The Western Isles (concept)
Biozone: The Western Isles
As one approaches the northwesternmost reaches of the Shattered Coast, the warm and mostly calm climate of the south is replaced by seas wracked with storms and frequent rainfall. The terrain of the islands themselves also changes - tall, black cliffs rim the coasts of hilly pastureland, with countless sea stacks interspersed between. Due to the area's turbulent waters and often dangerous sea life, it is approached with caution by sailors or avoided entirely.
Any sailor worth their salt on the Sea of Empires will have tales to share of the dangers that lurk beneath the waters of the The Western Isles. A surprising amount may even turn out to be true - after all, it is no secret that the region leaves ships wrecked or vanished with a depressing frequency, though the local storms are likely to blame for the vast majority of these incidents.
We weave in between black cliffs and imposing sea stacks, until we finally find a suitably large island to disembark on. The weather is calm, for now, but we must be careful not to linger for too long - the archipelago's ferocious storms could leave us stranded for weeks if we are especially unlucky, and the lack of any forest cover whatsoever means that even on land we will be fully exposed to the vagaries of bad weather.