Undine Sea

The Undine Sea is connected to the Dehisce Gulf by various estuaries partitioned by a broken isthmus known as the Holloways. The Undine sea acts receives much of the drainage of glacial masses from the Tempest Crown peaks. The area of the Undine sea is approximately 12,500 square miles and has a depth of approximately 8,500 ft at its deepest point. The breadth of the sea stretches from the lush, amber fields of the Mashangisti farmlands to the fine beaches and ports of Luam Cathwa. The Undine Sea acts as the dominant sea passage for trade from the outer-continent to the inner-continent. Serving as the main exchange of cultures, settlements around the sea welcomed intermingling of races from the Shunarian and Talarian races.
While there are many settlements that take advantage of the Undine sea, the two dominant settlements are Mashangist and Luam Cathwa. While Mashangist tended to utilize the availability of the sweet water to expand agriculture and steamworks, Luam Cathwa preferred a seafaring culture. As such, Mashangist saw a dramatic surge in population due to an explosion of wealth and availability of resources. Mashangist became increasingly less diverse. Luam Cathwa's population grew as a result of migration leveraging the ports for trade. Drawing in distant peoples, Luam Cathwa is one of the most diverse cities on the continent. As a result of this, the settlements along the Holloways share a closer culture with Luam Cathwa than Mashangist.
Tidal Trade and Developments
The road from Mashangist to Luam Cathwa over the isthmus is a 950 mile journey. One of the challenges of traversing the Holloways is the seasonal tides that result in breaks in the bridge. This meant that there were certain disconnects in the bridge. Merchants and caravans that were stranded during seasons where the tides broke the trail were historically responsible for establishing settlements during the journey. Traders and travelers tended to reuse these settlements until merchants found that these locations were lucrative for trade. This resulted in the establishment of settlments that include Audlin, Periomni, and Jumijuven.
Eventually, in an effort to improve trade, a House Lord from Mashangist invested in the establishment of bridges to connect the lands while still permitting the passage of ships into the sea. The presence of these structures is a large contrast with the simple settlements that have grown around them. While substantially improving trade, there are rumors that Mashangist intends to build a steam engine system that threatens to fundamentally change the standard of living along the Holloways.
Wildlife
Fierce wyverns and monstrous rocs quarrel for supremacy over the crystalline tide. Aeries of wyvern swarm to the clear water to prey on the leaping fish and other predatory, flying creatures. Scholars from all over the world come to study the interactions of these flying creatures. The presence of these creatures is consistent throughout the year, though they are encountered in greater number in the Summer months. Traders, scholars, and ships alike have often become the target of these groups, requiring skilled and armed defenses.
On a smaller scale, Alligators bask upon scorched banks before diving into the succulent waves. Schools of fish navigate through the drifting seaweed. Eagles and smaller birds perch upon the shoreline trees. The warm climate allows for various creatures to thrive, drawing colonies of migratory animals nearby. Aurochs, Boar, and deer are the most commonly hunted creatures in the territory, though furs gathered from foxes, beavers, and similar creatures are prized for their coats.

Nestled behind a long isthmus that connects the nation of Mashangist to the untamed territories beyond the borders of Gamjuit is the Undine sea. Here, the sweet water from the melting glacial passes congregates and stands apart from the brackish black waters of the Dehisce Gulf. The contest of wills is divided by the white sands. These Holloways ties together the peoples of various nations. Stone edifices rise up from the settlements that stretch over this fringe. There, rumors gather as a storm, waves lap up the laughter, and the taste of glory drinks gluttonously from the depths.
Ventures into the Undine sea are frequent as the sea trade connect the burgeoning port towns fed by their landlocked peers. These towns include: Luam Cathwa, Periomni, Audlin, Mashangist, Granmori, Amireach, and Waygref. Seaborne vessels wake from their berthes as they carry cargoes across the expanse.
While the shelter of the Undine Sea acts as a place of refuge from the storms and torments of travel, the false haven claims a traitorous secret. Deep in the depths of the Undine, coils of water slither from a darkness that broke the purified wall. The pull grows stronger, preying on the tears of sailors broken by tragedy. With unending turns of the hourglass, a form coalesces. A leviathan, birthed from corruption. Feasting on the well of life, its appetite continues to grow unseen and unheard.
Sailors gather yearly for the Sifting. Setting sail upon the sweet waters of the Undine Sea and the black waters of the ocean, quarry remains hidden beneath the glimmering surface. The contest demands everything from all who are willing to participate. As sails rise up to the cannon fire, the ships slice through the whitened peaks in their chase. In the deepest parts of every man dwells the fear of its imminent demise. Under every wave is the frightful mask of unknown terrors. Every wake whispers of dangerous trials. And behind them, where stone hearts burn with radiant fervor, glory awaits.
During the cold winter months when the rivers shallow, the brackish waters intrude through the broken estuaries crowned with towering bridges. Invading species leap intermittently through this barrier before making their hasty retreats. Ships are pushed and pulled through the breach, finding salvation in the Undine sea. During the peak of the Summer, sweet waters push against the brackish line.
Still, deep within the trenches that line the bottom of the Undine Sea rushes the dark waters. Tormented and isolated, creatures seethe. Glimmering eyes break from the dim shade, tracking the vessels drifting above.

Ecosystem

The coasts of the Undine sea thrive with the amphibious marine life that support thriving trade and hunting. The Abiotic compounds invite a fertile plant population of seaweeds that has spread along the shore near the Mashangisti border. Away from the shore, large rock formations resembling pillars stand. These rock formations are created by the sweetwater seawyrms that deposit residual minerals consistently in the same locations. Over time, these pillars grow to hundreds of feet. The largest known pillar, Rocarim Stride, rises nearly 1500 feet. The network of pillars creates a unique ecosystem where many different species are able to thrive.
While residual black waters left over during Summer tides remains in the sea, it is deposited at the bottom making subnautical lakes. Within these lakes survive creatures that are typically found in the Dehisce Gulf that had ventured in. While stranded by the sweet waters in which they cannot survive, these creatures are believed to continue to exist. There are rumors from various Triton explorers who have reported sights of extremely long tentacles reaching out from the depths to grip prey. However, the boundary of the two waters makes peering into this abyssal plane difficult.

Type

Inland Sea