The Oceans of Nyria

The world of Nyria is dominated by vast and diverse oceans, each with its own unique characteristics and significance. These oceans cover most of the explored surface of the planet and play a crucial role in shaping the climate, geography, and cultures of the world.

The Altian Ocean

The largest and calmest of Nyria’s oceans, the Altian Ocean. It is home to most of the surviving Alsian kingdoms and nations, including the Eldwell Empire, the Leidenstein Consortium, the Yun Sacred Empire, and the Thierry Free States and all other known powers. The Altian Ocean is known for its relatively peaceful waters, making it a key route for trade and travel. Its central location also makes it a focal point for political and economic power in Nyria.

The Ichor Ocean

The Ichor Ocean, is a dark and treacherous body of water. Named for its inky, viscous appearance, the Ichor Ocean is notorious for its unpredictable storms and tales of sea monsters. Continuous rains and thunderstorms originating from the neighboring Steaming Ocean contribute to its dangerous reputation. Despite these challenges, the Ichor Ocean is a vital resource, rich in rare minerals and home to several strategic islands on its edges.

The Steaming Ocean

The Steaming Ocean, is named for the constant evaporation caused by underwater lava-spewing chasms and volcanoes. This mist-shrouded expanse powers the planet’s rain cycle, creating dense fog and high temperatures that make navigation treacherous. Despite its perils, the Steaming Ocean is teeming with life and valuable resources, making it a place of both mystery and potential wealth.

The Crystal Ocean

Once the south pole of Nyria, the Crystal Ocean is now a body of fresh, crystal-clear water that covers about 15% of the explored surface. This ocean is a vital source of sustenance, rich with life and unique ecosystems. The Crystal Ocean’s waters do not mix with the surrounding saltwater oceans, creating an isolated and ecologically diverse environment. Its natural beauty and abundant resources attract explorers, settlers, and scientists alike. However, access to the Crystal Ocean is tightly controlled by the Iron Crusade, whose mighty fleets guard the gateways to this valuable region. The fresh water and produce that the Crystal Ocean offers are coveted by many, but only those who can navigate the treacherous waters patrolled by the Iron Crusade have any hope of reaching it.

The Barren Ocean

The Barren Ocean, formerly the north pole of Nyria, covers about 10% of the explored surface and is a desolate, lifeless expanse. Unlike the other oceans, the Barren Ocean’s cold and unwelcoming waters support no known life. However, recent prospecting has revealed significant deposits of rare earth metals beneath its surface, drawing interest from mining companies and adventurers. Despite its harsh conditions, the Barren Ocean is becoming an area of strategic importance for those seeking to exploit its hidden resources.

The Great Unknown (Oceanus Incognita)

Beyond the known waters of Nyria lies the Great Unknown, or Oceanus Incognita, a vast, lost region that has captivated the imaginations of sailors and scholars for years. This mysterious ocean is not just a place of legend—it used to be a known expanse that once housed the colonies of many of the surviving nations and the heartlands of now-lost empires. Great civilizations once thrived in these waters and continents, their ships navigating routes that have long since been forgotten. The Burn cut any connection to most of the rest of the planet. The Steaming Ocean to the east and the Ichor Ocean to the west of the Altian Ocean create almost impassable barriers, cutting off this once-prosperous region from the rest of the world. Now, no one knows what remains in the Great Unknown. What happened to the empires that once ruled these waters? What secrets lie beneath the waves of Oceanus Incognita? The Great Unknown remains one of the last true mysteries of Nyria, a place where the maps end and the imagination begins. It is a frontier that few have dared to venture, and none have returned to tell the tale.