Oversaturation (geographic anomaly) Physical / Metaphysical Law in Age of Gray | World Anvil

Oversaturation (geographic anomaly)

For the most time, everything in the world that has colors exists in a perfect balance. It affects its surroundings only on the microscopical level.
However, once more of it is gathered in one area, the influence of Colors contained within it starts to grow. At some point, if the Colors aren't balanced, they start to overtake the land around them, warping it, rending it inhospitable and hostile. That's how oversaturation manifests itself.  

How it forms

There are two ways that could start the oversaturation of the land:
  • Naturally, if a lot of a resource with one or two dominating Colors is located in one area. This happens with the fields of flowers, forests or deserts, but the amount of Color needed for it to begin is so big, it's very rare and the resulting oversaturated area is usually really small and doesn't grow. It also can be reversed easily by introducing contrasting Colors in the area.
  • Artificially, either through the sudden introduction of Colors (like dumping waste in the area, or using Color-based weaponry) or as a byproduct of using magic.
    Both during the Age of War and the Age of Witches this type of oversaturation showed up almost everywhere where there was any conflict. Because of that, today, most of the continent is completely inhospitable, and many cities have been cut off from each other.
 

How each Color affects the land

Each Color affects the land in a different way, however, there are some commonalities between them. For example, trees and other plants in oversaturated areas morph until they take a form of giant single-cell organisms with multiple, glowing nuclei the size of an apple within them. Under the right circumstances, such trees can become a birthplace for the Huerustlers.   Another commonality between the warped lands is that the sky within them has a way different color than normal. It's changed in a way that wearing colored shades of the same Color as the oversaturation would do. The same goes for the water, but what's interesting in its case is that the water will take on the properties of the Color it looks like and not the Color in the surrounding area.  

Blue

The land oversaturated by Blue either shows its true nature or hides it altogether. One could walk through the warped lands, not even knowing about it until it gets too late for them. If it shows its nature, the Blue lands often form labyrinths or winding paths. It is common for them to cause hallucinations or mirages.

Green

Green lands are either completely and sickeningly silent or are filled with ear-rending sounds. The land changes, either forming hills and valleys or the grounds moves upwards forming tunnels everywhere.
 

Red

Red lands become either one of the safest places to be or very dangerous ones. In the first case, the land is filled with domes and everything gets softer to the point that it is even impossible to die after falling from great heights there.
Additionally, beings that are hostile to each other cannot perceive themselves as long as they are within the oversaturated area. In the second case, the land gets covered with spiky growths and everything gets sharp to the touch, even air. In this place, living beings become more aware of their surroundings but they also get nervous or agitated way easier.

Yellow

The stable Yellow lands try to balance everything within them. Because of that, the ground becomes flat, every tree is the same height and looks the same, the water stops moving as to not change its level or amount. As the stability is enhanced, it is impossible to trip there. But one also can't get rid of anything in their possession as if it was glued to them.
In negating Yellow lands the properties of everything are turned upside-down. The air becomes unbreathable, the trees grow underground or get smaller with passing time, the gravity might shift. As such, the affected area gets really weird and abstract.
 

White

The orderly White areas don't change the land at all. However, traversing through them is still quite unpleasant as observing the overwhelming white color everywhere can lead to nausea or even blindness. Additionally, it's hard to enter and leave them as if they didn't want the change in the number of living beings within them.
On the other hand, chaotic White lands are the most dangerous of oversaturated areas. Everything within them constantly shifts - the landscape, the weather, even the chemical composition of affected things.

Black

The strong Black lands fill everything with vitality. It can manifest in two ways. Either the plants and animals there start to grow bigger and stronger, creating megafauna and megaflora or everything gets covered with cancerous growths. In both cases, anyone who enters these areas feels strong and healthy.
The Black lands of weakness, often called Dead Lands or Wastes, sap the life out of everything. Nothing grows or lives there.
Type
Metaphysical, Elemental

The seas

Seeing a mass of Blue-Green water, one can wonder if the seas themself are oversaturated. And the answer is yes, and that is why almost no one leaves the coast out of the sight when sailing.
Traveling by sea can (rarely) enhance one's sight but in most cases it causes heavy hallucinations both auditory and visual.  

Examples

Endless Sea of White
Geographic Location | Jul 2, 2019
 
Garnet spikes
Building / Landmark | Jul 4, 2019


Cover image: by Revyera

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