Before there was Bleachyard, there was Stillwater. Not a city, not a settlement, but a nexus. A confluence of geological anomaly and a resonance with the Deep Current, a sentient, swirling mass of water that predates even the oldest recorded timelines. The Deep Current wasn't merely water; it was memory, emotion, and the discarded echoes of countless civilizations that had briefly brushed against its currents. Millennia ago, the Stillwater was the heart of a vast, intricate network of observation and data collection - the Chronarium. The Chronarium wasn’t built; it *grew*, organically, from the Deep Current’s influence. It held records of realities that never were, of possibilities unmanifested, and of the inevitable decay of all things.
“The Current remembers everything. Even the things that wish to be forgotten.” - Archivist Lyra, recorded on Fragment 734.
The Collapse wasn’t a singular event, but a cascading failure. A shift in the Deep Current’s temperament, a violent rejection of the Chronarium's attempts at cataloging its influence. It manifested as the Aqueous Geist, a being of pure, chaotic water energy, driven by a primal instinct to erase and return all things to their source. The Geist didn’t destroy; it *dissolved*, unraveling structures, memories, and even the very fabric of reality within its reach. The Chronarium shattered, its fragments scattering across what is now Bleachyard. The city, built upon the ruins, became a reflection of the Geist’s entropy - a place where time itself is fluid and unreliable.
“Time is not a river, but a whirlpool. And the Geist is its hungry heart.” - Captain Theron, recorded on Fragment 912.
Bleachyard is a sprawling, labyrinthine metropolis built within the ruins of the Chronarium. The city is perpetually reshaped by the Aqueous Geist, with districts appearing and disappearing overnight. Architecture is a strange blend of ancient Chronarium technology and hastily constructed defenses against the Geist's influence. The inhabitants, known as ‘Echoes’, are survivors, scavengers, and those who’ve somehow learned to coexist with the city's instability. They are obsessed with collecting fragments of the Chronarium and understanding the Geist’s motivations. The city is divided into distinct sectors, each holding a unique relationship with the Geist. The Obsidian Quarter, perpetually shrouded in a viscous, black mist, is rumored to be directly influenced by the Geist’s core consciousness. The Chronarium Archive, a partially reconstructed fragment of the original Chronarium, is constantly undergoing alterations. The Foundry, where Echoes attempt to harness the Deep Current’s energy. The Market, a chaotic hub for trade and information, where anything can be bought or sold – including memories.
The Echoes are the descendants of those who survived the Collapse. They possess a unique connection to the Deep Current, granting them limited abilities – precognition, manipulation of water, and a heightened awareness of temporal distortions. However, this connection is fragile and can be corrupted by the Geist’s influence. Many Echoes undergo ‘Resonance’, a dangerous ritual to strengthen their connection to the Deep Current, but many are lost, becoming fractured fragments of themselves, trapped within the city’s temporal loops.
The Deep Current remains the dominant force in Bleachyard. It isn't inherently malevolent, but it is driven by an ancient, unknowable purpose. Some believe it's attempting to restore the universe to its original state – a state of perfect entropy. Others think it’s simply indifferent, a cosmic observer playing out a meaningless game. Its influence can be felt in the shifting weather, the temporal anomalies, and the unsettling dreams of the Echoes. It whispers secrets through the water, offering glimpses of forgotten realities and warnings of inevitable doom.
A partially-restored fragment of the original Chronarium. Its data streams are corrupted, and its records are constantly shifting. Accessing its information is a perilous undertaking.
Here, Echoes attempt to harness the Deep Current's energy, creating unstable devices and weapons. The Foundry is a dangerous place, prone to explosions and temporal distortions.
A sprawling marketplace where Echoes trade information, artifacts, and memories. The Market is a hub of intrigue, corruption, and danger.