The Null Fields

The Null Fields manifest as pockets of utter emptiness, regions devoid of all sound, light, and even magical energy. Within these zones, the laws of physics appear to break down, making navigation treacherous and survival nearly impossible. They may be entered via the Warped Gates. The Silent Monks of Durin's Peak claim these Fields are not natural phenomena, but rather the result of a catastrophic disruption of Auric Resonance, perhaps caused by the reckless use of Aetherium Conduits in the Lost City of Umbral.

Some believe the Forgotten Smith attempted to seal these breaches in reality, creating the Resonance Dampeners to contain the spread of the Null Fields. Others claim that the Order of the Azure Hand secretly maintains these fields, using them as prisons for dissidents and heretics. It is said that prolonged exposure to a Null Field can lead to madness, as the mind struggles to comprehend the utter absence of sensation. Even the Shadow-Goblins avoid these desolate regions, perhaps sensing a void even deeper than their own existence. The only creatures that thrive in the Null Fields are the Void Wyrms, serpentine beings that feed on the absence of energy. The Crimson Cartographers refuse to map these areas, fearing that their maps will become corrupted by the nothingness. Only a chosen few who can read the Runes of Null know how to tread these dangerous lands.

The Sunstone of Aethelgard is of little use here, its light swallowed by the all-consuming darkness. The Gnomish Tinkers have attempted to create devices to penetrate the fields, but all have failed, their contraptions dissolving into dust upon entering. The Deep-Delvers believe the fields are a punishment for the hubris of surface dwellers. It is said that the Vault of Whispers is merely an echo of the fields themselves. The Skyclaw Griffons stay away from these areas, and even the Cobalt Corsairs cannot penetrate them with their ships. It might lead to the location of the mythical Emptiness Forge. The Chapter of Silence details this threat in Elder Borin's Chronicles.