Vertixico

Moment of Mourning

Where the days are shortest and the water coldest, reflection rests on the waters as ship after ship passes through. This area is a lair of chaos waiting to break loose, danger abounding if one looks away for a second. Even so, it is necessary to reflect on the past, to take a moment and pray for the ones before that lost their lives to the rocks. As the sun sinks below the horizon, the moment of Vertixico has arrived, the moment of mourning.

Don't know why we call it such a thing. The damned Halflings have to give everything a crazy name.

— Unknown

Sailors are a superstitious lot, a feeling that comes from being on the sea for days, weeks, months, without the companionship of anyone other than the crew of the ship. Those that sail near the Teeth of the North are even more superstitious, praying to Caspian for safety at the same time asking Ygg to spare their lives if they dare come too close to the jagged rocks.
For those that sail frequently near the Teeth of the North, death is all too often a reality that they must deal with. The truth of Scout’s Rest is far too frequently presented and there is little time to properly mourn the loss of so many friends and crewmates. The simplicity of Vertixico allows that mourning, if only for a brief moment as the sun sets on another day of life for those that were successful.

History

The story goes that some old batty half-blind Dwarf thought he could make landfall here. At dark no less. Wouldn't listen to a lick of reason and did it anyway. Everyone thought he was a bit touched in the head after the wars with them Giants but still let him sail. Verti's the name, guess that's why the Halflings came up with the name Vertixico.

— Unknown

The history of the moment of Vertixico is mostly lost, with only bits of the story remaining as old sea tales and shanties to warn of the ever-present danger of the Teeth of the North. For millennia, this moment has stood as a necessary superstition, else one may find themselves drowning just like the Dwarf of legend.
Vertixico harkens back to the days after the Giant Wars when many once again saw it safe to traverse around the northern shores of Vóreios. Some were leerier than others, giving the shore a wide berth, not only due to the dangers of the Teeth of the North but in case the Giants chose to strike up another offensive on the sea.
A Dwarf by the name of Verti attempted to sail the northern shore of the continent, but as close as possible to shave off some time to his next port. Many told him not to do it, citing many instances of death along the shoreline, the cragged rocks dangerous and sometimes hidden. Verti held out that he would be successful with his journey and that one day, all would be jealous of the sailing empire he would create with such a route.
What happened to Verti that night has been somewhat lost to history, but various reports of that fateful night tell of a ragged Dwarf singing sea shanties at the top of his lungs from the deck as numerous crew members jumped ship. A large crash echoed through the night as the ship ran headlong into one of the many sharp rocks of the Teeth.
As the morning dawned, all that remained was wreckage, a pile of broken wood and masts jumbled together around a massive rock. Sailors asked those that lived beneath the waves if they had seen the Dwarf, and all they had was a solemn recounting. Verti had fought brilliantly against the current, but his half-blindness caused great harm. Instead of swimming to the surface, he became turned around, swimming to the depths until he slowly drowned.
Soon after, a group of Halfling sailors created the idea of Vertixico, a moment of mourning, in name of the Dwarf that tried so very hard. It would be a moment of silence and reflection, of prayer and safety to be had. A great tragedy became a ritual of safety for those that continued to travel near the Teeth of the North.

Teeth of the North

Teeth of the North by Landscape via Artbreeder, created by RiverFang

The Teeth of the North define the coasts of Vóreios causing ships to stray away so they do not end up as a Scout’s Rest along the continent's shores.

Primary Related Location

Teeth of the North

Observance

Vertixico is a daily ritual of sailors that often sail near the dangerous shores of Vóreios known as the Teeth of the North. Due to the dangerous, and somewhat hidden, jagged rocks that line the shorelines, many lives have been claimed in these areas.
After the drowning of Verti the Dwarf, a moment of mourning was established every day at sundown to reflect upon and pray for the safety of themselves and other vessels that travel the area. Vertixico means something different to all that participate. It could be a moment of remembrance of someone they have lost or a prayer of safety for their own vessels. This is a singular moment where the stress of such travel is forgotten so that reflection and mourning can happen.