As one approach these isles and atolls, a sense of dread often takes hold of travellers.
With both sand and rocks coloured in crimson hues, the Archipelago is almost completely drenched in sinister shades of red, leaving all but the most jaded of souls, completely awestruck.
Trees, flowers and even the sparse grass all seem to be have been drenched in scarlet dye, yet, everything upon the islands seems quite normal, even if the lands are not as fertile as most lands in the Warded Sea.
These unnerving isles are known, to little surprise, as the Red Shore Archipelago.
Many a historian have sought the explanation to this strange tinge, but to little avail. Not even the local spirits have any explanation to offer.
The earliest settlers found the islands to be in this state when they were discovered, and besides the eerie landscape, the islands are as any other.
However, such a strange hue tend to generate rumour, and the inhabitants are colloquially known as the Blood-soaked People, and as few of the plants used for colonizing have anything to offer but red, foreigners are often disquieted by those of the Red Shores, leading to vicious rumours of a culture of blood-drinkers and ruthless savages.
All due to a simple colour.
On the isles themselves, a single state have been established.
In the northernmost part of the archipelago, one can find the Righan of Gath.
Ruled over by families of powerful beings, the common Gathans are used to obliging their betters in every way possible. Few people in Gath are actually living independently, as most of the cities are parts of the extended palaces of the Masters.
Some claim this system is beneficial to all, but in the end, it just creates a huge gap between the classes, and anyone not from the Proper Blood, are subjected to unimaginable terrors.
A Gathan boy is taught to wield a blade from the moment he can lift it, as the Proper Lords are loath to open their lands to foreigners. This oftens allows for second sons of Proper Lords to raise large forces of excellent soldiers, as a Gathan is both well-trained and disciplined.
These companies are renowned in the Warded Sea as a terrifying force, and due to the dissuading nature of that renown as well as the ill-boding presence of the Red Shores, many would-be warlords steer clear of those lands.
Thus, a major income for the Gathan coffers are shares from mercenary work abroad.