Bonding to Altairus

It is a well-known belief that if one consumes faery food, they will be trapped in the magical world forever. While it is true that those who consume food in Altairus tend to disappear for long stretches of time, the reality behind these disappearances are far more complicated than any Earth-dweller realizes.

In fact, many who venture to Altairus opt to stay voluntarily. But, why? As it turns out, Altairian food, as well as the events surrounding it, may goad an Earth-dweller into deciding never to return home.

Altairian Food

As noted in the parent article, Altairian food has special properties to it. In comparison to Earth food, its healing abilities are much stronger, and the magic inherent in it creates other pleasant effects as well. Once one tries Altairian food, it can be difficult to go back to eating their normal meals on Earth.

While many choose to live on with only the memory of the feasts they had, others prefer to stay a bit longer. However, the more Altairian food one consumes, the harder it can be to go back. Normal, non-magical sustenance may taste like ash in comparison. Also, the continued consumption of Anima in Altairian cuisine transforms a person, not so much physically as mentally and emotionally. As more Anima is taken in, one's senses and feelings become less that of a human being and more that of a faery or magical beast. Eventually, the visiting human will be little different from any magical being on the inside. Earth-dwellers who have reached this state actually feel more at home in Altairus than in their native world.

Community

Adding to this is the fact that much Altairian cuisine is enjoyed in the context of celebration. As noted in the parent article, Earth-dwellers often eat food at festivals and celebrations. They may be convinced to stay longer than they intended to enjoy the fun, which often results in their "disappearance." The fact that time flows more slowly on Altairus than on Earth compounds this fact.

During their stay, visiting humans often meet new friends and begin spending more time in the community. It can be a welcome break from their problems back on Earth. During their stay, they absorb Undifferentiated Anima not just through food, but through the bonds that they create. Slowly, this Anima ties them to Altairus, making it ever more difficult to return home.

If an Earth-dweller stays in Altairus long enough, they may feel so at home in Altairus that they "go native." They give up on their old lives on Earth entirely, forging new ones in this strange land they found themselves in. At this point they are effectively "bound" to Altairus, much like the faeries and magical beasts that live there. While they can return home, they will never truly feel "at home" there ever again. It will be like they are on vacation from the world they know and love.

Can it be reversed?

If this process is halted in its early stages, it can be fully reversed. How long it will take depends on how bonded the person was. While it wears off, the person will feel a deep sadness and longing, and may have little interest in eating. Eventually, though, these symptoms will wear off.

Once someone is fully bonded, though, the process is irreversible. If the person is removed from Altairus entirely, they may not be able to digest Earth food anymore, leading to slow death by malnourishment. Worse, they can become physically violent in trying to get back to Altairus by any means necessary. If they cannot, they will eventually go into Anima withdrawal and die. Tragic as it is, once someone is fully bonded to Altairus, it is best to let them stay there. They cannot return to their old lives at this point. Just mourn for them like they're dead and move on.