Magicite, the crystalline weave trapped within glowing green ore, has been a a vital part of both industry and magical inquiry for the hundreds of years since it's discovery. Whether it is powering colossal Mag-engines, or being used to improve the efficiency of arcane manipulation, Magicite is as irreplaceable to the city of Harmony, as other staples such as coal and steam.
With the vast demand for this material, comes an equally vast network of mines, refineries, factories, and forges, all pumping out vast quantities of Magicite contaminated waste. River of sickly green waste water and brackish sludge that invariably filters it's way down to the 5 Strata. As is always the case for societal injustice, it is the people least equipped to handle catastrophic environmental changes that are invariable forced to adapt to it. Clean water in the 5 strata is such a valuable asset that gang enforcers are referred to as 'water carriers', both for the wealth the gangs wield, and for the punishment they inflict upon those that have fallen out of favour. Transgressions against the gang are measured in 'cups', meaning the amount of Magicite polluted water the victim would be forced to drink before their debt is cleared. It should be noted, that even a single cup of Magicite polluted water is typically fatal to a healthy adult. For those that are exposed to Magicite in these dosages, Whether by force imbibing or environmental exposure, death is slow and painful, as the weave unravels in the body, tearing it apart cell by cell.
In rare cases, a child of high magical potential is able to overcome this process, and though disfiguring, able to gain significant boosts to their abilities. Mag-stained individual's skin is often burned and scarred where the weave had wrought it's terrible work and a sickly green glow behind their eyes and in their larger veins is visible in dim light.
Mag-stained are met with a pitying contempt, like a stray dog or unwelcome guest with no-where to go. Their magical potential makes them more than human, but also a living reminder of the circumstances that all of the 5 Strata populace is forced to endure. For this reason, many Mag-stained leave the 5 Strata to find work in the Books district, or in Rail-Crews, where misfits and broken people often accumulate.
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