The Rumor Mill - Week 29

For week 29 of The Rumor Mill, we get stories of the sea straight from the lips of the old salts on Dockside. They've seen it all: sea creatures, pirates, magic ships, foolish merchants, and floating islands filled with brutal undead raiders. Their opinions carry weight, even when those opinions fly in the face of evidence and observation. A solid hull, a strong crew, and a smart captain will keep you alive on the waves, but these bits of advice can't hurt. Or can they?

Let's take a look at the lore of the sea from the perspective of lifelong sailors passing on tales of their life experience.

1d8	Rumor	True?
1	The kraken prefers the colder waters to the north near the Surtsey Islands.	Yes1
2	Beware of Reaper Isle. Its land floats, and its undead inhabitants kill everything.	Maybe2
3	The Blue Abyss cuts a deep hole miles across the ocean floor where nothing lives.	No3
4	You can safely sail over the Nelendi Kingdom's waters without stopping.	Maybe4
5	The Ionian navy hasn't been updated in years. They have heavy and slow ships.	Yes5
6	Dragon turtles prefer warm waters, like the ones surrounding the Abyss.	Maybe6
7	Smart pirates stick to the Medimare, teeming with merchant ships.	No7
8	The new Andalusian clippers fly across the water. They have shipwright wizards?	Yes8

1 - Followers of the Wise Carver have carved protective runes into boat hulls for centuries to make it past the kraken and explore.
2 - A group of cannibals raided ships from the back of a dragon turtle years ago. Now everything is dead except the necromancers.
3 - Undead climb the Abyssal cliffs to raid the land, and odd creatures rise from the depths to feed. Best to avoid the Blue Abyss.
4 - It always helps to stop and trade, or at least pay your toll to the Breaker patrols so sea creatures don't attack your ship.
5 - They hold on to their history at the expense of newer ship designs. They retired galleys 100 years ago after slavery ended.
6 - Dragon turtles prefer warmer waters, but they have been spotted north of the Barbary Coast. Also the Abyss waters stay cool.
7 - More ships in the Middle Sea means more warships and more armed merchant ships. Islander ships to the east are much easier.
8 - The new design emphasizes speed, but the enchantments laid on the keel during construction make an even bigger difference.

Part of T.W.Wombat's Lore 24 project, detailing the world around Fellport.
For all city posts, see the Fellport Index. For posts about the wider world, see the Beneterra Index.