The Demon of Nalanmar

The legend of an otherworldly being that nearly destroyed the town of Lutédólin de Nalanmar.

Summary

One night three fishermen were repairing their boat, when one of them spotted a lonely figure walking on the beach. Something looked strange about it - it was the size of a person, but the anatomy seemed wrong. The fishermen decided to go and investigate, but as they approached the figure, they were shocked to see that it resembled nothing they knew.
The creature was a pale beast with four arms, legs that bent twice and long claws at its hands and feet. It had four eyes with an unnatural green glow, numerous worm-like tentacles on its head, and mandibles like an insect.
Its arms and tentacles moved in strange ways, performing intricate gestures while its gaze was fixed on the horizon. To their horror, the fishermen saw an enormous tidal wave approaching in the distance and realized that the beast was controlling it. As they closed in on it, the demon commanded them to stand back with an unholy voice that was not heard by the ears.
But the fishermen were not discouraged. Scared but determined to save their home town, they wrestled the monster to the ground. Once they had it immobilized, the giant wave faded back into the ocean. They brought the demon back to the town prison where people struggled to keep it locked up.
A group of soldiers arrived soon afterwards, inspecting the demon and bringing it to the University of Nalanmar for examination. When they left, they took the demon with it and it was never seen again.

Historical Basis

There are no official records of the event, neither of a military investigation nor of the creature being examined at the University of Nalanmar. However, several newspaper articles exist from around that time.
One of them, published in the "Lutédólinic Roribó", reports on the claims of the fishermen and shows a drawing of the creature in question. Another one, published in the "Noccégarór de Nalanmar", mentions a heavily guarded carriage which drove up to the university's biology department two nights after the demon was allegedly spotted. However, the same newspaper also published an official statement of the university two weeks later. In this statement, the head of the biology department declared that the carriage had contained a couple of sick animals and that the precautions had been taken to avoid contagion.
Nowadays, the scientific consensus is that several locals invented the story in order to draw attention to their hometown. They most likely felt that they were being overshadowed by the trade hub Nalanmar, especially after Lutédólin was declared a part of it two years before. Consequently, the fishermen and news reporters conspired to create a legend that, ironically, ended up being named after the very city from which they were trying to set themselves apart.

Spread

The legend is well-known within Lutédólin de Nalanmar. Some descendants of the three fishermen insist that they were heroes, and many locals enjoy retelling the story their children or curious visitors. The degree to which it is taken seriously varies.
A mural depicting the demon was painted onto a wall in Lutédólin's town hall, and officially revealed in 1093 PN in celebration of their local heroes. It still attracts tourists today, and keeps the myth alive in the minds of the town's population.
Due to Nalanmar's importance as a trade hub, the legend has also spread to other parts of eastern Gysuphun. Scholars from Nalanmar and other renowned universities like to study the effect which the legend has on the more simple-minded townsfolk. In academic circles, it is seen as a prime example of outdated superstitions and people believing their own lies.

Variations & Mutation

Encountering the Demon

Retellings vary when it comes to the demon's behavior. Descendants of the fishermen tend to dramatize the fight, with the demon using its sharp claws and mandibles against them or trying to control their minds with its unholy voice. Others instead paint the demon as a powerful magician whose physical body is laughably weak in comparison, using this as a reminder that one's mind and body deserve equal care.

The Fate of the Demon

There are conflicting accounts of what happened to the demon after it was captured. Some versions of the legend still insist that it was examined at the university, despite the lack of supporting evidence. The biology department traditionally organizes hunts for traces of the truth, mainly as a humorous initiation ritual for new students.
Others focus on the soldiers which allegedly came to inspect the captive demon. Some claim that they killed the demon when it attempted to break free, others claim that the demon killed the soldiers and escaped to haunt the town even today. In many versions, the soldiers took the demon far away for varying purposes. Some people say they were planning to use the demon against the Empire's enemies, while others say that they sealed it away to protect the world from a monster that could not be killed. A few versions instead warn that the "soldiers" were actually members of a cult, worshipping the demon as a god and secretly manipulating society from the shadows.

by Kathrin Janowski

Date of Setting

1083 PN, Chychlun 2

Related Locations

• Lutédólin de Nalanmar
• Nalanmar

You look as if you'd just met the Demon of Nalanmar.

— Ronochic phrase, commenting on someone appearing scared

Every demon can be fought as long as we stand together.

— Ronochic phrase, used for encouragement

You might as well search for the Demon of Nalanmar.

— Nimýric saying, discouraging a pointless endeavour

I wish to see you back before sunset. You don't want the demon to catch you, or do you?

— local father to his daugther

I hope that you don't forget to eat. As fascinating as that book may be, I doubt that you want to end like the demon.

— local woman to her younger brother

Just think about it - nobody knows where those "soldiers" came from or where they went. My aunt is an officer, I assure you she'd know if there were any records of a military investigation. And they're sworn to protect us, so they'd have no reason to lie to us. This leaves only one conclusion - whoever took that demon away, they cannot be planning anything good.

— disheveled man in a tavern in Nalanmar's port district

Further Reading