Islands of the Trackless Sea
The following is general information of the island realms of the northern Trackless Sea, off the Savage Coast. Not stuff I have created, but gathered from the old Savage Frontier (1st edition) supplement to the Forgotten Realms
SEA CONDITIONS
The northern extent of the Trackles Sea is cold, gray, bleak and unforgiving to those who venture across its depths. The region is either subarctic (which extends as far south as the northern Moonshaes) or arctic (north of Luskan on the Sword Coast of the Savage Frontier). Equivalent to the North Atlantic on earth, commonly has raging storms, squalls, and occasionally icebergs. A good stiff breeze is nearly always present. Although mostly a cold sea, coastal waters along the Sword Coast north of Waterdeep are a good deal warmer due to southerly currents.GUNDARLUN
Rocky, mountainous island many miles west-southwest of Luskan, is ruled by King Olger Redaxe, a Northman (i.e. Viking) warrior. Has the city of Gundbarg, largest settlement in the Trackless Sea islands (outside of the Moonshaes and other southern islands). With a population of over 12,000, is a noteworthy provisioning stop for passing ships seeking fresh water, food, repairs, replacement crew or goods to carry. Has huge warehouses, drydocks, sailmakers, inns, and taverns. Its Dragon Turtle Inn is a well known adventurer's hideout, information broker meeting place, and a place to hire crew and ships. Gundarlun, and particularly Gundbarg, is a bustling trade center. The island exports ambergris, goat cheese, fish, hides and furs, iron, lamp oil, lead, salt, scrimshaw, vathmal, and wool and imports beef, beer and ale, glassware, grains and vegetables, honey, sailcloth, shoes and boots, fruits, wines, and wood. As the island has a harsh climate, little agriculture is practiced here, and the landscape is virtually treeless, so wood is a valuable commodity. Gundbarg is a major whaling center, providing whale meat, blubber, scrimshaw, and ambergris, and also is a major supplier of vathmal. Among the many countries that trade with Gundarlun, Calimshan is quite prominent, and in the past has sponsored mining activity here.THE ICE PEAK
This island is basically an ancient volanco surrounded by near-permanent icepack of the Sea of Moving Ice. Is nominally ruled by First Captain Tranjer Rolsk, whole rules Aurilssbarg, a Luskan colony and acts on "behalf" of other Ice Peak villages. The largest settlement, at 3,000 people, is Aurlissbarg, and is a center for sealing and whaling activity, exporting many animal products. Fishing and trading with the Ice Hunter (i.e.Eskimo) natives are also important economic activities. Aurilssbarg is the major provider of seal skins and oil on the Trackless Sea, and tries to compete with Gundarlun for the whale products market. Even more so than Gundarlun, Ice Peak must import many of its agricultural goods. Other prominent villages are Bjorn's Hold, a joint Northman-Ice Hunter village, and Icewolf, an Ice Hunter village.THE PURPLE ROCKS
Many miles to the west of Gundarlun, far out in the Trackless Sea, are divided between two Northman kingdoms, with King Selger ruling Trisk and King Bromm ruling Utheraal. Lightly populated, neither kingdom numbers more than 1000. Many of the islands in this group are little more than rocky outcroppings, no more than a few miles across. Several are larger, and between the lightly forested peaks are lush valleys shielded from the harsh storms of the bitter subarctic ocean. Much of the Purple Rocks economy is supported by extremely rich fishing grounds,some of the richest in the world, which is shipped through Gundarlun in dried, smoked, salted, and pickled form. Also produced is Vilksmaarg, a pungent, salty, herbed goat cheese popular along the Sword Coast. The Purple Rocks occasionally host adventurers, seeking to explore the Ruins of Ascarle, which are exposed on low tide, and to fight the horrible kraken(s?) rumored to lair nearby.RUATHYM
A rather large island in the Trackless Sea, is ruled by First Axe Aumark Lithyl. The largest settlement is also called Ruathym, and numbers around 5,000 or so. Home to a fierce, brutal, and proud people, they rely on raiding as the main component of their economy, often clashing with Luskan, Waterdeep, the Swordsmens Cooperative, the Purple Rocks, and Gundarlun. Limited farming and mining also play a role.TUERN
Distant but large island at the same latitude as the Ice Peak. Is a rich and varied land of forests, tundra, mountains, and valleys. Ruled by five separate Northman kings, the dominant one is High King Trelked Ironfist of Uttersea. Uttersea is the largest town, at 2,000. The economy is driven by whaling, fishing, farming, diamond mining, and rumors of an admantite mine. A rocky but fertile land of black beaches, seething volcanoes, and geysers, is a miner's dream come true. It, along with the town of Throne Rock, hug the sides of huge mountains, seeking saftey from the island's fire giants and red dragons, most of whom live in an area called the Flame Fault.THE WHALEBONES
A collection of 50 or more tiny islands, most no larger than a mile or two across, located east of Ruahthym. The islands are grass-capped rocky tables that rise 50 to 80 feet above their gravel beaches on white chalky cliffs. Northmen have lived here in tiny communities for centuries and the beaches are littered with the bones of countless whales, though many are used to construct sod longhouses. Relying on whaling, fishing, farming, and raiding, the islands are divided among dozens of petty kings, the largest of whom is Garr Ulfsson of Finback, a community of 205 people (largest settlement in the Whale Bones).SEA OF MOVING ICE
A virtually unexplored realm of dense pack ice, ice floes, and icebergs, is rarely traveresed by ship as channels can suddenly close by shifts in the ice. Home to seals, polar bears, walrus, the Ice Hunters, ice and snow trolls, and rare white dragons. Rumors of ice cities and lizardmen abound, but have not been seen in many centuries.PRODUCTS OF NORTHERN TRACKLESS SEA ISLANDS
Adamantite, quite rare, from Tuern. Ambergris, especially from Gundarlun, Ice Peak, and the Whalebones. Cheese, especialy Vilksmaarg goat cheese from the Purple Rocks.- Diamonds, from Tuern.
- Eternal Ice, quite rare, through the Ice Peak.
- Fish, especially from the Purple Rocks.
- Hides and Furs.
- Iron, mostly from Ruathym and Tuern.
- Lamp Oil.
- Lead.
- Rare Furs, mostly baby seal, arctic fox, and polar bear.
- Largely from the Ice Peak.
- Salt.
- Scrimshaw (carved whale teeth)
- Vathmal, hafnarvathmal, and morent (types of woven wool products)
- Whale products, including meat, blubber, and oil.
- Wool.
PEOPLE OF THE ISLANDS
The most notable of the peoples in the lands discussed above are the Northmen, tall, fair-haired, sea-loving barbarians. Well-known as barbaric sea raiders, their numbers include many more civilized folk, who farm, fish, mine, and trade. A very honor bound people, even their more civilized brethren highly praise skill in battle, courage, and boldness. Northmen love fighting, physical contests of skill, hearty food, somber songs, good drink (especially mead and ale), and great tales. Although having no respect for wizards, they highly honor clerics and most especially bards (called "skalds"), who help pass many a stormy night. Potent warriors on and off the sea, they are highly proficient with the battle axe, in hand-to-hand combat, fighting in wilderness setting, and their numbers include the famed berserkers. It probably exceeds necessary knowledge, but their are four main types of Northmen. Gunds live on Gundarlun, and are excellent merchants and fishermen, highly revere the gods, favor the sword over the axe, and are often found along the Sword Coast as adventurers. The least barbaric of the Northmen, they are rarely berserkers. Tuernish Northmen are a fierce people living isolated on Tuern, do not worship the gods but instead pay homage to native giants and dragons, attack clerics and temples on sight, and try to enslave non-Northmen. Ruathyn and Luskanite Northmen, though separated by more than 1,800 miles of ocean, are much the same, are the stereotypical Northmen; raiders, wear horned helmets, dress in furs, attack ships on the high seas, and hate Waterdeep citizens, demihumans, wizards, and southerners. Rocklanders live on the Purple Rocks, are a quiet people, close-mouthed around foreigners, who live tough lives. Obviously Gunds are the most friendly to foreginers, though Rocklanders also are once they warm up. Ice Hunters, or "Ancient Men of the North," have lived here long before any other human group. These short, dark haired, broad-faced, light-brown skinned people live simple, peaceful lives of fishing, hunting, and whaling. They live off of fish, seals, whale, walrus, and polar bear. They travel by dog-drawn sleds on land, and kayaks and oumyeks on the sea. Very respectful of nature, their shamans and witch doctors are reknown.Если вы хотите что то добавить или присоединится к команде редакторов - пишите комментарии
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