The Ghost of the South Sea

Pray not seldom nor from the act refrain Or thy home you'll see no again For terror stalks on moonless night Against whom even brave men dare not fight

— Common sailor rhyme

Summary

The Ghost of the South Sea is a myth surrounding a string of ship disappearances in the South Sea rout between Demia and Zinruna. The first of the disappearances said to be connected to the Ghost was the loss of a Wynkeel known as the 'Reckoning' in the year 412. No wreckage from the ship or surviving crew members were ever found, despite the ship having made several prior ocean crossings. The disappearance captured the public imagination and imaginative types such as Tor Varet helped to spread the idea of a supernatural pirate vessel prowling the south seas which would attack on moonless nights and leave no trace or survivors. The loss of sailor recruitment stemming from these tall tales actually caused Varet to be banished from Sarjn Hold and sullied his already less than stellar reputation. Nonetheless, the rumors of ghost pirates persisted. Throughout the centuries, over four dozen ship disappearances would become 'ghost ships,' ships claimed by the Ghost of the South Seas. Small but devoted enthusiast groups sprung up around the topic of the ghost and while they never brought discussions out of the realm of conspiracy, their wild imaginings solidified the concept in the Demian popular consciousness. In modern times, there are few who genuinely believe in the ghost of the south seas, but that has not stopped modern creatives from utilizing the premise in their own stories or parents using the idea of ghostly sailors to scare their children at night.