The Leviathan's Feeding

There are also few recorded survivors of Leviathan attacks. There is a myth about a Captain by the name of Mikhail Kaninskiy, former Vos captain of the Brecht ship Unquenchable Pride.
Nearly seventy years ago. When Mikhail was master of the trading vessel, and he agreed to take a load of spices from Khinasi to Grevesmiihl. We were hugging the shore since there'd been reports of pirate activity in the area. Winter was drawing near, and the ices were forming over the northern waters. He thought they could make it through the Leviathan's Reach before the ice froze that over, too, but no such luck. They were stuck in the middle of the Reach in one of the coldest winters in remembered rumouredactive after its last 80-year sleep, but they'd heard that before and weren't really expecting to see much.
When the ice froze them in, Mikhail sent some of the swabbies to walk south and see how far the ice sheet extended. They suppose their steps must've hit a particularly echoing patch of ice, because they didn't make it more than 50 yards more. A great spray of ice and freezing water erupted from below them, sending most of them flying. The bodies were never seen of a couple sailors. Many figured it meant that the Leviathan had taken them right away. Those who'd been knocked around lay on the ice in all directions, scattered by the blow.
Even as the crew readied a party to go out and get him, the Leviathan started picking them off one by one. Anything that cast a shadow through the ice was fair game, a quarter of the crew out on that shattered ice. The only good that came of the whole episode was that the Leviathan had shattered enough of the ice that they were able to get ourselves out of that Nesirie-forsaken place.
Unfortunately, it wasn't far enough. They travelled near 40 miles back east through the slush-filled waters, trying to steer clear of the Leviathan. While the ship was at anchor for the night, they heard the sound of ice creaking back to the west. Foolishly they assumed that it was just the booming of ice forming. However, they soon found out as they were hurled from their bunks and landed in a rapidly growing pool of water. It seems the ship had been bitten in half, and they were sinking to a watery grave. Mikhail managed to squirm through a porthole, and struck out for shore. He knew he wouldn't last for long in the icy water, and it was only through pure luck that he managed to reach an ice floe that was close to a stable ice sheet. It was even more luck that the Leviathan didn't take him. It certainly got most of the crew. Their screams were heard through the night.
It's said he never got a clear look at the monster. All he apparently saw was a tail that would put a whale to shame. Though it did look like a whale's tail—a pair of mighty flukes, and teeth that were longer than a human is tall, shining like metal under the winter sky.
There is no actual depiction of the Leviathan in any records. All accounts recall the flashing teeth and the mighty flukes, but some call it a large whale and others a gigantic serpent.

Summary

It outlines the dangers of ships trying to pass through the Leviathan's Reach.

Spread

Known in most port cities among sailors and pirates.