On Illness

Illness and infirmity of the body or mind provide little cause to rejoice in this world. While there are invariably anecdotes recounting the heroic triumph of the human spirit over the adversity presented by a physical ailment or a psychological malaise, such stories serve more to praise the resilience of people than to celebrate the frailty of the body and mind. Such is not the case in Faerie, where disease is highly regarded for its creative powers. Tumors, in particular, once the skin is removed provide upon meticulous examination objects no less capable than crystal balls of auguring the future of the individual in question. Illnesses of the mind too are possessed of an unquenchable creative potential, for they change the perception of the reality of the world around us. Depression, for example, darkens the sky of Faerie. Paranoia enhances the speed and agility of everyone around us save ourselves. Insomnia turns night into day. Loss of sight grants our opponents invisibility and deafness robs our enemies of the ability to speak. Dementia is more akin to childbirth than any other biological process, so fecund are the creative faculties of one in its grasp. One might go so far as to say that there is no such thing as illness in Faerie. Nevertheless, it does not take all that much imagination to understand why Faerie has never become a destination for those seeking respite from their ills.