[2]
Kiva appears to be a series of scattered volcanic island arcs generated by subduction zones and hotpots. These are widely separated from the mainland through several weeks journey. It has numerous islets, seamounts, and atolls.

They contain an extensive stretch of reef barriers that could ground any ships that come too close. These reefs contain a rich and varied amount of sea life home to many endemic species.

The climate is tropical but experiences many different climates depending on altitude and weather. However, the constant tropical storms, occasional hurricanes, and the folklore of danger have a way of keeping the majority of Kiva's islands unexplored.

The Eye of Kiva – is thought to be a particularly turbulent and large maelstrom found in the middle of the Kiva archipelago. It is said that on particularly stormy nights, the mists are so thick and visibility so obscured that the green flashes one sees is the Eye of Kiva searching for those who dare come too close to her isles.

Many ships have gone under having lost their bearing, finding themselves sucked up into the giant whirlpool to a watery grave below.

The archipelago of Kiva has yet to be fully understood. It remains a mysterious small stretch of isolated islands, the bulk of which have yet to be explored. The ages have seen a collection of notes and bits and pieces of drawn islets from sailors who managed to chart what they could from a safe distance.

Where the name Kiva came from for the archipelago is hard to say. The name had been found scrawled on ancient maps and seen with more frequency as the years passed.

Some claim it was named thusly due to the Akiva Sea, others state that Kiva is actually the name of Kiva, Goddess of the primordial ocean, and the curving archipelago is the remains of Kiva herself.

There are tales that say there are sirens that live amidst these isles, and there is some truth to it. The Kivren make their home here and are fiercely protective of it.

[3]
The Kiva archipelago has a long history of mystery and cautionary tales. The area is at the crux of where the cold waters of the northern Ashera Ocean meet the warm waters of the Akiva Sea. This creates a curious climate of perpetual storms. Anywhere from tropical storms to full-blown hurricanes, sailors tales have said that those unfortunate ships to drift off course may find themselves lost amidst Kiva's thick mists.

There are tales of crackling green lights and siren calls. They say that is the keening cry of an ancient goddess of the primordial ocean, one who beckons unwary sailors to their doom should they wander too close. Word has it that heeding her cries leads towards the Eye of Kiva, an enormous swirling maelstrom that could swallow entire ships whole.

1. ^Descent into the Maelstrom
2. ^Alyn Spiller
3. ^Assassin's creed