Suna: The Water Region
This region is characterized by many small islands, with one main crescent-shaped island. The waters between these islands go much deeper than expected, with a blue hole at the center of that crescent-shaped island leading down to the Water Gate. Housing rather temperate climates towards the middle and north-east, with slightly warmer temperatures towards the south and colder towards the west.
The open sea is full of dangers and wonders in equal measure. From dangerous creatures deep beneath its surface to islands filled with ancient treasures, it all can be found out on the ocean’s waves. The streams of water connect the lands of the various elemental regions, linking them with the tranquil tides of the open sea, a flowing link to all life. While its expansive waters have spread far and wide, covering the surface of the world, its source flows from one, distinct place-- the Frail Ocean. But before facing some of those wonders, many must pass through the borders of Suna- a region consisting of tropical paradises and exotic wildlife--- and the world's largest naval fleet. Their ships are dubbed Quetzals, due to their bright, tropical greenish blue sails and intricate woodwork.
The Frail Ocean
Also nicknamed the Godsea, the Frail Ocean consumes the entirety of the world, its edges unknown, its contents scantily explored due to its vastness. Mortals only know a sliver of what lives in its depths, for every body of water explored is but a shard of its journey. Many residents of Suna believe the Frail Ocean to constantly pour from the water gate itself, its doorway a mere conduit to a divine god on the other side, that without the gate, the world would never have met water, and would have died.
Sirelina (seer·a·leena)
Atop the heart of the Frail Ocean lies a peaceful city with white limestone walls, great statues, and shrines to the water spirits-- Sirelina is an amicable sanctum, laid out like a great wheel that surrounds the water gate, while its outer walls rise from the ocean to create a beautifully imposing barrier of aquamarine. At the center of the wheel is a keep described as a breathtaking monument of white parapets and high, pale towers. The royal family and the Ministry rule Suna from here. One would not expect such an extravagantly achetetured capital to hail from a region with such little land to work with, but the truth of its structure lies within the ocean, with legions of solid stone pillars holding the kingdom upright.
The Ministry
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Sirelina is a melting pot of seafolk, elves, and all ethnicities of humanity. While they all live among one another peacefully in Suna now, it hasn't always been that way. The Ministry is a system of government designed by an early king of Suna to give each race within the water region a voice. Ministers design law, proposing their measures to the current ruler of Suna, who authorizes or rejects their placement into society. These ministers come from all human races, elven races, and various seafolk, representing many voices working in tandem with the rulers will. Each minister is an elected representative and holds jurisdiction over a particular area of territory within Suna (excluding the Mok) and there are two representatives for each. Only those who own land are afforded a vote.
The Reefs
​Within Sirelinas rings, underwater communities have settled in, building homes into the side of each keep, reaching almost as deep as the water gate itself-- this area of Sirelina is commonly named The Reefs, and is where most of the seafolk reside within the water region.
The ocean dwellers decorate and line their sea cottages with bright colors, using natural materials of the sea like polyps, kelp, seagrass, and various shells and corals. Water passages have been carved through some of the monoliths holding up the city to ease the underwater system of traveling. Over the years, these waterways have become an intricate highway beneath the surface of the ocean, using the power of the water gate to enforce active currents that spreads across all of Sunas territory and reaches into the neighboring lands of the Ice region to the west, and Clay region to the south, before dropping off into the open ocean.
Summer Isles
The Summer Isles are often described as a paradise, with warm temperatures and soothing tides all year round, an abundance of wildlife and natural rock formations surrounding the sandy shores. The Isles are also known for its exports in pearls and exotic seafood, such as Gong, Octopus, Seahorse, and Dreadnought Sea urchin, named after its aggressive nature and poisonous spines. ​
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Doria
The larger of the islands among the territory are tourist hot spots, one of which being Doria, a bustling plaza full of market stalls, trinket shops, cobbled paths, and passing merchants. The din of the crowd can be heard from the very outskirts of the plaza streets as the marketplace comes alive with the sounds of exotic animals, shops selling all manner of goods and services, and a crowd teeming with life! This is a common gathering spot for tourists and as such, is very common for residents to sell their worthless trinkets and oddities as a means of getting by. Ships from around the world can be seen docked at this port, all enthusiastic to be visiting one of Sunas most distinguished locations.
Fishing Villages
Many people are happy with two feet on land. They can be born, live, and die on the same simple farm and never think twice about the larger world around them. This is not the case for the Water Walkers of the Summer Isles. Nomads and sailors from lands far and wide stop at the quaint villages bordering Suna to trade wares, stop for some much needed rest, and tell tales of the great beasts of the ocean while being just a rock skip from paradise. The residents of these areas are commonly known for honing the magic from the water gate to stand on the ocean's surface to hunt for fish. They provide the majority of the meat that gets shared throughout all of Suna, and are notorious for their skill in capturing the Dreadnaught Sea Urchin.
Marilune(mary·loon)
Merilune is the district which stretches from north to southwest, connecting the Ice, Clay, Water, and Earth regions. Even peaceful nations need defenses, and defenses they provide. Merilune is home to Sunas naval fleet, docking the majority of the Quetzals within their district, all ruled over by a well distinguished hydromancer, Mihalis Renwick. Though not as popular of a destination as what lies beyond this district, it is still just as common to receive tourists in Marilune.
Small stalls are set up along the harbor, locals selling fish, pearls, and rare ocean finds as captain and crew disembark their vessels. A toll house with various mounted crossbows and miserly money collectors of seasoned ship captains and a propensity for majestic merfolk are quick to collect the port taxes before pestering the next poor vessel they lay their eyes on. But even with all those dreary truths of Marilune, it is still a sight to behold.
Its stone walls stand at an imposing height along the ridges of the archipelago and Its lands are surprisingly mountainous, stone towns lining their way up the cliff sides and through the natural stone with a stronghold at its peak, home of House Renwick. The islands of Marilune serve as the main entrance into the Water Region, a checkpoint for much of the world to even gain admittance into the region, before traversing its natural paradises.
Tritelis(tri·tel·is)
Also referred to as the Devils Sea, is a region north to northwest of Suna, bordering the Ice Nation and is considered one of the deadliest places in the realm. This area is notorious for countless ships having disappeared or sunk under mysterious circumstances. The earliest records of ship disappearances date long before Sirelina was founded, and only recently was there any clue as to why. Sightings of shifting scales and enormous fins have recently been seen cutting through the surface of the ocean. What they belong to has yet to be discovered.
The Mok(m·o·k)
Its name deriving from the old elvish word ‘Lost’, The Mok is a large island on the southeastern side of Suna which is covered in an untraversable marsh. A dense smog shrouds the land, making it impossible for the natural eye to see through, as well as making it difficult to see signal flares or any cries for help. It is often said by traveling merchants, that ships that enter its murky lagoon never return, captains, crews, and cargo lost to this obscure region. Rumor has it that if you sail close enough to the fog you can see the faces and hear the woes of those who are lost in the wind, the source of the island's eerie name. Not much is known about this island or how to navigate it, as it has no record of any living inhabitants in the last several decades. The Mok is also an independent nation within Suna, with no Ministers to represent them in the law as not many know they exist.
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Tähetolm
In truth, such ghostly rumors about The Mok were spread by none other than its tribal inhabitants, the Mek’ar, as a way to keep outsiders at bay. But why would a people from such a peaceful nation seek isolation from the rest of the world? Well, the island itself is a gold mine, and not in the way of actual gold, but something far more alluring. Deep within the marsh, and through deep, sappy caves of mud, lives a natural resource called tähetolm(ta·het·tom), its appearance taking on a root-like structure with gold orbs of mucus texture growing from the underside. The berry emits a sweet odor, the smell resembling that of black licorice, Rich and syrupy. Its scent has permeated the caves it lives in, and even mingles with the sprawling fog. The smell itself is strong but welcoming, however the nature of this plant is what has truly transformed the island. Over the years the inhabitants of the Mok have developed immunity to this mysterious plant, though it has transformed their bodies and their minds. Their skin resembles that of tree bark, mimicking its roughness and even splitting off into small branches. They grow no hair and bear no children, nor do they need to eat or sleep. The plant itself offers eternal life, though not in the ways you might think. The first thought most have is immortality and living out the rest of your days wherever you please. However, in exchange for a limitless life, the tähetolm transforms you into a member of its garden, a tree within its marsh. Those not used to the exposure to the tähetolm become trapped on the island as a tree with no reversible options.
Its Origins
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Long before the foundations of Sireline anchored themselves into Suna, the Mek’ar resided in The Mok, floating along its coast on raft-like villages and making their home in the corner of the world. They nurtured their island, merging their livelihood with the magic of the water gate, using its power to grow their crops, tend to their homes, and nourish their bodies. Much time was spent learning new ways of integrating the resources the water gate provided into their lifestyles, even going as far acquiring a piece of the gate itself and burying it in their island in the hopes that it would bring a plentiful harvest. While the people prayed for the life of their crops, what they were given was something far more unexpected-- the tähetolm. This strange new growth quickly began to transform the island and its people, slowly mutating the Mek’ar into a tree-like people.
The Water Gate and its Keeper
Before there was the ocean, every pit led to darkness with a lifeless end. Tunnels to nowhere, an open nothingness. Vast fields of arid land, and there were no fish, there were no plants, and there was no life. In the deepest part of a hallow trench lied a nautilus shell that was small and forgotten. Such an intricate designed carapace, its artistry lost to the void. The world needed color, it needed depth, it needed life. And from the deepest part of our world a cry could be heard by no one but the gods. Our realm trembled and shook so hard you could hear its core rattling against its confines, and with a surge of something inexplicably transcendent, the realms first taste of brine erupted from the nautilus shell, bursting with kilometers worth of sea all at once. A shell that was once lost, became a behemoth in size as the Frail Ocean poured from its beak, and continues to do so to this day.
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Nerimei
Tones as melodious as they are haunting reverberate through the deep sea, pouring out from its central depths. The music draws in fishfolk and wildlife alike as they come at the beckon of their lord. The Lord of the Deep calls, they say, and we must answer. But what will you find if you follow the tunes yourself?
The legends of Nerimei are told by many but few have seen her for themselves. Nerimei lies deep within the heart of the water nation, shrouded by the abyssal depths of the ocean, deeper than any natural light could ever reach. Some say they can hear the alluring melody of her songs as they ascend to the surface of the nation, calling them to enter the depths, but many who have gone to witness the source of the songs come back with vastly different stories. Some report to have seen water horses stampeding around them as they swam, corralling them until they were once again at the surface of the ocean, others claim to have witnessed a beautiful woman, wearing nothing as she beckons them deeper into the water. Many of the survivors were resuscitated upon reaching the surface, nearly blue and with gallons of water in their lungs. Despite these wild tales from the nation's people, Nerimei is not seen as anything less than illustrious, the residents of Suna claiming her to be ‘The Preserver’ of the Frail Ocean, and that the reason for these mysterious stories is all for the protection of the precious water gate. They believe her to be a supreme being who creates, protects, and transforms the islands of their reach, and that whenever the seas are threatened with evil, chaos, and destructive forces, Nerimei commands the tides to restore order and protect the Water Gate. It is true that the Siren-esque creature holds great power, but the actual truth in many of these tales is unknown.
Salt In The Water
In the early ages of Suna, there was a ruler by the name of Ivris that governed what is now known as Marilune, and was dubbed as the the Goddess of Salt for the salt mines that rested beneath what is currently known as the Renwick Keep. Because she was a gentle but weak ruler, her people eventually lost their faith in her ability to protect them during wartime and chose to kill her before another god could destroy them, believing it would be a merciful end. However, this only led to their own destruction when the power that surged from her dying body turned everyone in the vicinity into salt.
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International Relations
Elven beef with the fire region. Moon elves will often refer to it as “The Wastes” and will be exiled there if situations become that desperate. They consider it a fate worse than death and most of them don't even understand why, just that it is.
Marilune will refuse to do any trade with the fire region, even if the rest of Suna protests.
The water region are particularly fond of the earth region and clay region, and possibly the air region, while being neutral of the ice and magma region, with questionable opinions on the lightning region, but still good terms.
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OOC Info
Nerimei is actually a Kelpie of sorts and can shapeshift into various appearances depending on what the beholder wishes to see. Those much younger or those who tend to be more innocent are more likely to see the horses, while those who are more greedy and who may have ill or lecherous intent are more likely to see the naked woman. Her more “neutral” appearance will be that of a merfolk of massive size. For the sake of lore, she doesn't have to be an actual Kelpie, but a water spirit if that is easier.