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Description
If anyone has even the slightest idea of what a mancer is, then they would know well enough that Mancer Syndrome is a dangerous and deadly affliction that humanity faces. The use of mana and magic can already be dangerous enough if put into the wrong hands, and history has already proven this time and time again. Mancers are an even greater threat, as they lack any form of humanity or reasoning. They are primal creatures of immense power, capable of wiping out towns and leveling castles. Not only is it a major threat to the citizens of the land they inhabit, but to those who train in the art of magic. With great patience and practice, one can use mana to gain great powers and bring about change to the world around them. Mages who use ice to preserve food for trade, water magic to save sinking ships and flames to warm freezing villages during brutal winters. Those with morals and a conscience can help many people, but even the purest of heart is vulnerable to Mancer Syndrome. No matter how noble your intentions or how great your control is, those who do not practice safe mana usage will slowly poison their internal mana and can potentially lose everything. That is what makes Mancer Syndrome so insidious, as it can effect anyone at any time. Many who go into magic and mana training often do not take the warnings seriously. No matter how often the teachers or mentors may warn them, there are dozens of students and users who do not think such a disease could affect them. Some would think "oh its just one little spell. It won't hurt too much," or "this spell isn't tied to an element, so it shouldn't cause any harm." So many times people think that they know best, that they found some loophole that they can exploit. In the end, though, they are always proven wrong, as their mind degrades and their bodies warp. For so long, people work on assumptions and half-baked ideas to get the maximum usage of their mana while supposedly avoiding mana poisoning. This is where we get these scourges, from people who think they know better or believe they are invincible. In fact, there is a type of mancer that was birthed solely by the belief that "this type of magic doesn't cause poisoning." That would be the Psychomancers.

Before records revealed their existence, many believed that magic that birthed Psychomancers was "safe." There was no element tied to it, and it came so naturally that many schools claimed it was a pure form of mana use. To this, I am referring to telepathy and telekinesis. Powers that rely on the mind and use one's thoughts as a tool. Sending messages directly into one's brain, or using your mind to create false images out of thin air. All magical abilities that relied purely on thought and the human brain were thought to be safe from mana poisoning. It was spells that used real elements, like fire and ice, that caused such problems. Using mana on one's mind and natural body surely couldn't do any harm? It turned out that it did. It caused a lot of harm.

The stages of Psychomancy are not as obvious as ones for Cryomancers or Mycomancers, as they mainly occur in one person's head. Those who are focusing solely on mental powers and telekinesis will seem perfectly normal for the longest time. They will just seem a bit too reliant on telepathy and telekinesis. Some colleagues may point out that their friend is using their normal voice less and less, or that they hardly pick up anything with their hands anymore. To a watchful eye, this would be signs of mana poisoning, but many miss it. Mages, sorcerers and wizards are always guilty of showing off, and mental powers are an easy way to show their abilities. Students in schools and colleges love to use these simple powers for tricks and day to day routines, seeing it as perfectly harmless. The use of telepathy never raises any eyebrows, and people using their mind to pick up objects is just as normal as a knight sparring with a friend to hone their skills. With this mindset, mana poisoning in the department of Psychomancy is usually missed until it is too late. At some point, the user will cease all bodily movements and activities. No more walking, talking or moving in general. Every word is sent through their mind, every object needed is used solely with their mental abilities. The infected mage will become bedridden, voluntarily, as they see any form of physical movement as "primitive" and "obsolete." If it ever comes to this stage, it is too late. I do not care what any other professor or master says. They can ramble on about cures and ways to nurse them back to health, but I say it is all rubbish. The whole reason why no one does what is necessary is because they want that power. An esteemed school would never want to lose such a genius headmaster, so they make excuses. An army would never wish to remove a mage of such power, so they act like nothing is wrong. In the end, it is always the lust for power that causes such downfalls. So I beg of the reader, if you know someone who is gone that far, kill them. Don't believe in the cures or the remedies. Do not believe that they could get better, or that they are strong enough to resist. Kill them before they can achieve the final stage.

The final stage of Psychomancy is a horrifying one, as the poisoned mana warps the body and brain. Those who succumb to Mancer Syndrome will feel their muscles turn to dust and their brain surge through their own skull. Body and limbs will atrophy, as the head splits open to reveal a massive brain. Membranes and tendrils will form from the warped tissue, as the body twists itself into a new shape. What remains of the mage is a drained useless husk dangling from a wrapped, pulsating brain. A human turned into some kind of jellyfish, who drifts through the air on waves of mental energy.

Though disgusting in appearance, many do not see the threat Psychomancers pose when they first encounter them. Floating in the air as if it was water, they will see the Psychomancer drift across the landscape. Limbs dangling in the breeze as it lazily floats along. If they didn't look so gross, people may find it beautiful. The rustling of leaves, the quiver of grasses as the Psychomancer drifts upon the breeze. That is until they realize that there is no wind. Psychomancers do not use such obvious things as fire and ice, as their powers are more subtle. It is all in the mind, and many do not see it until they get too close. Seeing the movement of grass or leaves on a calm day is a way to spot a Psychomancer's field. If one is especially daring, they can chuck a rock at the creature and watch it stop in midair. Though they may appear harmless, a Psychomancer has mastered the skill of telekinesis to a terrifying degree. They are surrounded by a field of magic that they have absolute control over, allowing them to pick up and shatter boulders without a second thought. Ranges may vary between individuals, but most exude a sphere of influence of about fifty yards in diameter. To some, this may seem insignificant, or exploitable, but it is much more powerful than you would imagine. Though they cannot affect anything outside of their field, those that enter their range will be exposed to every ability they have. Worst of all is their telekinetic abilities, which has ascended to a point that it is literally the way they see the world.

Looking at a Psychomancer, one would assume that they are blind, deaf and completely lost to the world around them. This may be true in the realm of sight, sound or taste, but a Psychomancer is much more aware than one thinks. To make up for their lack of sensory organs, Psychomancers use telekinesis to an extremely refined degree. They can use their mental powers to feel the world around them, creating millions of tiny hands to feel around their environment. Every inch, every crook and cranny is felt and registered. They use this to such a degree that they can "see" and "feel" everything that falls within their sphere of influence. Anything that is not within their range is just darkness to them, but they honestly don't care. If it truly matters to them, it will eventually enter their sphere, or they will simply run into it as they drift. This field is emitted constantly as they drift along, using their millions of invisible hands to feel the new environment that enters their range. That is why the grass ripples as the Psychomancer moves, or why the trees shiver at their presence. They are just checking them out, constantly keeping an eye on every little thing that is around them.

Though it is used primarily for navigation and observation, their telekinesis becomes terrifying to behold when a new moving object enters their field. Be it a wandering leaf, a fluttering bird or a charging warrior, the Psychomancer treats it all the same. When something new enters the field, they will seize it in an invisible grip, stopping it in its tracks. A bird that flies into their field will be snagged out of the air, as the Psychomancer wonders at the new presence. It will feel over every bit of the animal, enjoying the soft feathers, marveling at the sharp talons and curious about its desperate struggling. Like a child, it will play around with the bird, moving its wings, spinning it around in the air and eventually tearing it to pieces. Anything that gets too close to a Psychomancer's field will be subject to its curiosity, and it loves to explore and discover to a dangerous degree. Their mental strength can bend steel and pull apart armor until it is mere shards. This is a strength they do not fully understand, as they will turn animals into dust without a second thought or an ounce of guilt. They just see it as exploring and understanding, curious observations that cover every fiber and drop of a being. If they shred a human being during their studies, oh well. It was a curious thing, and they had their fun. Something else of interest will eventually wander in.

To fully understand the abilities and dangers of a Psychomancer, it is best to know their mental state. With a glance at the brain, people will instantly assume that it is an all knowing being, one that could understand every aspect of the universe. It turns out, though, that it is the opposite. Psychomancers are extremely dumb. They have zero understanding of what is going on around them and are bewildered at the simplest of creatures that get near them. This is because of their abilities and brain growth. As you should know, the massive wrinkled brain is the source of all their power and their very existence. It is this organ that creates the sphere and allows them to manipulate matter at a microscopic level. It also allows them to exude their mood and feelings into the air, which any person in the field can pick up and feel. It allows them to enter minds with ease and read thoughts as if they were books. All of this power, though, takes up a lot of brain space. Every square inch of the wrinkled mass is devoted towards these powers, allowing them to function at such a high degree. Anything else is seen as useless and is promptly erased. So while their powerful brain can pull the legs off a gnat with ease, it can't remember anything past five seconds. The memory parts of the brain are severely reduced and practically atrophied. Any memory that is older than a few moments is forgotten and lost forever, as the brain simply cannot hold it. Thus, Psychomancers have the power of gods, but the mind of a baby. Everything that enters their sphere is brand new and exciting, and they are quick to poke and prod it. They are extremely simple of mind, where they like the things that are good and absolutely hate the things that they perceive as "bad." It is not uncommon to see a Psychomancer drifting about with several objects floating within their sphere. This is because a Psychomancer may favor a certain texture and will keep it around so that they can always enjoy it. Stories tell of Psychomancers drifting about with entire trees caught in their field, as they are pleased by the feel of bark. Another Psychomancer was said to love the feel of fur, and thus had several desperate, dying mammals hanging around them. Terrible to imagine, but just think, that is what they do to things they like. Anything that is seen as dangerous or "mean" is met with unstoppable destruction. I have seen a Psychomancer turn a hunting hound into a fine mist after the trapped animal growled at it. Things that squirm too much in their grip may be seen as "annoying" and then quickly dispatched. If the being within their field exudes any feeling or thought of aggression or anger, the Psychomancer usually gets mad and then promptly obliterates them.

When it comes to dealing with mancers, Psychomancers are one of the hardest to fight. Their sphere of influence creates a 50 yard death zone to any person or projectile that enters it. Arrows and catapult shots are turned to dust, and any stupid warrior that rushes in will be turned into a red stain within moments. So I highly advise that anyone trying to fight a Psychomancer should stay far away from their field. Don't even risk it, stand 100 yards away. You don't want to be anywhere near them. If they grab you, you're dead. There is no escape from that grip. If parts of your body start to tingle or vibrate, start running. That is a sign that the field is getting close. Even if you are clear from their field, be mindful of what direction they are headed. Since they are dumb and blind to the outside world, a Psychomancer just picks a direction and goes with it for hundreds of miles. This makes them easy to individually avoid, as one just needs to step aside from their range and let them drift by. It is not so easy when the thing is drifting straight towards a city. It has no clue what is ahead of it outside of the field, and it doesn't really care. If you are caught in a situation where a Psychomancer is floating towards a populated area, the first thing you should do is get it to change direction. Fighting a Psychomancer takes a lot of time, so don't think you can stop it before it starts liquidizing peasants. The best way would be to find which direction is the safest for it to travel, and then try to draw it that way. If the northeast direction has no cities or towns in its path, then stand to the northeast and start chucking stuff at the Psychomancer. Fire volleys of arrows and launch dozens of rocks at its field. Do everything you can to get its attention or arouse its curiosity. All you need to do is make it think "hey, what's over there?" just for a single second. It will then change direction to head towards the source of all the weird stuff, promptly forget why it changed direction but then keep drifting that way regardless. Once its path is clear of all bystanders, than try to fight it. One should throw away all physical weapons immediately, as they are worthless. No physical object is going to last within the field long enough to hit the brain. What you need is magic. Spells and magical projectiles can still be affected by telekinesis, but they are harder for Psychomancers to grab and can move fast enough to overwhelm them. It would be nice to say that all you need to do is toss one fireball at it and call it good, but that is not the case. Most likely you will need to call in a platoon of mages so that they can throw hundreds of spells at the mancer until one makes it through and strikes the brain. Thankfully, Psychomancers are incredible frail and will often go down after a single solid hit to the brain. The hard part is just getting something to do that. Other tactics can be used. Trapping the Psychomancer in a field of fire may work, but it needs to be very strong and very hot. It will use its field to push away the flames and keep its body from frying. A long enough burn, though, will dry out its brain and cause it to weaken, giving a chance for the fire to overwhelm it. The best way to do this is to burn an entire forest around it, adding more fuel to the fire to keep it raging hot. (Note: Do be aware of dryad habitation within the area. You start lighting up trees near their homes and they will flay you alive.) This tactic can be flipped around, using ice instead of flame. Long enough exposure can freeze the brain, which can disrupt the field long enough for someone to land a hit. All of these are extremely hard to do and very time consuming, but it is worth it in the end. One less Psychomancer haunting the land makes for a safer world.

One final note for dealing with Psychomancers: NEVER TRY TO MENTALLY LINK UP WITH IT. There are those who think they can communicate with it telepathically or use their superior minds to outwit the beast, but they are all dead wrong. Exposing your mind to a Psychomancer is a fatal move, and those who try to reach out to it never last more than a few seconds. Though they are dumb, their mental strength is ungodly. Mages who think they can override the dumb brain will have their own minds ripped from their skulls, as the Psychomancer senses a new thing and pulls it close. Some of the most well trained sorcerers in their time have had their consciences yanked out of their brains, leaving their bodies as empty, drooling husks. The mind that is seized never takes such a violent separation well, and will promptly panic. This irritates the Psychomancer and it will literally tear the conscience to pieces. Even if it didn't, it would mean an eternity trapped within a primitive mind that could end you in a moment. Your spirit floundering in a maelstrom of mental energy and insanity, desperately trying to appease the Psychomancer while not falling into the void of forgetfulness. Imagine that death, fading into oblivion because someone literally forgot about you. It chills me just thinking about it, and hopefully should be a good enough deterrent from such a stupid idea.

Cavarious Shaid

------------------------------------------------------

Good ol' Psychomancers. Kind of freaky, but kind of cool to me. Also so happy with how that brain turned out.

Description
If anyone has even the slightest idea of what a mancer is, then they would know well enough that Mancer Syndrome is a dangerous and deadly affliction that humanity faces. The use of mana and magic can already be dangerous enough if put into the wrong hands, and history has already proven this time and time again. Mancers are an even greater threat, as they lack any form of humanity or reasoning. They are primal creatures of immense power, capable of wiping out towns and leveling castles. Not only is it a major threat to the citizens of the land they inhabit, but to those who train in the art of magic. With great patience and practice, one can use mana to gain great powers and bring about change to the world around them. Mages who use ice to preserve food for trade, water magic to save sinking ships and flames to warm freezing villages during brutal winters. Those with morals and a conscience can help many people, but even the purest of heart is vulnerable to Mancer Syndrome. No matter how noble your intentions or how great your control is, those who do not practice safe mana usage will slowly poison their internal mana and can potentially lose everything. That is what makes Mancer Syndrome so insidious, as it can effect anyone at any time. Many who go into magic and mana training often do not take the warnings seriously. No matter how often the teachers or mentors may warn them, there are dozens of students and users who do not think such a disease could affect them. Some would think "oh its just one little spell. It won't hurt too much," or "this spell isn't tied to an element, so it shouldn't cause any harm." So many times people think that they know best, that they found some loophole that they can exploit. In the end, though, they are always proven wrong, as their mind degrades and their bodies warp. For so long, people work on assumptions and half-baked ideas to get the maximum usage of their mana while supposedly avoiding mana poisoning. This is where we get these scourges, from people who think they know better or believe they are invincible. In fact, there is a type of mancer that was birthed solely by the belief that "this type of magic doesn't cause poisoning." That would be the Psychomancers.

Before records revealed their existence, many believed that magic that birthed Psychomancers was "safe." There was no element tied to it, and it came so naturally that many schools claimed it was a pure form of mana use. To this, I am referring to telepathy and telekinesis. Powers that rely on the mind and use one's thoughts as a tool. Sending messages directly into one's brain, or using your mind to create false images out of thin air. All magical abilities that relied purely on thought and the human brain were thought to be safe from mana poisoning. It was spells that used real elements, like fire and ice, that caused such problems. Using mana on one's mind and natural body surely couldn't do any harm? It turned out that it did. It caused a lot of harm.

The stages of Psychomancy are not as obvious as ones for Cryomancers or Mycomancers, as they mainly occur in one person's head. Those who are focusing solely on mental powers and telekinesis will seem perfectly normal for the longest time. They will just seem a bit too reliant on telepathy and telekinesis. Some colleagues may point out that their friend is using their normal voice less and less, or that they hardly pick up anything with their hands anymore. To a watchful eye, this would be signs of mana poisoning, but many miss it. Mages, sorcerers and wizards are always guilty of showing off, and mental powers are an easy way to show their abilities. Students in schools and colleges love to use these simple powers for tricks and day to day routines, seeing it as perfectly harmless. The use of telepathy never raises any eyebrows, and people using their mind to pick up objects is just as normal as a knight sparring with a friend to hone their skills. With this mindset, mana poisoning in the department of Psychomancy is usually missed until it is too late. At some point, the user will cease all bodily movements and activities. No more walking, talking or moving in general. Every word is sent through their mind, every object needed is used solely with their mental abilities. The infected mage will become bedridden, voluntarily, as they see any form of physical movement as "primitive" and "obsolete." If it ever comes to this stage, it is too late. I do not care what any other professor or master says. They can ramble on about cures and ways to nurse them back to health, but I say it is all rubbish. The whole reason why no one does what is necessary is because they want that power. An esteemed school would never want to lose such a genius headmaster, so they make excuses. An army would never wish to remove a mage of such power, so they act like nothing is wrong. In the end, it is always the lust for power that causes such downfalls. So I beg of the reader, if you know someone who is gone that far, kill them. Don't believe in the cures or the remedies. Do not believe that they could get better, or that they are strong enough to resist. Kill them before they can achieve the final stage.

The final stage of Psychomancy is a horrifying one, as the poisoned mana warps the body and brain. Those who succumb to Mancer Syndrome will feel their muscles turn to dust and their brain surge through their own skull. Body and limbs will atrophy, as the head splits open to reveal a massive brain. Membranes and tendrils will form from the warped tissue, as the body twists itself into a new shape. What remains of the mage is a drained useless husk dangling from a wrapped, pulsating brain. A human turned into some kind of jellyfish, who drifts through the air on waves of mental energy.

Though disgusting in appearance, many do not see the threat Psychomancers pose when they first encounter them. Floating in the air as if it was water, they will see the Psychomancer drift across the landscape. Limbs dangling in the breeze as it lazily floats along. If they didn't look so gross, people may find it beautiful. The rustling of leaves, the quiver of grasses as the Psychomancer drifts upon the breeze. That is until they realize that there is no wind. Psychomancers do not use such obvious things as fire and ice, as their powers are more subtle. It is all in the mind, and many do not see it until they get too close. Seeing the movement of grass or leaves on a calm day is a way to spot a Psychomancer's field. If one is especially daring, they can chuck a rock at the creature and watch it stop in midair. Though they may appear harmless, a Psychomancer has mastered the skill of telekinesis to a terrifying degree. They are surrounded by a field of magic that they have absolute control over, allowing them to pick up and shatter boulders without a second thought. Ranges may vary between individuals, but most exude a sphere of influence of about fifty yards in diameter. To some, this may seem insignificant, or exploitable, but it is much more powerful than you would imagine. Though they cannot affect anything outside of their field, those that enter their range will be exposed to every ability they have. Worst of all is their telekinetic abilities, which has ascended to a point that it is literally the way they see the world.

Looking at a Psychomancer, one would assume that they are blind, deaf and completely lost to the world around them. This may be true in the realm of sight, sound or taste, but a Psychomancer is much more aware than one thinks. To make up for their lack of sensory organs, Psychomancers use telekinesis to an extremely refined degree. They can use their mental powers to feel the world around them, creating millions of tiny hands to feel around their environment. Every inch, every crook and cranny is felt and registered. They use this to such a degree that they can "see" and "feel" everything that falls within their sphere of influence. Anything that is not within their range is just darkness to them, but they honestly don't care. If it truly matters to them, it will eventually enter their sphere, or they will simply run into it as they drift. This field is emitted constantly as they drift along, using their millions of invisible hands to feel the new environment that enters their range. That is why the grass ripples as the Psychomancer moves, or why the trees shiver at their presence. They are just checking them out, constantly keeping an eye on every little thing that is around them.

Though it is used primarily for navigation and observation, their telekinesis becomes terrifying to behold when a new moving object enters their field. Be it a wandering leaf, a fluttering bird or a charging warrior, the Psychomancer treats it all the same. When something new enters the field, they will seize it in an invisible grip, stopping it in its tracks. A bird that flies into their field will be snagged out of the air, as the Psychomancer wonders at the new presence. It will feel over every bit of the animal, enjoying the soft feathers, marveling at the sharp talons and curious about its desperate struggling. Like a child, it will play around with the bird, moving its wings, spinning it around in the air and eventually tearing it to pieces. Anything that gets too close to a Psychomancer's field will be subject to its curiosity, and it loves to explore and discover to a dangerous degree. Their mental strength can bend steel and pull apart armor until it is mere shards. This is a strength they do not fully understand, as they will turn animals into dust without a second thought or an ounce of guilt. They just see it as exploring and understanding, curious observations that cover every fiber and drop of a being. If they shred a human being during their studies, oh well. It was a curious thing, and they had their fun. Something else of interest will eventually wander in.

To fully understand the abilities and dangers of a Psychomancer, it is best to know their mental state. With a glance at the brain, people will instantly assume that it is an all knowing being, one that could understand every aspect of the universe. It turns out, though, that it is the opposite. Psychomancers are extremely dumb. They have zero understanding of what is going on around them and are bewildered at the simplest of creatures that get near them. This is because of their abilities and brain growth. As you should know, the massive wrinkled brain is the source of all their power and their very existence. It is this organ that creates the sphere and allows them to manipulate matter at a microscopic level. It also allows them to exude their mood and feelings into the air, which any person in the field can pick up and feel. It allows them to enter minds with ease and read thoughts as if they were books. All of this power, though, takes up a lot of brain space. Every square inch of the wrinkled mass is devoted towards these powers, allowing them to function at such a high degree. Anything else is seen as useless and is promptly erased. So while their powerful brain can pull the legs off a gnat with ease, it can't remember anything past five seconds. The memory parts of the brain are severely reduced and practically atrophied. Any memory that is older than a few moments is forgotten and lost forever, as the brain simply cannot hold it. Thus, Psychomancers have the power of gods, but the mind of a baby. Everything that enters their sphere is brand new and exciting, and they are quick to poke and prod it. They are extremely simple of mind, where they like the things that are good and absolutely hate the things that they perceive as "bad." It is not uncommon to see a Psychomancer drifting about with several objects floating within their sphere. This is because a Psychomancer may favor a certain texture and will keep it around so that they can always enjoy it. Stories tell of Psychomancers drifting about with entire trees caught in their field, as they are pleased by the feel of bark. Another Psychomancer was said to love the feel of fur, and thus had several desperate, dying mammals hanging around them. Terrible to imagine, but just think, that is what they do to things they like. Anything that is seen as dangerous or "mean" is met with unstoppable destruction. I have seen a Psychomancer turn a hunting hound into a fine mist after the trapped animal growled at it. Things that squirm too much in their grip may be seen as "annoying" and then quickly dispatched. If the being within their field exudes any feeling or thought of aggression or anger, the Psychomancer usually gets mad and then promptly obliterates them.

When it comes to dealing with mancers, Psychomancers are one of the hardest to fight. Their sphere of influence creates a 50 yard death zone to any person or projectile that enters it. Arrows and catapult shots are turned to dust, and any stupid warrior that rushes in will be turned into a red stain within moments. So I highly advise that anyone trying to fight a Psychomancer should stay far away from their field. Don't even risk it, stand 100 yards away. You don't want to be anywhere near them. If they grab you, you're dead. There is no escape from that grip. If parts of your body start to tingle or vibrate, start running. That is a sign that the field is getting close. Even if you are clear from their field, be mindful of what direction they are headed. Since they are dumb and blind to the outside world, a Psychomancer just picks a direction and goes with it for hundreds of miles. This makes them easy to individually avoid, as one just needs to step aside from their range and let them drift by. It is not so easy when the thing is drifting straight towards a city. It has no clue what is ahead of it outside of the field, and it doesn't really care. If you are caught in a situation where a Psychomancer is floating towards a populated area, the first thing you should do is get it to change direction. Fighting a Psychomancer takes a lot of time, so don't think you can stop it before it starts liquidizing peasants. The best way would be to find which direction is the safest for it to travel, and then try to draw it that way. If the northeast direction has no cities or towns in its path, then stand to the northeast and start chucking stuff at the Psychomancer. Fire volleys of arrows and launch dozens of rocks at its field. Do everything you can to get its attention or arouse its curiosity. All you need to do is make it think "hey, what's over there?" just for a single second. It will then change direction to head towards the source of all the weird stuff, promptly forget why it changed direction but then keep drifting that way regardless. Once its path is clear of all bystanders, than try to fight it. One should throw away all physical weapons immediately, as they are worthless. No physical object is going to last within the field long enough to hit the brain. What you need is magic. Spells and magical projectiles can still be affected by telekinesis, but they are harder for Psychomancers to grab and can move fast enough to overwhelm them. It would be nice to say that all you need to do is toss one fireball at it and call it good, but that is not the case. Most likely you will need to call in a platoon of mages so that they can throw hundreds of spells at the mancer until one makes it through and strikes the brain. Thankfully, Psychomancers are incredible frail and will often go down after a single solid hit to the brain. The hard part is just getting something to do that. Other tactics can be used. Trapping the Psychomancer in a field of fire may work, but it needs to be very strong and very hot. It will use its field to push away the flames and keep its body from frying. A long enough burn, though, will dry out its brain and cause it to weaken, giving a chance for the fire to overwhelm it. The best way to do this is to burn an entire forest around it, adding more fuel to the fire to keep it raging hot. (Note: Do be aware of dryad habitation within the area. You start lighting up trees near their homes and they will flay you alive.) This tactic can be flipped around, using ice instead of flame. Long enough exposure can freeze the brain, which can disrupt the field long enough for someone to land a hit. All of these are extremely hard to do and very time consuming, but it is worth it in the end. One less Psychomancer haunting the land makes for a safer world.

One final note for dealing with Psychomancers: NEVER TRY TO MENTALLY LINK UP WITH IT. There are those who think they can communicate with it telepathically or use their superior minds to outwit the beast, but they are all dead wrong. Exposing your mind to a Psychomancer is a fatal move, and those who try to reach out to it never last more than a few seconds. Though they are dumb, their mental strength is ungodly. Mages who think they can override the dumb brain will have their own minds ripped from their skulls, as the Psychomancer senses a new thing and pulls it close. Some of the most well trained sorcerers in their time have had their consciences yanked out of their brains, leaving their bodies as empty, drooling husks. The mind that is seized never takes such a violent separation well, and will promptly panic. This irritates the Psychomancer and it will literally tear the conscience to pieces. Even if it didn't, it would mean an eternity trapped within a primitive mind that could end you in a moment. Your spirit floundering in a maelstrom of mental energy and insanity, desperately trying to appease the Psychomancer while not falling into the void of forgetfulness. Imagine that death, fading into oblivion because someone literally forgot about you. It chills me just thinking about it, and hopefully should be a good enough deterrent from such a stupid idea.

Cavarious Shaid

------------------------------------------------------

Good ol' Psychomancers. Kind of freaky, but kind of cool to me. Also so happy with how that brain turned out.