the fog roaming the surface has rendered most areas uninhabitable. prolonged exposure results in crystals forming in places that are undesirable for continued survival.
i format this better later. Yay
uhh basically soul + coagulant in the air. areas shift from being soul-saturated to not. saturated areas have crystals form on surfaces, with crystals being prioritized over bare surfaces. this is why the surface sucks for anything that likes moving. crystals slowly sublimate back into fog. viscous soul, or Juice, forms within large enough crystals, which evaporates rapidly if left out.
the cavern ceiling of the depths prevents the fog from seeping through and killing everything below, though enough soul flows through to still be able to form roaming patches of saturated area.
many depth dwellers use Juice for various things. Juice refinement produces a powerful fuel source as well as Slop™️ that allows for production and maintaining of AI. wandering mechae scavenge raw Juice to fuel themselves.
soul overexposure ranges from feeling your head get all tingly to having your thought processes feel like they're being blended to crystals forming. ouch!
one of the few creatures that can survive their body being crystallized by the fog, on account of not having a body. their spirit is bound to a physical object. if this is destroyed, they will begin to lose body cohesion and sanity over time, before dissipating into fog.
tastes like fabric and stardust
