Sea-Goat

"When I heard its voice, I understood. I knew my purpose, the meaning of my life. I was here for a reason, an important one. The purpose of my life was to be devoured." - a sailor who was rescued from the Sea-Goat

The Sea-Goat is a creature from sailor mythology that is said to roam the waters outside the Great Ring. Most stories speak of encountering it near the Southeastern Region, and it is known as Ašādu in Telmunite and Thalassotragos in Kaphtorikós. When the Sea-Goat is spotted, sailors move quickly to stuff up their ears, before the creature's call can lure them into the water.

Physically, the Sea-Goat is not imposing. It is a hybrid creature, with the head and forequarters of a goat, and the tail of a large fish. It has large eyes and horns, and is about six to seven feet long. It swims rapidly through the water, and can easily keep pace with even the fastest ships, or dodge any missiles launched in its direction.

Herald of the Devourer

The true danger of the Sea-Goat is its voice. It has a call that sounds like a great trumpet and carries for miles over the water. Those who hear it find their minds filled with strange and intrusive thoughts. The goat promises the listener purpose and meaning, knowledge of their true place in the universe, and complete certainty of their importance to a higher power. It promises to banish any fear or doubt, and that those who follow it will fulfill the ultimate goals of their existence.

This message is not compelling to all, but a surprising number of people are drawn to it. The goat will swim past ship and shore calling out to those who will respond to its message, drawing them into the water. From nearly every community one or more people enter the waves, swimming after the goat.

Of course, those who are not affected by the call often try to stop those who would follow it. It is from those who were prevented from going into the depths that the rest of the Sea-Goat's message is known. They report that the Sea-Goat is an emissary of a much greater beast that resides deep beneath the sea. This creature, known as the Devourer or the Leviathan, will consume all that come near it save the Sea-Goat itself. They speak of the Devourer with great reverence, and even after the goat is gone, they retain the feeling that their true purpose is to serve and sustain its master. The conviction and sense of purpose the goat's call imbues in them can last for the rest of their lives, and many of those who were saved never forgive the ones who kept them from the water.

A Melancholy Legacy

While the Sea-Goat only appears once every generation or so, the aftermath of its visit persists for years. Each person who follows the goat leaves behind people who grieve them. Among those who felt the call but did not pursue the goat, they believe that they missed the chance to fulfill their destiny. Some spend their lives chasing purpose or meaning, while others give up on life, or spend their days upon the shore looking for the goat's return. A visit from the Sea-Goat leaves sorrow and heartbreak in its wake, and pain that lingers until it returns again.

Alternative Names

Ašādu
Thalassotragos

And None Shall Fail by Drowning

Those who follow the Sea-Goat's call seem to be blessed with the ability to hold their breath forever, and to swim tirelessly without ever coming to the surface. This even impacts those people who are not drawn to the call itself, but are pursuing those who are; as long as one is swimming after the goat, they need not breathe or rest. Only if they turn away from the path of the Sea-Goat do these needs return. Those who have survived this have abandoned the pursuit before it was too deep, and it is certain that waiting too long would make it impossible to return safely.

Gone and Forgotten

Those who vanish into the ocean following the Sea-Goat seem to face a fate worse than death. No eidolon returns to inhabit their underworld, and the memories of them are forgotten by all except those to whom they were closest. These are signs of Soul-Death, as described in Death and What Comes After; you can read more about it here.