| Category | Events |
| Location | any |
| Period | magic induced |
The deadening effect is caused by excessive use of magic in a 50' cubic area. It results in a weakening of the fabric which makes up the Web of Magic. Five percent of all deadening effects are permanent, with not even the mighty weave spiders capable of repairing. This results in the area having a permanent Deadening Effect - Wild Zone, Dead Magic Zone, Zone of Great Magic, Zone of Reduced Magic covering an area of at least one cubic mile.
For the world Bal-Kriav, the greatest number of deadening effects came about in the Gulimbor Cataclysm (996 - 1203) when the First Khazarkar Empire went out of control with their magic use. The regions Gulimbor and Urizigar were the most affected by the cataclysm so they have the large concentration of them.
Deadening Effects can also produce beneficial effects. The chance is 20% for them to come about with an area becoming either a Zone of Extended Magic or a Zone of Great Magic.
On the farthest eastern edge of Ice Cap is an area called Cubewrack. This area has effects exactly like Deadening Effects, but instead of coming from damaging the Web of Magic, those at Cubewrack come from concentrations of magic pouring off the Cube of Arcane.
These are general rules used to determine when an area becomes subject to the deadening effect. Every mage spell and arcane spell-like power draws on the Web of Magic. Stronger magical powers draw more magical energy and increase the risk of a deadening effect. This chance is called the incident value. When defiler magic is involved, double the incident value.
| Spell Level | Incident Value | Incident Value from Arcane Pooling |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 9 | 10 | 12 |
During each round of spell-casting the Incident Value is cumulated for all spells cast within a 50' cubic area [2,500 cubic feet]. When the incident value reaches 50, the following table is consulted to determine the outcome. At the end of the round, the Incident Value is reset to zero. There is a 2% cumulative chance per round of a weave spider attacking any one in the area that uses magic while they do these repairs.
| Chance | Type of Deadening Effect |
|---|---|
| 0-45% | No effect |
| 46-55% | Wild Zone |
| 56-60% | Dead Magic Zone |
| 61-70% | Zone of Extended Magic |
| 71-80% | Zone of Great Magic |
| 81-90% | Zone of Reduced Magic |
| 91-100% | Cascade |
After a deadening effect happens (46% or higher), weave spiders will be in the vicinity, repairing the damages. Depending on the type of deadening effect (see table below), this could take days to weeks.