The Cauldron

The Cauldron is a warm-water shallow gulf that borders southern Qemt'Or and northwestern Krag-a-Krach. The area is heavy in volcanic activity, and many small islands dot the bay. The jungle bordering the bay and the islands within and around it have mainly been inhabited by tribes of Gruggas for most of history. However, the Krachi and the Qemti have begun setting up outposts on the surrounding mainland to exploit the natural resources. The Krachi technically own the islands in the Cauldron and in the adjoining straight, the Handle, but in reality stateless pirates control the waterways.
Saltwater bodies of water have been some of the most dangerous places in Morgrave throughout history. Even those who live mainland have heard the stories of colossal leviathans who can destroy a boat as easily as a cat can kill a mouse. For those living on the coast, the stories are more real. Though few people have actually seen a sea monster, they certainly do exist in the deeper oceans, and all sea travel has been relegated to the shallows within half a mile of shore in most places. Even then, safety isn't guaranteed, and sea monsters have been spotted within a few hundred feet from the shore.
But out of all the bodies of water, the Cauldron is the safest. Its warm water and shallow seabed work together to dissuade the deep-ocean monsters from visiting. With the advent of better sailing technologies, sea travel is safer than it's ever been. Krag-a-Krach has always been an artisanal state, but selling goods for it was hard and expensive, as they had to pay handsomely to use the Arakki Pass, a hewn passageway through the lower arm of the Skulls Mountains owned by their cousins, the Southern Skulls Dwarves. With the Caulron relatively safe to travel, they could pack enormous amounts of goods into a boat and sail it to Qemt'Or. It cut the time and costs drastically, but every once in a while they would lose a massive amount of cargo to a single monster attack. But overall, the profits were better, so sailing grew in popularity. That profit drew pirates, who wanted to prey on the fat boats full of money.
Today, the Cauldron is a lively place. Tribes of Grugga still live in and around it, and Qemti, Krachi, and pirate outposts have sprung up around the business of naval trade. If you want to make a fortune or lose it all, this is the place to be in Morgrave, but only the brave of heart or irrationally greedy are drawn here over the fear of sea monsters.

Type

Gulf / Lagoon