The Zykomn Sea is a place of vicious storms and high winds. Fed by the desert heat of the continent, the weather is always hostile. This is except for the waters of the bay of Kruzidina, named for the town nestled in it. The bay is shallow and not well protected; the town itself is squeezed between the sea and the desert mountains that rise up from the shore. Other than a small amount of fresh water there is no natural resource of any value. Yet the town is always busy and the bay full of ships.
Why? The shape of the continent would not put Kruzidina on any normal trade route. Getting to it adds days to your journey east and west. What matters is that whatever the weather is like out to sea, it is always calm and safe in the bay of Kruzidina. The town has a thriving service industry supporting mariners and traders as they wait out the frequent storms. Many a merchant has come to the port to make a profit selling supplies. In fact there are no natives in the town, it having been settled by a dedicated expedition that was exploring rumours of a safe haven along the coast.
Plots Hooks:
Magical Remnants – The shape of the bay and the mountains should be the clue. They’re actually the edge of a large ancient crater, many leagues across. Deep at the heart of the crater is the last remnant of a city that tried to harness the power of raw magic directly. The fallout created the storm scape that makes the Zykomn Sea so dangerous and created the magical field that keeps Kruzidina safe. With each passing year the storms are becoming more and more powerful, threatening great damage to shipping and coastal settlements. The party have been dispatched to Kruzidina to see if the magic that keeps it safe can be used elsewhere.
Water Shortage – The town is growing too fast. As trade between nations is becoming more and more profitable, the number of ships just keeps growing. Their water demand plus that of the increasing townsfolk will soon be more than the little streams that come off the mountains can supply. As hired by the town mayor, the party are responsible for solving the problem.
Overland – Surrounded by desert, Kruzidina is cut off from the rest of the known world. If an overland route could be found across the sun baked rocks to the nearby(ish) by river kingdoms the prosperity and importance of the port would increase even further. Vested interests have sent the party to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Image Credit – Sunset Port Andratx by Hilts UK – CC-BY-NC-2.0