The Mist
The Mist surrounds the Land, the islands
and the water on every side. At sea level, it
is so dense as to be impenetrable to light.
Rising up for miles above the ocean, it
gradually thins and curves inward to form
a dome of permanent cloud cover. Below
the water, it extends to the seabed as an
unbroken wall of opaque, murky vortices.
All who pass through the Mist are afflicted
by the Forgetting. Those who come
through from beyond invariably know
nothing of where they came from, or how
they arrived. Many of those who exit
never return, and those who do no longer
remember anything of the world. In either
case, while they remember their name, and
with time rediscover their skills and abili-
ties, they are always unable to recall the
nature of the reality they knew prior to
passing through the Mist.
The Forgetting affects not only people and
creatures, but also any objects that pass
through. All writing and symbols become
indecipherable. Any maps, pictographs or
engravings turn to abstract works devoid
of meaning. There is nothing that can pass
through the Mist without losing all record
of the domain where it existed prior.
The Mist itself is a sentient being, enig-
matic and elusive. It does not reveal its
intentions, even to the immortals that
dwell within its mind. It rarely intervenes
in the lives of those ensnared by its haze.
When it does, its purpose is to subvert any
knowledge of a world beyond.
Above the water, the dense, foggy Mist
extends for hundreds of yards outwards. It
is always so thick as to make it impossible
to see what is on the other side. There is
no barrier to traveling through it. As long
as a person can still see the Land, the
islands, or any part of the world within,
they are not affected by the Forgetting.
Traveling upward, near the clouds, is
impossible for most. Flight works nor-
mally up to a few hundred feet. Above
that, the pull of the Land becomes ever
greater as one rises. Whether by magic or
might, the force becomes insurmountable
before reaching the clouds. The lone
exception are the mist dragons. They are
able to fly themselves and their riders high
into the sky as easily as they can close to
the ground. However, they will never
breach the ever-present ceiling of clouds.
People, creatures and objects (such as ves-
sels or meteors) do sometimes fall from
the sky. Even so, they are never again able
to rise above the clouds, and they are
always disoriented by the Forgetting.
There are many legends of the Mist. Some
believe it is all that is and ever was. Others
say it is but one world of many. The fairies
and fey are certain it is only a dream, but
offer only fantastical stories as evidence.
The moon drow tell tales of wanderers
found deep within their caves, claiming to
remember their past, who speak of another
world. Those strange elves though are
known for their love of illusion and decep-
tion, so most dismiss their claims.
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