Magical Wastes

Magical wastes are biomes that were caused by the War of World's End years ago, due to the environmental impacts of the magic being used in the War. The landscapes of magical wastes have strong, and sometimes dangerous, Auras eminating from them, and the little life that manages to grow here has evolved to have natural ways of dealing with this excess of magic.

Habitation

Despite the unfriendly geography of the wastes, there are still people that choose to live in this biome. The resillient Sophan are naturally able to live in the wastes, but other species make use of energy-resistant shelters and MaR suits to safely reside in these areas.

Ecosystem

There is some flora and fauna that is able to survive in these habitats, and their biology is highly specialised to be able to do so.
The most prevalent plant life in magical wastes comes in the form of ratweed, a vine-like species spreading across much of the ground and providing homes to small animals. Ratweed is the only species fully capable of taking nutrients from the soil in these regions, but its coating of the ground layer allows for other plants to instead grow on top of and take nutrients from ratweed. One such plant is the brambletree, sprouting small berry-like aggregate fruits. These fruits are a large part of the diet of the spined mephit, smaller creatures that make their nests within the floors of ratweed and emit foul odours when threatened. These creatures have a natural predator in beardcats, medium-sized feline creatures that are occasionally domesticated.
Another plant that grows natively in magical wastes is the drybriar, a purple-branched thorned bush with bright pink flowers. These flowers are a staple of many dishes served in magical wastes areas, and have a tangy and bitter taste that turns sweet when cooked. This flower is also enjoyed by the wildlife, including the weedrat, which makes its nest in ratweed.