The Dead Fisherman's Grotto can be found northeast of Mossy Rocks Cove in the Adanian Sea at the Cliffs of Alonnog. Named for the warning given by fishermen that any who venture within will soon lose life and limb, it is considered a place of evil and many superstitions surround it, including the tale of the pirate Lyeael'k the Crimson Berserker and his ship, the "Tempest". Local fishermen avoid going near the grotto and will warn others away as well, for fear of being cursed to forever sail aboard the ghost ship. Lingering tales persist of a vast treasure and items of great power being placed there long ago and never recovered. Every so often treasure hunters and adventurers come in search of wealth or fame only to disappear like so many before them.

Picture description. The legendary Crimson Berserker with his undead crew, which is still roaming the Adanian waters in a ghost ship in search of treasure to appease the anger of the captain they betrayed. Image drawn for the game Mystical Empire by Faugar, used with friendly permission.

Description. The grotto has often been described as a gaping wound upon the face of Caelereth where even the rays of the sun cannot penetrate its gloom. Jagged rocks greet any ship that sails near the grotto, such rocks could easily pierce the hull of a vessel. The entrance to the cavern is littered with broken planks and bleached bones, proof that any who venture within will meet with an ill fate. A foul odour emanates from the bowels of the cavern which fishermen consider to be a warning from the gods not to venture within. It is the odour of death and decay, and anyone that possessed any sense would turn back when confronted by their own mortality. The entrance to the cavern looms before any traveler brave enough to tarry there as a foul wind escapes from its bowels, one could almost believe that the ominous cavern breathes, longing for more souls to consume. It is rumored that a large chamber exists at the back of the cavern, one which contains the famed treasure of Lyeael'k the Crimson Berserker. Only during a storm, when the waters of Baveras churn with fury, can the entire rock face be seen. Those that have explored the grotto have never returned, and it is only the entrance that can be described in any detail.

Location. The Dead Fisherman’s Grotto is located at the Cliffs of Alonnog in the Adanian Sea. The cavern lies northeast of Mossy Rocks Cove. The cove is east of the village of Nepris, which can be found in the Santharian province of Manthria. 

Myth/Lore. The Dead Fisherman's Grotto has been a cavern of ill repute for millennia. Fishermen of the region believe that the spirit of Lyeael'k the Crimson Berserker haunts the grotto, forever guarding his treasure against anyone foolish enough to venture within. It is rumored that he awaits the day his crew will sail once again into his lair with a hold filled with treasure. They are believed to sail the Adanian Sea aboard his ship, the "Tempest", as they search for treasure to appease the anger of the captain they betrayed.

Several sailors have claimed that they saw the ghost ship as it rode the waves along the edge of a storm. The hull of the "Tempest" was said to be full of holes, such gaping wounds would sink any mundane vessel, yet she sails with the same grace she did millennia ago. Her deck was crewed by the undead pirates with their bodies in various stages of decay.

It is widely believed that anyone who falls overboard during a storm will join that ghostly crew and be forever cursed to sail the Adanian Sea. According to the lore of local fishermen, the ghost ship can only be seen during storms, and any vessel is safe as long as the seas are calm. It is said that the pirates attacked during storms when they lived millennia ago and are cursed to do the same during their eternal existence within the world of Caelereth.

The skeleton crew and the masts of the ship are believed to be illuminated by an ethereal violet light, one which haunts the dreams of those that have seen it. The local fishermen believe that the "Tempest" makes berth at the Dead Fisherman's Grotto whenever the seas are calm, and it is said that the wails of the crew can be heard upon the Mithral Coast as they inform the captain of their failure. Anyone who has ever ventured within the grotto has not returned, and sailors know not to look too closely at the ghostly crew, for fear of recognizing a loved one.

A ballad passed down from father to son among generations of fishermen along the Mithral Coast warns of the perils of venturing within the Dead Fisherman's Grotto as it describes the fate of a vessel and her crew as a storm blew them into the cavern to be confronted by the ghost ship and her ghastly crew. It is not confirmed whether or not the encounter with the "Tempest" actually occurred, and many believe the ballad merely describes a nightmare that haunted the bard. The author of the ballad is unknown and it is believed that stanzas were added as it was passed down through the generations.