The Rage of Castellian

Written by Yerran

The Maelstrom is a crack in both the world and reality. Created by the force of the Cataclysm that sent ripples cascading across the world and interplanar realms and setting the calendar back to 0. All time after that moment became 'A.C' or 'After-Cataclysm'. So fundamental was that moment, that tales and legends speak of it to this day, and all events afterwards are defined by it.

Though, the real world effects of the Maelstrom's creation persist and regularly scour The Shattered Shelf with its explosive and chaotic power. These magical anomalies appear as great storms and flow outward from the swirling vortex at irregular intervals. Those of Sabal simply refer to them as magical storms, and by the time they reach the shores of the desert they have lost much of their potency. What magic remains is then harvested in Sab Adul and along the coast for use in The Purple Dagger's experiments.

However, these storms are sacred to the Stormheld Bastion, serving as a key part of their belief system and their saviour's life and are referred to as the 'Rage of Castellian'.

The Rage of Castellian

Exploding violently from the Maelstrom these storms radiate chaotic power. Though they come in a variety of sizes, some covering a radius of a kilometre and others stretching dozens of kilometers across, few are made the same. The magic and its effects are varied and the 'Stormriders' seek to catalogue and control these powers as they arise. The current magical classification of these storms effects are:

1. Gravity Shift - Areas of the land and sea fall into the sky, taking anything not tied down, whether it be animals, people or ships.
2. Time Window - A window to the past envelops you and you see moments of history, almost always inexplicable, act out around you. Though you can interfere, it appears your interference causes no effect on the future.
3. Realm Break - Passing through these areas may cause sunshine to fall on your face, or bitter cold snaps freezing your blood in seconds. Whatever it is, you best find your way back soon before the realm curtain closes and you are lost to another plane of existence.
4. Death March - Phantoms and spirits float past, as if you sail through the river of souls itself. They ignore the living, but careful not to touch, or you may join their eternal march.
5. Soundless Bubble - All sound ceases and nothing can make a sound while encased in this section of the storm.
6. Burning Waves - Passing along the surface of all ground and water are burning waves of fire.
7. Displacement Shroud - Things encapsulated within this shroud are captured and placed elsewhere. This results in islands, ships, towns and natural features moving, making maps of the outer Shattered Shelf impossible to make.
8. Element Rain - Iron, diamond, burning liquid or any other elemental combination falls from the sky.
9. Toxic mist - The air turns to poison as massive orbs of floating fungi disperse spores and all the water turns to acid.
10. Dark Lightning - Flashes of pitch black followed by high pitched shrieking sounds erupt continuously like a lightning storm.
11. Pleasure Depths - An aroma of sweetness fills the air and the waters glow with enticing colours and sounds of excitement and pleasure. Many are enthralled, losing their minds, and dive into the sea, never to return.
12. Wind Blight - The air darkens before it, and all crumbles and breaks. Though this doesn't effect living things, anything not living will disintegrate, be it ship, armour, house or clothing.
    
    

The catalogued effects of these storms is always growing, and mapping of them has shown that specific effects seem to occur in patterns, of a sort, throughout the year. The effects of these storms can overlap at times and are almost always accompanied by the usual magical lightning, razor winds and rain wall that all storms possess. These effects are devastating to those that live in their path, or that wish to travel the seas, but don't know what to expect. Though many would consider travelling in the area folly, the wealth of artefacts buried beneath the waves could make a crew rich for life. The crews of the Stormheld Bastion have at least found ways to predict, pilot and manage these storms, making their mastery of this sea unrivalled.

The First Stormrider Primarch

Castellian Harlscurl founder of the Stormriders was the first to master the power of the storms. He shackled the chaos of the Maelstrom and used its power to break the chains of oppression. Smashing the Dragon's Fleet and freeing his people, the Vorago, from their rule. These newly freed people followed Castellian and adopted the name 'Stormriders', learning, like him, to wield the magics of the storms. This group eventually founded the Stormheld Bastion and became the centre of their beliefs.

Type

Metaphysical, Elemental

The Tale of Castellian Harlscurl

A tale of an oppressed upbringing and combative adulthood. Castellian Harlscurl struggled his whole life, and met a violent end. Such is the way of all those who fight for freedom and are remembered for great deeds.