Infrastructure Radiation

Originally, Orīrī's infrastructure was intact and fully functional. Like Kipara's, it had the ability to reprocess its radioactive waste. Unfortunately, over millennia, as the AI degraded, so too did the process responsible for properly recycling this waste. As a result, Orīrī infrastructure has been leaking radioactive waste into its surroundings long before it first created life. This radiation may have mutated the created species, causing abnormal lifespans, brighter colourings and intense arcane abilities. The exact extent of radiation is unknown, but trace amounts can be found in every species of Orīrī, including ones not born on Ybis, as the POPs extends through all of space-time.

The radiation that infrastructure produces is magic-based, for magic is a renewable resource that is easily accessed and used to power the infrastructure via reactors. These reactors are similar to the design of nuclear fission reactors, producing radioactive waste which typically would be recycled back into the infrastructure. However, due to extreme degradation, the AI no longer remember how and/or to recycle this radiation, instead dumping it into the planet around them. This is slowly irradiating the whole planet, but due to POPs, the process is quickened and slowed (depending on the POP), leading to each POP having various different levels of irradiation. Radiation exposure does not have any positive effects and does not mutate people outside of turning them into werebeasts. Instead, it makes them sick, developing symptoms similar to nuclear radiation exposure. It is possible to live a full life with this sickness, but it will remain a chronic issue until death.

As POPs do not pass into other planes, radiation is isolated to Orīrī.

The effects of this radiation are most notable in POPs, as the creatures within are afflicted with wondrous and chaotic magical abilities. Some are born with the ability to teleport unwillingly, others can turn completely invisible, and many are born sterile. This radioactive mutation often spills out into the surrounding world, as POP creatures are not bound to remain within POPs. As a result, a diverse array of magical species have evolved from irradiated POP creatures mating with non-irradiated subspecies. Some scientists have speculated that the Dranostwin is a result of this radiation, but its nativity to Kipara invalidates this theory. Instead, POPs are responsible for some dragons having a sentient level of intelligence and the existence of unicorns that can shapeshift into humanoids. Radiation is also responsible for the creation of werebeasts, as injury warps the POPs temporal abilities to heal itself. Since the POPs magic is irradiated, it mutates what it is healing, turning the person into a werebeast; this is why a werebeast cannot be created artificially, as arcanists lack the radioactive aspect to their magic (see The Origins of Werebeasts for more). Post-mutation, werebeasts do not suffer the effects of radiation, their bodies having adapted to survive harsh conditions.

Certain spells can provide temporary immunity to radiation or protection from exposure. These spells are often used by the Etzal in order to move within or around POPs. Some wanderers have also learnt these spells or created their own versions.

Extreme exposure to this radiation can also kill as effectively as POPs - it is hypothesized that acceleration POPs speed up the process of radiation exposure and poisoning, killing the unfortunate victim faster and far more painfully than a non-irradiated POPs. Returning to or living with a POP is inadvisable unless you are immune to the POP, as you can die a painful and unavoidable death from radiation exposure. Even if one is immune to the POP, it is not advisable due to long-term radiation exposure. For example, Etzal priests who lived around their Mother Tree were only prevented from dying from radiation poisoning due to the deceleration of time, which greatly reduced the level of radiation they were exposed to.

Neuterium is irradiated as it is found in/near POPs, increasing the radiation exposure of Ybis residents due to their consumption of drugs such as Ether and Neuorcaine. Addicts often die of radiation exposure rather than overdose.

Do Soels retain this irradiation when returning to Soelcycl? - Additional Author