The Seven Seas

This article is set in the Explorers of StarSea™ setting.
Written by Julene Johnson
Cover Image by Pixabay

"The Seven Seas" refers to 7 expanses of aether and void in StarSea which are connected by aether currents, solar winds, and pathways. While the elements that make up a sea are the same, each sea possesses unique climates, islands, landmarks, creatures, and residents. Legends claim members of a species of Majestic called The Fates watch over The Seven Seas. Records and rumors suggest that each sea displays personality and behavior akin to their Guardian Fate.

Seas of StarSea

The Seven Seas are organized into a sequential list. It is common for the seas to be referred to by their number as much as their name. This order relates to the difficulty of traversing the seas. In otherwords, the Azure Sea is the easiest to explore, the Unknown Sea, the most difficult. In addition to a number, each sea is associated with a color and an icon, both of which are displayed on a StarSea Compass.

1. The Azure Sea

2. The Emerald Sea

3. The Topaz Sea

4. The Halcyon Sea

5. The Ersatz Sea

6. The Raging Sea

7. The Unknown Sea

There are many paths between all seven seas, but the easiest paths usually lead a traveller from the first to the second sea, from the second to the third, and so on. Paths that skip a sea in the sequence exist, but are generally far more dangerous. And, should you succeed in surviving the dangers of the path, the challenges that await in the seas farther down the sequence may just sink you. Exploring one sea prepares you for the next one in the sequence, so most keep to the easy paths between seas.

Alchemic Seas
"Guilded Seas"

Azure Sea
Emerald Sea
Topaz Sea

Mystic Seas

Halcyon Sea
Ersatz Sea
Raging Sea

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Unknown Sea

The seas are also split into two groups: the Alchemic Seas and the Mystic Seas.
The first three seas are the Alchemic seas, also known as the Guilded Seas. In these seas, alchemists will thrive. Though no one can identify what about the seas causes this, alchemists are are more effective in these seas.
Similarly, in the second three seas, which are the mystic seas, mystics are more effective.
Not enough is known about the seventh sea to put it into a category.

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The Levels

Each of the seven seas is divided into 3 levels, which are also displayed on the StarSea Compass, represented by concentric septagonal rings around the center node. Members of each of StarSea's taxonomic Kingdoms can live on islands within or travel to and throughout all levels so long as they have the capability and/or the required tools and mechanisms. However, each of the Kingdoms lays claim to a level.

Majestics claim the High Sea
Mortals claim the Open Sea
Monsters claim the Deep Sea

The High Sea

The High Sea possesses thin aether currents and eratic solar winds. Majestics and some Monsters easily travel in such conditions, but starships which Mortals sail upon must be equipped with wings to provide added lift since keels are not sufficient to maintain buoyancy in such meager aether.
The High Sea is bounded by the Open Sea, but in the other direction, there is no known end. The farther from the Open Sea one travels, the thinner the aether gets and the harder it is to breathe. While the region closest to the Open Sea is considered breathable, some will require supplemental oxygen even there.
Far past the point where Mortals, Monsters, and Majestics can travel lies the Heavens. This region of the High Sea is home to hundreds of thousands of stars and planets. The stars provide light and solar wind to StarSea, and can be used for navigation. Two of the stars serve as the Sun and the Moon. Stars are visible from all seven seas.

The Open Sea

The Open Sea is the level which is easiest for starships to navigate. Aether currents are numerous and thick enough to buoy up even basic starships. Explorers will also find abundant solar winds to aid in their travel. This has led most of the mortals which choose to settle on islands to do so in the Open Sea.
Starships of various kinds roam the Open Sea. Swain can expect to encounter Majestics and Monsters which have descended from the High Sea and surfaced from the Deep Sea, respectively. Many other creatures, features, and destinations add variety and intrigue to this sea.
Though the Open Sea is bounded on both sides by the High and Deep Seas, it is still so vast that no one has charted its entirety. Even the Azure Sea, which is considered the tamest of the seven seas, holds mysteries explorers through the ages have longed to discover.

The Deep Sea

The Deep Sea is a region of thick aether which requires starships to use powerful wake drives to maneuver. Solar sails, which are unnecessary since solar winds do not reach the Deep Sea, can also be a detriment in such dense aether. Breathing is not possible for Mortals, and starships must be equipped with diving mechanisms that encase the deck, such as Titanium-Glass Shielding.
Within the deep one can find treasure of immeasurable worth. That which falls from the High Sea and the Open Sea, sinks into the depths, which have no known or recorded bottom. Those who wish to brave the environmental conditions have the promise of great wealth, power, and renown. But Mortals and Majestics that trespass must be prepared to battle for their life against the terrible monsters there which hoard treasure jealously and attack those in their path.

Void

Void exists in all starseas, and in all levels. The make-up of these expanses are described by their name, for they are void of oxygen, void of material, and void of aether. There is no way to sail on void, for there is nothing to buoy a ship, and so, a starship must always be wary of these regions. Neither are mortals able to breathe in a void, and falling into one will likely prove fatal.
The amount of void found within the seven starseas is variant, as aether currents are perpetually shifting, growing, and shrinking. When considered overtime, there is a consistent ratio of aether to void within the levels of starsea. Generally, the High Sea has more void than aether, the Open Sea has an almost equal spread of aether and void, and the Deep Sea has only a few pockets of void. These generalities can be helpful, but are not a guarantee.

Islands

Islands without number populate The Seven Seas. Some are "anchored" to a location, and can reliably be found throughout the decades, but most islands shift with the currents, even crossing between multiple levels and even seas occasionally. Avid explorers will find their adventures are always new and unique, and largely unpredictable. To aid in navigating through such unpredictability, attuned maps can be created through the combination of alchemy and mystica to keep up with the ever changing seas, though this is not the only way to navigate. Clever commanders can utilize the skills of their crew, or seek out items or people which will bestow knowledge of the ever-changing mysteries of StarSea.
Upon the islands of The Seven Seas reside various races of Mortals, Monsters, and Majestics. Cultures, technology, and adaptations can vary drastically. Some societies have developed in isolation, others in a hub of activity and exposure to other cultures.
This makes the islands of StarSea a place of varied settings. Islands may offer adventures fraught with battles, mysteries woven with the mystic or puzzles complicated by the intricacies of alchemic or fringe technology. Some islands may have the feel of the wild west, others mirror cultures in the early stages of civilization, replete with legends and elemental laws which seem more like magic. Whatever type of adventure is sought, an explorer can find it on the islands of StarSea.

Fun Facts

Swain refers to a member of the crew upon a ship. This is derived from the term Coxswain.
See definition here.

Last updated 2024-01-26