Withering

When any being loses their connection to the World Core their own core starts to destabilize. While an elementine/mythic can work to re-stabilize their own core if they have enough control, the Myth Touched who have built up their strength while connected to the World Core cannot. The weak and unstable core of a myth touched suffers a rapid breakdown when their connection is severed. The longer an individual has lived within a Ruling, the more catastrophic the withering effects are.

The sickness known as the withering is in truth the physical manifestation of this system breakdown. The power that has grown in the individual's soul map is too much for their naturally unstable core and starts to break down. The breakdown of each ring of the soul map has its own symptoms, and may be triggered individually or all together depending on how the soul map has developed.

Spirit Ring Dissolution

The dissolution of the spirit ring is the most common effect of a world core connection being disrupted. the spirit ring is responsible for the development of external elemental abilities. A mild dissolution could cause the simple loss of the developed abilities. An extreme dissolution can result in the total breakdown or violent outburst of elemental power.

Body Ring Dissolution

The dissolution of the body ring is the most visible symptom of the withering. As the body ring develops and gains power, the individual grows and gains physical bulk or prowess. As this ring breaks down the physical body of the individual breaks down as well. The term Withering comes from this rapid breakdown of the body.

Since all beings on Oabos have a body ring of their soul and it can be developed without a connection to the World Core, it is possible to survive the withering if only the body ring is strong enough to be effected when the connection is severed. The individual will become weak and sickly at a rapid pace, but it is possible to hold out and stabilize the body. This internalized stability is one reason that the myth touched can survive as humans, without a connection to the World Core.

Mind Ring Dissolution

The dissolution of the mind is the least visible symptom of the withering, but the most dangerous ring to have breakdown. The most common symptom is loss of memory or cognitive function. This often displays as loss of language or personality traits.

More rarely, if only the mind ring is damaged or destroyed, it can force a myth touched or elementine to an animalistic state. These individuals become a danger to themselves and others. There is no recovering from this state, so individuals who experience dissolution of the mind ring are hunted down and destroyed by both the Eldyr and the Order of the Discerning Gaze. Elementine who experience mind ring dissolution to this extreme become mindless beasts who attack everything near them. For some reason, this individuals tend to form an instinctual connection to the World Core once their mind ha broken, so they retain their elemental and physical strength.

Core Dissolution

If all three soul rings are destroyed, the individual's core is destroyed as well. This form of withering has only been seen in the elementine. The dissolution of the core causes an elementine to return to the base elements of their soul rings. There is no body left behind when this happens.