The Floe Sea – The Wandering Ice Masses of Nyrian

The journey to Nyrian begins on the dark waves of the Floe Sea—an expansive body of water that constantly shifts, shaped by the relentless cold of the north. The first ice floes appear scattered, drifting freely on the water. They are small, partially broken, and seem like fragments of a larger whole. But the closer one approaches the coast, the denser the ice masses become. The floes arrange themselves into larger formations, slowly merging into a vast ice sheet that continues to thicken. Eventually, a continuous plate of frozen water forms. It is not yet solid land but an ice field resting on the dark sea, marking the transition between the open water and the icy world of Nyrian.  

The Great Bay in the West

In the west, a natural inlet stretches—a vast bay formed over millennia by tectonic and glacial processes. Here, a relatively calm zone exists where the ice masses move more evenly. The currents are less intense, and the water beneath the ice remains largely stable. The large ice floes drifting in from the open seas slow down in this bay, gathering and remaining intact for longer periods. This creates a natural harbor for those venturing into the northern regions. This region serves as the primary gateway to Nyrian—those arriving from the west pass through this sheltered zone before reaching the wilder waters of the south.  

The Increasingly Harsh Coastline

From the calm bay, the coastline stretches relatively straight southward. But the farther one travels, the more active the sea becomes. Here, a transition zone begins, where currents strengthen and ice masses start shifting rapidly. Floes begin to move more quickly, the transitions between individual plates become unstable, and ocean currents from the open sea collide with the thickening coastal ice. A continuous tension between ice and water intensifies as one moves further south.  

The Chaotic Sea of the South

In the far south, the sea is in constant motion. Powerful currents clash, winds whip across the waves, and ice crashes against the coastline. The once orderly ice masses break apart completely, colliding and striking one another with frightening force. Mighty waves relentlessly batter the cliffs, occasionally tearing sections of frozen land away. There are regions where the ocean churns and boils, where turbulent waters and drifting ice create a deadly trap. This zone is the most dangerous along the entire coast. Without experience or precise navigation skills, survival is impossible here. The Frost People have long learned to avoid this area, and even seasoned sailors steer clear of the raging waters in the south.