To think that a place like this was down here, all this time, just waiting to be found. How lucky I am to see these terrifying and wonderous things for the very first time.— From the journal of Skylia Volignis, captain of the Onyx Skystone.
As most people know the Depths, it is the toxic layer of gas that sits beneath the entirety of the Wilde Blue. Geography-wise, this is accurate. Nothing is down there but poison and death. At least, for humans. A recent expedition revealed it is home to the strangest creatures ever seen. Almost in spite of the deadliness of their habitat, every living thing down there has some way of dealing with the poisons and acids that can kill a person in a few hours.
Flora and Fauna
Flora
While the Onyx Skystone has not yet encountered any land masses in the Depths, that does not apparently prevent plants from thriving. Some of the plants we have gathered float freely through the gasses, while others attach themselves to the carapaces of more abulatory creatures. One even bit one of my sailors.— Skylia Volignis
Notable Species
Serpensweed
A long, rope-like plant that floats unassisted in the thick air. Its name comes from the fact that it first appeared to twist around the ship like a snake. However, this was only a trick of the light and the isolation of the crew of explorers.Herbafur
This grass-like plant roots in the flesh of a few different creatures, but it also seems to provide some protection from the acids of the Depths. How exactly it provides this is uncertain, but prevailing theories suggest that it pumps some chemical into the bloodstream.Fanged Lilium
Definitely the most deadly plant in the Blue, this specimen appears to be a flower of sorts, but it is covered in microscopic thorns, and will close upon anything that touches it. The hand of one explorer was badly sliced open by this, which would have been deadly in the poisons of the Depths.
Fauna
I don't think I could have been fully prepared for the weirdness of each and every specimen. One beast I could see through, see its organs and blood pumping. Another could shift their shape to (thankfully, poorly) mimic anything, including objects we brought down that it had no way of seeing before.— Skylia Volignis
Notable Species
- The most well-known beast from the Depths, and the only one that is known to travel above the toxic gasses. The Caeligo is a vicious apex predator, capable of tearing the more fragile ships apart, and it is still unclear exactly what it hunts in the Depths.
Perfida Eel
This strange creature could apparently change its shape, texture, and color, in order to mimic objects and creatures in its surroundings. It is unknown how it does this, as the captured specimen did not survive the trip up from the Depths, and analyzing its remains revealed nothing.Umbrai
By far the most bizzare, this orb-like creature is completely see-through. It appears to harvest the toxins of the Depths, as there were several internal compartments where the gas could be seen swirling. It also seems to require this process, as all specimens slowly died above the Depths.
The Golden Selxus
While not the first ship to try to explore the Depths, the
Golden Selxus was the first to return. It lasted a mere eight hours beneath the surface before it had to return, and the tales inspired by shadows of creatures glimpsed by its crew funded many more expeditions.
The Open Sky
The Open Sky was the first trip into the Depths that lasted more than a day, and was also the first to return with hard evidence of living creatures down there, namely, the carcass of a Caeligo that had attacked their vessel.
The Onyx Skystone
Funded by House Volignis and captained by their heir, the Onyx Skystone was the culmination of several years of planning and preperation. If it had not paid off as well as it did, House Volignis would have likely been absorbed by another House within the year.
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