Withered Magic

Everyone is aware of the destructive nature of the Withering on Renath. Everything that finds itself inside the terrible grey landscape changed by this disaster will slowly lose any energy it has. Even leaving the areas affected by the Withering doesn't save you, and nowhere is this more apparent than with those who have their magic abilities affected by the space.

Dried Up

Symptoms: None physically, but the effects can be sensed in their magic, which seems dead, somehow. Like how a zombie keeps shambling on despite the corruption of its flesh, a mage affected by the Withering can cast spells only by will alone, and a lot of patience.

— A magical medical textbook in the Circum Academy

Those who spend too much time in the Withering feel dejected and depressed as all the colour leaches from their life, both physically and metaphorically. Those with magic feel their spells take more and more effort, accompanied by a sense of impending doom each time they do, as if the next spell could be their last. Many report that their magic is also grey or black-coloured instead of the brighter colours that they used before, and negative side effects of potions or items that they craft seem to grow stronger.

Treatment

Up until relatively recently, it was nearly impossible for anyone to recover from this condition. Those who were affected by it would watch as their magic slowly faded until it disappeared entirely, then felt worse and worse as the Withering began to take their life. But a very recent development in the greater magical community offers hope: if someone's magical energy is supplemented regularly, the degradation can be reduced, even temporarily reversed.
Seeing as Mana Potions have become the norm among many shops in Limbo and some larger cities on Renath, that means that there is a treatment for Withered Magic that has existed in a very stable form for a long period of time. The potions, made with pulverized Verinroot from Dreandril, are now a staple of many magical communities that have access to the markets of Limbo.

Related Article

The Change

Type

Magical

Parent

The Withering

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare