...you'll become a bilge horror!

A warning to children to eat their greens

Vhaduur folklore has to a collection of myths, stories, and cultural beliefs surrounding the consumption of certain foods among the Vhaduur people. These tales, primarily aimed at children, emphasize the importance of eating specific foods by associating their rejection with transforming into the dreaded Bilge Horror.

Folklore

A common retelling of the myth goes as follows:

"Long ago, on a Vhaduur ship, there lived a boy named Brom. Brom was known throughout the fleet for his stubborn refusal to eat his Zuli Strands. "It tastes like the wrong end of a fish!" he'd complain, flicking the seaweed overboard when his parents weren't looking.
His mother would warn, "Brom, if you don't eat your Zuli Strands, you'll become a bilge horror!" But Brom just rolled his eyes and continued to avoid the healthful sea vegetable.
Weeks passed, and Brom grew pale and weak. His gums bled, and his skin developed odd spots. One stormy night, feeling dizzy and disoriented, he stumbled and fell through an open hatch, tumbling into the bilge.
As he splashed in the murky water, he felt something slimy brush against his leg. To his horror, he saw his reflection in the bilge water – his body had become a mass of pale, wobbling flesh covered in seaweed. He had become a Bilge Horror!
Brom tried to cry out, but all that came from his mouth was a gurgling moan that sounded suspiciously like "Zuli Strands... Zuli Strands..."
From that day forward, it's said that every Vhaduur ship has a Bilge Horror – the transformed remnants of children who refused to eat their sea vegetables. Some claim that on quiet nights, you can hear their gurgling moans rising from the bilge, begging for just one bite of Zuli Strands to break the curse.
To this day, Vhaduur parents tell their children, "Eat your Zuli Strands, or you'll become a Bilge Horror" - nothing but a blob of flesh and seaweed, forever hungry in the bilge!"

Variations

Several traditional Vhaduur foods are commonly featured in variations of the stories:

• Zuli Strands - stringy, bitter seaweed
• Voth Rings - type of squid
• Nea's Tears - small shellfish
• Kolta Moss - fibrous seaweed
• Gomi Medley - mix of preserved fruits

by tarkinlarson using MidJourney

The Bilge Horror - Truth of Folklore?

The Bilge Horror remains one of the most enduring and widespread myths among seafaring peoples. While most scholars dismiss it as a tale meant to keep children away from the dangerous bilge area, some insist on its reality. Storytellers point out that any encounter with such a creature would likely be fatal, explaining the lack of firsthand accounts.
However, the persistent reports of strange noises and unexplained disappearances keep the legend alive. Some theorize that the myth originated from real encounters with accumulated waste and marine growth in neglected bilges, combined with the disorienting effects of noxious fumes.
The story's presence in cultures ranging from Vhaduur to Namorian sailors, Black Coast Mariners, and various pirate factions has led to debates about its origin. Some argue it spread through Vhaduur interactions, while others believe it developed independently, arising from the universal dangers and mysteries of seafaring life. Regardless of its origin, the Bilge Horror continues to serve as a potent reminder of the importance of ship maintenance and the ever-present dangers at sea.

Related Ethnicities

• Skai'vha
• Vhaduur
• Zuma'vha

Related Locations

• Great Ocean
• Middle Sea