Clouds Part 1: The Scintillating Cloud

**Overview**<br><br>A Scintillating Cloud is a layer of iridescent crystal shards floating in the upper atmosphere. The shards, usually smaller than a grain of rice, appear all over the upper atmosphere and are a key ingredient in creating the Haze.<br><br>**Shards of Crystal**<br><br>* **Formation**: The shards themselves come from the frozen waters of the Ocean of Origins. From there, the water crystals can travel through the atmosphere, eventually accumulating in the upper layers of the atmosphere and forming the Scintillating Cloud.<br>* **Colors**: The shards display a spectrum of iridescent colors, with specific color patterns having unique effects on the Haze.<br>* **Refractive Properties**: The iridescence in the crystals is due to the way they refract light. Scintillating Clouds appear to shimmer and shine, changing color based on the angle of the viewer.<br>* **Size**: Shards of crystal can be very fine and difficult to see, though they can also grow to be larger than a grain of rice.<br><br>**Clouds of Light and Color**<br><br>* **Distribution**: Scintillating Clouds can cover all the upper atmosphere or, more rarely, form beneath the storm clouds. In the latter case, the upper atmosphere is not obscured as much by the storm clouds.<br>* **Depth**: Scintillating Clouds cover the entire upper atmosphere, but they are not evenly spread out. The density of the clouds can vary greatly from one area to another.<br><br>**Effects on the Haze**<br><br>* **Illumination**: Scintillating Clouds play a crucial role in creating the Haze. They refract light and focus it downward, illuminating the planet and casting a luminescent glow over everything.<br><br>#worldbuilding #world_anatomy #atmospherics #sunny #realitybending