The Czerkolak Ocean

Stretch of ocean between [main continent] and the eastern isles (1). 'Czerkolak' possibly a corruption of the old Elvish Telcoral Eliak, "large coral-blue sea" (1). Eastern isles act as barriers, keeping most violent weather out in the deep ocean (1).

Settlement: Margin, The Mirrored City (1)
--Upper level built floating and on piles just off the coast (1), population 67% human, 15% gnome, 7% orc, 5% dwarf, 4% elf, 2% other (1).
--Lower level built on the ocean floor below, on the sides of the piles and in some cases hanging from the underside of floats (1). Population 47% merperson, 35% lizardfolk, 8% sahuagin, 7% kuo-toa, 3% other (1).

Fuck we've really got to come up with a name for our world-continent(s). And a map.


Margin was originally an offshore mining operation (1) established by gnomish House Orin(1). The investment was, however, ill-conceived(1). Though there are rich (metal?) veins in the sea bed here, the costs of extraction (heavy machinery, wear and tear from the pressure of the sea collapsing mineshafts, employing elemental specialists to drain the water from sections of the tunnels and maintain magical barriers to keep it out) turned out to make the continued operation of the mine economically unviable once the richest initial veins had been tapped.

The guildmasters of House Orin have therefore moved on, and Margin has been overtaken by mercenaries, pirates, miscreants, and predatory trading concerns as an offshore hub and stopover point (1). What was originally a spartan and practical mining platform has in the past decade sprawled out with continual organic growths of pylon-supported docks, linked pontooned platforms, houseboats long since permanently parked-in, etc (1). Different neighborhoods have different structure & feel based on the community housed there.


...

Also there are halfling houseboat gypsies(1).

The halfling houseboat gypsies refer to themselves as Ceteasuri (1). They revere dolphins and orca, believing them to house the souls of their ancestors (1). They are secretive and untrusting of outsiders (1). Considering this trait, it has always been a mystery how they are always so well informed. They trade in information and secrets (1). Unbeknownst to the outside world, turns out they are wererats (1). They turn into Giant rats (as halflings, their "giant rat" is more of a large sewer rat) and spy on whatever powers reside in their current port (2).

Clinging woven seaweed structures form a sort of mirror-structure on the underbelly of the mining platform, and make up the central-city of the of water-dwelling portion of the society (1).

(halfling houseboat gypsies! YES. Also, it took me a bit, but I figured out the name: "ceasuri" is a Romanian verb meaning "watches", and cet- is the prefix for all things whale. They're whale watchers! That's amazing.)

Lady Elzabeta Murinotta(1c)
public face(1c) of one of the largest Ceteasuri families, Barca Murinotti(1c)
cultivates a reputation as an airy socialite and dilettante(1c)


Organization: the Binders' Union(1c)
Tradesmen who work to keep the structure of the city bound together(1c). Union members run their own shops(1c), and are hired by individual families or communities whenever certain areas of Margin need repair work(1c). Binders in the upper level chiefly use rope and adhesive manufactured from seaweeds and kelp(1c), while Binders in the lower level include more druids who work with living plants(1c). There is often grumbling among the poorer citizens about the rates the Union charges for their work(1c), and after every storm there are always a few people who accuse Union druids of building it up to increase business(1c). The pejorative term "knotwright" is not uncommon.

Underlord Gyrg (1)
-Sahuagan (1)
-Blessed of Giskol [4-armed] (1)

Wizards Consortium for Cross Environmental Trading (WizCCET) (1). A group of free market economist wizards who offer reasonable rates on air bubble helmets to those top dwellers who wish to visit the Underside and water bubble helmets for those under dwellers wishing to visit the Topside (2). They are also a powerful lobbying group promoting laissez faire policies which often run them counter to the Binders Union which receives substantial governmental perks for their work (2).

All the Top-dwellers' garbage pollutes the underside (1).

The bulk of Margin's neighborhoods are anchored to the central platform via three large cable mains maintained by the Binders' Union (1), which form the basis of Margin's structural integrity (1). Given the expense of their upkeep, the Binders' Union's constant bickering with WizCCET, and the unreliability of Margin's central government (1) ['central government', hah! yeah, right (1)], defense of these cables is often subcontracted to various mercenary groups (1).

Flying Gorilla mercenaries wielding Monkey Grip Falchions protect one tower. (2) Their Pirate Airship named the Abahple is docked at the tower. (3)

The community of the Ceteasuri has extremely fluid allegiance (1). They are not well-trusted, but cultivate transactional relationships in all quarters (1). They are frequently (begrudgingly) relied upon as go-betweens, spies, information brokers, and smugglers (1), and are one of the few topside groups on Margin that operate successfully and have cultivated a workable reputation with the underside (1).

The Widdershins Eddy (1)
Tavern on the lower level of Margin, run by a Mermaid named Ssherefel (2).
Considered a 'must-see' spot for air dwellers visiting below (1)
"The only spot in the world to hear a Siren without wrecking! Private shows on request!" (1)

Sahuagin sharkriders and independent Selachians will harass the undercity (1) due to the high population of merpeople. The Sahuagin that do live in the undercity are either terribly mistrusted (1) or are so repentant and contrite to have earned a margin (heh) of dignity (1). These few operate as merchants and other functional members of the community. (1) Those that are not trusted are rightfully not as the run criminal operations beneath the waves (1).

The old mining tunnels of House Orin were closed down and sealed with wards when they left (1). Recently, some of those wards have begun to weaken and fail (1).

House Orin's mining disturbed something deep below the sea floor beneath Margin (1).

The Whaler Girl, Champion of the Ceteasuri

It's an aboleth. They disturbed an aboleth. (1)

Those things do get grumpy when they're woken early.

Waste and detritus from both levels of the city is used as fertilizer in large underwater fields, where everything from rope kelp to food corals are cultivated (2).
Gathering the waste and separating usable from unusable materials is one of the few societal positions traditionally open to Sahuagin (1).

It's a sled . . . from when he was a kid. There, I just saved you two boobless hours.

Margin is known to some on the mainland as Orin's Folly. (1)

The aboleth has recruited members of the underside to protect its lair and do its bidding above.

Culture: the people of the Long Shore

Independent, loosely affiliated villages of humans and half-humans that live along the rocky coasts of the continent and eastern islands north of Margin. Fisherfolk, mariners and small shipbuilders, most of the villages have little beyond a subsistence lifestyle. It's not uncommon for the younger villagers to hire onto ship crews in other places, but they generally always return home eventually. The Long Shore folk will trade with the Ceteasuri, but tend to avoid Margin if they can help it.

Inspiration: Stan Rogers' music, especially The Giant and The Mary Ellen Carter.

The Aboleth's Lair - Dungeon

Guarded by Sharks, Saughin, and Selachians.
Ancient cave system that was disturbed during drilling.

Platform CO-1052, as Margin was first known, was one of House Orin's earliest encounters with the Power deep within the earth. Despite the dramatic failure of the project, the discovery's potential was noted by Chief Research Engineer Hans Abelard Orin. His continued interest in the matter has lead Orin to chase after alternate routes to accessing that Power.

What are the aboleth's motives and goals?

I'm not sure about motive, but if Orin was drilling for quintessence/the wisps of power leeching off the Artifact, then maybe the Aboleth is a way to show what an evil creature can do when it has access to that Power?

A cult of Warlocks of the Great Old One serve the aboleth on both sides of Margin. House Orin was drilling for power, a deposit of quintessence that was formed by the radiant emanations of the sleeping aboleth. The drilling was successful but as the city grew and the house pulled the quintessence up, the aboleth felt it's dreams being stolen and it's dormant power being drained. It stirred slowly, hypnopompically sending out tendrils to minds that were closest, sea creatures and seafolk. The present underwater society is held together by some of those original servants of the creature. The ceteasuri know the secrets of the cult but are aware of the consequences should knowledge of their knowledge get out.

Cara the Whaler Girl was quite the adventurer in her day. She tripped traps and plotted maps with the best of them. Now most could get away with affectionately calling her Grandma. She deceives casual onlookers into thinking she is older and less able then she is. In reality, she is spry and works on her flexibility and cons everyday, mastering a variety of skills that she teaches the young cetasuri. She wears a whale tooth necklace that reminds her of her daughter, the memory of who is both her greatest love and her greatest fear. She is not above using others to achieve her ends.