WOrlD Of ArOkA

Shadowed Sea

While the sound of running water or waves lapping against rock and shore is not an uncommon one in the depths of Aroka’s continents, the creaking of hulls and barking of crews is one that would lead most to believe the darkness had finally driven them mad. However, if these travelers were beneath the Lost Mountains, they had likely discovered the Shadowed Sea.

While the details of how a stable population of seafarers ended up so far beneath the earth vary widely, many speculate that they were once a part of the technologically advanced civilization that dominated the regions that now make up the shattered lands of northeast Sona and northwest Nova. Those that spend enough time on its shores and waters will hear strange beings and creatures lumbering along its western shores and gliding beneath its waters, with many speculating that some of that civilization’s power still resides in a lost city or stronghold. The truth of this is difficult to assess as anyone seeking answers rarely finds them or ends up lost themselves.

Any underground region is, nearly categorically, devoid of bright lights apart from what those dwelling in the darkness can conjure. The Shadowed Sea is no exception in this regard, but the source of light it provides to the vast cavern is. When the Lighttower was constructed is unknown, but its advanced technological design suggests that it dates back to at least the Age of Divinity. Historical records suggest that it once kept lit at all times, bathing the sea in light and driving away the creatures that relied on darkness to hunt. This allowed a thriving population to occupy the cavern, harvesting its unique fauna and flora. Though the exact name of this region during that time has been lost in translation, many suspect that it had a much more bright and hopeful name.

However, when the Firefall came and the Age of Divinity ended, the records show a cessation of support from the lands above, severely reducing the brightness of the Lighttower. The shattering of the world above, the War of Ashes, and the Age of Ice, while not directly impacting the Shadowed Sea, partial cavern collapses, displaced creatures and peoples, and the end of the surface world continued to take their toll on the region, forcing difficult decisions to be made. The Church of the Dying Light stepped up to manage this trial, prioritizing the Lighttower and investing as many of their resources and time as they could spare into uncovering its secrets and learning how to keep it lit, even when the original technology failed. For centuries, this proved successful with only a moderate need to quell civil unrest and dissension, but many believe that the Lighttower shines a little less bright and is shut off to conserve resources a little earlier in the day each year. With most of the known passages to the surface lost and no guarantee of a world worth returning to, its people are torn between braving the monsters lurking in the endless darkness around them or waiting for the light to die and letting the monsters come to them.