Hi! Was just curious if there’s any dos/donts when it comes to making fictional conditions and diseases. I’m thinking something along the lines of inventing a fictional virus or an autoimmune condition for example.
Hey!
We answered a very similar ask before that you can check for the don'ts. I personally don't have much opinion on fictional autoimmune disorders, as long as you make sure you're not accidentally portraying a real life condition that actually Exists you should be fine. You don't want to look like you think that neuromyelitis optica or statin-associated autoimmune myopathy are things you invented.
For a fictional virus specifically, I'd stick to more fantasy symptoms. A lot of disabilities suffer from the perception that they're contagious, and could be a “plague”. There are people out there stalking strangers and posting their photos online because they think they have mpox because they have harmless tumors from genetic disabilities. So yeah, as mentioned in the linked post, don't make a virus that gives you neurofibromas or vitiligo or some other skin condition. My preferred option would be something that just doesn't happen in people (which is kinda what the vast majority of media do about it, think zombie virus movies) and you'd need to do research that your fantasy symptoms actually don't happen - there are so many existing conditions, some of them very rare and unique, that you would have to do your due diligence on this (unless you'd go straight for Actual Magical Things).
Things to do: think about the virus in a broader context. Is it rare? Common? Does everyone get it at some point, and only a small percent become disabled, or does everyone who get it experience it the same? Are the main symptoms chronic or acute? Long-term side effects? Social perception? Severity range?
If you have a more specific question, feel free to send another ask.
What kinds of disabilities occur among Troceaths, and how are the disabled regarded in their society?
Thank you for your question!
Troceaths can be affected by the typical universal disabilities: blindness, deafness, limb abnormalities, amputees, mental disorders (autism, anxiety, depression, etc), and so on. But if you're looking for Troceath-specific disabilities, I've got you covered!
(Many thanks to the kind souls in my Discord Server who helped me bounce around some ideas for this!)
Hectocotylasia, aka the absence of head tendrils. The tendrils are a necessary part of a Troceath's respiratory system, and as such, a Troceath with no tendrils is one that cannot survive for long. This can be treated with the surgical addition of synthetic tendrils, cybernetic tendrils, or authentic tendril transplants from donors.
Tendril Dystonia, wherein a Troceath's tendrils twitch and move involuntarily, often becoming like whips and causing damage to both the Troceath who has it, and their surroundings. Muscle relaxation medicines help to treat this, but there is no permanent cure. A Troceath would have to be on the right medication for the rest of their lives in order to keep it under control. This is seen in Troceaths with tendrils that reach past a length of 3 ft/91 cm, so it is uncommon.
Abnormal Buoyancy Syndrome, in which a Troceath is unable to regulate their buoyancy normally. There is no cure for this, but those who have it can be assisted in the form of water weights, floaties, or assistance from a swim guide.
Orthostasis Dystrophy, in which a Troceath is unable to keep their shape well above water. Typically, when a Troceath goes above water, their innermost muscles are able to firm up enough to keep them upright with no conscious effort. However, some Troceaths' bodies lack this ability. And since Troceaths mostly have no bones (excepting teeth), they are unable to stand upright and move about regularly above water. (For a mental image, think of the way Octo Dad moves.) These Troceaths can be given wheelchairs or other forms of walking assistance.
Dehydration Dysautonomia, in which a Troceath is prone to drying out more quickly than usual. Troceaths are biologically similar to octopi or squids, and so need to stay hydrated by both drinking water and being submerged regularly. Those with DD may require constant submersion, including wearing glass helmets filled with water (much like when SpongeBob visits Sandy's treedome, for instance).
Acetabulaplasia, or the absence of suckers that are found on the hands and feet. Being without bones, Troceaths are able to squeeze through tight spaces and traverse through them with the use of their suckers. The absence of these suckers makes this significantly more difficult, if not impossible. Typically, these Troceaths need either an alternate route, or wearable suction tools whenever travel through narrow spaces is required.
Chelaplasia, or the absence of claws. The claws of a Troceath are mostly comprised of keratin and calcium, but are not classified as bones. They are necessary for a Troceath to be able to hunt and to fight. If these Troceaths cannot master the use of other types of weapons, they will need to be reliant on others around them for food and protection.
As for how the disabled would be regarded in society? It depends on a few factors.
👑 If your Troceath is a Siphallo, there are one of two options that could happen. Either they're so important/powerful/popular that they're able to get top-tier treatment and everyone just stays hush-hush about it; or they're not so important/powerful/popular that they're considered expendable, and they are cast out from Siphallo society.
💧 If your Troceath is an Osun, medical care is not as easily accessible (still an option, just harder to come by), but your community is strong and always willing to stick by your side and help out however possible, even if it means coming up with solutions that are outside the box.
I am always a suckered for fictional disabilities. Here's this thing that changes life, existence, and humanity , but what if it's sometimes bad actually?
So in Genshin Impact there's Chongyun and his "pure-yang spirit." It's triggered by heat, strong emotions, intense music, and spicy foods. Triggers can induce fainting, general undefined malaise and something that before now was never shown and only referred to textually. If you had asked me before this week I would describe it as a manic episode.
Then
He has been offered spicy drink. My fried who was there at the time was saying "Repeat after me Chongyun. 'I am allergic to heat.'" Meanwhile I was internally yelling "Do it! Canon manic Chongyun let's goooooooo!"
This guy was literally jumping for joy. It felt more like hyperactivity than a manic episode, but I don't know enough about manic episodes to know if they can coexist. But yeah when finally see third symptom version.
And then they give him some ice (basically his medication, which makes sense when it's heat that causes the problems)
But yeah in the past part of the reason for avoiding yang energy has held this air of he doesn't want to regret his actions later. The biggest textual record of his hyperactivity/manic episodes involve him putting himself in charge of an event that wasn't about him, claiming a bill he couldn't afford,and some minor physical harm to a trusted friend after a very bad judgement call. I dunno textually it seems more than just hyperactivity to me. I wish I could just grab a writer and be like "Hey what is this symptom supposed to be" but language barrier, national barrier, and also probably some NDAs and just generally don't want to be harassed by random Americans. Either way I am enjoying Chongyun trying to live his best life with his disability.
Also we did need to establish that this tiny cat girl mixing a drink is not demonic. This was actually an important line in the context of the game but to me this is very funny out of context.
What are the ways to Support a Deaf and/or Amputee Troceath?
Thank you for your question!
A deaf Troceath could have a couple of different options for support; implants to be able to hear, relying on their tendrils to pick up on the vibrations of sounds around them, or learning Aquallos Sign Language (AQSL).
Amputee Troceaths could be given prosthetics, mobility or other aids depending on where the amputation is, or assigned a physical support worker (whether it's an animal or another Troceath) to help them get around wherever and however needed.
On day 4 of Disability in Kidlit’s two-week event about disabilities in SFF (details here!), Ava Jae, Andrea Shettle and Logan W. discuss fictional disabilities in SFF:
When people complain about the lack of disability representation in SFF, sooner or later, someone will ask, “But what about werewolves? What about vampires?” These are magical creatures who have some skills normal humans don’t, but these skills come with drawbacks.[...] Do we consider these characters to be truly disabled? Is there a firm yes or no, or does it depend on how it’s handled?
Ava Jae: I actually ranted about this on Twitter back in December. In cases of vampires and werewolves, etc. where there are clear advantages, this is a firm no for me. While I get there are downsides to having those kinds of abilities, the good far outweighs the struggle to me. I don’t get any advantages to being chronically ill, for example, and to claim that a condition that gives a character a bunch of advantages (e.g., super speed, super strength, immortality) is a disability because there are also downsides to having superpowers is extremely frustrating to me. Like, not being able to go outside in exchange for immortality, and super speed, and enhanced senses, and super strength does not equivocate to being chronically ill.
Andrea Shettle: I think it depends … as one example, although there are tons of things I could criticize on how JK Rowling handles disabilities in the Harry Potter series, some of the adaptations that Dumbledore makes for Professor Lupin, back when he was a student and again as a professor, are kind of similar to how real-life disabilities may need to be accommodated at school. I do totally get Ava’s rant, though.
Logan W.: My answer for most questions like this is “it depends,” and very strongly in the case of this one because of how differently werewolves, vampires, and other such creatures are portrayed in different books and movies. Oftentimes people assume that werewolves and vampires were meant to be allegories for race relations, and that’s obviously not a perfect allegory, but neither is a disability narrative. I do, also, very much get Ava’s rant. Not being able to navigate everyday situations without a number of accommodations isn’t a superpower.
Read the full discussion at Disability in Kidlit. →
