The Threl
A chronic, degenerative condition.
The Threl is a progressive, degenerative illness endemic to long-term inhabitants of certain northern cliffside and glacial settlements on Yxil-7. The condition is not communicable and appears only in individuals whose families have resided in affected regions for multiple generations, particularly those living in sea-carved cave systems and ice-walled hollows. It is unknown to newer arrivals or transient nomadic tribes.
The Threl typically develops slowly, with symptoms often misattributed to aging or malnutrition until late stages. Clinical progression generally follows four stages:
Lifespan post-symptom onset varies widely, with full progression spanning anywhere from 6 to 22 years.
Despite their shared oral traditions and ancestry, the nomadic people of Yxil-7 do not agree on the origin or nature of the Threl. As its symptoms continue to manifest sporadically across generations, a range of interpretations have emerged, often overlapping, conflicting, or evolving with time.
The Spirit Wound Theory is among the oldest beliefs. It holds that the Threl is the result of ancestral trespass. That when the first settlers anchored too long beneath the broken sky, they drew the ire of the unseen forces tethered to the fractured crust of their world. In this view, the afflicted are burdened with inherited spiritual guilt. Elders perform salt-purging rituals, and afflicted children are often marked with protective ash glyphs.
The Sun-Famine Belief has gained prominence in recent generations. It proposes that the sickness stems from a weakening bond with the original star and that the body grows brittle and confused in its absence. People who suffer from the Threl are thought to be “light-starved,” and many groups now include chants and sun-seeking pilgrimages during seasonal migrations, hoping to stave off symptoms.
The Listening Fault is more practical than spiritual. Some travelling families insist that certain regions of Yxil-7, especially near glass-slick rift zones hum at a frequency harmful to the flesh. It causes their Echochords to hum in dangerous frequencies.
Finally, a growing minority, often among the younger generation, suggests the Threl is not spiritual at all, but environmental: a result of consuming meltwater from fault-adjacent sources or prolonged proximity to certain metal-rich outcrops. These individuals push for experimental fire-filtration techniques and are met with both curiosity and scepticism by the older generation.
While no explanation has proven conclusive, these interpretations underscore the tension between tradition and adaptation on a world that continues to resist full understanding.
Symptoms & Progression
The Threl typically develops slowly, with symptoms often misattributed to aging or malnutrition until late stages. Clinical progression generally follows four stages:
Stage I – Latency
- Onset between ages 12–35
- Intermittent fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, joint stiffness
Stage II – Early Manifestation
- Tremors in hands and jaw
- Persistent joint inflammation
- Discolouration of the sclera (grey-blue tint)
- Minor cognitive disruptions (short-term memory lapses, confusion in low light)
Stage III – Progressive Decline
- Cracking and desiccation of skin, especially the extremities
- Decline in motor coordination and balance
- Heightened sensitivity to light and temperature variance
- Occasional visual splitting (diphasic or mirrored perception)
Stage IV – Terminal Decline
- Loss of mobility
- Speech disruption
- Severe visual distortion
- Systemic wasting
Lifespan post-symptom onset varies widely, with full progression spanning anywhere from 6 to 22 years.
Cultural Interpretation
Despite their shared oral traditions and ancestry, the nomadic people of Yxil-7 do not agree on the origin or nature of the Threl. As its symptoms continue to manifest sporadically across generations, a range of interpretations have emerged, often overlapping, conflicting, or evolving with time.
The Spirit Wound Theory is among the oldest beliefs. It holds that the Threl is the result of ancestral trespass. That when the first settlers anchored too long beneath the broken sky, they drew the ire of the unseen forces tethered to the fractured crust of their world. In this view, the afflicted are burdened with inherited spiritual guilt. Elders perform salt-purging rituals, and afflicted children are often marked with protective ash glyphs.
The Sun-Famine Belief has gained prominence in recent generations. It proposes that the sickness stems from a weakening bond with the original star and that the body grows brittle and confused in its absence. People who suffer from the Threl are thought to be “light-starved,” and many groups now include chants and sun-seeking pilgrimages during seasonal migrations, hoping to stave off symptoms.
The Listening Fault is more practical than spiritual. Some travelling families insist that certain regions of Yxil-7, especially near glass-slick rift zones hum at a frequency harmful to the flesh. It causes their Echochords to hum in dangerous frequencies.
Finally, a growing minority, often among the younger generation, suggests the Threl is not spiritual at all, but environmental: a result of consuming meltwater from fault-adjacent sources or prolonged proximity to certain metal-rich outcrops. These individuals push for experimental fire-filtration techniques and are met with both curiosity and scepticism by the older generation.
While no explanation has proven conclusive, these interpretations underscore the tension between tradition and adaptation on a world that continues to resist full understanding.
A slow, generational affliction of unknown origin, the Threl is marked by fatigue, tremors, and wasting. Thought by some to stem from ancient sins, by others from the world’s broken sky or sunlessness, it remains one of Yxil-7’s deepest medical mysteries.
Origin
Alien
Cycle
Chronic, Congenital
Rarity
Uncommon
