Canon Overview
Shadow caravan network of moray-like traders led by Manolo Marella. Operates underwater Blackwater trench routes with bioluminescent waypoints and Ki resonance beacons to move relics and pre-Eclipse tech outside official channels.
Snapshot
- Era: Current
- Region: Western
- Rule type: Shadow economy guild
- Leader: Manolo Marella (“Tidebroker”)
- Ways: Underwater trench corridors; Ki beacon navigation; favors/rare currency
- Goals: Control illicit tech/relic flow; outmaneuver Galport blockades; profit through secrecy
- Trade routes: Verdathal tech lanes; Blackwater ports; covert exchanges with Eddara/Timberborn
Operations & Economy
- Smuggling corridors: hidden trenches, beacon-guided lanes, favors/rare currency economy.
- Markets: optional vendors/quest givers; affects market stability and crafting resources.
- Quest hook “The Depth Between Deals”: aid smuggling Verdathal tech past Galport blockade or expose them.
Leadership & Assets
- Leader: Manolo Marella (“Tidebroker,” monocled).
- Assets: trench maps, bioluminescent waypoints, Ki beacons, Blackwater crews.
Relationships
| Faction | Relation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Galport | ● | Blockade/enforcement tension; smuggling undermines tariffs. |
| Verdathal | ● | Moves biotech discreetly; mutual benefit. |
| Eddara | ● | Transit through nature realms; cautious neutrality. |
| Ninth Wave | ● | Will avoid direct conflict; deals only if profitable. |
| Crimson/Seigetsu | ● | No formal ties; opportunistic trade possible. |
Hooks & Outcomes
- Helping them boosts Marella favor, opens Blackwater vendors, shifts tech/crafting availability, worsens Galport standing.
- Turning them in boosts Galport relations, tightens Blackwater access, and alters resource flow.
Open questions / conflicts
- Define rare currency/favor mechanics for Blackwater vendors.
- Clarify unique Verdathal tech items under Marella control.
Source excerpts
Blackwater Tidebrokers led by Manolo Marella (bourgeois, monocle). Underwater trench networks and bioluminescent waypoints; illicit trade in relics/pre-Eclipse tech. Questline "The Depth Between Deals": aid smuggling Verdathal tech past Galport blockade or report them to Galport; choices shift market stability, crafting resources, and faction favor. Shadow economy via Ki resonance beacons.