New Sea The Cataclysm & The War of the Lance The current year for our Dragonlance campaign is set during 351 AC "After Cataclysm". Inspired By Trampas Whiteman

The New Sea, sometimes written as Newsea, is a vast shallow body of water located in the heart of central Ansalon. Stretching from the Straits of Algoni in the west to the eastern reaches near Sanction and Taman Busuk, the sea serves as one of the most important waterways in the Dragonlance setting. After passing Port O’ Call, sailors commonly refer to the larger eastern portion as “New Sea Proper.” Its waters touch countless shores and settlements, making it both a center of commerce and a vital route for travel throughout the continent.

Several important bays and coastal regions surround the New Sea, each possessing its own dangers and significance. Among the most well-known are New Bay, Great Bay, Crusher’s Bay, and Haligoth Bay. Numerous rivers also feed into the sea, bringing freshwater and trade from distant lands. These include the White-Rage River, Torath River, Lockspring, Blue Rage River, Ogre River, and the Stonecrusher River. Despite its immense size, the New Sea contains only a single island known as Schallsea, a place often associated with mystery, learning, and seclusion.

The New Sea did not exist during the ancient days before the Cataclysm. Its creation came as a direct result of the Kingpriest of Istar’s arrogance and his infamous demand of the gods. In response, the gods hurled a fiery mountain upon Ansalon, forever reshaping the continent. Entire regions were destroyed as mountains rose and once fertile lands collapsed into the earth.

The plains of central Ansalon were among the lands swallowed by this devastation, creating a massive basin that the waters of the Sirrion Ocean rushed in to fill. The flood that formed the New Sea brought unimaginable destruction. Thousands of people living in the lowlands perished as the waters surged across the broken landscape with little warning. Entire villages and settlements vanished beneath the waves, leaving only ruins hidden beneath the sea. When the survivors finally gathered and attempted to rebuild their lives, they simply began calling the enormous new body of water the “New Sea,” both because of its recent creation and because no better name existed for the vast inland sea that now dominated central Ansalon.

In time, however, the people of Ansalon discovered that the New Sea brought opportunity alongside tragedy. Trade flourished along its shores as ports and coastal settlements expanded. Merchant ships began transporting goods between distant regions far more efficiently than overland routes ever allowed. The waters also proved rich with fish and other resources, helping sustain nearby communities struggling to recover from the aftermath of the Cataclysm. Over the centuries, the New Sea became not only a symbol of destruction, but also one of survival and renewal.

Following the Chaos War, the New Sea faced new changes as Dragon Turtles migrated into its waters from Ansalon’s eastern oceans. These dangerous creatures fled westward due to the horrors unleashed by Chaos and soon established themselves within the sea. During the Age of Mortals and the reign of the Dragon Overlords, portions of the eastern New Sea were transformed into part of the dreaded New Swamp under the influence of Sable. Since Sable’s demise, however, the swamp has slowly begun to recede, allowing portions of the sea and coastline to recover once more from the corruption that consumed them.