Kytaran Sea
The Kytaran Sea is a lose term for an insufficiently explored section of ocean due west of the mainland continent of Ikar. Following the end of the Nightmare War roughly 300 years ago, several separate efforts were made to transport refugees fleeing persecution from the new world governments, namely the Acredian Empire of Humans, the Fey Compact, and the Shadow Alliance. These governments, with the exception of the Acredian Empire, didn't have any interest in following, or even trying to stop these efforts, and eventually they were proved correct in their inaction. Many ships were never seen again, but the few returning survivors from these expeditions confirmed, before being executed, that all other refugees had, in one way or another, been killed on the voyage. Some time later, roughly 140 years ago, a dwarven expedition, lead by the Strong-In-The-Arm Ship Company, made a far better executed attempt at freedom, sending several ships full of hundreds of individuals, straight to the rumored island of Tarlock, where they founded the first Free Island of the Kytaran Sea. Since those days, the region has exploded with life, and remains safe from persecution from any who might follow from Ikar, largely due to the areas enormous populations of pirates and sea monsters, as well as the tendency for random charges of Wild Magic.
Pirates:
Early efforts to explore the region, mostly manned and funded by dwarven and human nations that no longer exist, usually didn't do very well when they came to the Kytaran Sea. To say that these expeditions were underprepared would be an understatement. They, the first few human expeditions that is, were universally never heard from again, with the original settlements in the sea being founded by dwarves of the Strongarm Shipwright Company. The first outlaws in the region have been said to be from these early human expeditions, but since there hasn't been any effort to trace where anybody has come from, the pirates of the region may as well have surfaced from the seas themselves for all anybody can say. For the most part, these pirate ships only seek to make their own ways in the world. A helping hand can generally be found in the most desperate of circumstances, but for one's own sake, it's best for civilized peoples not to sink so low in the first place
Monsters:
There are several theories revolving around the question of why there is such a high concentration of monsters in the Kytaran Sea, the forerunner being that this region is actually nearing the edge of the Material Plane, meaning it's easier for extraplanar beings to stay there. Whatever the cause, the Kytaran Sea is filled with every imaginable variety of water-dwelling fauna, from Aboleths to Zsueth the Doom Serpent. The reason that most early expeditions were destroyed on mass by these monsters, besides the fact that the expeditions were under equipped, was that they assumed every monster they came across was looking or a fight. Nowadays, the savvy explorer can navigate themselves out of harms way, by understanding the behaviors of these monsters and interacting with them appropriately. With that being said, it is of course true that some fights cannot be avoided.
Wild Magic:
Speaking geographically, a sea is usually a body of saltwater separate from the ocean in relation to it's position near land. The Kytaran Sea, on the other hand is a loose term for an area in the World Ocean that, for unknown reasons, has been infused with a random magical charge. This magic manifests in a variety of ways, at any time, for any reason. There has been a tragically small amount of research in this area, and it is still unknown why this happens or if it there's anything that can be done to stop it. It seems that after one too many source-less fireballs destroy a ship, people stop trying.
Treasure:
Why are there still people living in this horrid place? The few settled islands have remained civilized for upwards of 140 years, there are still thousands of people of all sentient races who choose to spend the bulk of their lives embarked on this most unforgiving of seas. Why put forth the effort? What sort of person would do that? What do they stand to gain? The answers are as simple now as they ever have been; when the prizes are unknown, and there are few standing in your way, the bold will come forth and take what they desire, as always it has been. There could be anything beyond the windswept shores of Drumlind, past the armada filled waters of Thrane or the peaceful monasteries of Scatchew, and all an enterprising crew needs to do is find it and take it.
Type
Sea
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