The Balacen Ocean

Geography

The Balacen is the largest ocean on Teshelyn. Because the world is almost entirely submerged, ocean borders are defined by underwater geographic features rather than division by landmasses. The western border of the Balacen is marked by the Serpent's Scar, a deep trench, as well as the large island chains of Sauhul and Dirhun. Its eastern border is delineated by the Singer's Spine, a mountain range that breaches the surface in a handful of areas, including the human settlement of Horizon.
The ocean reaches to the extreme north and south of Teshelyn, to what are known as the hardwater expanses. These areas of frozen water are inhospitable to all but the hardiest of life. Some efforts have been made to explore and further understand the hardwater expanses, but little progress has been made.
The Balacen also varies greatly in its depth. The Serpent's Scar is thought to be the deepest trench on Teshelyn, although several other trench systems can also be found in the Balacen. Most civilizations can be found in the shallows, but some groups of dolphins occasionally traverse the open ocean on feeding or migratory routes.

Fauna & Flora

The Balacen comprises several distinct but interconnected ecosystems. The mangrove forests of the western shores link the rivers of Dirhun to the ocean, and the forests gradually give way to the immense reef systems on the shelf. Kelp forests and smaller reefs can be found further into the ocean, and eventually these transition to the aphotic zones deeper in the water.
Ecology in the Balacen is primarily governed by depth, and to a lesser extent by proximity to a coast. Pressure sensitivity limits interactions between organisms from different ecological zones, which in some cases is for the better, as the merfolk tend to be better equipped to handle high water pressure than their rivals, the balaceti. Each organism on Teshelyn has developed into its own niche, and the Balacen is perhaps the most biodiverse region in the world.

Type

Ocean

Related Ethnicities

• Drift-pod balaceti