The great Archipelago is a place of fantastic creatures and monsters, as well as adventures of all kinds. In the west, magic is extremely strong; you could doubtlessly find any creature you could possibly imagine there. In the east, however, magic is less prevalent, and humans, dwarves, and other mortal races are left to their own devices. The term “Zephyr Sea” really only refers to the fraction of the Archipelago that lies beyond the west—the westernmost part of the world, dominated by magic. People in Nordhelm and the Eastern Lands use the term “Zephyr Sea” to describe the whole Archipelago, but for the people living on the islands, there is a big difference.

The Archipelago is a place where everything is possible. It is home to people from all over the world, but also to the descendants of the world’s first human beings. Almost everyone speaks the universal language, and there are many opportunities for adventure here. The Zephyr Sea and the islands beyond the west are dominated by magic forces that allow even mortal creatures to live unnaturally long lives.

The culture here is as varied as the Archipelago’s inhabitants. Each populated island has its own distinct culture, as is usually the case, but many of them share similar values, leading to alliances and federations. Others have, over the years, broken away from former countries and founded new ones, and annexed otherwise occupied territories.

The influence from the elven kingdom is obvious, with fairies, flying animals, and magic springs all being commonplace. Traveling westward, adventurers can find the legendary light elves, the island of talking animals, or maybe even Clockmakers’ Island, where the machines that keep the world running are built. After that lies only the ocean of light, far in the west where all matter fades into one bright luminescence, and imagination takes over completely. It is said every word uttered there becomes reality, meaning adventurers have to be very careful to prevent their every thought and dream from taking form! 

The eastern part of the Archipelago is home to the colonies: settlements from lands in the south, north, and east that all want a piece of the many riches and unique opportunities found only in the Archipelago. This area is littered with numerous settlements from the Eastern Lands, two outposts from Nordhelm, and two southern islands colonized by the countries of Sem Saros.

The Archipelago is a melting pot of different cultures, peoples, languages, and adventures. And where the powers of magic take control, that is where the Zephyr Sea begins.