The Mist

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A planet lies beneath you, dark and mysterious. Its surface is hidden beneath a swirling mist. There is no knowing what you will find beneath it.

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Location

Strion by Frod0_baggins

The Mist is a natural (but believed to be supernatural) phenomenon specific to the planet Strion. Strion is one of a few planets in the Orion System that orbit the star Orion. The planet itself is solid and made of a combination of many kinds of rocks.

Manefestation

From Above

From an outside observer, the planet Strion looks to be a gaseous planet with no fixed surface. However, on closer inspection it is actually shrouded in an ever-swirling mist that hides its surfsce from view. This can make it very difficult for information to be gathered about the planet from an ariel perspective as the surface and its form cannot be clearly seen.
This can also make it difficult for potential landings of spacecraft on the planet because a clear landing site cannot be seen and the terrain may be potentially unsafe but the pilot will not be able to know untill they have commited to the landing.

From the Surface

From the surface of Strion the mists are a suffocating shroud that surrounds the planet like a shield. For the Strionswho live on the planet, the mists interfere with every aspect of their lives. Children are warned of the mists, and communities mourn those who wandered too far and couldn't find their way back.
On the other hand, the mists have shaped Strionan civilization to be what it is today. They have created myths and legends, celebration and rituals, and have built community. Strions must look out for eachother and never travel alone unless they fear being lost, this forced companionship has helped build the community focus of Strionan society.

Origins

Scientific

Scientifically, the mist is created by the particles in Strions atmosphere disturbing the dust like surface and creating lots of loose dust particles. This is then combined with the damp stormy environment of the planet to create a thick, foggy mist. Because of this, the mist fluctuates in intensity depednign on the weather conditions, and during times when the conditions are right, pockets of open air may appear allowing the universe to be seen from the surface of the planet.

Common Beliefs

Many Strions believe, however, that the mist was a curse from the Star Orion. They claim to have evidence from their ancestors of old of a time before the mists where all the stars could be seen in the night sky. But when their ancestors began to forget to pay their respects to Orion, it became anry and shrouded the planet in a mist to further increase their seperation. Now, in an attempt to lift the mists and be free from the curse once more, Strions are trying to rekindle their relationship with Orion by leaving offerings and gifts for it, and worshiping it together.

The Dance of the Light

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The Dance of the Light is a ceremony of worship deticated to Orion. When the mists part for a short amount of time and Strions are able to see back into space once more, they throw a large celebration to thank Orion for its kindness to them. This ceremony involves signging and dancing aswell as leaving offerings of flowers in the light.
Because of the rarity of these gaps in the mist, and the uncertainty of how long they will last, these celebrations are treated like a holiday for all Strions.

Myths and Legends

There are many myths and legends surrounding what goes on in the depths of the mists. Mostly created as a way to explain the many dissapearances and accidents that occur due to the dangerous nature of solo travel when navigation is so compromised.

Ghosts

Ghosts are most commonly used as a way to explain away the dissapearances that happen when people wander into the mists with no plan of how to get back. It is believed that there are lost souls wandering the mists waiting for their chance to lure another unwary traveller to join them. This tale is most commonly used as a convenient method to prevent young Strions from straying too far from home when they are playing with their friends, but it is also a warning to older Strions who may be going on their first Adventure.

Orion's Lightning

Orion's Lightning is a myth that describes another natural phenomenon that is caused by the same weather changes that cause the mists to develop. In the same way the stormy climate causes the mists to become thicker, it can also cause unpredicatble and extremer lightning storms across the suyrface of Strion. Strions believe that these storms are caused by the anger of Orion and are a result of their lack of faith. These stroms can be highly destructive and although rare, when they do occur they pose risk to both lives and infrastructure.

Table of Contents

Type

Natural