The island of mist and magic

There is an island, sometimes visible from the coast, sometimes not. At times this is because clouds and mists hide the island’s presence. Other times, the island simply is not there. Even on the rare occasions that the island is visible from the mainland, it is the custom of those that live in towns close enough to it to see it, not to talk of the island, or to do so only in a whisper.

From a distance the island appears lush and overgrown. Part of why it’s visible from so far away (when it’s visible at all) is due to the height of the greenery and vegetation. Those who have made it to the island however will tell you the flora acts as a wall making it very hard to see a clear way in. Some of what appears to be a continuation of the massive trees and forest is actually sheer cliffs covered in vines.

The reports of those who have been to the island are vastly different. Some talk of sailing across the water and reaching the island, only to get lost again when the mists returned.

There are also some who have yet to make it back from the island. It is presumed they will in fact make it back at some point as no one seems to ever be lost to the island forever, rather, they just return at a much later time. It is not uncommon even for those explorers who return in a reasonable amount of time, to claim they were on the island for no time at all. This is understood simply to be part of the island’s magics. Traders who went over and swear they were only gone a few days, were actually gone a few weeks. Of those on the crew, only some will even remember what they saw or did on the island. Some will swear they must have never actually made it to the island for they have no memory of their time there, and yet, they will return with wondrous new items, perhaps an unfamiliar tune stuck in their head or a new tattoo on their body.