Sea of Fallen Stars

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The Sea of Fallen Stars, also known as the Inner Sea, is the largest inland body of water in Faerûn.^[1] Its major ramifications include the Dragonmere (Lake of Dragons) on the west, the Moonsea on the north, the Alamber Sea on the east and the Vilhon Reach on the south.^[2] The sea floor is covered with hundreds of shipwrecks.^[3]

Contents 1 History 2 Inhabitants 3 Surrounding lands 3.1 Islands 3.2 Coastal 4 Territorial waters 5 Notes 5.1 Sources

[edit] History

The name of the sea is from the origin story that the Inner Sea formed when the four Inner Seas merged together, coinciding with the loss of entire continents from earthquaqes, fires and windstorms due to a star sent by deities to punish the titans' arrogance. Others maintain it was actually the eggs of the first dragons.

Tens of thousands of dragon eggs did hatch soon after the event, though most modern scholars theorize it was an ice moon or a comet that did the damage.

Sarrukh accounts dated around -31000 DR mention a "changing of the stars" but no one now knows what this might mean.

Regardless, this event, known as the Tearfall caused a climate shift that wiped out the batrachi civilisation.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Inhabitants

Home to many types of aquatic life, the sea can be quite dangerous. The sea is home to kingdoms of aquatic elves, merfolk and sahaugin. With the exception of a notable violent excursion in 1369 DR, these races rarely interact with the coastal land folk.^[1]

[edit] Surrounding lands

[edit] Islands

There are numerous islands in the Sea of Fallen Stars. The Pirate Isles are a group of about sixty rocky islands notable for the concentration of pirate activity that occurs there. Prespur, sometimes known as the Isle of Prespur or the Isles of Prespur, consists of a main island under Sembian control and a smaller unoccupied island called Traitor's Isle.^[4] Alaor is a former Thayan shipyard now under independent rule. The Ship of the Gods is a island volcano in the Alamber Sea.^[5]

[edit] Coastal

The Sea of Fallen Stars has coastlines in many different lands, including Aglarond, Altumbel, Cormyr, Chessenta, Chondath, the Dalelands, Impiltur, Sembia, Mulhorand, Priador, Thay, Thesk, Turmish and Unther.^[2]

[edit] Territorial waters

There is a recognised territorial limit of ten miles (16.1km) offshore amongst all the nations on the Sea of Fallen Stars. Areas of sea further than ten miles from the nearest land are considered neutral territory. Any attacks on shipping within a country's waters are considered to be acts of war. For most areas these boundaries are clear, but they become more ambiguous in Mulhorand, Thay and Unther due to the continual disputes over borders.^[6]

[edit] Notes

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition, p. 142. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Forgotten Realms Poster Map (3rd edition) (7MB JPG). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
3. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars, p. 14. TSR, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
4. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars, p. 11. TSR, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
5. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars, p. 13. TSR, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
6. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars, p. 15. TSR, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.

[edit] Sources

• Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, p. 172-175. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.