A deep inlet cutting into the western coast of Wycendeula, framed by the Wolfmaw peninsula to the south and forested headlands to the north. The bay takes its name from the ulvsjael who dominate the surrounding forest—their howls carry across the water on still nights, audible to ships anchored miles offshore.
Geography
The Bay of Wolves stretches roughly 80 miles from its mouth to its innermost shore, with an average width of 40 miles. The northern shore curves gradually, densely forested down to the waterline. The southern shore is dominated by the Wolfmaw, a distinctive forked peninsula that gives the bay its protected character.
The water is cold year-round, fed by rivers draining the Fylvrae Sylvrym interior. Visibility is poor—silt from the forest floor washes down with every rain, staining the bay a murky green-brown. The bottom is soft mud and decomposing vegetation, unsuitable for anchoring in most areas.
Several rivers empty into the bay, the largest being the Twilight River at the bay's head. Smaller streams create marshy deltas along the northern shore, where the forest gives way to reed beds and tidal flats.
Maritime Activity
Despite the dangers, ships occasionally enter the Bay of Wolves. The reasons vary:
Storm Shelter: The bay offers excellent protection from western storms. Captains caught in heavy weather sometimes have no choice but to run for shelter, gambling that the ulvsjael won't swim out to investigate.
Timber: The Fylvrae Sylvrym produces exceptional hardwood—heartwood oak, ironbark, and other species valued for shipbuilding. Logging is suicidal, but driftwood and storm-felled trees wash down the rivers. A few enterprising (or desperate) crews anchor in the bay and collect whatever floats to them, departing before they attract attention.
Skystone Hunters: The buried skystones of Fylvrae Sylvrym are legendary. The bay provides the only practical access point for expeditions, and every few years someone mounts an attempt. The smart ones stay on their ships and wait for fortune to wash ashore. The others go inland. The ships usually wait a week before giving up and leaving.
Accidental Arrival: Storms, navigation errors, and pirates occasionally drive ships into the bay without intent. These crews have a simple choice: leave immediately, or become another wreck on the Wolfmaw shore.
Seasonal Patterns
The bay is navigable year-round, though winter brings ice formation in the shallower areas near river mouths. The main channel remains clear, fed by slightly warmer ocean currents.
Spring and autumn bring the heaviest rain, swelling the rivers and pushing silt into the bay. Visibility drops to nearly zero, and the water takes on the color of weak tea. This is when the most driftwood arrives—and when the marsh floods, extending the ulvsjael-free zone temporarily.
Summer is the calmest season, with light winds and clear skies. Paradoxically, this is the most dangerous time for ships—calm conditions mean the howling from the forest carries further, and ulvsjael activity peaks as the packs prepare for leaner seasons.
Landmarks
The Jaws: The twin headlands of the Wolfmaw, visible from far out to sea. Sailors use them as a navigation reference, though approaching too closely invites disaster.
Driftwood Beach: A stretch of the northern shore where currents concentrate floating debris. The closest thing to a reliable resource extraction point, though collecting requires time ashore.
The Murk: Local name for the innermost bay, where visibility drops to arm's length and the water is barely distinguishable from the marsh. Ships avoid it; anything that enters may not find its way out.
For Sailors
Treat the Bay of Wolves as a last resort. If you must enter:
- Anchor in deep water, well offshore. The mud bottom offers poor holding, so use multiple anchors.
- Do not go ashore after dark. Do not go ashore alone. Ideally, do not go ashore at all.
- If howling starts, prepare to leave immediately. The packs are aware of you.
- The Wolfmaw peninsula offers no real safety—its broken terrain just means you won't see them coming.
- Salvage operations should be conducted at speed. An hour ashore is reasonable. A day is pushing luck. Overnight is suicide.
The bay could be a valuable harbor if the forest weren't there. But the forest is there, and nothing changes that.