#i just couldnt shake the mental image of someone casting a powerful spell only to have fractures open up in their hand and finger bones

[valtsv]

a side effect of magic systems that drain your life force if you overextend yourself or try to harness more power than you possess should be that your body starts to fall apart as it draws on your reserves to make up the deficit. old wounds should reopen, bones should become brittle and break, your immune system should weaken, and your organs should begin to fail and die if you push yourself too far. your body shouldn't simply crumble to dust, but rot, sloughing away in agonising chunks as the necrosis spreads.