First recorded in the stratum Lithos VII, 47 cycles prior to the Great Dissolution.
Pyloralgia. The word itself feels like a shard of ice, a fragment of a memory that shouldn’t exist. It’s a phenomenon inextricably linked to the submerged valleys of Kitlope, a region perpetually shrouded in a mist that isn’t merely atmospheric – it’s woven with the residue of this… event. The geological records, when extrapolated through the fluctuating temporal currents, paint a picture of a vibrant, almost aggressively bioluminescent ecosystem. Before the Dissolution, before the crystalline storms choked the sky, Kitlope was a symphony of pulsating flora and fauna, sustained by a network of geothermal vents that channeled energy directly into the very bedrock. This isn’t a tale of simple decay; it’s a story of *transformation*, of a world collapsing into a state of perpetual, echoing potential.
“The air vibrates. Not with sound, but with… resonance. The lichen formations, typically a muted grey, are overlaid with shimmering patterns. I’ve detected fluctuations in the local chroniton field – readings are unstable, oscillating between 12.7 and 13.2 cycles. The bioluminescent organisms, what remain of them, exhibit erratic pulses, as if trying to communicate something… lost.” – Archivist Elara Vane.
The key to understanding Pyloralgia lies in the ‘Root System’. These aren’t merely the tangled networks of the submerged forests. They are, according to the fragmentary data, conduits. Conduits for a form of energy that predates conventional physics. The geothermal vents weren’t simply releasing heat; they were amplifying, focusing, and directing a flow of… something. Something that interacted directly with the nervous systems of the local organisms, creating the bioluminescence and, crucially, allowing for the initial manifestation of the Pyloralgia. The crystalline storms, the Dissolution – they weren’t a random event. They were a consequence of overloading the system.
“Think of it like a tuning fork,” states Dr. Silas Thorne in his unpublished treatise, “Harmonic Decay.” “The Root System was a perfectly calibrated instrument. The Dissolution was the strike. The resulting resonance fractured the temporal fabric, creating the conditions for Pyloralgia to emerge.”
“The sample contains traces of what we’ve tentatively labeled ‘Chronal Dust’. It appears to be composed of highly compressed temporal particles. The concentration is significantly higher than anywhere else in the region. This suggests a localized amplification of temporal flux – the epicenter of the initial resonance.” – Geologist Rhys Cadence.
Now, cycles after the Dissolution, Pyloralgia persists. It’s not a violent, destructive force – though its potential for disruption remains a concern. Instead, it exists as a latent state, a reservoir of temporal energy. The submerged valleys are saturated with it. The air itself seems to hum with it. The primary manifestation is the continued bioluminescence, but it’s not merely a visual phenomenon. There are reports of temporal distortions – brief shifts in perception, echoes of past events, fleeting glimpses of alternate realities. The level of instability fluctuates, often correlated with periods of heightened geological activity. The risk of a ‘re-resonance’ – a catastrophic amplification of the temporal flux – is a constant threat.
“We must treat Kitlope not as a lost world, but as a wound,” warned Archivist Vane in her final report. “A wound that demands careful observation, rigorous monitoring, and above all, a profound respect for the terrifying beauty of its potential.”