Fractured Curse

The Fractured Curse is a complex magical process enacted to prevent someone from wielding Aether in any way. It's not at all a genetic disease - although some people tend to think otherwise - and cannot be passed down at all.

Being afflicted by the Fractured Curse does not have any direct effects upon an individual, but those suffering from the curse are completely immune to the effects of any magic cast upon them. This frequently has an impact upon their health as they cannot be treated with traditional healthcare methods. It also has a direct impact upon their way of life due to their inability to utilize many magical conveniences or use techniques such as teleportation.   They can experience physical effects of some magical items, and so can utilize technologies whose spellwork impacts the effects non-directly. Those suffering from the fractured curse must be careful not to handle magical objects too frequently, however, as their inability to deal with aether also disrupts those items, and therefore weakens the enchantments upon nearby objects. While more robust enchantments can eventually recharge once their connection to Ambient Aether is fully restored, all effected spellwork will require more frequent maintenance.   As those with the fractured curse are immune to all direct magical use they are also immune to all effects from contact with Aether. This also renders them immune to diseases such as Aetherburn, which are cased due to prolonged contact with Aether, as well as to events such as Aether Corruption.

There are no treatment options to change or reduce the effects for the fractured curse. Those afflicted with the curse must rely upon non-magical means for their health and well-being, utilizing technological remedies and minimizing their personal contact with any magical conveniences.

Magic is such an integral part of life in the Elaienna cluster, and therefore those with no connection to Aether are generally regarded with pity by the inhabitants of the cluster. They are difficult to heal when injured, require assistance when installing most magical technologies due to their heavy usage of magic, and generally live at the outside of society as a result. That said, there's also a large degree of stigma as to the curse, as what people have to do to earn the curse can be interpreted rather... loosely.   Some have found successful careers in cleaning up areas exposed to excessive magical usage due to their own immunity to its effects. Others turn to thievery due to their immunity to magical barriers, although this has also led to a stigma on those suffering from the curse. Several archives do employ the occasional fractured curse sufferer for use in defence, and a few other institutions have followed suit in housing some fractured curse sufferers in their bases for defence or for safety purposes in certain experiments.   Many of the fractured curse sufferers have difficulty adjusting to the stigma upon the curse, in spite of its acceptance in some highly specialized careers and situations. As a result many with the fractured curse seek to live isolated existences, many times within magically diseased areas where the normal population fears to tread.