Eye of Abendego

The Eye of Abendego (pronounced ah-BEN-deh-go) is a vicious, permanent hurricane located in the southern Arcadian Ocean off the western coast of the continent of Garund (between Mediogalti Island and the Sodden Lands and north of the Shackles).

History

The Eye appeared in 1606 AR in what was then known as the Abendego Gulf. Although the exact cause of its appearance is unknown. The Eye and the storms it spawned brought doom upon the countries of Lirgen and Yamasa when it flooded its coastal regions, creating the Sodden Lands. The hurricane also halted the colonization of Sargava.

Description

The intensity of the Eye is variable. At its weakest it can tear the sails off the biggest ships. At its strongest, the wind alone can blow a large vessel into splinters. The Eye periodically spawns smaller storms that travel up and down the Garundi coast, bringing torrential rain and hurricane-speed winds to outlying regions. The Eye has been used to great effect by the pirate lords of the Shackles, who hide their illegal activities behind it, and by the inhabitants of Mediogalti Island, who use the storm as part of their defenses.

Magical divinations focused on the center of the Eye observe a large eye of calm whose waters are choked with debris.

Inhabitants

Strong winds and high seas are not the only dangers of the Eye of Abendego. Sailors who have dared the outer rims of the hurricane tell tales of bloodthirsty adaro, ghost ships such as the Mark of Yunnarius, aquatic undead, unknown sea monsters, and powerful air elementals. The Eye is also home to the floating jellyfish-like creatures known as sky fishers, who hunt invisibly through the raging winds.

Free Captains' Regatta

The Free Captains' Regatta is an annual race around the outskirts of the Eye of Abendego that pirate captains enter in the hope of increasing their prestige and standing among the other captains of the Shackles.

In Religion

A splinter cult of Gozreh known as the Storm Kindlers believe that the Eye was a manifestation of their deity, while the boggards of the Sodden Lands believe it is connected to their patron deity, Rovagug.