Though this collection of islands by and large stay out of the Dragonarmies sights, its residents do aid the Dark Queen’s Forces. Let’s learn more about the Blood Sea Isles. Buy Tales of the Lance: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16961/Tales-of-the-Lance-2e?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
The mountain that crushed Istar, freed slaves and created an empire.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about the Blood Sea Isles in the War of the Lance Era. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the Tales of the Lance boxed set and War of the Lance sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
The Blood Sea of Istar is the direct result of mankind reaching into the divine and being blind by its own hubris. And though the fallout of the Cataclysm was devastating for all life on Krynn, it was not all bad for all beings. Istar was the center of slavery and the survivors went on to found their own nations on the mountain peaks that were once part of the land and are now islands unto themselves, surrounding a maelstrom in the center of the Blood Sea of Istar. When we speak of the Blood Sea Isles we are speaking primarily of four specific locations, but two governments, as the Minotaur Empire has expanded to three of the four isles, though they only rule two of them.
Life on the Blood Sea Isles is one of privateering. Most people live through either the shipping industry or fishing. We should acknowledge the irony that these isles are populated in large part by ancestors of Istars slave trade and are themselves even now practicing slavers. I guess you do what you know in life on Krynn. The minotaur nation specialize in ship building and salvage operations, and their verdant forests are indispensable for lumber. The population of the Blood Sea Isles are approximately four hundred and fifty thousand, composed primarily by minotaurs at just over sixty five percent, and humans make up about twenty five percent. The mysterious Kyrie round out the majority of peoples at ten percent of the population.
The climate is unforgiving. There is no winter in the Blood Sea, as Summer stretches to ten months. The heat and humidity bring broiling temperatures which is only slightly alleviated by the frequent rains. These temperatures have allowed vegetation to thrive on these mostly barren isles, and on Karthay the mountain forests are incredibly thick and feature vegetation not found elsewhere on Ansalon. The Courrain Ocean borders the east face of the Islands and they are considered the easternmost point of Ansalon. What lies beyond their shores is unknown.
While the mariner republic of Saifhum and settlements on Karthay focus on trade and industry, the minotaur empire on Mithas and Kothas are working to unify all the minotaur people and join up with the Dragonarmies. While many of the minotaur legions were dispatched to Balifor and assaulted Silvanesti with the Black Dragon wing, they did not fare well, and were forced to abandon their expansionism due to Lorac’s Nightmare. The minotaur forces that aided the White Dragonarmy are much more fortunate as they are half a world away from the political strife of their home.
Locations throughout the Blood Sea are incredibly dangerous and only recommended to be visiting by diplomats, experienced mariners and adventurers. At the center of the Blood Sea is the Maelstrom, a gigantic whirlpool. It picks up pigments from the red clay in the ocean floor, though many claim it is from the blood of those who died when the mountain struck Istar. The sea is haunted by innumerable undead and terrifying sea creatures, and at its bottom lies the ruins of ancient Istar.
The Isle of Saifhum is the closest island to the mainland, and is just east of Nordmaar. It features stunted vegetation, rocky hills, and no native creatures. The locals constructed windmills and waterwheels across the island as well as sail driven wagons which ride wooden rails on cobblestone streets. The port town of Crest has just under a thousand inhabitants. It is located on the eastern side of the isle. It is one of the rare settlements on Saifhum with treaties between themselves and the minotaurs. A luxury other villages do not share. The small town of Pearl is almost entirely run by the Shipbuilders Guild. Its name is derived from its shining white limestone featured on this end of the island. It hosts over a thousand residents and features a number of dry docks for building. Sea Reach is the largest city on Saifhum at over eighteen thousand. It hosts the grand mariner and master pirate Felura Kar-Erian who oversees the day to day activities. She contends with the watchful eye of the Red Dragonarmy who conscripts ships to carry cargo or troops.
The Isle of Karthay is both the largest northernmost Island and the most mysterious. It features barren and hot plains and mountains full of rainforests. The Worldscap Mountains are the highest in all of Ansalon and are relatively unexplored. It is rumored to be the home of Kyrie settlements who soar above the cloud covered mountain tops. Karthay’s only prominent ruin is the one hundred and thirty foot tall monolith known as Winston’s Tower. It was once a beacon for travelers, and now features a small dock at its base. There are times when a mysterious light appears in the lighthouse to aid lost ships, but nobody is ever present upon inspection, so rumors of either ghosts or Kyrie lighting the tower abound.
The island of Mithas is just south of Karthay and the main island home of Minotaurs. It features four active volcanoes overlooking scrub plains and has some interesting points of note. Alphens is a village of just over five hundred, located near the center of Argon’s Chain. It was constructed among the active volcanoes of Mithas, with many buildings extending into the mountains. Rumored to have been a Kal-Thax of the Dwarves, the minotaurs that live there have picked up the trade of mining for precious metals. The Kyrie have claimed the village and constant war has broken out between them. The capital of Mithas is Lacynos with over twenty thousand residents. Though the locals call it Nethosak, and it is shielded from the Blood Sea by the Horned Bay, it suffers from the continuous rain clouds forced east due to the Maelstrom. Its polished marble imperial buildings and coluseums’ stand out in contrast to the lesser class homes of wood. It is truly a multicultural city dominated by minotaurs. Between Mithas and Kothas is the Eye of the Bull. This straight features turbulent waters near Mithas and the lairs of sea hags on the Kothas side. It is avoided by all but the foolhardy sailor.
The Isle of Kothas is south of Mithas. It features sparse vegetation and no volcanoes. Most of the population lives near its coast. The large city of Kalpethis, or Morthosak to the locals, is located in the center of the island and offers its over seventeen thousand residents a milder climate than some of the other islands. On each corner of the island is a fortress manned by minotaur guards. The empire trains its forces almost exclusively on this isle. This city of and its near thousand residents are in league with the pirates and slave traders of the other isles, making this a very unified and dangerous place for outsiders or invaders. Due to its age, it must import all lumber from the misty isles and islands to the east. Cuda is a village of just under a thousand and was once a settlement of Istar where they kept its slaves. When the Cataclysm struck, Kuda was the site of the largest massacre in Istar. Minotaurs slaughtered every non minotaur, and it is often visited as a monument of remembrance. Shiv is on the west end of the island with just over a thousand residents. It was one of the first post Cataclysm settlements by minotaurs. It is a center of ancient art and architecture and rumored to be the location where the minotaur hero Kaziganthi de-Orlig slew a stone dragon and buried its remains. The earthquakes on the island are attributed to this creature.
Mito and the Outer Settlements are located to the far east of the Blood Sea Isles. They are surrounded by perpetual fog, with reefs and shallows which make navigation incredibly difficult. It is said that in ancient times, these islands were settled by minotaurs, but they are believed to be abandoned nowadays.
Outro
And that is all I have to say about the Blood Sea Isles in the War of the Lance Era. What do you think about the Minotaur nation aiding the Dragonarmies? Did you ever think these scattered islands would send troops to claim Silvanesti? And f inally, would you ever send your adventuring party to explore the ancient rainforests of Karthay? Leave a comment below.
I would like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:
I don’t want to be traveling with someone who looks like they got in a fight with a maypole and lost.
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