Tumult Depression

Overview

The Tumult Depression is a permanent Tumult storm located southwest of the City of Scholars, blocking the Expeditionary Corps’ path to the second column of light that appeared after Sofia’s liberation. The depression’s mutagenic pressure is approximately sixteen times stronger than any Tumult Singularity ever studied in Asgartha.

Characteristics

Yzmir forecasters at Nilam Spires have observed and analyzed the depression for months, finding no sign of weakening. The mutagenic currents are strikingly steady, with continuous generation flowing from the west. Toxicity increases the closer one approaches the center.

According to Sylas, approaching the depression’s center would eventually reach an edge—a boundary beyond which no law holds sway, where reason yields to madness. Beyond that limit, nothing would make sense, and every certainty would crumble. At the cyclone’s heart lies “the true unknown.”

Strategic Challenge

The depression presents a critical obstacle for the Rediscovery Endeavor. If the exploration forces wish to reach the beam of light that appeared on the horizon after the City’s purification, they must somehow cross or circumvent this Tumult zone.

Proposed Solutions

Direct Crossing: Considered impossible. Even Exalts may struggle to withstand the mutagenic pressure at 16x normal Singularity strength.

Circumnavigation: Would require months or years given limited resources and funds—deemed impractical.

Aerial Bypass: Sylas proposed flying over the cyclone’s eye using four vessels: The Ouroboros, The Wayfarer, Mesektet, and Mandjet. Satrap Zaj Ke Va agreed to study this proposal further, noting it would provide Yzmir valuable research opportunities into the Tumult.

Possible Origin

The depression may be connected to the second column of light that rose hundreds of kilometers to the southwest when The Hunger was destroyed. Whether something is creating the depression intentionally—and whether the signal originates from within the cyclone’s eye—remains unknown.

Relationships

• City of Scholars: Located northeast of the depression
• Sofia: Entity whose destruction coincided with the signal’s appearance southwest
• Nilam Spires: Observatory where Yzmir forecasters study the depression
• Sylas: Proposed flying over the cyclone using four vessels (393 AC)
• Zaj Ke Va: Satrap who agreed to study Sylas’s proposal (393 AC)
• The Ouroboros: Lyra Sahanka proposed for aerial bypass
• The Wayfarer: Lyra Sahanka proposed for aerial bypass
• Mesektet: Ordis flagship proposed for aerial bypass
• Mandjet: Ordis flagship proposed for aerial bypass
• Temera Singh: Admiral facing strategic decision about the depression (September 393 AC)
• Rediscovery Endeavor: Expedition blocked by the depression