I feel like I want to nominate this as the running champion for most common technical issue question raised to date...
Nothing against OP, you're one of many who has come to ask a variant of this exact question, and no insult is intended at all... but I do find it fascinating that such an apparent wealth of players jaunt through the game either not reading the items they pick up, or else do read them, but somehow don't put two and two together about the item with the dire warning, and the dire consequence that then starts occurring.
Thinking about this -- seems to be a consequence of a cinematic heavy game. The game encourages a "sit back and watch" style of play instead of "lean forward and read".
Perhaps a pop up when you pick up a new item would help -- something that puts the written description where you can't miss it. Implementing the identify spell would also help.
