The Dread Sea

"The darkened clouds cast a glum mood upon the crew, all of whom were on edge thanks to the constant harassment from many a skeleton and spectre. A creaking ship made of dark wood with tattered sails meanders towards us, leaving a trail upon the still water. I look through my telescope into the distance towards the pale green glow emanating from Dread Island, the source of our troubles. Now is not the time to worry about it though, as the ship continues its slow approach."
-Journal of Captain Rose

Intro

Plagued by a terrible curse of undeath, The Dread Sea is a hostile environment to all but the most experienced of sailors. Those that die in the region are returned to life under the control of those who rule the sea - a special type of undead known as Dread Lords, each as hard to kill as a lich and just as powerful. Chief among the Dread Lords is Thrazmohk, who controls the many armies of undead from his seat on Dread Isle.
Though rife with treasures, the sea doesn't have much to offer in terms of hospitable islands or settlements. Instead, each island has its own breed of undead to slaughter those who attempt to make landfall.

Geography

The Dread Sea takes up a roughly 200 x 170 mile zone of The Six Seas, just west of the centre of the seas - The Kings' Sea. The strict borders of the zone are set along the lines beyond which people begin rising from the dead, not the actual domain of the undead, though the two are often similar outside of the southern reaches, which are controlled by Androchia. Dread Isle rests at the dead centre of the sea.
Islands in the Dread Sea tend to be rocky and less friendly to settlement, though there are exceptions. The sky is perpetually cloudy thanks to the influence of The Dread Lords, which reduces the temperature of the region far below the tropical levels typically expected in The Six Seas.

Inhabitants of the Dread Sea

Dread Lords

The vile rulers of The Dread Sea, these undead come in a number of shapes and sizes, and each has its own agendas and methods. Some are anchored to islands, willingly or otherwise, and others sail the seas, ensuring the legions of undead are kept in order and under control. Whenever a Dread Lord is near, the undead in the vicinity are stronger, more plentiful, and better organized.

Androchians

Androchia sends swathes of zealous clerics & paladins to The Dread Sea in hopes of making a dent in the undead's numbers and one day reclaiming the sea for the living. Though it is a long and arduous process, most expeditions into the region are successful, and Androchians represent the only strong force of good within The Dread Sea.

Key Locations

Dread Isle

Home to Thrazmohk and the centre of the sea, Dread Isle is a deathtrap for those even the least bit unprepared. Few souls have survived a trip to the isle, and for good reason - it thousands of undead, often more powerful than those found on the open waters.

Mordi's Spear

The only friendly settlement deep in The Dread Sea, Modri's Spear is an Androchian military outpost stationed roughly 30 miles southwest of Dread Isle. Any living person is welcome here, no matter their background, so long as they can help out in keeping the settlement afloat. Considering how regularly it's besieged by undead, that's a task of considerable difficulty.

Included Locations

• Dread Isle
• Mordi's Spear
• The Dreadboroughs