Influencia Monetiziasis
Influencia Monetiziasis, one of the many variants of the Influencia influencia virus, is a debilitating cognitive condition suffered by ‘Nodian creators and, subsequently, by their Gri’xian Protagonists*.
There are a few references to this disease in older medical journals, though it was a relatively isolated phenomenon, afflicting only small groups of narratively-related characters at a time. More recently, though, it seems that either an aggressive, highly contagious mutation has evolved, or some event has triggered a mass-release of the pathogen, instigating an epidemic among the general population.
CAUSES
In the ‘Node, economics and social expectations are such that many creators often assume that they should not spend their time or energy on developing their ideas without hope of external compensation in the form of money and/or public accolades. This constant, underlying sense of performative obligation creates distracting stressors, inhibited inspiratory energy, and a lack of focus in the creator’s mind. A Protagonist whose creator suffers from Influencia Monetiziasis is particularly susceptible to contracting the disease themselves. A prolonged ‘Nodian infection may cross the planar boundaries and be transmitted into the Gri’xian manifestations of their ideas, in which the disorder presents as destructive interference to the quantum frequencies of a Protagonist’s identity and plot vectors.
TREATMENT
Ideally, treatment should focus on both the creator and the Protagonist concurrently. Unfortunately, other than a good talking-to via dreams and visions (or finding a portal to the ‘Node and delivering a good kick in the pants in person), there is little that a Protagonist can do about such ‘Nodian difficulties. Luckily, Protagonists of sufficient maturity are not permanently connected to their creators. They may be able to recover by disentangling their energy from the ‘Nodian source through an extreme application of free will. It is recommended that the afflicted Protagonist (or their narrative companions) seek help from a qualified Somnicist if they wish to pursue this method. It should also be noted that this procedure can completely sever the connection between the Protagonist and their creator, rendering the Protagonist truly autonomous, after which point they will become fully responsible for crafting their own Narrative with no extra-dimensional guidance.*** “Protagonist” is used here to refer to any autonomous individual, and should not be confused with the more specific, literary-hair-splitting term describing only the “heroes” or “main characters” of narratives.
** An alternate solution is for the Protagonist to adopt a new creator with a more amenable frequency, so long as they have no concern about the potential social repercussions of joining the Dreck as a character of “Fanfiction” status.
SYMPTOMS:
In Protagonists, Influencia Monetiziasis can result in one or more of the following:
- Dissociation: the victim experiences a diminished sense of Self and/or purpose
- Depression: the victim has little momentum to pursue their narrative goals
- Anxiety: the victim begins second-guessing their own perceptions and decisions, rendering them unable to take any action.
- Existential Dread: the victim may begin to question the reality of their situations, companions, and themselves
- Hyperawareness/Overskill: As the 'Nodian desperately attempts to gain/retain audience engagement, the Protagonist gains inexplicable access to too much information and/or develops uncharacteristic abilities, traits, or interests far beyond that which would maintain a healthy suspension of disbelief.
Type
Neurological
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