Trimalison

First came the malison of plague, blighting mankind with feverish afflictions and mildewed crops. Then came the second malison of nautical wrath, where the oceans rose up and swallowed homelands from eras of old, crushing empires beneath the waves. Now, the third malison of the sinful flame encroaches the fringes of the Outer Isles; this curse banishes the ignition of all flame, except those conjured through the ritual slaughter of a fellow man. These three curses upon the world are known as the Trimalison, and have driven most of humanity to lives bound by the sea, sculpting the landscape to smaller tracts where societies persist, and tensions remain.   The world of the Trimalison is one spurred by valuables and knowledge; some lost long ago, and others newly discovered by intrepid pioneers. The technology of Trimalison is driven by the need for naval capability, roughly mirroring the mid to late 18th century of our own world. The flintlock gun and the sailing ship have been greatly refined. Diving suits of leather jackets and pressurized metal helms are frequently used by pilgrims, researchers, and salvagers alike. Electricity remains a curiosity studied by scientists, but is almost never used in technology. Though Trimalison is fantasy, witchcraft and monsters are not especially common, and are mostly confined to the most mysterious and taboo of places. In the outermost regions, affected by the third malison, headhunters attack their prey with traditional weapons, and may go for long periods of eating food raw. When a fire is finally ignited in these places, people go to great lengths trying to keep it kindled.   Civilization still endures in the inner landmasses. However, no matter if one comes from the Inner Lands or the Outer Isles, the displacement of peoples and ambition for resources makes the life of the privateer a lucrative one. Piracy and salvaging abounds across the sea, fueled by diaspora and the promise of riches, both new and forgotten. However, the third malison slowly draws inward, bringing the gravest of upheavals known to man. Only the bravest and most inquisitive of adventurers stand between, racing to solve the third malison before it wreaks havoc on all the world.