Altered Lore

The Turmoil

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The Turmoil

Overview

The Turmoil is a vast expanse of clouds that the Expeditionary Corps flotilla traverses on its journey from Sofia toward a second signal of light to the southwest. Named by expedition personnel, the region consists of an endless sea of clouds with the Tumult roaring constantly beneath the cloud cover. The sky above may appear blue or starry, but the underlying volatility poses constant danger to the fleet.

Geography

The Turmoil manifests as a dense cloud layer separating the clear skies above from the Tumult-infested regions below. “Bubbles and waves of Tumult” periodically rise through updrafts to burst at the cloud surface, creating hazardous conditions for vessels traversing the region.

Hazards

Tumult Pockets

Tumult pockets can explode at the cloud surface with devastating effect. The cruiser AES Concord sustained severe hull corrosion when one such pocket detonated, forcing the vessel to turn back for repairs. The four main shielded ships—The Ouroboros, The Wayfarer, Mesektet, and Mandjet—sustained only minor degradation due to their more effective shielding against mutagenic winds.

Health Effects

Prolonged exposure to the volatile Aether carried by the Turmoil causes an affliction with symptoms eerily similar to Remanence. Though temporary, the condition frequently relapses among crew members. The Rati physicians and their Eidolons work tirelessly to ease suffering, assisted by Muna experimenters using leeches capable of siphoning parasitic Aether.

Potential Leviathan

Multiple lookouts reported seeing a massive shadow beneath the cloud surface following the convoy. The entity may be a known Leviathan such as Terat or Garuda, or something previously unencountered. Whether peaceful, curious, or predatory remains unknown.

The flotilla maintains tight formation while crossing the Turmoil, limiting reconnaissance capacity. Constant detours and stoppages slow progress to a crawl. Axiom, Ordis, and Yzmir collaborate on developing probes capable of piercing the cloud vault to map what lies beneath and identify potential Oases—suitable landing zones for gathering resources. Early attempts failed, but teams remain confident in designing sensor modules durable enough to endure Tumult conditions.

Lighter vessels that arrived with Mandjet were positioned above the heavy ships to serve as observation posts and shelter the fleet from potential harm.

Timeline

393 AC, October 15 - Fleet Crossing

Admiral Temera Singh documented the fleet’s crossing in her log after nearly two weeks of traversing the Turmoil. The convoy had approximately 150 nautical miles remaining to reach the destination—the source of the second light signal that appeared after The Hunger’s defeat. The fleet had resupplied above the City of Scholars before departure.

393 AC - The Whiplash Barrier

As the fleet neared the end of its crossing, with the pillar of light only a few nautical miles away, the armada encountered The Whiplash—a double-funnel cyclonic tornado with counter-rotating winds exceeding 500 kilometers per hour. The barrier blocked the fleet’s final approach, destroying all reconnaissance drones sent through. Admiral Temera Singh suspected it was deliberately erected as a protective measure.

393 AC - Whiplash Crossing and Arrival at Asty

The fleet crossed The Whiplash in approximately three hours using Leviathans led by Halua as a vanguard. Upon emerging into the cyclone’s eye, the Expeditionary Corps discovered Asty, a living megalopolis inhabited by the Reka people, marking the completion of the Turmoil crossing and the culmination of the fleet’s journey from Sofia.

Relationships

  • Expeditionary Corps: Force crossing the Turmoil toward the second signal
  • Temera Singh: Grand Admiral commanding the 18-ship fleet (October 393 AC)
  • The Ouroboros: Flagship traversing the Turmoil
  • The Wayfarer: Lyra Sahanka in the convoy
  • Mesektet: Ordis flagship providing escort
  • Mandjet: Ordis flagship leading flotilla of AES vessels
  • AES Concord: Cruiser severely damaged by Tumult pocket explosion
  • Sofia: Outpost the fleet departed from after resupply
  • City of Scholars: Location above which fleet resupplied
  • The Hunger: Entity whose defeat triggered the second light signal
  • Rati: Medical practitioners treating Turmoil-induced affliction
  • Muna: Faction experimenting with leech-based Aether siphoning treatment
  • Saskia Averina: Researcher Singh intends to appoint as Greenhouse leader
  • The Whiplash: Double-funnel cyclone at the edge of the Turmoil blocking final approach to the pillar of light (393 AC)
  • Asty: Reka city discovered at the center of the Whiplash’s eye (393 AC)
  • The Reka: Human civilization discovered at journey’s end (393 AC)
  • Halua: Leviathan that led the crossing of the Whiplash (393 AC)

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