Ank'Kaaros, The Unshaken Wave

Few dare sail south along the Hunter's Sea. Those who do, do so with caution and a hefty dose of fear. For we lowly mortals fear the King of the Deep, the Unshaken Wave, and pray to the gods that we never see his jaws break the ocean's surface.

— Tales of the Everdeep

Summary

Ank'Kaaros is an ancient kraken, said to have lived - or in some cases still be living - for more than 2000 years. Supposedly taking up residence in the southern regions of the Hunter's Sea, though his exact whereabouts are unknown. The only indication that the stories may be true is the overwhelming number of wreckage in the southern waters and the haunting reality that if one sails too far across those waves, they never return.

Historical Basis

The reliability of Ank'Kaaros' existence is widely debated, specifically in Aeris and Marithell, the two continents that share that stretch of sea.
Many people use the ship wrecks as evidence to prove Ank'Kaaros' existence. However, others argue that the wreckage is likely caused by the sheer number of ships - often filled with foolhardy sailors - that try and pass through the area.
There is also the fact that no sailor has ever returned to tell the tale of their voyage across that particular stretch of ocean, but again this is argued to likely be due to the wreckage already there.

Spread

Most sailors know to avoid that southern areas of the Hunter's Sea. They'll warn each other of storms in that direction which make the conditions worse, and they'll also advise newcomers to stay away from that stretch of sea. Whether or not they believer Ank'Kaaros actually exists or not is another thing entirely.
As far as everyday people are concerned (see, those who rarely sail), the myth is not as far spread. In Aeris and Marithell, you are probably more likely to hear tales of Ank'Kaaros due to the proximity of both continents to the Hunter's Sea. For the other continents, it's possible that you would hear the tale during a stay at a port or river based pub, but other than that the common folk are not likely to have heard the story are all.

In Literature

There have been a number of poems and songs written about Ank'Kaaros - mainly drunken tavern songs, but there are a few that are recollections of the tale by infamous bards.

• The Unshaken Wave, by Yrval the Brave - this poem is the first recorded instance of Ank'Kaaros in history, with many crediting Yrval as "the only man who's ever survived the jaws of Ank'Kaaros"
• Beneath the southern ring, by the Crow of Wicfen - a song initially performed by the Crow, it gained a lot of popularity among the sailing community for it's upbeat, yet true to the tragedies that surround Ank'kaaros. Most sailors still sing the song to this very day.