Moonstruck

All agree that the Eldritch Moon is the ultimate source of the condition, but there is no consensus as to why some people suffer from it while others do not. Though many theories have been proposed, few are willing to test them.

One prominent theory involves mirrors. It has long been known that mirrors possess a mystical connection to Beyond - hence why communication and transport through them is so dangerous. Some believe that to gaze into a mirror by the light of the Eldritch Moon allows a warped reflection to slip into the mind.

This idea is largely inspired by a chilling entry in the diary of Kellan Mire, which reads:

"It is deeply unsettling to engage in a staring contest with one's reflection - and win."

Others insist that only the weak-willed are susceptible to the condition, or those already mentally ill. If that is the case, then there are many within the Empire who proved unexpectedly weak of will or unstable - including men renowned for their stubbornness or steadiness of mind.

Still, the mirror theory does not account for all cases, and those affected by the Eldritch Moon share no single unifying trait or circumstance.

The most common symptom of being Moonstruck is the loss of time. A person sees the moon - then their memory ends. They return to themselves only after the moon has left the sky, surrounded by the evidence of their moonlit activities.

Less common - but not infrequent - are hallucinations. Those suffering from this form of the condition perceive the world as altered: the sky may be filled with words that should not be spoken, and the faces of strangers may appear as blank bone. While the details vary from person to person, the experience is always terrifying, and the sufferer often panics - fleeing from monsters no one else can see.

Of course, monsters do walk beneath the Eldritch Moon - so perhaps these visions are not hallucinations at all.

Finally, there are delusions. These vary widely, but one of the most commonly reported is the shadow-loss delusion. The sufferer becomes convinced that their shadow has detached itself, slipping away into the night to wreak havoc unseen. By morning, they report profound exhaustion, claiming their shadow returned and fed upon them to restore its strength. They are often left prostrate with grief, haunted by the unknown - but unspeakably awful - things their shadow may have done beneath the weird moonlight.

Treatment for the condition varies widely, depending on who is afflicted.

Those incarcerated in the Empire's madhouses are typically locked away from moonlight, their episodes contained within narrow stone cells. Escape is uncommon - but not unheard of. More than one severely Moonstruck patient has found a way to break free for the night, despite reinforced doors and watchful staff.

Patients of greater means are often treated more gently. Heavy doses of laudanum are commonly administered to ensure they do not go roaming. Though physically restrained, many report dreams that linger for days afterward - some of which have made their way into popular fiction. These visions are typically edited before publication, for fear that reading the unaltered text might damage the reader's sanity.

Curiously, magical sedation appears to have no effect on the Moonstruck. When encountered under the Eldritch Moon, they also display a remarkable resistance to enchantments of all kinds. As a result, agents of the Esoteric & Occult Branch - frequently dispatched to subdue dangerous Moonstruck - have learned to rely on more mundane methods. When spells fail, repeated blows to the head often succeed.

Not all who are Moonstruck once will suffer a second episode. In many cases, if care is taken to avoid exposure to the Eldritch Moon, the condition does not recur, and the after-effects gradually fade over the course of a few months.

However, those who do experience a second episode are far more likely to be affected every time the Moon rises thereafter. Over time, their episodes may begin to extend beyond the night, sometimes lasting into the following day - or continuing for several days without pause. Between episodes, they may suffer bouts of delusion, or report that certain body parts - most commonly the left hand - begin to act of their own accord.

At this stage, automatic writing becomes a common symptom. What is written during these episodes should never, under any circumstances, be read.

Eventually, if the patient is not protected from further exposure, they suffer a complete loss of identity. In their place emerges a new persona - often violent, depraved, and unnervingly cunning. This new self frequently demonstrates physical resilience, strange knowledge, and magical abilities unknown to their prior incarnation.

Attempts to restore those who have reached this final stage have, thus far, been unsuccessful. In every known case, the patient has either died, vanished, or escaped. Once beyond the reach of friends or keepers, they are remarkably difficult to track - and nearly impossible to recapture.

Almost anyone can become Moonstruck - but some are more susceptible than others.

Those suffering from mental illness are the most commonly affected. The Eldritch Moon appears to worsen their condition noticeably, compounding existing symptoms with its own uncanny influence. Many institutions now observe increased agitation, hallucinations, and violence among patients during Eldritch Moon nights, and take precautionary measures accordingly.

Curiously, the Moon also seems to target those who live in hypocrisy. A surprising number of Moonstruck individuals - especially among the ranks of Society - are later revealed to have led secret lives, full of vice and contradiction, long before their exposure to the Moon. These are people who hid their darkness in shadow, while professing virtue by daylight.

Some call this poetic. Others call it justice.

Changelings, however, appear to be immune to the condition. They claim it is because they are already Lost, and the Eldritch Moon can't find them.