Black Cloud — The World After the Fall

History

Janya and his brothers release Black Cloud inside a tavern when Karlton and Jaehwan defeat the Palace of Rebirth's envoys. They regard using it without their Hall Master's permission as a desperate measure and wear masks to avoid exposure, yet the youngest brother accidentally inhales some. The smoke engulfs the building and is expected to contaminate every soul inside; Jaehwan walks out unharmed because he carries the Wraithstone. (Chapter 29)

The Palace later considers spreading Black Cloud across Gorgon when Forgotten One Sealing fails, even though doing so would exterminate the citadel's inhabitants. Sirwen Armelt states that she created the substance after completing her research on the Wraithstone. A Great Lands lord named Mikata subsequently develops his own cloud-based reputation and surrounds himself with Black Cloud, but Catastrophe destroys both the cloud and its user during the descent in Chaos. (Chapters 40, 65, 94–96)

Properties and use

Black Cloud is dense black smoke that contaminates exposed souls almost instantly. A small dose is dangerous even to its handlers, and filling an enclosed space can drive every soul inside toward its contamination limit. Masks or careful distance are treated as necessary precautions, while Wraithstone protection allows Jaehwan to pass through an otherwise lethal concentration. (Chapter 29)

The cloud is an indiscriminate area weapon rather than a precise attack. This makes it useful to agents willing to kill allies and bystanders, but also makes deployment hard to control. The supplied chapters do not give its manufacturing recipe, duration, or a universal cure, and Catastrophe's overwhelming power demonstrates that Black Cloud is not effective against every higher being. (Chapters 29, 40, 96)

Associated characters

Sirwen Armelt: Sirwen creates Black Cloud through her Wraithstone research for the Palace of Rebirth.
Janya: Janya authorizes its desperate release in the Gorgon tavern.
Jaehwan: Jaehwan survives direct exposure while protected by the Wraithstone.