, it only seems to be able to interact with the physical world in a limited way. This stage could be fatal at any moment, since it can cause such distressing symptoms as the temporary insubstantiation of an internal organ or one's circulatory system. However, these "insubstantiation flares" may also, ironically, remove or reduce pain, and may have no adverse effects at all, as the body adapts to this semi-spiritual state.   In the final stages, the patient becomes fully incorporeal, and then fades away altogether. It is believed that they are fully absorbed by the Void.   The late stages of Voidhollow could be viewed as a form of undeath. At this stage of her illness in late 2024, it was impossible for Archon Mykola to be either Zombified by the Night Monarch The Bard with No Names, or Resurrected by her mother, Queen Sable — although both tried.

Since there is no known cure for Void exposure, treatment tends to be supportive and palliative. Dialysis was provided to the Archon as her liver and kidneys began to fail, heart medications treated the tachycardia, painkillers and anti-inflammatories were prescribed to deal with flare ups, various medications were prescribed to fight brain fog and deal with disruptions in bowel function. Autoimmune suppressant medications were tried, but seemed to have no effect.

While an affected person might live for many years with this condition, thus far, it appears to be fatal.

Treating the symptoms of Voidhollow can be similar to treating other autoimmune disorders; which is to say, every case may be different. A variety of long-term effects can manifest, both as a result of damage caused by the illness, and from complications of aggressive life-saving treatment or medications.

Voidhollow is unknown in anyone who has not been exposed to the Void.

When the nature of Archon Mykola's illness was revealed, most of the general public responded with deep sympathy for the tragedy, especially since the Archon was much loved. Small groups of zealots seemed to feel that this was "a fitting fate for the demon-witches," but they were widely denounced and condemned.