Lore:Padomaic Ocean

Padomaic Ocean
Type	Body of Water
Appears in	Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, ESO

The Padomaic Ocean, as seen from Morrowind's coast (ESO)

The Padomaic Ocean is a vast body of water that surrounds most of Tamriel. It meets the Eltheric Ocean at Northpoint and around the Blue Divide, which lies between Southpoint and Auridon. The Eastern Sea represents the easternmost known extent of the Padomaic, adjoining with Akavir. It is considered part of or near the southern coast of Tamriel. The ocean's waters meet at least three continents: Tamriel, in the west, Akavir, in the east, and Atmora, in the north, with several lesser islands in between.

The ocean lends its name to the Padomaic Crest, a treacherous cliff region along the Telvanni Peninsula's eastern coast. The ocean itself is likely named after Padomay, the primordial god of change. Their exact relationship to the ocean is unknown.

History

Origins

According to myth, during the Dawn Era, shortly after the creation of Mundus, Nirn had interspersed seas, but no oceans. After the war between the Wandering and Old Ehlnofey, the land was reshaped, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, forming the Padomaic. Most of the domain of the Hist was sunk into its waters, leaving only a small corner left standing, later known as Black Marsh, on Tamriel.

After the Ehlnofey war, circa ME 2500, the et'Ada convened at the Adamantine Tower to decide the punishment of Lorkhan, a key figure in the war. He was killed by Trinimac, but when both he and Auriel failed to destroy his heart, Auriel fastened it to an arrow and shot it into the Padomaic, forming Red Mountain.

Exploration

The Padomaic Ocean was first charted by Aldmeri explorer Topal the Pilot in the Middle Merethic Era. In his unsuccessful search for Aldmeris, he mapped out the coasts of Tamriel, such as Morrowind's Inner Sea and, later named in his honor, Topal Bay. He returned to Firsthold with treasures, sparking wonder in the faraway land and prompting other Aldmeri sailors to follow in his footsteps, further charting the coastline of Vvardenfell.

In the Third Era, Emperor Uriel Septim V explored the Padomaic and conquered several islands as part of his invasion of Akavir: Roscrea in 3E 271, Cathnoquey in 3E 276, Yneslea in 3E 279, and Esroniet in 3E 284. Uriel's Far East Fleet later discovered numerous islands and sandbars off the coast of Akavir, whose sheer quantity prevented their ships from making port.

Roscrea was later made a fiefdom and claimed by the Kingdom of Solitude in 3E 432, to further expand their power. After marrying the Queen Macalla of Dawnstar, King Thian held a majority of control of the Northern Coast. Under his reign, the island was used to further chart the Sea of Ghosts' mysterious waters. Expeditions into the sea reached even to Atmora, with reports describing a place of permanent winter, with little life and no sign of human habitation.

Composition

The waters of the Padomaic range from icy and treacherous in the Sea of Ghosts to placid in the Topal Bay.

Regions

The Sea of Ghosts (ca. 4E 201)

• Eastern Sea: A region of the Padomaic between Tamriel and Akavir, traversed by Topal the Pilot and Vivec
• Inner Sea: A narrow body of water separating mainland Morrowind from Vvardenfell
  • Scathing Bay: The ruin-strewn, cursed remnants of Vivec City and Norvayn Bay
  • Zafirbel Bay: A small but significant bay off the eastern coast of Vvardenfell, housing Telvanni wizard towers
• Oliis Bay: A small bay located within Black Marsh, housing Lilmoth at its mouth
• Sea of Ghosts: A treacherous, icy sea encompassing the north of Tamriel
  • Atmoran Strait: A body of water between Atmora and Skyrim, traversed by Ysgramor's Five Hundred Companions
  • Great Bay: A wide bay between Rivenspire and Wrothgar whose coastline houses many prominent settlements
• Southern Sea: A pirate ridden sea encompassing the south of Tamriel
• Topal Sea: A placid body of water between Elsweyr, Cyrodiil, and Black Marsh, emptied into by the Niben River

Notable Islands

Sea of Ghosts

The island of Grayhome (ca. 2E 582)

• Blackbone Isle: A haunted island that housed the treasure and wealth amassed by Cyrus the Restless
• Bleakrock Isle: A small island between Windhelm and Solstheim far from major trading routes
• Castle Volkihar: A cursed, ancient vampire castle upon an island north of Solitude
• Giant's Tooth: An uninhabited island northeast of Winterhold that contained the last remaining Ironwood trees in Skyrim
• Gorne: A lush island off the coast of Necrom that is home to several exotic species
• Grayhome: An island far to the north of Northpoint, formerly the home of the Gray Host
• Horker Island: A horker-infested island east of Solstheim, home to the treasures of Haknir Death-Brand
• Icereach: An island north of Haafingar, home to the Icereach witch coven
• Kyne's Aegis: A medium-sized island northwest of Solitude, where many ships pass before reaching the city
• Northeast Archipelago: A sparsely populated, rugged archipelago located northeast of Morrowind
• Olenveld: An island-city roughly a summer's day sail away from Winterhold that was abandoned in the Second Era
• Rockjoint Island: A frozen island northeast of Winterhold, considered inhospitable for a permanent settlement
• Roscrea: An island fiefdom later annexed by Solitude that was originally conquered by Uriel V
• Serpentstone Isle: An icy island northeast of Winterhold, named after the Serpent Stone at its peak
• Solstheim: A large island northeast of Windhelm that was formerly occupied by the Empire until it was passed to the Dark Elves

The city of Sadrith Mora (ca. 2E 582)

Inner Sea

• Ascadian Isles: A collection of fertile, agricultural isles under the rule of House Hlaalu
  • Ald Sotha: The birthplace of Sotha Sil, home to ruins brought by Daedric assaults
• Firemoth Islets: A collection of barren islets located southwest of Vvardenfell
  • Firemoth Island: The largest island within the Firemoth Islets, home to the Imperial Fort Firemoth
• Sadrith Mora: A Telvanni city on an island in the Inner Sea
• Sheogorad: A rocky archipelago off the north coast of Vvardenfell that is mostly uninhabited, save for Dagon Fel
  • Ashmelech: The isolated home of the Aundae vampire clan
  • Sheogorad Island: The eponymous, largest island of the Sheogorad archipelago
• Stonefang Isle: An island north of Ebonheart, home to Daedric ruins
• Vvardenfell: A large island located within Morrowind, separated from the mainland via the Inner Sea

Southern Sea

• Khenarthi's Roost: An island collection south of Elsweyr known for its trade
• Norg-Tzel: A cursed island off the coast of Black Marsh

The island of Tideholm (ca. 2E 582)

Topal Sea

• Grand Topal Hideaway: A volcanic islet off the eastern coast of Topal Island
• Tideholm: An island east of the Quin'rawl Peninsula with a history of Dragons
• Topal Island: The largest island in Topal Bay

Other

• Cathnoquey: An island between Tamriel and Akavir that was captured by Uriel V
• Esroniet: A spice island between Tamriel and Akavir that was captured by Uriel V
• Vounoura: An island roughly a month's voyage away from Tel Aruhn in Vvardenfell which acts as a haven for retired Morag Tong assassins
• Yneslea: An island between Tamriel and Akavir that was captured by Uriel V

Fauna

A horker emerging from the Padomaic Ocean

The Padomaic Ocean is home to many species of fish and other aquatic creatures, including the merringar, swamp shrimp, grayling, pearlfish, Inner Sea scalyfin, char, slaughterfish, Pyandonean ray, pigfish, ghost haddock, armorhead, travally, Akaviri wrasse, opaline albacore, topal nautilus, Topal fanche, emperor angelfish, jewel fish, longlure eelfin, fat sleepers, spotted seatrout, Khaj'Roh, Zha'ja Roh, mackerel, wedgefish, Resdaynian sailfin, Birtingr, ghost salmon, ghost octopus, black scabbardfish, and hairy coffinfish. In the far east of the Padomaic, around the coastal waters of Septimia, innumerable coral reefs are among the obstacles that prevent large ships from making port.

Larger marine animals also prowl the ocean, such as sharks - scrappy, resilient hunters who use infamous circling tactics against their prey. Sea-drakes reside in the deeps of the Oliis Bay, described as crocodilian-esque beasts with paddles for legs. Notorious for their durability, whales lurk in the depths below the ice fields of the Sea of Ghosts. They are preyed upon by the local Sea Giants. Some creatures, such as horkers, scamper between the ocean's waters and land. Dreugh inhabit the Inner Sea, losing their intelligence when they migrate to land and regaining it upon returning to the ocean.

Creatures of Legend

The Isle of Red Mist's cannibal cult practiced graphic rituals that summoned ancient titans from the Sea of Ghosts. Taking the form of two giant female turtles, the ancient matrons were capable of pushing treasure-laden ships at speeds faster than the winds. Circa 4E 201, an Emperor Crab Guardian Spirit awoke and caused havoc, driving off a force of guards from nearby Dawnstar. Eventually, with the help of an adventurer and usage of flaming catapult assaults, the crab's spirit was defeated. Sea-ghosts are vengeful beasts who inhabit the eponymous Sea of Ghosts. During the onset of the Return, they massacred the crew of Harakk, the ship captained by Ysgramor's son, Yngol, amidst the Storm of Separation.

Gallery

• 

  The most recent, authoritative map of Tamriel, with the Padomaic Ocean labeled

• 

  A map of Tamriel with the Padomaic Ocean, Sea of Ghosts, and Inner Sea labeled

Notes

• ^	Some descriptions of the Padomaic Ocean state it entirely encompasses Tamriel, but this is contradicted by the Abecean Sea falling under the Eltheric Ocean.

• ^	It is unknown whether or not the Blue Divide is part of the Padomaic Ocean, but it meets the Eltheric via the Abecean Sea at Auridon and Summerset's northern coast and is occasionally grouped with the Topal Bay as the 'southern waters'.