The Rootless Isles

Rootless are the isles of this archipelago adrift in the Great Churn, a wild magic-infused ocean seemingly without end. The migratory nature of the Isles complicates inter-island travel, and as a result the peoples and polities of each island are as variable as the currents that carry them. Kingdoms and republics rise and fall across the Churn, and while there is no central power or identity uniting the varied states of the Isles, it is exceedingly rare that inter-island conflict rises to carry blood across the yawning sea that separates them.   In the absence of a centralized authority to govern trade between the islands, networks of mercenaries and glory-seekers have banded together as Adventurers' Guilds to offer security and insurance for traders, carry messages across the Churn, and fulfill varied contracts and bounties. Many Guilds, such as the Stained Hand, are functionally pirate mercenary armies who profit off of protection rackets, blackmail, and plunder. This makes the honorbound collective of Accorded guilds all the more lauded, and the Compatriots are the most recognizable and venerated - and thus wealthiest - among them.   You've received word that Kiln, legendary veteran recruiter of the Compatriots, is seeking your presence at his inn. He has made his home on Causeway, the island at the Churn's center, mysteriously motionless after an event known as the Rooting. The completion of even a single contract for the Compatriots could ensure enough renown to open up a lot of doors and enable a lifetime of seafaring adventure. And so you make for Causeway.