A near innumerable series of islands spread over a vast area of sea, the Forgotten Archipelago was, for centuries, believed to be nothing more than an endless hurricane swirling along the Jaernian equator. Due to the storm’s intensity, none except the most foolhardy sailors would dare attempt to enter, and among those few none would return. Attempts to swim through by semi-aquatic lizardfolk proved no better, as intense, undersea currents made this area effectively a natural barrier to all outside of it. This was the case until 2/18/2558 when a lone marine operating a Maraujo ran aground into a Centralian port, boldly claiming that his former crew had found new land within the storm’s eye. He had made claims of rich land, bountiful life, and treasures the likes of which could buy empires. None would believe the madman, had it not been for the souvenir he brought home. What it was varies by account: Some say it was an exotic fruit, others claim it was a dagger forged of a metal never found before, and yet more believe it was a fossil of a great beast until now unknown.
Existing right along the Jaernian equator, the area surrounding the Forgotten Archipelago is naturally warm and humid, however, seemingly due to the eternal storm surrounding the islands, the weather within is completely unpredictable, at least on the sea. Each island’s climate seems to be consistent upon its own land, however, with very little variation in weather patterns along each respective land mass. What the climate is appears to depend entirely on the individual island, from tropical jungles to a freezing tundra and everything in between.
There is one currently known method of entering the Forgotten Archipelago: The Gates of Amnesty. Located on the southern end of the Forgotten Archipelago’s great storm, a journey to The Gates from a civilized continent can take months. Getting there is the easy part, however. A journey through The Gates is a perilous, often lethal affair without an experienced sailor at the helm. After exiting the Gates of Amnesty, weary sailors are given a chance to rest briefly on the Sandbed Islands and gather themselves before a brief journey to the first island of any explorer’s journey: Ervist.
On the Forgotten Archipelago, islands seem to appear and vanish on a whim, and little is known as to why, however some land masses of the Forgotten Archipelago are better documented than others. Listed here are all currently documented islands of the Forgotten Archipelago:
Ervist: Considered the official base camp for all explorers within the Forgotten Archipelago, a minor trade settlement exists on the island alongside a small, developing village. Activity outside Ervist is not prosecuted on the island, but any form of fighting or crime even on Ervist’s coast will render offenders enemies of all explorers.
Isa’Morata: A strange island seemingly much more developed than most. Inexplicably, it seems those who visit it have detailed, yet impossible accounts of the people they’ve met there. Among those who attempt the journey, it seems few return.
Though the biodiversity of the Forgotten Archipelago is quite dense, some species which reside within it are particularly intriguing, either for their intelligence, their significance to their respective ecosystem, or simply their unusual traits and features. Below is an ever-growing list of some of the species which can be found residing within the Forgotten Archipelago.
Onivero: A species of semi-aquatic mammals native to Jaern strongly resembling otters. Both the Praxia and Amatia clan live among the Forgotten Archipelago, but thus far no Vama clan Onivero have been found among the isles.
Reefheart: A bizarre, semi-aquatic species resembling sea life of all varieties. Their forms vary wildly and they are known to hunt in packs. They attack sailors frequently and indiscriminately, yet are seemingly quite intelligent.
Everybody foolish enough to enter the Forgotten Archipelago has some kind of reason, whether it’s the pursuit of great riches, revolutionizing the academic world, or becoming a famous hero of the people. Most who sail the Forgotten Sea can be lumped into the following groups:
Pirates: Lawless rogues of the new world, they’re easily the least predictable bunch, only sharing commonality in their disrespect of the authority around them. Some sail to escape the law back home, some others simply mooch off the hard work of the merchants they prey on, and yet others choose the life of a pirate to be free of the restraints of the civilized world. Whatever the case, the life of a pirate isn’t easy. Sailing with a bounty on your head courtesy of some militant faction tends to complicate things, and there’s always a bigger fish on the prowl.
Missions: Groups of priests setting sail under the banner of their god. Their purpose is to spread their faith to the farthest reaches of the unknown. Their exact behaviors tend to vary depending on the faith they intend on spreading, but in that regard they tend to be quite predictable due to the moral codes they follow. Depending on the type of person you are, a mission can be your greatest ally or your deadliest adversary. Lawmen: The polar opposite of pirates, the title of lawmen tends to go to vessels flying the banners of their home nations. They often consist of naval vessels looking to bring order to the Forgotten Archipelago and expand their nation’s influence on the land. Though lawmen tend to work together, they’re always bound by the politics of home and, if the tides of conflicting interest permit, it’s not uncommon for two creeds of lawmen to begin fighting among themselves.
Mercenaries: Some of the finest fighters that sail the Forgotten Sea, mercenaries know their worth and charge a hefty sum for their services. They’re often utilized as combative support for other factions, but in their free time they tend to expand their reputation by hunting for notorious pirates with high bounties. Sometimes, if your bounty is low enough, mercenaries will look the other way if they don’t consider you worth the cannonballs. Some look to mercenaries as a hope for peace on the archipelago, while others see them as the lowest scum to set sail. Researchers: The academics among explorers, researchers are here for the simple purpose of learning what the Forgotten Archipelago has to offer. Researchers are a very peaceful bunch and are usually willing to sell information for cheap. They’re also often proficient in the arcane arts and are quite good at rituals. Merchants: Naturally, where there’s money to be made merchants will be there. Selling all kinds of goods and services, merchants of all varieties of specializations have set sail. In general, a merchant’s specialty is symbolized by flags with an icon they fly like billboards. In a desperate place like the Forgotten Archipelago, the price of mundane goods can run a bit high, but if you’re smart with the way you barter, merchants are often more than willing to get you what you want.
Militants: Militants have no allegiance to anybody but their own flag. Among all factions, they’re the most interested in colonial efforts, often composed of large fleets looking to create new nations all to themselves. While a militant crew’s methods and intent can be diverse, in general when they make landfall, they’re here to make the island their own, regardless of what may already inhabit it. Not all militants are aggressive expansionists, but their intent usually lies somewhere in that realm. Militant factions are the rarest of the bunch, mostly due to how difficult they are to start, but where there are rules there will always be exceptions.
A name coined by pirates as a symbol of the possible freedom a new world could hold for them, the Gates of Amnesty are a bit of a trial to get into, especially now that a new era of exploration has seemingly begun within it. Travelers will have to compete with merchants, missions, pirates, military detachments, and anything else that may want to get in before they can. The Gates of Amnesty themselves are considered something of a non-combat zone, at least within, as the environment is simply so difficult to navigate that engaging in combat is seen as a net detriment for both parties involved.
The Sandbed Islands as well are something of a non-combat zone, however they aren’t nearly as harshly enforced as in Ervist. It’s more that it would be seen as highly dishonorable to attack sailors trying to rest. It would certainly be bad for one’s reputation to engage here, but likely little more.
The outside of the Gates of Amnesty are where trouble truly brews. Fights break out constantly as, all too often, two ships want to enter at the same time and simply aren’t willing to wait for the other. In other cases, it could be a battle between rivals. And, naturally, pirates consider it an opportune location to get the drop on merchant ships on their way back to civilization with their riches. Merchants are willing to pay a high price for quality security details even for a one-way-trip, giving up as much as 50 to 70 percent of their hauls. As they see it, better to sell off half your spoils than to drown with none.