Right in the middle of the space claimed by Astra Byzantium is a massive interplanetary region filled with water instead of being a vacuum. Its star still burns somehow, but dimly, and all the planets orbit slowly through the titanic sea. Theorists speculate that there must be an open gate or gates to the Elemental Plane of Water but are at a loss to explain the evenness of pressure through the entire system and why it doesn't simply collapse in on itself.
What is known is that most Astra Byzantium ships brave the dangers of the drowned system to get to the southern part of their empire but it is often a harrowing journey.
Despite this, there are pockets of air in the Great Ocean, as well as pockets of Airy Water and pockets devoid of oxygen that often appear spontaneously.
Unique Properties
Soft Water
Drowned Space is mostly filled with Soft Water (as opposed to 'hard water'). One of the properties of Soft Water is that it evenly propagates gravity, light and heat throughout. This accounts for the lack of great pressures as well as why the dim sun is still able to warm the water to keep it from freezing and provide energy for the plant life that the fish feed on.
Finally, many of the planets develop a “fringing sphere” of space coral that acts as a secondary shell. Most nonaquatic habitual planets rely on such protection. Animals on such spheres are algae, zooplankton and Space Guppies that eats such creatures. This usually means most life forms orbit these planets and can be a hazard.
Twilight Zones
There are some regions that are far enough to not be brightened by the nearby light. This is surprisingly habituated by space Crustations and growing of space sargasso whose space plants reach out and act as natural obstacles as well as the main staple of many inhabitants in this system. Far enough from underwater civilization, this is the area of large monsters and are a place where fishing ships go for the larger more monstrous inhabitants. This is noteworthy for their Space Scavvers, who use these as safety zones for hunting.
Inhabitants of Note
Drowned Space is largely controlled by an aquatic species of beholder called Eyes of the Deep. The area of the system is immense, however, and they are rarely encountered except near the remains of the system's inundated planets, still drifting in rough orbits around the water-dimmed sun. Water elementals of immense size and power roam the open water. Astra Byzantium has made many deals and often give “tribute” to the various communities in return for safe passage.
At least one of the planets in Drowned Space shows evidence of surface inhabitants in the distant past, before the system was flooded with water. Descendants of the original inhabitants live in pressurized settlements under the surface, trapped and at the mercy of their beholder-kin masters for generations.
Tibura
This massive Void Scavver is the self-proclaimed ruler of the Drowned sea. While an animalistic predator, she is both strong enough to take on a ship and smart enough to pick the time and place of such a conflict. Most of the time she wants food, but there’s speculation that she is know attacking based on magical energy.
Places of Note
The Aegean
The Drowned System is arguably the most populated area within the sea as air pockets surrounding asteroids and are the space between Olympia prime and Byzantium Prime.
The Anoxic Zone:
This region is nestled among massive clumps of dead and dying vegetation is a consortium of liches and other intelligent undead known as the Left Hand of Vecna hold sway. The Eyes of the Deep have some sort of arrangement with the Left Hand, as the undead must pass through territory nominally controlled by them, but the beholder-kin avoid the Zone itself for the same reason everyone else does they can't breathe the water there. Not even water breathing magic can help.
The Bubble Belt
This series of Air Pockets chain together a route between Olympia Prime and Carthage Prime. This was contested territory in the past and it has the wrecks of ships throughout time allowing for both great opportunity and danger.
The Marsili
This Massive Magma Planet is comparatively nearby Italia Prime. It is a constant irritation by the creates of the depths often come out and raid requiring the Byzantium Navy to have a constant patrol.
The Pillars of Hercules
These were literally a pair of planets pulled together by the Demigod Hercules and mark the western edge of the Drowned system. Besides it’s stationary orbit, it has a series of asteroids trailing that are rumored to be a third planet that Hercules smashed.
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