[Prologue] The Eye of the Storm
There was a sound of confusion and then a solid thunk followed by the coppery smell of blood. It splashed onto the floor, seemingly gallons of it as the crew struggled to keep the cow steady. The cook, Shalia, was gently petting the unconscious cow as its blood leaked down into buckets. One filled, than another, than another. Shalia would use some of the blood in her cooking while the crew would soak bits of bread or other things in it and use it as bait for fishing.
Slaughtering the cow was the hallmark that they had hit the open seas. For a few days the crwe would get fresh meat, a rare treat on the open waters, before it was transitioned into salted jerky.
So far the trip out of Absalom has proceeded without any incidents. They hugged the coastlines of Andoran and Cheliax. They didn't stop but just keeping the coast in view made everyone feel safer as it was unlikely a pirate would be bold enough to strike so close to shore. Then it was time to cross through the Hespereth Strait, under the giant Arch of Andoren and into the open waters of the Arcadian Ocean.
Anyone unfamiliar with geography would assume the boat would turn and set sail south but everyone familiar would know this would be suicidal. The infamous Eye of Abendago, the permanent hurricane caused the waters to be stormy and dangerous and then the ship would pass dangerously close to the Shackles, the island chain home to numerous pirate ports and so-called "Free Captains" that preyed upon shipping all up and down the coastline.
No, it would be crazy to turn South, instead the ship headed West to go far around Mediogalti Island and the Shackles until the Arcadian Sea turns into the Fever Sea, so named by the hot and humid climate before swinging back East towards the Vidrian coastline and their eventual destination, the capital city of Anthusis.