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Region: Lazarus

Loftegen 2 wrote:Factbook entry number ten!
Psychologists, psyciatrists, and neurologists in Loftegen 2 have long amused themselves by speculating on why people react to Lady Zaharra's eyes in the way, and to the degree, that they do. Many theories have been put forward, but none can be objectively studied. The one researcher who suggested to the Lady that she particpate in some experiments got a look from her that literally turned his hair white overnight.

The most popular theory, and the one that seems to best fit the body of empirical evidence, posits that there is a roughly linear coorelation between raw intelligence, life experience (wisdom, if you will), emotional sensitivity (empathy), and the intensity of the reaction.

Interestingly, photographs and videos of the Lady don't provoke any reaction at all (beyond surprise at her black irises and sclera), even when her eyes are clearly visible, in people who have never seen her in person. There is a reaction in people who have seen them, but it's much weaker that what would happen in the Lady's actual presence, and probably a case of visual stimuli triggering emotions associated with memories.

Young children are apparently unaffected as well: a visit by the Lady to a pediatric hosptial triggered responses only in children aged two (approximately) and up, the intensity increasing with age from almost nothing (a vague feeling of unease) at two, to full effects at age thirteen. As a side note, newborns actually seem to find the Lady's presence soothing, a phenomenon which defies explanation at this time.

Generally speaking, the more intelligent, wise, and/or emotionally sensitive a person is, the stronger their reaction. People who score highly in only one trait don't react as strongly as those who score highly in two of the traits, and heaven help those who score highly in all three. The only adults that are more or less immune are people with severe anti-social personality disorder, a.k.a. psychopaths.

Finally, whatever causes the reaction is not sight dependent, as blind people are affected in the same way as their sighted counterparts.

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Interestingly with a hinted lovecraftian overtone.

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Treadwellia, Your imaginary friend, Hycronesia, Guiness Freaks, and 1 otherLoftegen 2

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