The Blue Sea is the name of the large inland sea which acts as the main artery of trade for all those nations
which surround it. The original settlements around the sea after the end of the
Great Darkness were made by Phemaire from
Aratola whose nation had survived the catastrophe better than most. These excellent
sailors and traders set up trading posts on the southern and northern shores of the Sea which quickly became
independent city states. Late some of these (like
Ragenport) were incorporated into the emerging nations of the north.
Piracy has historically been a major problem in the Blue Sea and the bulk of it has been mainly carried out by agents of
cities that have fallen out with their trading partners. At the current time most of these disputes have
been settled (particularly between the northern cities) and the major threats of piracy come from
independent ships and incursions from
Reavers and Ulbarean buccaneers.
The Phemaire themselves have many names for the Blue Sea including 'Mother Sea' and 'Middle Sea'. One might
assume that the latter name is reference to the fact that the Sea lies between the
Norland and
Sudland continents. The Phemaire, however, give a different reason for the name, saying
that away in the east beyond the
Mirror of Fire lies another great ocean and the Blue Sea is the 'Middle Sea'
between that and the
Ocean beyond the Gate of the West.