Blightzones

Blightzones represent catastrophic ruptures in the fabric of reality where the Nemither bleeds into realspace, creating nightmarish regions where the laws of physics break down and aberrations can freely manifest. These devastating phenomena first appeared during the early stages of the War for Eternity, primarily created through the reality-warping powers of Dystus, the fallen god of annihilation.

A blightzone manifesting over an Omnium Theocracy district, moments before aberration emergence

Nature and Characteristics

Blightzones manifest as swirling vortexes of anti-reality, where the stable laws of the universe begin to unravel and merge with the chaotic nature of the Nemither. The surrounding space becomes distorted, with matter and energy behaving in impossible ways. Gravity may reverse or fluctuate wildly, time might flow at different rates or even backwards, and solid objects can phase in and out of existence. The very air within a blightzone becomes toxic to most living beings, saturated with the corrupting essence of the Nemither.

The boundaries of blightzones are never static, instead pulsing and shifting like living membranes. They can expand or contract without warning, consuming additional territory or temporarily receding. The corrupted space within appears as a twisted mirror of reality, where colors shift to impossible spectrums and geometries defy euclidean mathematics. Many observers report seeing shadowy shapes moving within these distortions, though whether these are aberrations preparing to emerge or simply manifestations of the zone's chaotic nature remains unclear.

Formation and Spread

The creation of a blightzone requires immense power, typically channeled through the Dark Pantheon's divine abilities. Dystus has proven particularly adept at tearing these holes in reality, though other corrupted gods have demonstrated the ability to create smaller ruptures. Once established, blightzones can persist indefinitely without additional power, slowly growing and spreading their influence to surrounding areas.

The process of blightzone formation begins with a localized weakening of reality's fundamental structure. This weakening creates microscopic fissures between realspace and the Nemither, which rapidly expand as the corrupting influence of the dark dimension pours through. Without intervention, these fissures will continue to grow until they form a stable portal between the two realms. The final stage of formation is marked by the emergence of Nemithic crystals, dark crystalline growths that anchor the blightzone to realspace and prevent it from naturally closing.

Strategic Significance

For the forces of the Omnium Theocracy, blightzones represent one of the greatest strategic threats they face. These ruptures serve as staging grounds for aberration armies, allowing the Dark Pantheon's forces to bypass conventional defenses and strike directly at the heart of defended territories. The unpredictable nature of blightzones also makes them extremely difficult to contain or eliminate once established.

The Lawwatch has developed specialized protocols for detecting and responding to blightzone formation, including the deployment of reality anchors - powerful devices created by Elysian technomancers to stabilize local space-time and prevent the spread of Nemithic corruption. However, these measures are often reactive rather than preventative, as the technology to predict where blightzones will form remains elusive.

Containment and Closure

The process of containing and closing a blightzone requires tremendous resources and often results in heavy casualties. The Lawwatch's Foldspace Guard Division typically leads these operations, employing specialized equipment and tactics developed through bitter experience. The most effective method discovered thus far involves the use of Vulkatan flamestone, which seems to possess natural properties that can stabilize and eventually seal reality breaches.

Standard containment procedure involves establishing a perimeter of reality anchors around the blightzone while specialized teams work to locate and destroy the Nemithic crystals maintaining the breach. This must be done while simultaneously defending against waves of aberrations attempting to prevent the zone's closure. Even successful operations often leave behind areas of residual corruption, where the laws of physics remain slightly distorted and the barrier between dimensions remains thinner than normal.

Environmental Impact

The presence of a blightzone causes severe and often permanent damage to the surrounding environment. Plant and animal life exposed to Nemithic corruption typically dies or undergoes horrific mutations, while inorganic materials may be transformed into impossible substances that defy analysis. The very ground beneath a blightzone often becomes unstable, with some cases resulting in the formation of permanent gravity wells or areas where time flows differently than the surrounding space.

Water sources near blightzones become tainted with Nemithic energy, creating what the Lawwatch terms "dark wells" - bodies of liquid that appear normal but cause severe psychological and physical effects in any who come in contact with them. The air itself becomes charged with corrupt energy, creating aurora-like displays that local populations have learned to recognize as warning signs of imminent aberration activity.

See Also

• The War for Eternity
• Aberrations
• The Dark Pantheon