The Umbra Rail Line

Slow enough to feel, fast enough to move forward.
  The Umbra Rail Line is Cerellea’s national pride—a high-speed maglev network connecting its four major islands: Gadina, Lorea, Sona, and Kalia. Designed to transform inter-island travel into an elegant, immersive experience, the Umbra system offers far more than speed—it offers quiet, beauty, and intentionality.
  All Umbra trains depart and arrive on elevated tracks that stretch across the sea, then descend into vacuum-sealed ocean tunnels powered by geothermal energy and undersea reactors. While gliding silently beneath the water, passengers can see glowing marine life through shatter-resistant acrylic reinforced with magnetic alloy. The tunnels themselves seem to glow—offering the illusion of traveling through light and current instead of steel and earth.
  Tempered lighting dims as the train begins its descent into the ocean tunnels. The shift is silent, seamless. Above, the station lights vanish. Below, the glow of the deep begins.
  The Umbra system was developed to replace inter-island air travel. With airports decommissioned, valuable land was reclaimed for housing, trade, and environmental restoration. This sparked a national boom: tourism surged, economic activity grew, and regions once thought remote became newly vital. Travel between the islands now takes just 30 to 60 minutes depending on the destination.
 

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Train Models

 

Darter

The Darter is a 3-car express train. It's sleek and efficient design is used for short, high-frequency island hops. Includes only Business and Common class. Its interior is restrained, clean, and nearly silent in motion. Often used by students, professionals, and local officials.
 

Marrowline

The standard and most widely used of the Umbra system, the Marrowline is a five car express train. It includes Common, Business, and First Class. Designed for comfort and capacity, it operates on mid- to long-range island routes. Marrowlines are known for their reliability and subtle elegance—each one carrying the rhythm of modern Cerellean life.  

Velas Lux

( Future Model) Still under construction, the Velas Lux is the prototype for international expansion. A standard Velas Lux train will comprise of nine cars. It will eventually include all three class tiers and introduce observatory cars, long-range private cabins, and advanced long-distance amenities. While the public believes the Velas Lux is a Vaes-led investment in global transit, secret oversight and deep engineering access are being quietly funneled to the Myriad Syndicate.  

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Passenger Classes

 

First Class (The Cloisters)

Currently exclusive to the Marrowline, and planned for inclusion in the Velas Lux. Each suite is enclosed by smartglass, with reclining lounge-beds, ambient environmental controls, and private dining options. Boarding is separate and discreet. Designed for clients who demand silence, distance, and discretion.  

Business Class (The Atrium)

Found on both the Darter and Marrowline. Reclining seats are spaced to avoid contact with neighboring passengers. One side of the car has single seats, the other double seating. Features include tray tables, adjustable lighting, and panoramic ocean-facing windows.  

Common Class (The Span)

Available on all models. Arranged in rows of comfortable seats with armrests, trays, and integrated entertainment panels. Climate-controlled and smooth in movement, Common Class is still luxurious by global standards.  

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Operation & Experience

  All trains operate with ultra-low noise output. Once in motion, the sensation is more like floating than traveling—no rumble, no vibration, only stillness.
  Announcements are spoken softly in the standard language at the beginning and end of every journey:
  “Departure clearance granted. Welcome aboard the Umbra Line. You are now in motion.”
  Each station is located in a major coastal city and outfitted with biometric ticketing, multilingual AI support, customs processing, and Syndicate surveillance systems disguised as security infrastructure. Ticket tiers are strictly enforced; class barriers between cars are soundproof and secure.
 

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Stations, Staff & Passenger Access

 

Major Cerellean Terminals

 

Dominel Gate

(Gadina)
Located at the edge of Cerellea’s capital district, this is the largest and most fortified station. A marble-and-metal structure that blends Syndicate efficiency with national prestige. Features include private lounges, a military customs corridor, and limited-access floors for classified movement.
 

Virelle Crossing

(Lorea)
Carved into the base of a cliff overlooking bioluminescent shores, this station is quiet, cool, and filled with natural light. Flowering vines have overtaken sections of the outer glass, making it feel like a garden terminal.
 

Sonhara Spire

(Sona)
A luminous glass platform suspended over the sea. Wide walkways, floating lanterns, and visibility into the water below make it feel like a station and observatory in one.
 

Kalia Deepgate

(Kalia)
Built into the island’s blackstone cliffs, this subterranean terminal opens through a grand circular shaft. Inside, the design is raw and efficient, featuring layered platforms and private access elevators.  

Onboard Personnel

  All Marrowline trains are staffed by a small crew. While trains are powered by secure AI systems, each one has a conductor figurehead—a human operator trained to monitor operations, enforce regulations, and respond to emergencies.
  Attendants are present in First and Business Class on the Marrowline to assist passengers and enforce class separation. Vending machines in Business and Common provide refreshments and snacks. The Darter operates without onboard attendants, but is monitored remotely and supported by station staff.
 

Ticketing & Boarding

  Tickets can be purchased online or at stations through biometric kiosks. All tickets are issued as digital QR codes linked to a passenger’s Rail Pass—a secure ID profile required for scanning at gates and checkpoints.
  Rail Passes sync with personal devices or can be loaded onto a biometric keycard. Security ensures tier enforcement, with automatic access control between classes. Boarding is limited to the final five minutes before departure to reduce platform congestion.
 

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Local Impact

  The Umbra Line has dramatically reshaped Cerellea. With inter-island airports no longer needed, massive coastal land was reclaimed for new cities, ecological reserves, and commercial districts. Sona and Lorea, once dismissed as remote, now flourish with new industries and cultural tourism.
  Trade routes grew, families reunited, students from the outer islands gained access to top institutions like Vikan Academy. For many, the Umbra Line has made the nation feel whole.
  The Myriad Syndicate benefits in silence. Every station, every platform, every cabin is part of their network. Though publicly invisible, their presence rides with every train.
 

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Future Development: The International Umbra Initiative

  The next phase is already underway. The International Umbra Initiative—publicly funded by the Vaes Empire—is developing routes to:  

• Aeovis
• Xira (southern coast)
• Elisia
• Tumin
• Mezar
• Vaes
• Menasis

  The Velas Lux will serve as the new international standard. Future routes will include deep-sea observatory stops—short rest stations suspended in alloy domes beneath the ocean. These hubs will offer lounges, immersive viewing decks, and customs checkpoints.
  Officially, the project is a diplomatic marvel. Unofficially, the Syndicate’s influence is growing beneath the surface—engineering access, financial manipulation, and pressure on foreign boards. When the world begins to ride this line, it will do so under Syndicate shadow.