The Sunken Charts of Loran

This collection, meticulously preserved within the humid depths of the Sea-Cave Archives, represents a profound omission in the established dwarven record. The charts are not drawn on conventional vellum, but on highly treated fungal hides, rendered buoyant and waterproof by ancient, algae-based processes of the coastal dwellers. As a chronicler, I find their significance lies not just in what they depict, but in the enduring silence they impose on terrestrial histories like Elder Borin's Chronicles. These maps—a confluence of cartography and geomancy—chart the maritime infrastructure established by the long-vanished Aerilon Ascendancy before their full commitment to the skies. They delineate coastal settlements, forgotten harbors, and most crucially, the submerged ruins that sank during the early stages of the Great Sundering. The true power of the Charts is revealed when viewed through specialized Tidal Lenses, which use Oceanic Resonance to highlight the flow of deep-sea currents, confirming they were essential tools for the Coastal Sages. This network reveals critical weaknesses: massive, sub-aquatic junctions of Aetherium Conduits that once connected Umbral’s power grid to external energy sources. The charts meticulously track the routes of the coastal air fleets and extend the known pathways of the Skystrider Paths far over the western seas, indicating that the sky and the water were far more intertwined than our deep-stone histories suggest. They also contain precise coordinates for Loran’s Abyss, a region detailing the sunken capital's outer districts. Their retrieval is fraught with peril, as aerial brigands like the Cobalt Corsairs seek them, believing they hold the key to untold treasures. Yet, the deeper story is one of warning, hinting at cyclical catastrophe—a prophesied, massive coastal flood known as the Tide of Drowning—which these charts may be the last key to navigating. They represent the truth that the earth’s betrayal was reflected not just in stone, but in the swallowing waters.