The Tear of Pasiphae

The Tear of Pasiphae is a giant superfjord and continent in the Northern Tripartite. It was formed during the Era of Reckoning, specifically during the catastrpophic event called Pasiphae's Lament, which lasted for four consecutive months (168 days). This was a massive, magical Hailstorm that formed the Tear of Pasiphae over time. The ice began to magnetically pull together fuse, collecting and forming a landmass as the hail continued to pour down into the ocean.

Causes

There are several things that preceded Pasiphae's Lament, all listed in the majority of history books. Historians generally pick one reason as to why the goddess was saddened so intensely, but in truth it was likely all of their reasons, and one of them was the straw to break the camels back:

• Rampant Piracy in the North - both from humans and humanoid races, the infamous Sahuagin raiders of the world, and the newly formed Thieves Guild, "The Valkyries"

• The ongoing war between the Frost Giants and the Orcs

• The Shattering of Gholurai

• The Burning of the Solari Lorebark Treant

Effects

The presence of Tear has actually caused great difficulty in trade and cut the deep North off from many merchants and trade routes. The fjord is over 3,000 miles wide and has several islands, as well as a smaller continent around its coastlines. Sahuagin and other pirates set up bases along the coasts and icy cliffs of the fjord to hunt down and raid merchant ships sailing up through the passages. This has also dissuaded many merchants from even going North in the first place, further contributing to the isolation of the Tripartite.

Myths

There is a myth surrouding the fjord that when the Wall of Mists that hung around the borderline of the Expanses and the charted world dispersed, the mysteries it contained and held were dispersed as well. Eventually the mysteries were absorbed back up by the water cycle and they were sent back down to The Shattered Oceans in a new form: ice, instead of Mist. Therefore many mystics and mages believe that the secrets and myserties of The Expanses, their origins, how to navigate them, and more, can all be found by studying the Tear of Pasiphae.

Type

Supercontinent