Ghost Ships of Xois

Illus. Vsevolod Ivanov (1885-1953)

The Ghost Ships of Xois are a group of at least three collossal, autonomous, ship-like vessels, generally found sailing the open waters around the planar outskirts of Waking Materia. Bereft of Humanoid life, it was long thought the ships were piloted by the ghosts of dead mariners (hence the name), until it was discovered they are actually oceanic colonies of fungal-Arthropoid Hecath.

The number of Ghost Ships is difficult to estimate as it can be hard to decide, from a distance, whether a new sighting is of a new ship. Estimates vary between three to eight ships, meaning approximately half of the plane's surviving Queens after the Deluge annihilated their population.

The purpose of these entities is unknown. Given the intelligence and sometimes curious nature of Hecath Queens, their mission may simply be exploration. It is also possible these Queens are particularly anti-social, and the purpose of this unique lifestyle is isolation. They are not aggressive towards humanoid ships at a distance, but no crew who has approached a Ghost Ship has returned to tell of the experience.

Description

See also Ghost Ships of Xois Image Gallery (External)

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The internal structures of these monstrosities are nearly imperceptible beneath a thick jungle of plants, fungae and, most notably, Hecath living structures. Each "ship" is manned by an unknown number of Hecath drones and komainu (likely at least a few dozen for each) and is presumably "captained" by a single Queen.

Name

The name "Ghost Ship" comes from a time before they were understood to be Hecath colonies, instead seen as haunted, overgrown vessels moving of their own volition. Xois was a now-sunken continent belonging to New Rozsa, where naval reports on these beings are most common in recovered literature.

Hecath Queen Time Magic

Temporal distortions are reported to be common within the vicinity of these terrible living vessels, presumably related to the time magic practiced by the demigodlike Queens. Reported phenomena include intense feelings of deja vu, the speeding up/slowing down of time, experiencing the same moments repeatedly or completely losing moments, hours, even days.

In Religion

The Ghost Ships are sometimes worshipped by Waking humanoids, however their cults are very rare. Most appear to be distant cousins of the Hyperion Cults of Raggedy Azra and other Hecath Queens: groups who believed worthy humanoids would be allowed to enter the Hecath's utopian mind-world. (No such world is known to exist, and the belief is likely based on a false conflation of their scent-based language with a true hive-mind.)

If worship of the Ghost Ships does provide divine Quintessence in a similar manner to other Material Gods their Domains are unknown, but would possibly revolve around nautical travel, plants and time.

Only one humanoid is known to reside on a Ghost Ship. It is a shadowy figure only seen twice and only from a distance, known as The Hermit of Ship Three. The Hermit's identity varies wildly but is a famous figure in Hecathite religions.