A ongoing survey of Wild, Dead and Null zones and the questions thereby endlessly created.
What are wild zones and their features?
Wild zones, often named as wild magic areas, are locations in which normal casting is unstable. Spells of both an arcane or divine nature, whether cast by a mage, priest or activated via an artificed item, will surge resulting in unintended and often lethal situations. (for more on surges see my re-categorisation of wild magic surges or Aiko Firehart’s earlier works) Wild zones can be further broken down as to whether they also affect the manipulation of psionic energies. Some zones prevent the individual mind bender from manifesting their mental powers.
Dead or Null zones are a zone where all arcane or divine magic cast within the area ceases to function. Again, whether this affects psionics is variable. Null zones by themselves have often been attributed to the presence of illithids or their lairs.
In all of the above cases, magic or psionic effects can be safely cast outside the zone and often carried in. Though some areas seem to leech and even dispel longer term wardings simply by passing through them. However it is obvious that wild and null zones affect the physical laws of the prime and the metaphysical laws of magic and psionics. I would surmise that it is external manipulations of energy that are mostly blocked or impaired as experimentation has proven in the few times I have been able to access such sites and individuals with such abilities. I refer to my experiments within the Mikonian Wild zone (more on this location below shortly) Interestingly both a psion and a palemaster were inhibited with their external manipulations of their abilities.
A Palemaster’s ability to draw on external negative energy failed, yet when they attempted to drawn on the negative energies within their arm, they were able to manifest effects much like a paralysation spell. I would surmise that perhaps as the energies were drawn from within the arm, there was no need to shape it so much, so less shaping equals less chance for it to be twisted and surge.
The psion could draw in energies and affect items around her within the null zone. However in the wild magic zone below, she could feel the energy only just not work it. They stated it felt “blocked like when infected with Xenon's curse.” However they could still manage to heal themselves, using the “ki” within themselves. As I understood their explanation, ki is the positive energy that exists within us all and it’s reserves can be drawn upon by skilled and trained individuals.
How are wild magic zones created and powered?
To answer this question we must examine specific locations as the 'how', 'why' and just plain 'what the hells', often vary.
City of Mikona - Wild - Both magic and Psionic, - Null - Magic
The area underneath is full of uncontrolled energies that interupt any spellcasting, and in far more regularity than my own whole casting. By my count perhaps even so often as 1 in 10! The area’s energies originate from a unstable portal, that appears to have a unstable connection to limbo, as evidenced by the amount of planar creatures from that plane emerging from it’s maw. I saw green slaads,(amusingly even their own spells were surging against them) and numerous grey skinned humanoids known as Gith. Many elementals cluster in this area, though if they are also drawn from other planes, or merely attracted by the energies within the area, I could find no evidence. Interestingly the area surrounding this place, is a dead magic zone. Is this a side effect of the portal, or merely a newly formed dead zone as the Portal’s wild magic zone retreats? More research is needed to measure the size and diameter of this area.
I have undertaken further research which has since revealed the unstable portal is the result of a conflict between a powerful undead being known as Bia'taron (a kind of lich?) and the group known as the Keepers of the Cycle. The cave under the temple district is the site of their final encounter. At it's deepest depths there lies a portal suspended with the remains of an arcane device. This portal was built by Bia'taron with the purpose of connecting to the plane of Hades, and bringing Bia'Tarons demon master here. The portal was designed to be an exceptionally powerful one as this one as intended to allow the demon to fully manifest on this plane, with it's full power. I can here quote Magus Seylek directly as he was there to witness the confrontation and has been kind enough to inform me of the event.
"The central component of the portal was a crystalline artifact which had originally been created several decades before as a soul jar to imprison Bia'Taron. Over time, the crystal was corrupted, and after Bia'taron escaped it was re-purposed as a conduit for the demons power. This crystal sustained Bia'tarons unlife, making him impossible to destroy while the crystal remained intact, and it also served as a weapon, and as a power source and controlling mechanism for the portal. Ultimately, it became necessary to destroy the crystal. It was shattered, and the portal collapsed as the demon was attempting to pass through. To the best of our knowledge, the demon was torn between the two planes and destroyed utterly. All fragments of the crystal that could be found were collected, and removed from the site, although keen eyed explored have been known to occasionally find pieces I missed. As far as I can determine, these crystal fragments are now completely inert, all magic gone from them with the death of the demon that corrupted the crystal."
After this the portal once active, became self-sustaining, powered by the it's own wild magic fluctuations. I have been informed that the Portal's typical behavior only allows one way passage and will shift at random through different planes, bringing a the breadth of planar creatures found within the caves. It has been known on rarer occasions to allow passage off-plane. It has also proved impossible to affect the portal magically, as any arts used nearby it, are rendered useless by it's very nature.
Hills of Tumult Ex-Wild zone, previously magic, psionic unknown.
Once this zone was a true wild zone. Creatures and peoples roamed madly, conjured up or driven mad by this area, but as time has passed since the Gnomish disaster, the wild energies have faded. Spells now function normally, though the air is still tinged with the distinctive smell of ozone, and the prickle of energy. Slaads have seen fit to colonise a small section of this area (of which you can find a more detailed examination of these creatures in my other writings) Like the zone beneath the city of Mikona, other planar creatures from Limbo inhabit this place, oozes and the bizarrely black and white limbears. Perhaps they feel at home in the wild areas and are drawn here? Or perhaps the barriers between the planes are thinner here?
The Mines south of Port Nireth. Wild and Null - particulars unknown
A beholder beast inhabits a twisted maze of mineshafts, within lies a wild and dead zone of magic. I am currently preparing a extended expedition to this fecking hole as so far I have not been able to find a way deeper in.
A fallen star within Delgos. Null zone - particulars unknown.
I have not had the chance to investigate this area as yet, but I have heard from a Dwarvern Cleric of Clangeddin, that once a star fell upon Delgos. It’s impact casued magic to snarl, causing a wild magic zone to form, which like the Hills of Tumult faded. Apparently, this area is now a dead zone to magic. It’s affect on psionics is currently unknown.
A wild zone that once exisited near Lake Cresatoria in Visimontium.
It was apparently dissipated without any long term harmful effects by the White psi-mage Reyes. Whether due to approaching senility or just sheer laziness, she cannot remember how she achieved this. Nor do the white order have any record of such as at the time, she was not yet a member of their order. Which is just fantastic. Am i the only mage who understands how important writing this shit down in an easily accessible place is?
The Wastelands. Wild - Both magic and Psionic?
The ruined and twisted centre of what was once the Orcish land of Dobrekkon, before the events of the Great Evocation shattered the world as it was once known and fire fell upon the world. What lives here amongst the endless storms and poisoned land, is fierce, ever changing and deadly. The land itself is howling, disorienting, oppressive, violent,and mostly dead. It is said to be a true hunting ground for those who seek to hunt the deadliest of beasts and many treasure seekers search fruitlessly for the many lost facets of history buried in it’s poisoned earth. Small communities of Changelings live here apparently, unaffected by the land about them, whilst all others wither away.
I would one day love to mount an expedition to this blasted land, to survey it’s untamed magics, it’s snarled deadlands. Would this place provide clues as to how the Great Evocation was interrupted? Would this place reveal yet unknown secrets of how wild magic may be tamed? Or is this place simply a warning? One day soon I shall seek it out.
Conclusion
A worrying trend has emerged in the ‘lifespan’ of these chaotic areas of magic. Wild zones are formed by extreme magical cataclysms, which unless continually powered by some arcane or planar source, eventually slowly dissipate. It would appear that magic does not return in these areas, instead forming a ‘scar’ know as a dead or null zone. I do not know if over time, these scars would heal. As evidenced by Magus Reynes mysterious work in Cresatoria, wild zones can be safely dealt with, with no long term damage. At worst we face several areas in the Mikonian surrounds that could be dead to magic unless properly dealt with, at best, these zones will 'naturally' come into equilibrium with the normalised areas around them. Unsurprisingly enough, investigation into wild zones has raised only more questions, upon which more research and even more surveys must be undertaken.
