The Azure Sea
The Azure Sea has long been a turbulent body of water in every sense. Its storms have sent countless ships to their doom, and warfare of one sort of another is conducted across its surface all the time (and perhaps, even, beneath).
Pirates affiliated with the Hold of the Sea Princes, along with independent marauders, prey on ships that attempt to cross the ocean, the various kingdoms and empires of the lands only offering limited protection. Strange monsters, including vicious dinosaurs from the Drowned Jungle in the far east, emerge from below from time to time.
The only outlets from the Azure Sea are either through the Kraken Straits or the Calacian Maw, both incredibly dangerous bodies of water. What lies beyond The Great Deep that surrounds the Azure Sea remains only the stuff of myth and legend.
The term "the Azure Sea" is also often used to denote the whole of the Known World, including all the landmasses that encircle the sea itself.
Seafaring
Beyond the coastal waters, the Azure Sea is notoriously fickle. Sometimes calm and balmy, at others it is wild and untamed, with sudden storms brewing. This unpredictable nature becomes more apparent in the deeper waters at the centre, and even experienced sailors offer up prayers to Procan before setting out. There is one route through the sea's depths that is slightly less unpredictable. Known as Trent's Channel this route is therefore busier with merchant ships than other areas, as it offers a quicker route around the sea than hugging the coastlines would do. Consequently it is also the target of pirates and roving bands of Sahuagin. The Imperial Navy of the Cerulean Empire therefore often patrols the Channel, though they cannot hope to keep it safe for all. One of the most fascinating (and terrifying) geographic features observed in the Azure Sea is the Pit of Golgur. This massive sinkhole some 150 miles east of Keymouth is an endless waterfall into a rocky abyss smack dab in the middle of the open ocean. The incredible volumes of seawater that fall into this geological monster go... somewhere. The place is a mystery, spoken of in hushed tones by ancient mariners. All that is known about it is that all of the water (and presumably, every thing unfortunate enough to be caught up in that water) is sucked down below the ocean, to an unknown fate.Politics
Most of the civilisations around the Azure Sea depend upon it for trade, food, raw materials and their economy. This applies even more so to those civilisations that live on, or beneath, the waves. Therefore the sea and it's resources are often a source of conflict, both within civilised settlements, and in the broader sense, between nations and factions. Control of the sea lanes and the safer waters is a prime objective of many. Wars have been fought over control of various parts of the sea over the years, and lingering resentment still abides in some circles, especially those concerned with seafaring. The political affairs of the undersea nations, such as the Tritons, Sahuagin and Merfolk are less well understood, though conflict is still commonplace, and the effects often spill out of the sea onto the land.Flora and Fauna
The ecology of the Azure Sea is as diverse as it is impossible to imagine. The creatures and plants of the deeps remain a mystery to most, who only know of those things that are hauled up in their fishing nets, washed up on the beaches, or discussed in old tales around tavern firesides. It is known that there are several undersea civilisations, including the Merfolk and Sahuagin, each with their own different mores and aims. Dark tales have been told of huge leviathan-like creatures in the depths that occasionally rise to terrorise shipping, and of strange forests of huge kelp, as extensive as those forests found on land and with their own unique ecologies.
Alternative Name(s)
The Known World, The Fickle Mistress, The Cerulean Deep
Type
Sea
Location under
Included Locations
- Aquithis
- Ascarle
- Baragua Island
- Cerulean Territories
- Coaria
- Crystal Reef
- Dukari Plains
- Endless Nadir
- Gulf Weeds
- Jolbel Deep
- Jolbel Range
- Limuthys
- Malsay
- Marastino Island
- Milbar Gulf
- Monmurg
- Narino
- Northern Reaches
- Parandor Hold
- Pit of Golgur
- Pit of Hatred
- Purple Rocks
- Sargassum
- Sea Tower of Doqille
- Serebrum
- Shimmering Abyss
- Taran Crater
- The Karsts
- The Southern Chain
- The Tinderbox
- Titan's Demise
- Trench of Areksos
- Trent's Channel
- Western Commonlands
- Weylam Holm
Characters in Location
Related Tradition (Primary)
Related Reports (Primary)
Related Reports (Secondary)
Inhabiting Species
Comments