Deepwater

Deepwater is a failed, all-but-abandoned Nereid settlement on the south-eastern coast of Elone, at the tip of the Great Dip. It is said to be built in the shape of a giant Nereid statue, and it rises and sinks beneath the waves as the tides grow or shrink.

Major Locations

Deepwater is mostly full of empty buildings from a settlement that only was fully inhabited for five years. Still, one can find some notable places within its bounds.

The Deepwater Colossus

It is unclear who the statue is made to represent. Some say it was the great Damolnath who founded the Northern Nereid Kingdom, others say it is the Rudusath who founded the Southern Nereid Kingdom, and others say it is Dholdos Zavazath, founder of Deepwater.
All that is clear, however, is that this is no ordinary statue. It is the largest sculpture in the world, an entire city built to shape his entire body from head to toe.

"The Deepwater Colossus is one of the greatest architectural marvels in all of Totania. To think it took merely five years means they had planned every minute detail of it long in advance, yet still to have done so against the battling waves is nothing more than a testament to their willpower."

— Workris Galkan

The Deep Docks

When the tide is low enough to reach the feet of the Colossus, one can find themselves at the Deep Docks, also known as "The Edge of the World." Here, one is beneath the Great Dip, a giant whirlpool or maelstrom that is uncrossable by any known ship, and would tear apart everything that enters it.
Yet when the water is gone from the docks, one can stand within it and see it as it stretches out before them. It is said to be a magnificent sight that can only be observed for about an hour before it becomes too dangerous.

Drained Streets

The streets of Deepwater were designed with flooding in mind. To prevent the city from remaining underwater, drains were placed on the side of every street, lining every step one takes.
These drains keep the city from staying flooded, leading into an intricate sewer system that feeds right back into the ocean. If not for the unpredictability of the Great Dip, the Drained Streets would make Deepwater a liveable city.

Live-In Lane

Live-In Lane is the upper area of Deepwater, three blocks of safe streets that are easy to evacuate when the water rises. They are the only houses that are consistently lived in and the only businesses that are consistently open.
The residents of Live-In Lane do not permanently live there. Instead, they keep their belongings close to the exit of their homes or shops and, when the tide begins to rise, they wrap it all up and take it outside of the city.

Government

There is no formal government in Deepwater, though they do still technically call themselves "The Eastern Nereid Meritocracy of Deepwater." They are led by whomever is considered the hardest worker who does the most for the city. The leader is called the Premier.

Population

Deepwater is only inhabited by Nereids, as no one else wishes to live in a city that submerges itself. However, it is not right to call it inhabited, for it is by all rights an abandoned city.
There are said to be about 100 residents at most at any given time, though they always move in and out with the tide. Either that or they die.
It is not considered a true settlement due to its small population, meaning its government is not recognized either on the world stage, particularly by the World Court.

Dholdos Zavazath by Jarhed

Founding

The Nereid people have oft lived in two separate Kingdoms that all are found beneath the waves: the Northern Nereids, who are more known for diplomacy, and the Southern Nereids, who dislike outsiders in their waters.
However, there was once a time when a man led a group with a new dream. Dholdos Zavazath led his people east in search not just of becoming "Eastern Nereids" but also so that they could fulfill a dream long-held by the Nereid people. They would settle on land.
Dholdos found many people willing to go along with his plan. They drew up blueprints in -159 as he trained so that he could protect his people and lead them. As they built, he went to Zephys where he attended the Magic College in -158, a year after the village was founded.
When Dholdos returned after his graduation, he found that there was no one left in the city. He took his blade and roamed the streets, searching, but everyone was gone. Yet the city was built.
Dholdos stayed in the city, protecting it even as he found it sinking. Yet he always stayed above the water. He never knew that the people were all swept away by the ocean, ripped apart by the Great Dip. He believed there was an invader waiting to take him away like it did his people. Yet the invader was no man, it was the sea, calling the Nereids back into its embrace.
It is said that Deepwater is a tale of why Nereids should not settle on land, a sign from the Gods of where their true habitat is. Others call it just another tragic tale.