Expanse / Veil

Known interchangeably as the Veil or the Expanse, this near-fathomless gulf of open sky separates the floating landmasses of the world, remnants of Skyfall (an apocalyptic event also known as the Astral Descent. ) Beneath this endless void of open air lies the surface Wasteland, a barren and inhospitable realm shunned by most.

Citizens of the Aetheria Dominion are more apt to use the term 'Veil' to describe the space between the sky-isles, while the vernacular of residents of the Skyfront Republic leans toward 'Expanse.'

Regardless of the name, this boundless sky is both a lifeline and a perilous frontier. Skyships traverse the Expanse, enabling trade, travel, exploration, and warfare. Trade is the life-blood of Kryllos. No island is self-sufficient and all rely on imported materials.

Although the Expanse seems limitless, there are laws of altitude. The altitude a cloud-island occupies dictates its climate. Those islands found at the higher altitudes are frigid tundra, desolate steppes, or icy mountains. Those found in the lower reaches are windswept deserts, rainforests, or dank swamps. Most heavily populated islands, including the Aetheria Dominion and the Skyfront Republic, are between these two extremes, in the temperate band.

Aetheria Dominion's airships are often powered by an elementalist sorcerer using Witchrock to magically shape air currents, maintaining the craft's buoyancy and propulsion. The Skyfront Republic's airships are typically propelled by machinery which burns Witchrock like coal to remain aloft.

Travelers often see nothing for days on end, such are the distances between the isles. However, the Expanse/Veil isn't devoid of life - the isolation is broken by the occasional flock of avian creatures, Cloud Kelpie, or floating avian-plants that survive by drawing sustenance from the atmosphere. The Veil is also not without its dangers: vicious storms, powerful wind currents, sky pirates, and predatory beasts make every voyage an adventure fraught with peril. Only the bold or the desperate navigate its heights and breadth.

Source / Inspired by: Sundered Skies for Savage Worlds RPG
AI Art by Midjourney