The Sea of Sorrows
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This section contains canon info from officially published sources |
| The Sea of Sorrows | |
|---|---|
| Culture Level | Varies by island, mostly Medieval to Chivalric[1] |
| Ecology | Full[1] |
| Climate & Terrain | Temperate Aquatic[1] |
| Year Formed | 630 BC[2] |
| Population | 1,300[1] |
| Races (%) | Humans 99%, Other 1%[1] |
| Languages | Mordentish, Lamordian, Darkonese[1] |
| Religions | Ezra, Hala[1] |
| Government | No formal government for the sea itself, but the islands have their own.[3] |
| Ruler(s) | None[3] |
| Darklord(s) | Captain Pieter Van Riese[4] |
| Nationality | |
| Analog | |
| Related Categories | |
| Locations in The Sea of Sorrows | |
| Transportation in The Sea of Sorrows | |
| Inhabitants of The Sea of Sorrows | |
| Former Inhabitants of The Sea of Sorrows | |
| Flora of The Sea of Sorrows | |
| Fauna of The Sea of Sorrows | |
| Native Monsters of The Sea of Sorrows | |
The Sea of Sorrows is the sea that borders the western mainland of the Core.[5] Although the sea itself was formed in 630 BC[2], it may not have gained a darklord until 740 BC in the wake of the Grand Conjunction.[6] Like with the Nocturnal Sea, the Sea of Sorrows boasts several islands. Some of these islands have human populations on them, but the presence of fog makes the Sea difficult to charter[5], even by its darklord[7] (see below). Towards its edge, the Sea gives way entirely to the Misty Border. In addition, many of the islands located within the interior of the Sea are either hostile to outside trade or have limited capacity for it. Lands beyond may be reached via the Sea of Sorrows, but such routes are the most precarious.[5] Sailors of the Core's western shorelines may wishfully speak of a way to sail through and around to the Nocturnal Sea and its more plentiful ports, but there is scant evidence that the possibility even exists.[8]
The Sea of Sorrows has neither a central government nor a single ruler[3], but the domain is sailed by its darklord, Captain Pieter Van Riese, and his ship, the Relentless. He seeks strong and able crew for his ship. To take him up on his offer is to disappear, to reject it means facing his wrath.[7] He presides over merely the waters of the sea far enough from land, not the islands nor coastlines nor the waters immediately surrounding them.[4]
Islands of the Sea of Sorrows
- Blaustein is a pirate haven ruled by the mad tyrant Bluebeard. Most visitors here will be met with violence either at the hands of its ruler or his fanatically loyal people. Very few foreign ships that manage to escape ever deign to return. Bluebeard and his domain are described in Darklords[5]
Non-canon information can be found in
This section contains netbook-canon info from netbooks - Dominia A former island of terror, this tiny island is home only to the the Asylum for the Mentally Disturbed and its director, Dr. Declaud Heinfroth. This place is most fully explored in Bleak House (Boxed Set)[5]
- The Finger is a small chain of notoriously dangerous islands, most notably the Isle of Agony and the Isle of Demise. The Finger is off of the northwest coast of Lamordia. Whereas the Isle of Agony is actually apart of Lamordia, Demise is its own domain. Details on the latter can be found in Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix I & II, whereas details on the latter can be found in Adam's Wrath[7] and [[Gazetteer II].
- Markovia, formerly a temperate domain in the mainland of the Core, became a tropical island in the Sea of Sorrows following [the Grand Conjunction]]. However, to date every single human colonization attempt has failed. The island is not totally uninhabited, as it is the home of Dr. Frantisek Markov and his beastmen. Neither Man Nor Beast is the product with the most information on Markovia.[9]
Virisa, ruled by the despotic Lord Willem Ducas, is 30 miles to the south of Blaustein. It has a sizable human population, but foreigners are only allowed access.
Things, Creatures & Personages of Legend
- Captain Pieter van Riese and his ship, the Relentless[4]
- The Finger, particularly the Isle of Demise and the Isle of Agony
Biology
Flora
Fauna
Native Horrors
- Bowlyns[10]
- Jolly Roger[11][12]
- Lacedons[10]
- Lycanthrope, Wereray[13]
- Ravenloft Siren[14]
- Reaver[15][16]
- Sea Spawn, Master and Minion[17]
- Soul-Kraken[18]
- Will O'Sea[19]
Sailors
Chronology
500 BC Audun Beck, captain of the Illsong, discovers a magic gem while looting a wizard's tower. It transforms him into a sea vampire. After the healer in his village fail to restore him to life, he massacres everyone and burns the village to the ground. The Mists abduct him and his ship, taking them to the Sea of Sorrows.[20]- 630 BC The Sea of Sorrows forms.[21]
- 635 BC[21] In a brutal winter, Meredoth poisons his subjects and reanimates them as lebendtod to keep them from bothering him for help. His island (or a version of his island) is taken to an unfamiliar land.[22] The domain of Nebligtode forms as a number of islands[23] in the Sea of Sorrows.[24] After spending some time exploring, Meredoth kills and reanimates the Graben Family.[25]
651 BC Carcharodon Isle appears in the Sea of Sorrows.[26]- 643 BC Blaustein forms.[27]
- 683 BC Lamordia forms.[28]
- 686 BC or earlier: the Isle of Demise forms.
- 686 BC The Doma Odana, piloted by Captain Johan Werner and his crew, crashes into the hidden Isle of Demise. Most perish instantly, but Captain Werner and his men explore the Isle. They come to a path underground, eventually leading to a labyrinth. All but Werner are slain by Althea or other menaces. Werner is blinded, but he escapes, as commented about in his journal. His final fate remains unknown.[29]
- 707 BC Dementlieu forms.
- 719 BC Virisa is taken by the Mists after Lord Willem Ducas murders and eats his parents.[30]
- 724 BC The old ship captain Captain Killian retires and leaves his ship, the Endurance, to his nephew, Garvyn[31]
- 734 BC Captain Garvyn, his crew, and his ship, the Endurance become cursedfor dumping overboard the corpses of Madeline Stern, Jacob, and Charlotte Reisland which he had been hired to deliver to Todstein.[32] As a consequence, the Endurance became the Ship of Horrors.
- 737 BC With the delivery of the corpses to their proper resting places, Captain Garvyn and the Endurance are freed from their curse[33] as the 2nd Verse of Hyskosa's Hexad comes to pass.[34]
- 740 BC The Grand Conjunction causes the Sea of Sorrows to get a darklord[6], Captain Pieter van Riese[35]
- 740 BC Markovia relocates to the Sea of Sorrows.[35]
- 750 BC Graben Island and the other islands that were formerly Nebligtode break off from the Sea of Sorrows and become the Nocturnal Sea on the opposite side of the Core.[36]
- 750 BC By this year, Dominia has changed from an Island of Terror to an island in the Sea of Sorrows.[37] Ghastria has broken off from the mainland and also become an island in the Sea of Sorrows.[38]
- 753 BC Gustavstan forms.[39]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.155
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Domains of Dread p.16
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.156
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Domains of Dread p.75
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Domains of Dread p.73
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ravenloft Campaign Setting: Realm of Terror (Red Box) p.19
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Domains of Dread p.74
- ↑ Domains of Dread p.78
- ↑ Domains of Dread p.74-76
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Ravenloft Campaign Setting: Domains and Denizens, p. 29
- ↑ Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III p.64
- ↑ Denizens of Dread p.122
- ↑ Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III p.83
- ↑ Requiem: The Grim Harvest p.31
- ↑ Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium I & II p.45
- ↑ Denizens of Dread p.175-176
- ↑ Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III p.96-97
- ↑ Neither Man Nor Beast p.15,25
- ↑ Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium III p.121
- ↑ Children of the Night: Vampires p. 14-15; The date is questionable because it precedes the formation of the Sea by 130 years.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Domains of Dread, p. 16
- ↑ Domains of Dread p. 80
- ↑ Ship of Horror p.54
- ↑ Ship of Horror p.43
- ↑ Domains of Dread p.79-80
- ↑ The Book of Souls (Netbook) p.72
- ↑ Quoth the Raven Issue 19, p.54
- ↑ Gazetteer II p.69
- ↑ Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix I & II p. 103-105
- ↑ Alanik Ray's Library Archives Places p.335
- ↑ Ship of Horrors p.13
- ↑ Ship of Horrors p.12,38-39
- ↑ Ship of Horrors
- ↑ Domains of Dread p. 17
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Ravenloft Campaign Setting: Domains and Denizens p.29
- ↑ Domains of Dread p. 17, 78-80
- ↑ Domains of Dread p. 19
- ↑ Domains of Dread p. 74-75
- ↑ Undead Sea Scrolls 2001 p.82
Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue
Secrets of the Dread Realms - p7
Ravenloft Third Edition - pp14,17-19,110,137-138
Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp40-41
Domains of Dread - pp73-74
Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - p29
Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp8-9
Ravenloft Third Edition - inside cover
Domains of Dread - p72
Ravenloft Campaign Setting - poster map
Sea of Sorrows, The Sea of Sorrows
