Nightcats:Sea of Blood
The Sea of Blood
[edit]
The Sea of Blood is the heart of Jhelum.
Its waters are red—not with blood, but with strange growths that stain the waves like rust. Still, sailors spit over the side and whisper prayers when they cross it.
The Red Waters
[edit]The sea’s color shifts with the seasons:
- Deep crimson in still waters
- Pink foam along the coasts
- Dark, almost black, in the depths
No one agrees on the cause.
Isles Without Number
[edit]The Sea of Blood is filled with islands:
- Jungle-choked and unmapped
- Home to hidden cities
- Lairs of pirates and worse
Some appear and vanish with the tides. Others are said to move.
Trade And Piracy
[edit]The sea is the fastest way to travel:
- Merchant vessels cross between city-states
- Independent traders carry goods, rumors, and secrets
- Pirates prey on all
Coin flows freely—but so does blood.
Things Beneath The Waves
[edit]Sailors speak of:
- Shadows moving beneath ships
- Vast shapes in deep water
- Lights seen below the surface at night
Most laugh at such tales—until they see something themselves.
The Shikanti Domain
[edit]The Shikanti, who live in the Kanthi archipelago in the Sea of Blood, know these waters best:
- Their fleets dominate many routes
- Their warriors board ships without fear
- Their queens rule from island strongholds
To cross the sea without respecting them is folly.
The Taste Of The Water
[edit]Sailors say the sea tastes wrong.
Not salt alone, but something metallic, something old.
Those who drink it too long begin to dream of distant shores they have never seen.