Vattnafalten

Map of Vattnafalten

Vattnafalten literally; "The water fields" is a huge strip of seagrass meadow that covers the ocean between southern Scandera and down to the fire islands but remains centralised around Ta’ka sha’miri that is characterised by very shallow water in which lush forests of kelp, reefs of coral, and meadows of seagrass grow and especially shallow waters have seen the creation of forests of Korshifi trees. Due to the heat is this region often the home of sea serpents and serpent whales that are able to live in the warmer waters where Scanderan whales cannot go. Due to the shallow waters and absence of large scale predators able to attack and sink ships on a regular basis have this region also been the heart of cultural exchange, trade, and warfare between the peoples that nowadays make up the federation and even in the modern era is the region considered enough of federal waters that it is policed by the royal and federal navy as well as the federal coast guard and a special constabulary region has been appointed by the high king that enforces federal laws in the water even if technically a lot of it would be considered a federal EEZ rather than federal waters. However due to the cultural and economic importance to the federation is the region still very much considered federal waters by the crown.

Geography

Geographically is Vattnafalten the remnants of the once great continent that once united most of the federation and as what is today southern Scandera proper drifted north and Sydvinland drifted south however the continental drift north by Ta’ka sha’miri has resulted in the border of the region around the fire islands simply named "Sakeplsens ende" or "Sha’Tuulti tutai" both meaning "End of creation" in Imerian and Tuultassi. This edge of the region ends in an abrupt deepening of the sea and no longer can ships here see the sea bottom and larger perdators can be found here.

To the west and east do the open sea once again means that the meadows simply fade away as deep ocean and lack of islands take over and to the north is the region ended when it reaches Scandera and the Asthafet or "eastern sea" that is characterised by it's cold water and relatively deepness, however here is the predators stil not large enough to challenge even primitive seagoing vessels allowing trade between astermark, Taranaka, and Salywa. However "The tomb island of the father god!" island or "drakafaders dyso" in the far south east of this region means that ships traditionally avoided the more direct rout from the centre of the Vatttnafalten and either sailed north through Scandera and then to Astermark or simply sailed from the fire islands. This also meant that Salmo was often also avoided as trade had to go north before it could go south resulting in a very small population and rumours of the island being cursed.

Vattnafalten are also known for their streams as warm streams from the south carries warm water north resulting in a rather warm and pleasant temperate climate in the far south of Scandera and cold water moves from the east and west of the meadows south resulting in storms commonly blowing from the edges of the fields to the center. Due to the age of the region is it also the home of several natural gas deposits and oil fields that are harvested by federal drilling companies. However due to the importance of the Korshifi trees and the risk of angering local water spirits are these enterprises heavily regulated and often under suspicious inspection of various religious institutions and threat of excommunication hangs heavily over the heads of the company owners. This was most obviously put on display with the "Universal excommunication of 1479" when due to one very bad oil leak in 1953 resulted in several members of the royal merchant guild, independent companies not from the federation and several mid ranking people in charge of some oil drills faced excommunication from every major sect of the religions in the federation after a very angry conclave organised by the faith of Ishiri where representatives from all the major and minor religions gathered.

Nature

A sea lizard and viper whale

The nature of the region is very diverse with several large species of birds, wyverns, and griffons making up large, medium, and small areal predators while small and large grazing fish makes up the majority of the sea's herbivores, even the famous armoured fish of Sydvinland has migrated here but instead of the predatory species one can find to the south are these mostly slow moving herbivores. Small predatory roles are filled by sea serpents of various species even if predatory fish have managed to cut out the rolls of pursuit hunters. Mid sized predators are filled by sea lizards, and smaller species of viper whales.

Large scale predators are made up by long necked species of sea lizards and viper whales that dominates the sea and are historically known to be able to attack even warships however even relatively primitve galleys were able to fend them off but they have historically been a danger to smaller fishing vessels and divers. While whales and dolphins are known in the far north are they limited to smaller sizes as the water are too hot for the larger predatory whales and krakens of Vasterhafet and often facing harsh competition of fish lizards that have occupied the same niches.

Vegetation is also very diverse with the majority of the bottom of the meadows are covered with large swaths of divierse fields of seagrass but they are interrupted by dense forests of kelp and mountain ridges of corals that at times prevent sailing as they almost break the surface. And unique to the region are there also the Korshifi forests where trees are able to anchor themselves to the sea floor resulting in mangrove like forests rising out of the ocean. All of these ecologies provide the regions with more niches for animals to fill resulting in an even more diverse fauna in the waters.

The region also have several octopuses, squids, and ammonites and the sea bottom are also inhabited by various shellfish and sea insects and the most well known is the large sea scorpion. It is also home to several tribes of mermaids, while just dumb beasts in command of only the most basic of intelligence have some researchers been able to see the very start of culture amongst them, primitive tool use and very primitive rituals have been observed however they are generally seen in the same intelligence as smarter apes and to date have no successful attempts of communication been achieved. However their violent behaviour is very much appreciated as great warriors and several federal dynasties of Scanderan and non-Scanderans trace their origin to marriages between land dwellers and mermaids. Hybrids are very rare but possible for Nekos, Humans, and Mermaids however the offspring is very instable and seldom survive to adulthood. If the mother is a land dweller results in offspring being of the same species as the father with minor differences however if the father is a land dweler is the species a mermaid. These unions however are often frowned upon due to the animalistic nature of the mermaids, despite this were such unions venerated with the fish worshiping people of Sthalinge, Salmo, and Sjöland but such unions have also ritualistically been practiced by the Leporians of Leporidaeria.

The region is however not entirely devoid of mammalians though as several species of walruses have made their homes amongst the sea, often taking up the role of prey animals that the larger predators pray on does these herd animals travel the sea searching for shellfish, ammonites and other shelled fish that lives on the bottom of the sea.

Names

The region bears many names like "The serpent sea", "The sailing sea", "The Greenfields", "The Green Sea", in modern times have the absolute royal federation also started to refer to the region as "The Royal Sea" and "The Star Crowned sea".