Power in the Tidebound realm does not rest solely upon kings or captains. Influence is woven through enclaves, rites, widows’ guilds, deep-watchers, and the occult hands that move unseen among lanternlight and tide.
Below is a Keeper’s attempt at classification. Expect omissions. Expect lies—intended or otherwise.
Domain: Fenline Marshes & Driftwater Outposts
Symbol: A braided knot of three reeds
Disposition: Protective, secretive
A guild of widows whose husbands were taken by the sea. Their net-craft is unmatched, capable of binding currents, ensnaring beasts, and mending wounds both visible and hidden.
They shelter wandering dredgers, guide passage through shifting marsh channels, and guard relics too volatile for common decks.
“If they offer you a woven charm— accept it. Declining is seen as an omen.” — Keeper Marrett
Domain: Driftwater Expanse
Symbol: A hook over a downward-facing lantern
Disposition: Pragmatic, fiercely independent
Veteran salvagers who have pledged their lives to the Vein. They follow no nation nor fleet, answering instead to a loose code of mutual survival.
They track anomalies, protect outposts, and enforce a brutal yet effective etiquette among dredgers.
“A Dredgebound won’t betray you— unless the Vein asks them to.” — Keeper Vela
Domain: Crownfall Edges & Ruin Sectors
Symbol: A single eye embedded in a broken circle
Disposition: Watchful, cryptic
A clandestine order claiming stewardship over the deepest strata. Their robes are threaded with threads resembling dissolved kelp-wraith filaments.
They deliver warnings before collapses and occasionally appear near decks where a dredger is on the verge of an ascension or unraveling.
“If a Veilkeeper stands on your deck without speaking— change your course.” — Keeper Halwen
Domain: Shoalway Settlements
Symbol: Lantern with seven rays
Disposition: Benevolent, ritual-bound
A spiritual order devoted to preserving dredger lore and safeguarding old rites. Their lantern vigils are said to keep “the worst hours” at bay.
They bless salvage expeditions, codify rituals, and maintain the largest archive of relic stories.
“A Lanternhost blessing steadies the hand— sometimes more than skill alone.” — Keeper Lorn
Domain: Old Crossing Routes
Symbol: Twin oars crossed over a hollow circle
Disposition: Aloof, disciplined
Silent boatmen who traverse between shattered piers and isolated isles. Their boats bear carved runes to keep the tides calm around them.
Some believe they serve a guardian. Others think they are guardians.
“If a Ferrywarden offers passage, it is unwise to refuse.” — Keeper Telth
Domain: Deep Outcrops & Metal-scarred Shoals
Symbol: Hammer over a rising tide curve
Disposition: Stern, tradition-obsessed
A brotherhood of forge-ritualists who bind metal with tidal resonance. Their chants can be heard far offshore, resonating through the ribs of passing ships.
“A Chanter’s bell can still water or stir it into fury. They choose carefully.” — Keeper Isolde