Monster In The Mist

The Crow shouted, he saw a flash of silver off the bow. We all rushed to the edge looking for the mountain of riches, but we found something else....

— land-bound pirate

Summary

Near the east shore of the Badlands, a mountain island shrouded in heavy mists. The mountain is rumored to have a silver-top and filled with riches. There have been many to travel into the mist, some disappear, and others are stranded on the Badlands' coastline without a ship.

The Tale

An lone mountain island set off the east shore was home to a small village. This village was raided many a time, eventually the people were too poor to raid and pirates left the island alone. They would dock the ship at the village and rest, but the raiding stopped and the people lived in relative peace. Then one day, a monster decided to claim the mountain.
It would encircle the mountain top and watch the village people, but would let no ship near. It is said the monster grew bored, so it began destroying ships and dump the loot on the mountain. The mountain would shine with coin and precious gems that lured more pirates to the mountain. The monster grew bored once more and tired of luring ships to it's island. With great breath, it created the mist to shroud the island from the sun's rays to keep it's glittering treasure hidden.

Spread

The tale of the Cursed Watchmen is only known to those living and sailing from the Badland's coast. Monster in the Mist has spread to other continents and is considered another reason for ships to avoid the Badlands shores. It has been whispered by ships traveling in the open-sea to see a ship emerging from mist with the name Watchmen on its hull. If the rumors are to be believed, the Cursed Watchmen does not haunt just Badlands' shores but anywhere it sails.

Variations & Mutation

There are many descriptions of the monster in the mist, and those who live can never agree on what it is. Those who believe it has wings think it is a dragon, while others believe it is a kraken with descriptions of thick, gang-green tentacles stopping a ship.
Then there are some who say it is none of these, it is a creature from beyond with red eyes before they return to murmuring nonsense. No one has reached the island of riches, because of this monster in the mist.

Cursed Watchmen

A ship called the Watchmen was head by a daring captain, who believed there to be a mountain of riches. Taking his crew and ship into the mist to find this mountain island. The ship was not seen for many months then it reappeared off the west coast of the Badlands. When it was hailed and boarded, the crew were covered in slime with eyes like corpses and they preceded to attack every ship close to it. The ship will appear out of a sudden mist, or fog, stalking ships till hailed and if not hailed, some claim it will stink below the waves. The ship is called the Cursed Watchmen and should never be hailed.

Related Locations

• Badlands

Lost Ships

• The Coachmen
• The Second
• Broadsword Legend
• Lonesome Lady
• Cursed Watchmen

Some ships entering the mist never return, while others do. The crew on these ships are found stranded on the shoreline without a ship to call home. These crews rarely venture back into the mist, but those who venture back never return to Badlands' shore.