Residual magic, also called latent magic, is effectively 'leftovers' from spell usage. This magic typically lingers far longer in the environment than the spells it originated from. This residue will form on nearby objects, be carried by wind or water, and is known to output similar types of magic as the spells it came from into the environment.
Sources
This residue is widely considered to be a pollutant, and many regions make strong efforts to contain, clean up, and prevent its exposure to individuals, the environment, and wildlife. It can be created by magic use from individuals, but also from machinery, runes, and items that make use of magic or are infused with it. Rarely, there are sources of magic in the world that are most often poorly understood, which also produce their own residue and latent magic.
By some,
Auras are considered to be another source of residual magic, though this is hotly debated mainly due to that sources of residual magic from auras when measured have been so minuscule that contamination from other sources cannot be ruled out.
Effects
On its own, residual magic is typically not dangerous to the average person when in typical conditions. Residual magic in most wild areas is extremely low, only registering on extremely sensitive and specialized equipment. In highly populated areas it can be many thousands of times higher than in wild areas, affecting the color of people's auras, the effects of spells, and can cause some symptoms of illness if exposure is high for long enough.
Low amounts of residual magic being exposed to a person, regardless of the type of residue, can cause headaches, faint pain or itchiness of the skin and eyes, and mild inflammation of sensitive areas such as the eyes, nose, lips, and mucous membranes. Nausea, vision spotting, motion sickness, and chills become common in mild to high exposures. High exposure across the board is known to cause uncontrolled vomiting, temporary vision loss, vertigo, loss of consciousness, and prolonged loss of appetite and inability to sleep. Further symptoms are dependent on the specific type of residue or spells used to create it.
Residue from fire or lightning spells in high exposure cases can cause issues with body temperature regulation, burns, or frostbite depending on the exact spell. This is similar to exposure to ice magic residue, which also commonly causes frostbite, though burns have been undocumented thus far. Exposure to extremely high amounts of residue from both life and death magic has been known to cause necrosis of open wounds, massive white cell die offs, auto-immune responses, and in rarer cases, accelerated cell growth. Blood magic, as part of its hotly debated classification, has been known to cause cell death in the blood stream, uncontrolled bleeding, and disfigurement of blood cells following extreme exposure to residue for long periods. Exposure to blood magic residue has, reportedly but unverified by study, caused damage to bone marrow, bone development, and issues with dentition deterioration. Specific symptoms and effects to exposure by magic type is not known or well studied, with only sporadic unverified reports that are thus far not able to be consistently replicated.
It has become widely believed that the
Omnia were created by extreme amounts of residual magic left behind by
Dragons warring with humans. Many reported symptoms and illnesses early omnia experienced typically line up with symptoms of magic residue exposure on extreme levels of exposure, and it is highly speculated that such exposures paired with
Magic Corruption could lead to similar effects. This remains untested, and is highly likely to never be properly scientifically examined due to extreme risk of injury and death to subjects.
Cleanup
As magic residue is classified as a pollutant and many kinds do have the potential to be dangerous, many efforts and groups exist to remove it from the environment and cities. Most often these groups are a part of local and state or nation funded garbage disposal groups, making use of their infrastructure. As such, they vary wildly in their span, coverage, and disposal methods. Residue can in many cases, if properly sorted and obtained in high enough volumes, be recycled for the production of further magic objects, but cases of this are uncommon due to contamination of other residues and magic.
Several larger groups to prevent exposure to residue and clean up instances of it exist across the world independent of state and national facilities. Generally, these groups are nonprofit organizations operating via donations from the public. To various capacities, many of these groups are effective and well respected, while some are considered to be general pests, alarmist, and at times, spreading misinformation and over-exaggerating the dangers of residue. One group in particular, the People's Cleanup Org, is particularly notable in their protests of any magic use and repeated publicity stunts that often claim roughly that any magic exposure is dangerous and deadly. The People's Cleanup Org has been known to protest events such as
Dragonback Racing events,
Singing Blades competitions, Mana training facilities, and all festivals to the pantheon.
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