Oversaturation (condition)

All of the living beings of Urnketh are capable of absorbing the Colors. Inside their bodies, those Hues are then moved into Color Nests, areas most affiliated with each of the Colors. In normal circumstances, aside from the Color Nests, the rest of the body remains Gray.
In case of a sudden surge of Colors or a prolonged contact with the Colors that don't contrast each other, the Nests can break or overflow and lead to oversaturation, a condition which warps one's body often leading to death or complete transformation into a monster.

Standard locations of Color Nests within the human body. by Revyera

The cause

The oversaturation can be caused mainly by two different factors:

1. High dose of Colors in short span of time - Such doses can be absorbed when one spends time in an area with high concentrations of Colors, such as oversaturated lands, or in case one gets wounded by the creature suffering from oversaturation. The high concentration of Colors usually is too much for the walls of Color Nests, which results in them being torn apart and releasing all of the Hues inside the body.
2. Constant dose of one, two Colors - If one stays too long in the area where their body is constantly bombarded with one or two Hues that don't contrast and neutralize each other, their Nests start to fill up more and more, until their walls can't handle the pressure and burst out from inside.

First symptoms

The high concentration of Color or Colors inside the Gray area of the body manifests itself as the rash on the skin, which color and shape correspond to the Color spilled. The rash starts in the area closest to the corresponding Nest and starts to spread throughout the whole body. Additionally, organs related to those Nests either fail or go into the overdrive. Often (but not always) this can help in the prediction of what will happen to the afflicted.

Second symptoms

The rash changes, warping the affected area. Blue, eye-like spots turn into real eyes, Red spikes get more and more pronounced (the longest recorded length was 50cm on a still sane subject), Green dots become lips or ears, Yellow lines turn into bone-like structures. When it comes to White and Black patterns, they either completely cover the skin, not changing the body too much (at first, as the more time passes Black patterns enhance muscle growth and White ones turn the body more angular, almost crystal-like) or turn into chaotic cancerous growths spreading throughout the whole body.
The internal temperature of the body jumps between high and low values.
The mind of the afflicted starts to deteriorate. The pain, mixed with the increase of the production of hormones in the afflicted areas often leads to violent outbursts, disorientation or hallucinations.
The other Color Nests start to break, creating more rashes.

Final symptoms

At this stage, staying close to the afflicted being is dangerous without Colorproof suit or any other means of balancing Colors. The oversaturated individual has hours of life at most. The body warps more and more. Two things can happen. Either all of the organs start to fail and the afflicted passes away, releasing all of the Colors into the surrounding area or they get stronger, their mind warps with their body, and finally, they turn into a beast attacking everything that moves.

Type

Magical

Origin

Mutated

Rarity

Common

Body of person suffering from oversaturation by Revyera

Magic users and oversaturation

Those with magical inclinations are capable of opening the Nests and mixing the Colors inside their bodies, however, this process is quite dangerous as pouring even the smallest amount of the wrong Color into the Nest warps it, breaking it and starting the chain reaction. In this case, oversaturation goes through all of the symptoms much quicker and usually ends up with the explosion of Colors.

Colors and shapes of rashes

• Blue - eyes
• Green - dots
• Red - spikes
• Yellow - parallel lines
• White - either checkerboard or stars
• Black - either spirals or circles

Treatment

It's way easier to prevent contracting this condition than to cure someone suffering from it. However, healing is still possible when the first symptoms start to show up.
The process is long and painful as not only the Nest (or Nests) need to be rebuilt, but all excess of Colors needs to be drained or neutralized.
If the process is successful, the symbols of the sickness will forever mark the skin of the patient. Some try to hide them away while others show them proudly to the world as the survivors of oversaturation.