The Black Maw

Summary

The Black Maw is one of the most dreaded maritime legends in the world of Veth’Arden, spoken only in hushed whispers among sailors, pirates, and merchants alike. Some claim the name refers to a phantom galleon, its hull black as a drowned corpse, its tattered sails billowing against the wind, its deck lined with spectral crewmen who chant a mournful dirge. Others believe that the Black Maw is not a ship, but a force—a curse upon the sea, an entity that hungers for lost souls and drags them into the abyss. The legend is defined by three key elements:
It is always seen at dusk or in the dead of night, never under the light of day.
It is always preceded by music—the eerie sound of violins and a ghostly chant, growing louder as it approaches.
Its victims vanish completely, their ships left adrift or simply disappearing beneath the waves, with no survivors, no wreckage, and no trace of a struggle.
To be marked by the Black Maw is to be doomed. Sailors who wake to find a blackened stain in the shape of a drowning skull or gaping maw on their skin know that no land nor sea will protect them. The mark is an irrevocable sentence, and those who bear it are taken in due time. The Black Tide himself, Orlann Veskar, is said to fear the Maw, and even the most hardened of captains avoid the Valoran Ring of Islands, where sightings of the Maw are most frequent.

Historical Basis

While many consider the Black Maw to be pure superstition, there are documented accounts of ships and entire fleets vanishing in locations where the Maw is rumored to appear. Though no tangible proof has ever been retrieved, historical records and sailors' logs provide chilling accounts of encounters with an entity that fits the legend.
Notable Historical Encounters
316 AEL – The Sable Whisper’s Ghostly Return
The merchant vessel Sable Whisper was found adrift with no crew aboard, its lanterns still burning, meals half-eaten.
A single violin was discovered on the deck, its strings snapped.
The final log entry read: “There is music on the wind.”
372 AEL – The Vanishing of the Hekkeran Armada
A fleet of Hekkeran warships patrolling the Valoran Ring disappeared without a trace.
A single survivor, a cabin boy found clinging to driftwood days later, died raving about "music and shadowed figures.”

467 AEL – The Reaper’s Port Massacre
A ship carrying cargo salvaged from a ghost ship docked in Reaper’s Port.
That night, a black fog rolled into the harbor, and by dawn, the ship had vanished.
The only evidence was a burned mark of the Maw on the docks and the faintest echo of music in the wind.

471 AEL – Orlann Veskar’s Omen
Orlann Veskar, the infamous leader of the Dread Reavers, called off a major raid after spotting a massive black galleon on the horizon, despite clear skies and calm waters.
He has never spoken of the encounter, but his fleet is much more cautious in certain waters.

474 AEL – The Rising Tide of the Maw
Survivors of previous encounters have begun disappearing.
Sailors refuse to sail after dusk, fearing the music.
The Black Maw is seen more frequently, and its legend grows darker still.

Spread

The Black Maw legend has spread far beyond the Arashi Depths and the Greycroft Sea, reaching merchant circles, Kozukan fishing villages, and even the courts of kings. Some dismiss it as a fable crafted by pirates to instill fear, while others swear on their lives that the Maw is real, and hunting more frequently than ever.
Common Variations of the Legend
The Cursed Admiral – Some claim the Black Maw is the ghost ship of an admiral who defied the gods and was cursed to sail forever, taking the souls of those who challenge the sea.
The Drowned King’s Revenge – A variant popular in Granheim suggests that the Maw is the manifested rage of a long-forgotten ruler, whose kingdom was swallowed by the ocean.
The Ship That Was Never Built – Some claim the Maw is not a ghost ship, but a vessel that has always existed, an extension of the sea itself, a thing that should not be.
Despite these variations, one detail is always the same: the violins, the chant, and the certainty that once you hear it, there is no escape.

Cultural Reception

The Black Maw is feared, respected, and in some cases, worshipped. It has influenced sailing superstitions, naval traditions, and even maritime law in some territories.
Sailor Superstitions
Never play a violin aboard a ship after dusk.
Never whistle a tune in the Valoran Ring.
If you hear music on the waves, it is already too late.
If you find the mark of the Maw on a crewmate, cast them overboard before the Maw comes for you too.
Naval Policy Adjustments
Some merchant fleets refuse to sail at night through the Arashi Depths.
The Vorr'Khal Navy forbids any shipwreck salvage from the Valoran Ring.
Kozukan fishing villages burn lanterns at dusk in hopes of warding off the Maw.

In Literature

The Black Maw has influenced countless stories, poems, and sailor’s logs, cementing itself as a core part of Veth’Arden’s maritime folklore.
Notable Works
“The Last Voyage of Captain Wren” (AEL 389) – A novella recounting a doomed captain’s encounter with the Maw, considered one of the greatest nautical horror tales ever written.
"The Chant of the Maw" (Anonymous, Circa 400 AEL) – A folk poem said to echo the chant heard before the Maw appears.
“To Hear the Violins” (AEL 472) – A tragic romantic ballad about a sailor who fell in love with a spirit aboard the Maw.

In Art

The legend of the Black Maw has inspired countless artistic depictions, from eerie oil paintings to folk carvings found in coastal villages.
Notable Artworks & Artifacts
"The Maw Rises" (AEL 429) – A famous Kozukan painting depicting the ship emerging from a mist-shrouded sea, with the haunting silhouette of violinists on deck.
“The Maw’s Curse” (AEL 451) – A Hekkeran tapestry woven with black silk, rumored to show the Maw’s victims in haunting detail.
“The Drowned Man’s Fiddle” – A violin found floating near a shipwreck, its strings replaced with strands of seaweed.
Carvings in the Valoran Ring – Strange pictograms etched into coastal rock formations, depicting a great ship with hollow-eyed figures standing aboard it.

Date of First Recording

316 AEL