The Haze - the hazy storm of wisps

During the autumn months when the warm ocean currents run through the channels and into the Great Bay, the cold air from land flows over the warm salty waters and turns into a haze. Wisps of smoke are formed that often take on a soft green-blue hue. The hazy wisps start as thin strips of air, no bigger than an arm, but as they travel further over warm waters they grow and combine to become as wide as a small river and several times that long. The wisps seem to take on a life of their own. They are reliant on the wind to move, but they snake across the landscape and creep into any small crevices. Due to the prevailing winds the haze usually travels along the inner coastlines towards the northeast, along the icy waters and they congregate in the .. misty sea .. in the northwest of Aachor. Making this sea impassible during the autumn months.

Short exposure to the wisps is harmless, but when the wisps of the haze come into contact with exposed skin they slowly create burns. When the haze is breathed in it burns the longes and causes the breather to choke and cough. Concurrent exposure to a wisp of more than a few minutes is severely harmful, and non-stop exposure of more than 10 minutes can be lethal when breathed in during this time. Thankfully, as the wisps are blown across by the wind, it's quite rare for a wisp to linger for over 10 minutes in one spot. However, if the wind dies down at an unfortunate time, it can be very dangerous to be stuck inside one of them.

The best defence against the haze is warm air. So living near the lava rifts provides natural protection. But a good campfire and bellow can also dissolve any wisps coming your way.

Formation: When cold air blows over warm salt water, the air turns hazy and small wisps are formed. As these wisps travel further over warm waters they grow in size.
Manifestation: As the haze is blown inland, the wisps snake across the landscape and very slowly diminish in size. While the wisps are at the mercy of the wind, they still move somewhat unpredictably, preferring to move towards and stay around sources of warmth (including living things).
Effects: Other than obsucring visibility, the haze is only harmful for living organisms. Any uncovered skin will slowly sustain burns after about 20-30 seconds of exposure. Breathing in the wisps of air burns the longes, and will become a choking hazard after a couple of breaths. Staying in direct contact with a haze wisp for longer than 10 minutes can be lethal for any animal that does not have sufficient protection.
Safeguards: Warm air is the fastest way to dissolve a wisp. Warm air over the lava rifts provides a natural barrier that the wisps cannot directly pass through (but might snake around). A decent fire is enough to protect against a small wisp. Having a device that can blow the hot air from the fire in an aimed direction will be an excellent way to protect yourself against medium-sized wisps.
End of life: A haze storm can only form and grow wisps as cold air flows over warm salty water. So as soon as those two conditions aren't met, the wisps start to diminish in size, and the haze loses its threat.

Type

Natural