The Sea of Marquez

Where the depths whisper

Along the Eastern coast of the Trackless, the Sea of Marquez sits as a enormous inlet of calm water abounding with coral reefs. These reefs work as natural wave breaks and sea walls so the waters within the bay are always mellow, even during the mighty hurricanes that sweep South from the equator. Known by foreign sailors for its bountiful fishing and safe harbor, the Sea has nevertheless remained devoid of any permanent settlements. Explorers say this is because of reefs keeping ships from anchoring closer than a mile from shore but other darker legends are whispered on below decks at night. The deckhands speak of dark creatures, like serpents from the deep ocean, that come to the surface at night in the Sea of Marquez and steal sailors silently from the decks, carrying them down into the black depths for reasons unknown.

Geography

Perfectly capturing a warm current which sweeps south along the coast of the The Trackless , the Sea of Marquez hosts tropically warm waters near the surface and along the wide coastal shelves that rim it's coastline. The warm, calm waters and shallow bedrock which stretches more than a hundred miles from the shore provide ideal habitats for vast coral reefs.
Further from the coast, the shelves drop off steeply, giving way to an abyss of unknown depths. Maritime explorers and scientists have attempted to sound the depths but have not been able to confirm exactly how deep the Sea of Marquez is, only that the abyss stretches down for more than two miles.
The climate within the Sea of Marquez is maintained in large part by The Gates of Marquez , the enormous sea cliffs which soar to almost 6000 feet above the water where the Sea of Marquez meets The Ocean of Chamran. Visible from Port Lost  over 250 miles away, The Gates of Marquez resemble a craggy mountain which rose precisely on the strip of land separating the Sea of Marquez from The Ocean of Chamran only to be cracked in half by the surf.

Fauna & Flora

Because of the abundant coral reefs and warm waters, the Sea of Marquez teems with all varieties of sea life. Shoals of colorful fish meander through the reefs, where they are hunted by sharks with all manner of odd shaped heads and mouths. Large, strange fish thought to be native to the lightless depths have been caught out over the abyss and giant varieties of more common tropical hunters, such as mantis shrimp and eels, have been spotted in the crystal clear waters near the coast.

Natural Resources

Extremely bountiful fishing among the coral reefs and shellfish along the shoals and coast line.

Alternative Name(s)

The Ivory Gulf

Type

Sea

Location under

The Trackless