Fantasia Strains
Jella Medhar wanted to pull her hair out.
Luckily, Stenser wasn’t here. Yesterday, he said it was due to the pregnancy, which peeved her further because she'd told him a hundred times that wasn't the case. Refusing to listen, he repeated the same old adage about hormones, mood swings, and yada yada yada. She put extra salt in his lunch today.
Alright, that might have been the pregnancy.
But her original vexation resulted from her students. She taught four classes, all seventh graders. The first drove her up the wall with their antics, the second made her go for long late-night walks, and the third had her contemplating jumping into the damned Void!
The task was simple: write a two-page report about any fantasia strain of your choosing, following the given template. Most of the students from those three classes had invented their own topics and discarded hers entirely, hence her attempt at becoming bald.
Hopefully, the fourth would restore her hope in the future of this city.
Smacking the papers against her desk, she leveled them properly, then rustled their sides quickly to count them. Fifteen reports submitted by sixteen students. Although she suspected who hadn't completed theirs, she didn't want to jump to conclusions yet.
"Deep breaths, in and out." Stenser entered the living room in his pajamas, a wide smile on his tired face. He presented her with a cup of milk and ginger, its spicy-sweet scent tickling her nostrils.
Maybe it was the smell, the hormones, or simply seeing her husband looking out for her with such a lovely gesture, but her mood flipped instantly.
"Thank you so much!" she said, taking a quick sip. She burned her tongue.
He chuckled. "Staying up long?"
"Unfortunately. I have to grade these tonight." She gave an apologetic smile.
"Alright then. See you tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night!"
As rain started to knock on her window, she picked up a red marker and looked at the first document.
Geo Fantasia
By Saliah Liksan
Definition
Geo fantasia is the manifestation of the earth; it controls rocks, gravel, dirt, etc. Its function is to harden, to make things fixed and unyielding, stonelike.
Stonemasons are Geo fantasia's primary users, although sandsurfers and mudslingers can use it too in limited forms. Geodoises (Terra crystallus petrificus) can be found in the Deeps under Troqua and serve as the cores of every stonemason's astrum.
Natural Presence
Geo exists in abundance in rocky areas, around mountains, and inside caves. Troqua–being an underground city–has a high concentration of Geo that has shaped its culture and citizens alike. Areas near the Void, like the Photrine and Coals Districts, suffer from high contamination levels due to the constant flow of copious amounts of auroras from the heart of our planet.
The Deeps are infamous for their extreme levels of contamination for the same reason. The farther down a prospector goes, the faster their body accumulates fantasia.
For stonemasons, Geo is usually stored in and around muscles and bones, granting the strength required to perform miraculous feats of channeling.
Contamination Effects
Like all other fantasia strains, Geo contamination causes incremental symptoms that ends with death when contamination peaks.
- Early stages: Skin turns ashy-grey, fingernails and hair tips harden, joints feel stiff. These effects start appearing after approximately two hours in the Deeps, or around ten to fifteen minutes of constant channeling.
- Middle stages: Stone patches grow on skin, particularly on knuckles, elbows, and knees. Movement hurts and internal cracks and pops can be heard with every shift. If a hardened patch is struck or stretched, it might crack, causing painful bleeding. This occurs after around three to four hours in the Deeps, or around thirty to forty-five minutes of uninterrupted channeling.
- Late stages: The petrification spreads into muscles, internal organs, and even bones. Movement is agonizing and ill-advised as the threat of hemorrhaging due to calcified organs is great. These effects start at around eight hours in the Deeps, and after ten hours, the person would pass away even before their body completely turns to a statue. Stonemasons rarely reach this stage as the exertion forces them to stop.
Unfortunately, issues related to petrification make up more than half of all fatalities in the Mines and Deeps.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of Geo fantasia causes extra symptoms:
- Random permanent petrified patches on skin.
- Hardened fingernails and thicker hair.
- Arthritis and constant joint pain, especially if left untreated.
- Increased bone density and teeth growth.
- Stones in kidneys, or even in other organs where calcification is usually uncommon.
Mental Effects
Miners and prospectors are infamous for being stubborn and insubordinate, holding various protests and riots whenever any rules change. They prefer routine and stability which is a reflection of the nature of Geo they’re exposed to over the years.
Stonemasons and channelers in general fare better in this regard, as they learn methods to dispel contamination from their bodies and are more aware of the effects of fantasia on their psyche. That being said, stonemasons who operate in the Deeps are known to be the most unreasonable individuals, mistaking obstinacy for pride.
Cosmic Creatures
Most of the beasts that inhabit the Deeps have high natural resistance to Geo contamination, especially the stonebears and mineralmanders who have incorporated the petrification effects into their bony hides and hardened skins. But outside of hearsay, none are known to be able to channel.
- The Mazemaker:
Mazemakers are mythical creatures whose existence have never been confirmed by anyone noteworthy. They’re rumored to be able to morph underground caverns, phase through stones, and trap lost miners and prospectors.
- Direstonebears (Ursus magnus petrificus):
Warden reports mention sightings of bear-like creatures in the Smaragdine Forest that are capable of channeling. Larger than regular stonebears, and with fewer rocks growing from their backs, these territorial creatures are as dangerous as stone monsters despite their solitary nature. Like stonebears, they have extremely high resistance to Geo contamination, and are adept at launching boulders and spikes, even causing large-scale tremors by stomping.
Cultural Notes
- Financial Benefits:
Thanks to the abundance of Geo in the Deeps, gemstones and their roots can grow and flourish, allowing Troqua to have its gemfarms. Without Geo, Troqua would have long starved as it wouldn't have anything to trade with the outside world.
- The Petrified Patches:
Various groups in Troqua view and handle petrified skin in vastly different ways. Miners are mostly indifferent toward them, as everyone around them usually has several visible hardened marks.
Meanwhile, prospectors showcase them proudly as proof of their experience and hard work. That's why some youngsters purposefully exert themselves in the Deeps, even channeling copiously and repeatedly, hoping to earn their patches soon.
Conversely, wealthy individuals who often visit the Deeps, like overseers and paymasters, choose to hide their scars with clothes or makeup as they're considered unsightly and a mark of poverty among their peers.
- Physical Enhancements:
This is hard to prove due to Troqua's lack of visitors, but many scholars believe that Troqueans have adapted greatly to the high levels of Geo contamination over the centuries. Moreover, the constant bombardment of auroras through the Void has increased Troquean channelers' natural capacity for fantasia, making them stronger.
- Common Misconceptions:
“You can turn yourself into an extraordinary statue if you stand still in the Deeps.”
This is false because the petrification process is extremely painful and once the joints harden it becomes impossible to assume a desired posture.
“Florald-infused teas help with decontamination.”
Florald teas do help with a variety of diseases, but drinking them would only get you contaminated with Flora. It’s the passage of time that clears Geo from the system.
“Children of miners/prospectors/stonemasons are stubborn because of Geo.”
Contamination effects are not inheritable. The generalization is false, and in the cases it’s perceived to be true, it’s often because children mimic their parents’ actions and learn from them.
Jella squealed with joy as she finished the report. Sure it was longer than required, but the amount and accuracy of detail stunned her. Saliah had even included the scientific names! If Jella could give her more than an A+, she'd gladly do so.
Such a model student Saliah was. It was no wonder she was the class president with such impressive academic, literary, and research skills. It was clear she'd gotten help formatting the paper from her father, but Jella wasn't about to punish a student because they'd asked questions on a research assignment.
As Jella was setting aside Saliah’s report, she noticed a comment written at the bottom of the page.
“Mrs. Medhar, to avoid cheating amongst students, I told them to each chose a different strain for their report.”
Jella’s eyes widened with horror. “Oh, no!” she said, quickly flipping through the pages.
Fifteen reports had Fifteen strains. Some fantasia-related topics were forbidden to be discussed by academics, never mind children. She'd assigned this little project to get her students to visit the library and read, or ask older channelers about their experience, not get them digging through forbidden books.
When she found the document titled 'Necro Fantasia,' her heart began racing.
Necro Fantasia
By Dikard Ramwill
Definition
Necro fantasia comes from the Angels of Death that hide in the Void. They're invisible ghosts that come to harvest the souls of the dying in Troqua.
While everyone can charge Necro through murder and dying (which is super weird, BTW), deathseekers are the only ones who can use this horrible, disgusting, repulsive, devilish abomination of a strain to do anything. Thankfully, not many of them exist in Troqua. There are stories about a gemstone called Necrolite in the Deeps, but I couldn't find anything about it. (Sorry, Mrs. Medhar!)
Natural presence
I don't know, honestly. I heard traces of it can be found in graveyards and morgues, but when I went to the burial ground in Radethyst District, I didn't turn into a zombie!
I asked a warden about it and she said bad things happen to the bodies of people that die on the surface, but she didn't say what exactly. I asked another and he shouted at me, so I stopped asking.
Contamination effects
Bad things happen to those who take another's life! Their eyes turn black as they're possessed by devils, and their blood curdles and becomes like sentient tar that tears them from the inside until they vomit it out like a bunch of worms. My brother says he once saw two men fight in a bar, and when one of them stabbed the other, both of them died!
Repeated long term exposure effects
My cousin Vinny used to be a gangster. He told me that certain gangs (don't ask me to name them) force their members to kill to become resistant to Necro contamination! I think that falls under long-term effects, right?
Mental Effects
People affected by Necro a lot become violent and crazy. Some say they can even see the angels of death around them as they yank out souls from people.
Cosmic Creatures
Beside the angels of deaths, no known creatures can channel Necro, thankfully.
Cultural Notes
People in Troqua curse by Necro a lot. It's worse than 'coals' and even 'Void'!
One thing Necro is good for though is that it takes some time to dissipate, so if someone commits a murder, it's easy to catch them because of their black eyes.
Jella breathed in relief. She couldn't describe how glad she was that it was Dikard who'd researched this strain. Someone else poking around about Necro might have gotten themselves, their parents, and even her into terrible trouble. She didn't even know where he'd gotten that angels-of-death load of coals from.
Bet he was glad to be able to say Necro a few times without repercussions.
She gave him a C. No, a B-! That would stop him from wanting to redo the assignment and getting many people into trouble. Also, he had used the required format for a change.
After reorganizing her stack, she resumed her reading.
Aero Fantasia
By Limor Nantha
Definition
Aero fantasia controls air. It can create wind, calm it, and even summon storms! If a windrider channels Aero in an enclosed space for long periods of time, the air becomes resistant to breathing, and even poisonous.
Windriders are amazing because they're the only denomination that can fly easily. They embed aerobers in all kinds of astra to create various effects.
Natural Presence
The wardens say Aero concentrates high above the surface, but it’s impossible to charge there because the sky is brimming with wind monsters. However, sometimes, during hurricanes, the levels of Aero increase, making the very air contaminated.
Windriders report that Aero fantasia reside in the chest, inside the lungs. They can even feel it swirl inside with every breath.
Contamination Effects
Aero contamination isn’t as bad as Geo contamination, but it still has annoying symptoms:
- Numbness: Like little tiny insects crawling on one’s skin. At high levels, the windrider might lose all sensation in their limbs as blood struggles to reach them, leaving them cold and pale.
- Weight Distortions: Contaminated channelers may feel a paradoxical combination of being weightless and heavy as a ton at the same time. This only happens at extreme levels though.
- Respiratory Distress: Windriders often report a turbulence or pressure in the chest that causes difficulty to breathe. At advanced levels, inhaling and exhaling become tiring and painful.
- Trembling and Paralysis: High levels of Aero contamination can cause the hands and feet to tremble uncontrollably. If the windrider pushes themselves too far they might even temporarily lose control of their body.
- Lightheadedness: Windriders frequently suffer from dizziness even when they remain grounded, so it’s not something related to vertigo.
- Air Embolism: Can occur anywhere in the body, even in the brain, once the channeler reaches fatal levels of contamination. This level is similar to the petrification suffered by stonemasons.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Since non-channelers rarely get contaminated by Aero in Troqua, we don't have much evidence of what long exposure to this strain causes. However, some workers in factories who regularly work with aerobers report that the dizziness and numbness become persistent and increase with time. They might also develop chest pains and have difficulty breathing at night.
Mental Effects
Contaminated windriders have difficulty forming thoughts. Their minds become sluggish and they struggle to come up with coherent plans.
Opposite to stonemasons, windriders over time become irresponsibly nonchalant if they're not careful. Though some people seek the sensation, calling it freeing.
Cosmic Creatures
Everyone knows the little snails that are abundant near Aquanturine's lake! These little shelled beauties can eject blasts of wind to launch themselves away from predators. In Troqua, they're the only known creature that can channel Aero.
Wardens speak about a type of golden bird that flies fast in the forest, but no one has ever seen them properly to confirm their appearance.
Cultural Notes
A doctor told me that shroom addicts who use too many aerobers to air out their hideouts grow careless due to the combined effects of psychedelics and Aero contamination. I don't know if that's true, but that's what I have to write here.
Jella smiled despite her exhaustion. Limor had clearly worked hard, far beyond her usual effort. B+. She rubbed her eyes and reached for the next report.
Pyro Fantasia
By Gafor Mirione
Definition
Pyro is the best fantasia strain ever! It controls flames, fire, and heat! Firedancers use it to burn down the wicked and evil. They have superb firepower and can even fly! Also, pyrpphires are wicked cool! Not in the sense they're cold—they're really hot—but their colors, heat, and the astra made from them are all amazing!
Natural Presence
Pyro congregates around fire and hot places. Pyrpphire District is the hottest place in Troqua with its factories and forges, but it's not blazing enough to cause contamination.
My warden cousins told me there's a burning mountain far to the south of Troqua and that all the terrible fire and magma monsters originate from there. I bet if anyone ever goes there, they'll be horribly, terribly, deadly charred with Pyro!
They also said that a firedancer can sense their fantasia heating up their heart and chest, even flowing with their blood everywhere in their body!
Contamination Effects
Pyro contamination is even worse than Geo. Maybe the second worse after Necro contamination. But honestly, who cares?! Controlling fire is well worth the cost!
No, but seriously, where do I start with the terrible side effects of Pyro?
- Body Heat: The first victim of a firedancer is always their own body. Pyro contamination increases the channeler's temperature to unbearable levels, making them sweat like caveboars! At first, it's just an annoyance; drink some water and you'll be fine. But later on, not even if you dip yourself in an icebox full of cryobies will you cool down.
- Dryness: After sweating for long, uncareful firedancers suffer from scaling, flaking, or even peeling of dry skin. They're always scratching and itching with their dry nails, tearing at their dry hair. Even their eyes become dry, making them blink like withdrawing shroomis! Also, they're always thirsty, their tongues ugly like big dried raisins. But that's only uncareful firedancers though!
- Respiratory Issues: The dryness extends up the nose and mouth and down into the throat and lungs. Breathing becomes suffering. Each inhale like you have your head stuffed in an oven. There are techniques to handle it though, but my cousins wouldn't tell me.
- Heart Issues: Firedancers are always fired up! They're always active, on the go, engaged in heated activities. So their hearts are always pumping at max output. After a while, this causes trouble for their health, forcing them to slow down or pass out from exhaustion. Some even die from overexertion! Racing hearts come with all sorts of issues as well, like dizziness, numbness, inability to focus, etc.
- BURNS!! This is the big one! The worst side effect of Pyro ever! And I'm not talking about the accidental injuries amateur firedancers inflict on themselves. I mean that just like Geo petrifies the body, Pyro burns it. Blisters, scalds, burn marks, skin bubbles, and even leaking pus from prolonged contamination are all associated symptoms. Some can even smell their flesh being cooked! The good thing is that these injuries go away on their own, just like the petrified patches one gets from visiting the Deeps.
- SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is real, ask about it! Just like how stonemasons can become statues from overchanneling, firedancers might burst into flames! BOOM! And they become a living torch. Not for long though.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Unfortunately, most firedancers burn bright and don't live until old age. But those who do report various health problems:
- Constant fevers and feeling hot even in winter.
- Difficulty breathing even when asleep due to dryness or damaged lungs.
- Weak heart rate after all the excitement in their youth.
- Permanent scarring and burn marks, similar to the permanent petrified patches the miners have.
Mental Effects
Pyro doesn't just burn the world, it sets the soul afire! Firedancers are notorious for having anger management issues and terrible impulse control, but that's only for the inexperienced ones of course. When a firedancer loves, they love with all their heart, and when they set their mind to something, oh they will do anything to reach it! The effects of Pyro may appear in different ways for different people though. Some report having intense emotional outbursts, even crying at minor incidents, sad or joyful!
Cosmic Creatures
DRAGONS! They're real, I know they are! Dragons breathe fire, some breathe other stuff, but most are known for shooting flames. Salamanders and drakes and phoenixes too! There are none anywhere near Troqua, but all the books have them. Also, during last year's Green Eve festival, a firedancer troupe imitated a dragon hunt and it was awesome!
Cultural Notes
Pyro fantasia does something strange to the body. Most firedancers are handsome and successful. Everyone likes and respects them, and not only because they’re strong or because they win most of their duels in the arena.
Why does this happen? No one knows! I guess this is one of the many mysteries of magic!
Aqua Fantasia
By Marksen Kalsho
Definition
Aqua fantasia controls water mainly, but its influence reaches all liquid matter, and even ice and steam to a degree. It makes things soft, malleable, flexible. Its channelers are called tidebreakers, and they use blue aquanturine gems in their astra.
Natural Presence
Large bodies of water often have reserves of Aqua around them, like Aquanturine lake. But its concentration levels are not as extreme as the Geo in the Deeps. Scholars suggest that the coastal town Shiema is as contaminated with Aqua as Troqua is contaminated with Geo, due to its proximity to the ocean.
In humans, Aqua fantasia exist anywhere that has liquid, which is most of the body. However, it mainly concentrates inside blood veins, and through the digestive system.
Contamination Effects
I asked lots of tidebreakers about the effects of channeling Aqua, and they told me of the many symptoms they have to endure:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Puffiness of face.
- Bloated stomach.
- Headaches.
- Drowsiness and dizziness.
- General weakness.
- Muscle pain and cramps.
- Swelling in hands, feet and belly.
- Constant urge to pee.
- Constant feeling of drowning.
Intense symptoms also include:
- Organ failure, primarily in kidneys and liver.
- Seizures.
- Delirium.
- Drowning due to increased water levels in the lungs.
- Falling into a coma.
Eventually, extremely contaminated channelers might start leaking liquids from their skin, or parts of their body might expand so much, they’d explode, resulting in death.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Those who overchannel Aqua repeatedly suffer the following health issues:
- Feebleness in both body and mind.
- Unexplainable issues in various internal organs.
- Partial blindness or deafness due to accumulation of liquids.
- Hemophilia-like symptoms.
Mental Effects
In general, tidebreakers are known to be easygoing and adaptable. They’re also often kind, but severe when angered.
In addition to the physical symptoms, tidebreakers also endure bouts of confusion and irritability when channeling. These effects might last if the person overchannels often.
Cosmic Creatures
The flesh of the Blue Moya fish has exquisite taste, and is highly sought by fishermen in Troqua. But due to its ability to control water, it is near impossible to catch by non-tidebreakers.
Certain species of deepsharks are also rumored to be able to channel Aqua by miners. But others claim they’re actually mudslingers, not tidebreakers.
Cultural Notes
- Aqua fantasia is known to be sensitive. That’s why charging or channeling near sewage facilities that operate using aquanturines is prohibited.
- Outside sources claim that certain astra can create water. Unfortunately, all attempts to recreate this feat in Troqua has failed.
Cryo Fantasia
By Garresho Nantha
Definition
Cryo has dominion over ice, frost, and everything cold. If something is contaminated with Cryo fantasia, it loses its temperature until it freezes.
Icesculptors are distinct from tidebreakers. Some can affect cold water, but most can only command ice. Cryobies exist in every house in Troqua inside iceboxes, and it’s the primary ingredient in the making of icesculptors astra.
Natural Presence
Theories suggest that Cryo exist profusely at the poles. But no one has gone there to provide proof. Similarly, some scholars say the tips of the Avyhandouse Mountains has a high concentration of Cryo, and reports from wardens about ice monsters who live there are a supporting factor.
Like Aqua, Cryo also concentrates inside veins. Though a great portion of it reside in the chest area as well, in lungs and the heart.
Contamination Effects
People contaminated with Cryo feel cold. The more contaminated they are, the colder they get. This includes, but isn't limited to: shivering, drowsiness or very low energy, slow shallow breathing, weak pulse, slurred speech or mumbling, discoloration in skin, etc.
If not handled correctly, more severe issues may arise like: formation of ice on skin, the onset of ice burns, frostbite and gangrene in extremities, etc. Luckily, these effects go away on their own with proper decontamination.
All of these symptoms increase gradually until they reach the last few stages: freezing of blood or internal organs, falling unconscious, and death by being turned into an ice sculpture.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
During summer, many icesculptors overwork themselves, creating ice blocks as the output of iceboxes isn’t sufficient. This causes them to suffer in the autumn during which they rarely use their powers in preparation for winter. This is because overchanneling Cryo causes them to constantly feel like they’re freezing, no matter how many layers of clothing they wore, or how close to pyrpphires they stand.
The ice layers and skin discoloration might even become permanent as well. Decreased metabolism, lower energy levels, and decreased heartrate are expected symptoms.
Mental Effects
Contaminated icesculptors are notorious for being cold and unaffectionate. Though maintaining a proper mind frame helps the channeler keep their personality.
Moreover, in addition to the aforementioned symptoms listed above, the coldness associated with Cryo contamination may induce: clumsiness or lack of coordination, confusion or memory loss, assuming risk-taking behavior, etc.
Cosmic Creatures
We don’t have any in Troqua, but the books in the library mention a type of flower in Smaragdine Forest that creates ice patches around them to help them grow.
Cultural Notes
Cryo fantasia is highly sought after during the summer. As it doesn’t occur naturally in Troqua, workers like to cool off by merely standing around icesculptors who are generating giant ice blocks. Many believe the reason they cool is because of the ice, but that’s partially true. The minor Cryo contamination they catch is the main reason why they might spend hours after leaving the site feeling fresh.
Electro Fantasia
By Olandil Dartsill
Definition
Electro fantasia goes Bzzzzzztttt! It's like minature lightning. It comes in many colors, but mainly purple, yellow, and blue. If it touches you, you get electrocuted and die.
Lightningeaters don’t actually eat lightning, but they can shoot lightning from their mouths! They use electropaz stones which can make your hair stand if you touch them for long.
Natural Presence
If you want to find Electro fantasia in nature, you got to fly into a storm! But I’m not responsable for what happens there! Also, storms usually have other strains, so you’ll get a mixed bag of auroras eventually.
As for its presence in humans, Electro fantasia runs like an eternal current that swims through the brain, spine, and nerves. Charging Electro is basically storing lightning inside your body!
Contamination Effects
I once swallowed an electropaz when I was five, so I know firsthand what Electro contamination feels like.
First, it hurts like the Void! It’s much worse than swallowing a pyrpphire, trust me on this. It starts with mild tingling and numbness that feels funny, but quickly evolves into intense pain. The pain might be contained to one area or spread abnormaly over your body, you never know. Patients may also lose control over their bowels. That didn’t happen to me though, that’s what the doctor said would have happened had I not vomited it out quickly.
Burns and scalds are common in advanced cases, and also are general and localized seizures. Like your arm would start shaking uncontrolably and your muscles would cramp so terribly, you might actually suffer joint dislocation or fractures.
If one gets too contaminated, they’ll start having trouble breathing, and their heart would beat irregularly. I asked my dad he said it’s called heart firbilation. Finally, an Electro channeler might get blood clouts, organ failure, and/or heart attacks, which will make them fall unconshous or even die!
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Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Like I said, I spit out the electropaz gem quickly, so I don’t know what happens to people who swallow them for long. I asked my dad again, and he said he doesn’t know too. So I asked my aunt Ladia who works at the hospital and she gave me this list:
Lasting burn marks – uncontrollable random twitching in one organ or more – intense seizures – various respiratory disorders - various venrticular disorders.
Mental Effects
Lightningeaters struggle to control their impulses. They also like to execute tasks quickly and without delay. If something gets in their way, they get angry quickly and resort to violence.
Those who suffer long term effects, but decontaminate properly might not suffer those conditions. But they might have nervous tics or get anxious quickly at minute things.
Cosmic Creatures
The eels in Aquanturine lake are lightningeaters! My dad once stepped on one when we went fishing and we had to take him to the hospital right away. His foot got burned so badly, it was smoking! After he got out, we went fishing again, and he caught ten eels with large sonolars and we had them for dinner!
They didn’t taste good though.
Cultural Notes
At first, I didn’t know what to include here, but my dad told me that engineers in Pyrpphire District are trying to create inventions that use Electro fantasia. He says they want to make devices that can think!
Jella took a sip from her milk. Gafor’s submission was detailed and had good information, but it felt like he was screaming at her while she was reading it. B+. Likewise, Marksen’s paper was good, but it didn’t stand out like Saliah’s. Another B+. Garresho’s work is simple and requires further structuring, but his deduction at the end is remarkable. For that alone, he gets an A-. As for Olandil… First, he mixed Electro fantasia with electricity, and his tangents go on for long without adding much information to the topic. And while he had nailed most of the contamination effects, his spelling errors will bring his total grade down. B-.
Let’s see now, Jella thought moving to the next paper. Eight more to go.
Ferro Fantasia
By Kleim Morroh
Definition
Ferro fantasia is the soul of metals; it controls steel, bronze, copper, etc. Its function is to reinforce, to make things rigid and inflexible, steel-like.
Metalsmiths are Ferro fantasia’s sole users. Feeryxes (Ferrum crystallus versatilis) can be found in the Deeps under Troqua and are the hearts of every metalsmith’s astrum.
Natural Presence
Ferro exists in profusion in feeryx gemfarms, around their vines, and beside their gemseeds. The Alektom and Meadrix gemfarms have the largest feeryx reserves. There, miners report increased levels of hardening, while at the same time, suffering decreased petrification.
For metalsmiths, Ferro is normally located in and around bones, gifting the power needed to execute incredible acts of magic.
Contamination Effects
Like the remaining fantasia strains, Ferro contamination causes gradual symptoms that ends with death at critical levels.
- Early stages: Skin gains a green-red-brown patina sheen, fingernails and hair tips toughen like reinforced metal, joints feel rigid, a metallic taste appears in mouth that won’t go away, chills or low body temperature, feeling weak or nauseous. These effects start appearing after approximately six hours being close to the feeryx gemseeds in the Deeps, or around ten-fifteen minutes of constant channeling.
- Middle stages: Metal-like plates grow on skin, particularly on the back of hands, forearms, shoulder, back and calves. Movement is agonizing and internal grinding can be heard with every twitch. Body grows increasingly heavy as more plates grow. Repeated vomiting and onset of diarrhea, followed by a scratchy feeling in the throat and colon. This doesn’t occur in the Deeps, as miners get too contaminated by Geo before the effects of Ferro manifest. But it does show after about thirty to forty-five minutes of constant channeling.
- Late stages: The metallization extends into muscles, bones, and even internal organs. Movement is torturous and ill-considered as the risk of hemorrhaging due to sharpened organs is high. Heart and lungs have trouble contracting due to increased weight and rigidness, resulting in near suffocation and chest pain.
Metalsmiths rarely reach the fatal stage as the exhaustion compels them to pause. But it’s theorized that if they carry on with their channeling, they’d eventually end up as metal statues.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Protracted contact with extreme concentrations of Ferro fantasia causes additional effects:
- Arbitrary permanent metallic patches on skin (polished silver, dull iron, or copper-colored depending on metals worked with).
- Steeled fingernails and heavier hair.
- Arthritis and chronic joint pain, particularly if not healed.
- Increased bone density and teeth sharpness.
- Damage to multiple organs, like kidneys, liver, brain, etc.
Mental Effects
Metalsmiths are notorious for being tenacious and unruly, just like stonemasons. They also prefer routine and constancy which is an echo of the levels of Ferro they’ve been exposed to over their lives. Unlike stonemasons though, metalsmiths have a tendency to utilize hurtful remarks to attack their opponents, mistaking spitefulness for sharp wits.
Cosmic Creatures
There are rumors about creatures in Pyrpphire District who can channel Ferro, causing trouble to workers.
- Steeladillo:
These armadillo-like creatures hide in metal swarf until an unsuspecting person or animal passes overhead. They vibrate the metal, making their victim sink and drown, then devour them.
- Brassmole:
These hardy animals like to create pit traps in metal factories. Their sharp claws can easily dig and reshape steel, making them incredibly dangerous.
Cultural Notes
- Financial Benefits:
Thanks to the emitted Ferro from feeryxes, forges and factories can create harder metals by repeatedly contaminating them. Its most known applications are the chassis and body shells of wardens' carts.
- The Patinated Patches:
Multiple parties in Troqua hold different opinions about metallized skin. Workers don't mind them much, as all their colleagues normally have numerous observable patinated marks.
Meanwhile, craftspeople reveal them proudly as evidence of their skill and diligence. Some may even chisel or decorate them, presenting them as a part of their identity.
Contrariwise, factory owners and top management elect to cover their blemishes with fabric or paint as they view them as unsightly and a symbol of low status.
Jella almost tore the paper. Her teeth gritted at the sheer nerve of those girls. Even the baby kicked angrily in her belly. Did Kleim think her stupid? The girl had basically copied Saliah’s work word for word, replacing some terms with synonyms here and there. Such blatant cheating can’t be overlooked. Not to mention that the creatures she listed are all taken from a known children's book and known to be fabrications.
She so wanted to fail this girl. Except… Kleim’s mother was sick, and she probably asked Saliah for help because she didn’t have the time to make the report from scratch.
Fine, Jella wouldn't report this to the principal, but she would have a lengthy discussion with both girls after class. D for Kleim. And even though she suspected Saliah didn’t know what her friend had submitted, aiding in plagiarism was terrible academic practice; her mark was now a flat A.
Sono Fantasia
By Lariah Hilba
Definition
Sono is the fantasia strain of singers and artists. It’s the heart of poems, the spirit of words, and the heartbeat of our world.
Its channelers are called thunderstrikers. A brute name that doesn’t reflect its delicacy, but quite apt, because of the powers Sono provides. Its gems are sonolars, which are stones with many practical applications, like voice amplification and repetition.
Natural Presence
Sono pockets are not known to exist naturally anywhere near Troqua, even in cavernous hollows with lots of echo. Though sonolars do resonate and hum slightly during thunderstorms, so it might condense naturally on the surface.
Sono is reportedly stored in the respiratory system, though it mainly resides in the throat and lungs. Yet, some reports indicate it’s possible to hold it in other places, like arm muscles for example.
Contamination Effects
After major shows, singers, actors, and even some audience members on the front rows might be affected with slight Sono contamination. They might hear ringing in their ears, double-hear the voices rising around them, exhibit strange changes to their own voices, switch randomly between partial deafness and being hypersensitive to noise, or even suffer slight dizziness and become unable to walk or stand straight.
Some of the factory workers or craftsmen who work occasionally with sonolars report more advanced symptoms. They may hear echoes of conversations long after they're over, hallucinate phantom random sounds, and feel strong vibrations wreck through their bodies, resonating with nearby noise. That is in addition to increased levels of symptoms from early-stage contamination effects, like severe high-pitched ringing that might cause ears to bleed, extreme paralyzing vertigo which results in nausea and vomiting, intense pain in ears from even the mere whisper, or total hearing loss.
Only wardens have ever reported facing the advanced stages of Sono contamination. After fighting through the forest for prolonged periods, their bodies would quake at the faintest of sounds, including muscles, bones, and internal organs, which is excruciating and might cause rupturing, and complete loss of balance as if their heads are detached and spinning randomly like a bouncing ball. The constant friction of their joints might even emit constant buzzing.
At the end, a fatally contaminated channeler might suffer internal hemorrhaging, especially in the brain due to the skull’s constant shaking. Their death might be dead silent, or it might be explosive as their organs explode, causing a roaring shockwave that could harm nearby bystanders.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Old theater actors and singers suffer many issues from working closely with sonolars for long hours over their lives. Their hearing would be damaged, causing partial or total deafness, the hearing of phantom sounds, and hypersensitivity to certain sounds. The ringing and difficulty with balance would linger as well, and they might become unable to distinguish voices, even those of their loved ones.
Mental Effects
People who repeatedly hear illusionary sounds suffer from various psychological traumas. As they're overwhelmed by sounds, concentration becomes difficult, and as they can't distinguish real and imaginary noises, they have trouble trusting themselves and those around them. They become irritable, socially withdrawn, constantly alert, or learn to act nonchalant toward auditory threats even when they're real. Some might develop hatred of specific sounds, others might grow addicted to certain resonances, while a few might flee into the Deeps to wallow in eternal silence.
Cosmic Creatures
Little evidence supports this theory, but some miners believe the deepbats' screeching is powered by Sono fantasia due to its powerful, resonating, and bone-shaking effect. Besides them, no confirmed natural Sono channelers exist in or around Troqua.
Cultural Notes
Besides Geo, some scholars think that everyone in Troqua is contaminated with Sono to some degree due to the use of sonolars in schools for end-of-class bells, and the usage of repeater sonolars that transmit announcements and speeches throughout the city.
Also, it is rumored that certain divas would purposefully contaminate themselves with Sono in controlled ways to alter their voices and reach pitches beyond their normal range, though that could come at an extreme price.
Flora Fantasia
By Risha Kasi
Definition
Plants are the foundation of the natural food chain and Flora fantasia is the key to growing them. Without Flora, life in Troqua would stop, the Smaragdine Forest would be erased because of the monsters, and the whole ecosystem would collapse.
Greenfingers use florald stones to accelerate the growth of trees and crops in Florald District. They work day and night to ensure our granaries and storehouses remain full and our citizens well-fed.
Natural Presence
The Smaragdine Forest has a high concentration of Flora fantasia, but it doesn't cause contamination like Geo does in the Deeps. Although Troquean scientists don't have the opportunity to study this phenomenon fully, they speculate it's because the forest isn't bound by walls, and that the fantasia dissipates naturally into the sky above. Another reason might be the constant winds that shift the fantasia around, never lingering in any place.
Furthermore, there isn’t a specific organ that stores Flora fantasia. Its auroras could be anywhere in the body, depending on the greenfingers’ astrum and their charging flow.
Contamination Effects
Flora contamination has the most varied symptoms of all strains of fantasia, depending on which plants are targeted. Theoretically, any negative effects the other strains may cause can be seen in a greenfingers if they channel extensively into specific seeds.
I’ll list below some of the expressions of Flora contamination and how they advance over stages.
- Skin Transformation: Green, purple, orange, and all other hues. Greenfingers’ bodies become palettes of color during channeling. Then the texture of the skin alters magically. It might become thick like bark, or smooth like flower petals. It may become squishy like a fruit’s or hard and unyielding like a coconut’s shell.
- Hair Transformation: Like skin, hair color may change when contaminated with Flora. It may also clump together and grow thick like vines, or might become stiff and razor sharp like thorns. This is extra painful for hair body in sensitive areas like armpits and inner thighs.
- Plant growth: Greenfingers might sprout buds anywhere in their bodies. Their type, color, and quality differ greatly from person to person and depend on which seeds they’re in contact with. Some might have barbs grow from their heads or vines extending down their throats. Some might get anchored in place with unyielding roots. It is quite common to see greenfingers walking around in Florald District with fungi, moss, or lichen covering their skin. In advanced stages, entire internal organs might change to become independent functioning plants.
- Poisoning: Any and every type of imaginable toxins can form within a greenfingers’ body in various amounts. The effects might alter blood viscosity, bone density, nerve sensitivity, organ function, muscle size, etc. Victims suffer wildly differing effects, ranging from itching, to hair and nails loss, to nausea and vomiting, having intense body odor, loss of consciousness, and death even if they’re not at critical contamination stages due to the type of venom affecting them.
There are many more effects related to Flora contamination that can’t be listed on one report.
At the end, it's possible for a greenfingers to completely transform into a tree or a wooden statue, but most pass away due to other effects before they reach this stage.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Older greenfingers have all kinds of diseases, some are unique to their person depending on which flora they’d targeted in their lives. Their skin, hair, nail, and odor might be altered in various different ways, and they might have permanent plant growth on their bodies that need regular trimming. Some even reported not feeling the need for food anymore, getting full from merely standing under radethysts for long.
Mental Effects
Same as the physical symptoms, greenfingers show the largest degrees of psychological illnesses and deviation based on their targeted plants. Most of the time, though, they become passive and contemplative, showing great degrees of patience that might be infuriating to others in urgent situations. They might even dissociate from their families due to their lack of desire towards food and normal sleeping cycles, preferring to spend most of their time in gardens.
Cosmic Creatures
It’s hard to pinpoint which plants are cosmic creatures and which are not. Any plant that can grow faster than usual might be channeling Flora, but since we don’t have points of reference to their normal growth, we can’t really tell. There are cases of recorded cosmic creatures in both the Deeps and the forest though.
- In the Deeps: the gemstone vines and roots are considered cosmic creatures due to their intense ability to grow in harsh environments. Similarly, all the scarce plant life that exist in the Deeps are cosmic creatures, including the little quasi-sentient mushrooms that run into hiding when faced with predators.
- In the forest: No one knows if the plants in the forest are all cosmic creatures, or whether they simply grow fast due to the abundant auroras of Flora fantasia. A few plants display semi-sentient intelligence as reported by wardens, and a few scholars even consider ‘plant monsters’ to be cosmic creatures. Moreover, according to Chief Warden Akunai Kasi, there exists a type of deer in the forest capable of controlling trees and twisting branches when threatened.
Cultural Notes
Due to the vast side effects of Flora contamination, Troqueans have many wild stories about past greenfingers. Some people believe that certain trees in Florald District used to be their ancestors who’d grown too contaminated. Others try to purposefully inject themselves with Flora to gain certain desired qualities, like altered body odor or growing flowers. This process is harmful and ill-advised, because replicating exact effects is extremely difficult and may cause severe diseases.
Bio Fantasia
By Borton Geeliark
Definition
To Bio or not to Bio, that is the question. Muscles, hormones, bones, organs, and other hard and soft things are all affected by Bio. It transforms flesh. It is how babies form in their mothers’ wombs.
Many denominations use Bio fantasia, like: fleshmasters, bloodletters, healers, and shapeshifters. There aren’t any Bio-emitting gems near Troqua, which is unfortunate due to its endless potential and capabilities.
Natural Presence
Everywhere. Literally and figuratively. All living creatures have traces of Bio inside them, otherwise, they wouldn’t be alive. And by all, I mean humans, animals, insects, every little unseen microbe. Some would even claim that plants also require Bio to live, making it the king of all fantasia. (Mrs. Medhar please don’t tell Risha I said this.)
Contamination Effects
Where to start? Bio contamination can cause any change the mind can perceive and some that no one can even imagine. Unusual growths, both benign and malign, changes to the color, size, density, flexibility, texture, smell, taste, strength, viscosity, weight, placement, shape, function, and many other factors in skin, hair, nails, bones, muscles, fats, joints, feathers, fur, hide, nerves, organs, and every body part a creature might have.
(Because we don’t have Bio gems, I couldn’t find standardized results about Bio contamination. But the stories from people who could naturally channel Bio vary greatly. Are we supposed to provide individual anecdotes? Saliah said, no, we just need to provide general symptoms.)
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
The changes a person endures over time due to repeated Bio contamination become permanent. They may become mutated and ugly (seriously, the drawings in the books are hideous) and their features may not remain human. Joints that bend the wrong way, saggy skin, and distorted facial features are simple examples.
These changes also come with all kinds of untreatable diseases and chronic pains. It’s said that someone suffering from a Bio-related disease can only be treated by a better Bio channeler.
Mental Effects
Bio channelers usually lose their marbles before they die. Honestly, if my body grew extra fingers at odd spots, or I had an eye in my stomach, I’d go insane too. Even when healthy, fleshmasters have an unnatural obsession with trying to craft the perfect body. Then when they change, they may view themselves (or others around them) as broken, or misshapen, starting an endless cycle of misery.
Cosmic Creatures
People! That’s it. We’re all cosmic creatures because we all naturally use Bio to grow. At least that’s what the books said. (I’m not making this up Mrs. Medhar, I swear I saw this in a book)
Cultural Notes
Many charlatans in the Coals claim to be fleshmaster healers, selling miracle medicine to the sick. Later, their victims discover that they’d been sold normal medicine, water, powerful shrooms, or even poison.
Finally, there have been many attempts recently at importing, grafting, and creating Bio gems by the barons. Whoever succeeds will make a fortune by selling regrowth serums, anti-aging medicine, sliming creams, and hair regrowth treatments. My grandma said she’d make sure grandpa was the first buyer.
Jella set her empty cup down. The hour was getting late and she needed to finish and go to sleep quick or she’d go to school tomorrow with another terrible migraine.
Lariah’s research was thorough, showing she put in genuine effort after receiving a C+ on her last assignment. Meanwhile, Risha’s work revealed her love for plants, but the girl couldn’t not mention her brother casually in the report. Risha wasn’t showing off, nor was this a threat to Jella to get a better grade. Heaven’s Above no, she was simply a sweet girl who loved her brother and was proud of his work.
A to both girls.
Borton however…
Jella sighed. He hadn't written anything wrong as far as she knew, but he also hadn't organized his findings properly. Listing possible changes was not the same as categorizing and explaining them, and giving solid examples. His excuse of not having Bio-gems wasn't acceptable—he had to do better. She wanted to give him a B-, but his comments did make her laugh. It’s a B then.
Psycho Fantasia
By Gondry Triss
Definition
The human mind is a wonder. It can make up stories, create music, prove arithmetic and engineering logic, memorize and distill years of experience, coordinate complex processes, from unconscious breathing and digestion, to running cities and kingdoms.
Psycho Fantasia enhances all these functions and more.
It can bring out the genius in a person, or the insane. It can affect the material world, translating thoughts into reality. And it can, sometimes, read the future.
Mindmanipulators, animators, and fortunetellers all channel Psycho and they use the precious psychosite to achieve this.
Natural Presence
Anything that thinks attracts Psycho, though smarter creatures usually hold more. Only channelers can control its flow naturally and direct it as they will.
Mentalists hold their auroras in their brains most of the time. Though for animators, theirs might expand through the spine and the entire nervous system.
Contamination Effects
While the way Psycho fantasia is expressed may differ, the aftereffects of contamination are universal amongst all denominations of mentalists. The symptoms start mild usually, but progress steadily fast. Due to the nature of Psycho, both physical and mental effects are listed in this section according to their evolution vectors.
- Mild headaches → Severe migraines associated with nose bleeds → Intense, disorienting agony as if the entire head was on fire. The pain might spread down to the spine sometimes. → Loss of consciousness → Death.
- Minor hallucinations (auditory and visual mainly) → More realistic illusions (auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, and more) → Complete break with reality → Total psychotic shutdown → Death.
- Slight mental fog → Memory confusion and having difficulty forming coherent thoughts → Loss of intelligence, reversion to a mindless state → Death.
- Slight tingling through the back → Randomized pain as if the channeler's very nerves are being pinched → Paralyzing agony as if the mentalist was being burnt alive → Loss of consciousness → Death.
- Constant sense of being watched → Increased paranoia and anxiety → Violent and unexplained mood swings, inability to control emotions → Loss of one's self to one or several intense emotions → Death.
- Increased clumsiness, misspeaking, and rate of mistakes → Accidental actions, involuntary channeling → Committing various acts while unconscious → Emergence of new mental traits and even personalities → Complete mind fragmentation into multiple personas → Death.
It’s not unheard of for a mentalist to pass away mentally while their body remains technically alive. Troqua’s asylum is full of unlucky mentalists who can’t take care of themselves anymore.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Depending on which vector the mentalist usually advances on during channeling, and which stage they reach, their long-term exposure effects vary wildly. Besides the headaches, memory issues, and rampant imagination, mentalists suffer the most mentally from their strain.
They might have trouble forming authentic relationships as they grow more manipulative, arrogant, or sometimes empathic. Their paranoia might cause crippling trust issues and emotional exhaustion. All of this leads to social isolation and various sleep disorders which only feed the cycle.
Cosmic Creatures
This might be a stretch, but the miner’s rumors about the mythical mazemakers hint that the creature is more of a mentalist than a stonemason. It alters people’s minds (check), it manipulates their memories of the passages they crossed (check), it inflames certain emotions until they’re mentally exhausted (check), it’s smart enough not to reveal itself (check). All pointers hint that this theory is the correct one.
Besides these legendary creatures, all living people have a degree of Psycho auroras in their minds.
Cultural Notes
While Psycho contamination can be horrible for the patient's quality of life, some people actively seek it out to gain certain attributes. Pessimistic or suicidal individuals might want to alter their mindset to be more optimistic and cheerful, those who've suffered in the past might desire to get their memories expunged of those events, while parents who've lost children might seek to relive those memories and even hallucinate their children's voices and appearances.
In summary, Psycho fantasia is a double-edged sword that can surely be used for good in the right hands.
Gondry’s work was excellent; an easy A. Yet Jella had expected Lyonel to present the report on Psycho, being trained by his brother and all. Quickly, she rifled through the three remaining papers she had and noticed that the boy hadn’t presented his homework.
Strange. Lyonel never missed an assignment before.
Nonetheless, she had more things to worry about for now. The remaining submissions were all etherealist denominations. Groaning, she rubbed the bridge of her nose, not wanting to go through them.
This was precisely why she didn't want each student to write about a unique strain. Information about these topics was scarce at best, forbidden at worst. She really hoped no one had broken any laws while writing their paper. As thunder struck on the surface, she resumed grading.
Photo Fantasia
By Kaleb Bline
Definition
Does light cause Photo, or does Photo emit light? No one knows. What we know for sure is that if you’ve seen light, you’ve experienced Photo fantasia. Even if you’re blind, if light has ever touched your skin, you’ve been contaminated with Photo.
A luminary is someone who can channel Photo and control light. Multiple gems in Troqua offer access to Photo, some are increasingly more expensive and dangerous than the rest: photrines, radethysts, lunalines, and solarites.
Natural Presence
Anywhere touched by light. The surface is significantly more contaminated than Troqua, thanks to our planet’s suns.
For luminaries, the eyes are where they store most of their charge, though a notable amount resides in the skin as well.
Contamination Effects
Photo fantasia affects the human body in four different ways:
- Sight Issues: The channeler might become hypersensitive to light, or might have difficulty seeing in the dark. They might see afterimages of all moving objects, or might see through things as if they weren't there.
- Eye Damage: Associated with intense pain and headaches. Severe episodes might arise when in the dark or under an intense light source.
- Skin Damage: The luminary's body may suffer various burns, scalds, and even tumors. They might also age quickly, gaining new and deep wrinkles in a short amount of time.
- Bizarre Light Phenomena: The eyes and/or skin of a contaminated luminary might turn luminescent, and would glow brightly (with different colors) at advanced stages. In other cases, they might become translucent, allowing vision into their inner organs, or they might become completely transparent and invisible.
Some scholars argue that there are more advanced levels of Photo contamination, but no one in Troqua has ever survived the intense burns it causes.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
When a person is subjected repeatedly to high levels of Photo, they may suffer the following symptoms:
- Permanent vision damage.
- Lingering eye pain or headaches.
- Lasting burns, scars, or aged skin.
- Tumors that spread through the rest of the body, causing premature death.
- Body might remain aglow or transparent.
- Insomnia and other sleep issues due to persistent light in eyes.
Mental Effects
Luminaries often are kind people who enjoy giving charity and helping others. They might also develop a strong sense of justice and seek to punish those who do evil acts. This might become extreme for severely contaminated individuals who will harm others for minor aggressions, like beating someone bloody for littering or making slightly offensive jokes.
While academics can't explain this phenomenon scientifically, it's been thoroughly recorded and observed.
Cosmic Creatures
Miners believe that any of the critters, fish, or even algae that glow in the Deeps are luminaries, but that's not necessarily the case. Many of them produce light due to chemical reactions, and yet the discussion goes on due to the question that I mentioned at the start of this report.
Cultural Notes
About a hundred years ago, a fad started where girls would seek luminaries to paint light drawings on their bodies in the form of glowing tattoos. Later, luminaries refused to do this process when it was discovered that such acts can cause permanent damage to skin, a slew of other diseases, and even miscarriages and birth deformities.
Erebo Fantasia
By Ophell Frieken
Definition
Erebo is the worst strain of fantasia ever. Yes, it’s even worse than Necro, I know this now. It doesn’t only control darkness, it commands the concept of darkness. In people. In nature. In the abstract notions of injustice and cruelty.
No wonder the wardens hunt tenebraries then. The one thing I don’t understand is why are erbartz stones even allowed to be carried by anyone? Those things are vile. They must all be destroyed!
Natural Presence
I think the Deeps’ darkness is contaminated by Erebo. The way the miners describe it, how it swirls, chases, and corners them, how it devours light… it has to be contaminated.
Like other etherealist denominations, Erebo is stored in and around the eyes. But it can also smother the heart and pierce the brain as well.
Contamination Effects
Tenebraries don’t really care about Erebo’s effects on their bodies. At first, it’s inconvenient, even distressing, but once they reach the later stages, they become numb to the pain—no, they enjoy it, welcome it, seek it even!
Desire to inflict it upon others.
It starts with the eyes, as it always happens to etherealists. They blacken, their vision worsens, it hurts. Their skin pales and grows cold, and it burns under the light, same as shadowcasters, but it also attracts and even emits darkness, black tufts seeping from their pores like leaking smoke or mist. Light sources around them dim and even voices weaken. Then… the darkness takes over.
Their bodies start to morph into darkness, contaminating those nearby. It’s the others that suffer, that endure all the pain. In addition to the previous symptoms, they feel incredibly cold and crushed by an invisible weight. They can hardly breathe. And their minds start to twist as well, losing hope, reason, consciousness… or becoming like them.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
After a while, a tenebrary's eyes become eternally black, their skin chilled like a corpse's, and their bodies engulfed in a dark shroud. They cause misery and fatigue just by passing next to people, draining the joy and energy from their hearts.
Mental Effects
This is where it gets ugly. Where luminaries are kind, tenebraries are wicked. Where luminaries seek to change the world for the better, tenebraries lust after the opposite.
They're deranged. I couldn't find an academic source about how Erebo changes a person, but every single tenebrary I read about committed atrocious crimes. Sometimes, it's not from their sheer depravity, but from mere boredom, apathy, or even a nihilistic belief that it didn't matter what they did to people.
They always started with their own families, then moved to hunt luminaries for some odd reason. After that, they’d seek shadowcasters and deathseekers to cooperate or even enslave them with their darkness.
Cosmic Creatures
I couldn’t find any. I hope there are none.
Cultural Notes
People should start swearing by Erebo instead of Necro. Seriously, it’s messed up.
Also, I think I now know why the tribes in the Deeps are cannibals, or why they can survive there in the first place. It’s because they’ve all been corrupted by Erebo.
Umbra Fantasia
By Jakari Hiven
Definition
Umbra is awesome! It can make shadows dance and even grants access to the hidden shadow realm! Shadowcasters are greatly versatile, but are weak under light. Their umberzuli weapons are all super splendid too.
Natural Presence
Umbra exists in tiny traces in all shadowed regions. The longer an area remains shadowed–not darkened, shadowed–the stronger the concentration.
For shadowcasters, they store much of their charge in their eyes, but even more on their skin, which distributes the load and the contamination greatly.
Contamination Effects
Shadowcasters face perhaps the least threatening effects from excessive channeling as long as they stay away from light. The symptoms are painful, make no mistake, but they aren’t deadly.
- The eyes (and face) turn gray, and colors appear dimmer, softer. Slowly, they fade away until they can only see black and white.
- A cold pinprick sensation pecks at their skin constantly that grows in intensity the more they're contaminated. It's never fatal though but can become agonizing.
- Their shadows might start moving on their own if they're not careful, playing tricks on them, or even harming them. At later stages, it might even leave their bodies entirely and act on its own!
- Under light, even a soft shine, they suffer intense burns as if they’re trapped in an oven. They need to always be covered or they might burst into flames.
That’s about it for their symptoms, although there are more effects they suffer in the shadow realm that I couldn’t find any clues about.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
Many of the aforementioned effects linger and intensify after constant overchanneling. They might never see color again, and the tingling sensation lingers indefinitely, keeping them from sleep. Their skin becomes highly sensitive to light at all times, forcing them to live in darkness. And many of them spend their final years without a shadow, as the thing had long left them, becoming an independent creature.
Mental Effects
Paranoia, insomnia, photophobia, and nyctophobia are all manifestations of the mental shock shadowcasters suffer through. They particularly believe their shadow is coming to kill and replace them, and since they can't go out in the light, they live in constant vigil in the darkness.
In extreme cases, they might hallucinate, believing they had already been killed and they're now the shadow that has taken over. This deep confusion causes psychotic and manic episodes where they lose control over themselves.
Cosmic Creatures
There are many rumors about all kinds of creatures that live in the shadow realm, but no concrete evidence about any. I'm happy it's this way; it's best those things remain confined to their world and us to ours.
Cultural Notes
Many people associate Umbra with Necro and Erebo which are far worse, but the hate is not warranted. Just because a contaminated shadowcaster has dark or grey eyes doesn't mean they're evil.
Jella leaned back in her sofa, softly rubbing her belly. At last, she was finished and could go to sleep. She took a deep breath then looked at the marked papers in her hand.
Kaleb's research was extensive and he well-deserved an A. Ophell's tone and style was unprofessional and he went on personal tangents that should have been edited out. She understood the boy was perturbed by what he'd read, but that wasn't an excuse for the quality he'd submitted. She'd given him a B. And finally, Jakari, the student Jella thought hadn't submitted his paper, had actually done good work with the strain he'd handled. His presentation could have been better, but it was acceptable. B+.
When she got up, her back ached and her legs cramped under her belly's weight. She hadn't realized how long she'd been pinned down in that position. As she dragged her feet up the helical stairs to the bedroom, she wondered why Lyonel's paper was missing. Had she misplaced or lost it?
Knock, knock.
She paused, staring down over the railing at the door. It was almost midnight and a terrible rain drenched the city. The only persons who might visit at this time were patients in need of urgent care.
Hurriedly, she wrapped her night robe close as she descended, heading to the door.
Dray Illyne stood outside holding an umbrella, his lower half soaked. His brother Lyonel stood beside him, almost completely wet as the high umbrella didn't cover him. He was wiping his glasses when she opened and rushed to put them on.
"We're sorry to bother you at this hour, Mrs. Medhar," Dray said with an apologetic smile. He was in a dirty constable training uniform, its edges torn, a large sewn patch on his chest. He put a dripping hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed. Perhaps a bit too harshly.
"Lyonel here had lost track of time in the library and forgot to submit his paper. We were hoping you'd accept this late submission even at the cost of a low grade."
"I-I'm sorry for being late, Mrs. Medhar," Lyonel spoke softly. "I couldn't find the sources I needed and didn't want to give an incomplete report." From his pocket he handed her a folded set of papers. Their edges were wet.
Jella moved aside. "Get in, quickly."
Dray started. “We don’t—”
"In! I'm getting cold."
Sheepishly, the two boys complied. The wind howled as Jella pressed the door shut.
“Go to the living room, I’ll be there in a second.”
Dray must have been training late again and Lyonel had spent his entire day drowned in books. They looked tired, gaunt, and it was a wonder they'd managed to fight the wind and rain to travel all the way to her house with such light clothing. Ever since their mother had passed away, the pair had trouble keeping food on the table, and despite hers and other neighbors' invitations, the boys insisted on feasting only on their pride.
She entered her kitchen. From the icebox she retrieved today's leftovers and threw them in a pan on the pyrpphire stove. A few minutes later, steam rose from the stew and she poured it quickly into two bowls.
“I won’t accept a no,” she announced as she handed them the food. “No guest leaves my house with an empty stomach.”
A shy glance passed between the boys before they picked up their spoons. Their first few spoonfuls were hesitant, testing. Then they dug into their meal, finishing the whole portion within seconds. Lyonel even licked his bowl until Dray knuckled his head.
“Sit tight,” Jella said. “I’ll mark your paper quickly.”
Hmmm, Sapo? Interesting…
Sapo Fantasia
By Lyonel Illyne
Definition
The domain of Sapo fantasia contains: cleanness, sterilization, cleansing, freshening, healing, lubrication, greasing, and moisturization. Any substance that can cause any of these effects can theoretically be controlled with Sapo, such as: soap, bubbles, disinfectants, slime, perfume, and many chemical solutions.
Channelers: Bubbleblowers AKA Cleansers.
Gems available in Troqua: Saporyl (Mundus crystallus lubricatus) & Katharper (Mundus crystallus purificans).
Natural Presence
Sapo is rarely found in nature, but it can be found in trace amounts in human environments.
Category 1: Places that are cleaned regularly: Baths, washrooms, and launderettes.
Sapo can be found here in faint amounts (~100 auroras) on freshly cleaned surfaces. This count quickly plummets upon usage.
Category 2: Places that are meant to be always clean: Hospitals, laboratories, and certain factories.
Sapo flourishes here (~500 auroras) after sterilization. The numbers remain constant as any pollution that affects these settings is considered an intrusion to be removed quickly.
For bubbleblowers: Sapo resides on the skin, hair, under nails, and throughout the digestive system. Though it has the capacity to spread into other organs as well.
Contamination Effects
The symptoms of Sapo contamination vary depending on controlled items, completed actions, and astrum composition.
Body Secretions
A slimy matter is produced through the skin, along with other fluids.
- Early Stages: The skin becomes smooth and slippery. Mouth becomes watery.
- Middle Stages: Face puffs up due to closed pores. Nose leaks heavily. Hair clumps together, becoming greasy.
- Advanced Stages: Bubbles and foam are emitted through the skin constantly. Anything that comes in contact with this matter loses its friction. Keeping clothes on becomes a challenge.
Smell
The secretions a bubbleblower produces have distinct scents.
- Early Stages: A mostly pleasant, soapy aroma wafts from the channeler.
- Middle Stages: The odor intensifies, becoming quite saccharine.
- Advanced Stages: A putrid fetor is emitted from the channeler and anything they touch. The stenches vary between that of an open sewer and a rotting corpse.
Respiratory Issues
Due to the secretions, the bubbleblower has trouble breathing.
- Early Stages: Mild fatigue.
- Middle Stages: Considerable troubles with breathing as the trachea and lungs fill up with slime.
- Advanced Stages: The channeler might choke on their own secretions.
Digestive Issues
As much of Sapo concentrates along the digestive system, many issues arise besides those caused by the secretion.
- Early Stages: Queasiness and constant feeling of being full.
- Middle Stages: Nausea intensifies. Channeler might vomit multiple times.
- Advanced Stages: Diarrhea and loss of control over bodily functions as everything becomes too slippery.
Other Systems
As Sapo spreads through the body, a host of other issues may rise.
- Advanced Stages: Organs may shift their positions. Muscles may slip and tear easily.
- Extreme Stages: Joints dislocate easily. Organs are crushed as internal structure collapses.
Repeated Long-Term Exposure Effects
After the channeler reaches the advanced stages multiple times, permanent changes happen to their body:
- The slime persists at all times. Mouth and nose don’t stop running. Hair remains greasy.
- The channeler would have an overtly sweet odor.
- Constant fatigue and troubles breathing, especially at night.
- Trouble keeping food in when eating and after digestion.
- Muscles and joints are susceptible to damage when lifting heavy weights.
Mental Effects
After years of channeling Sapo irresponsibly, bubbleblowers often become germaphobes and clean freaks. They insist on keeping everything spotless themselves, and might spend hours rubbing an imaginary stain. They may also suffer from OCD, GAD, or schizophrenia, with a focus and need to keep everything clean.
As such, these ailments might make them antisocial, and force them to remain inside spaces they deem hygienic. This greatly affects their relationships and isolates them from their communities.
Cosmic Creatures
Attached are anatomical drawings of the following creatures:
- Lustral Slime (Lutogaster lustralis): This pale blue slime can be found on trees in Florald District. It secretes a faint sheen as it digests impurities, breaking them down into harmless salts.
- Sanctopus (Octaviscus elapsus): This small and slick cephalopod is extremely hard to chew and can escape through its predator’s teeth by squeezing through. It’s considered a delicacy by merchants in Troqua, but is extremely hard and frustrating to catch and cook.
- Zephyrella (Orchis miasmophaga): This orchid produces a continuous, gentle current of scented air around itself, creating a localized zone free of stench, smoke, or lingering fumes.
Cultural Notes
- Sapo Potential
As bubbleblowers are rare in Troqua, many misconceptions surround Sapo, and most people don’t know it even exists. Natural Sapo only makes things slippery, it doesn’t have the power to clean or cleanse things on its own. This is different of course when channeled by a bubbleblower or when emitted from a saporyl gem.
- Sapo Applications
Back when there was an active bubbleblower, women would seek her out to get contaminated in order to have smooth skin. Moreover, people with digestive diseases (chronic constipation) or joint stiffness (petrified miners or arthritis patients) would ask for help with their troubles.
- Katharper Uniqueness
Katharpers are some of the rarest gemstones in Troqua with little information about them existing in the public domain. One fact that I could find was that in 628AA, Chief Warden Hiliba Landi always carried a katharper with her when she went on trade runs. It's not confirmed, but katharpers could have the potential to cleanse fantasia and accelerate decontamination.
Jella tilted her head, heartily awestruck by Lyonel's deep research. Many of the information he presented she didn't know, including those about katharpers. And those drawings he'd provided were just so exquisite and rich with details it made her jealous.
She doubted that she, given the time, would be able to produce such a report.
She met his expectant gaze and smiled. "Congrats," she said. "You're the only one who got an A+."