Morkoth

Morkoth of Grizburg

 

Appearance

Rarely glimpsed, the Morkoth of Grizburg is a nightmare stitched from shipwrecks and nightmares: a spiraling knot of tentacles, each webbed with barnacle-crusted jewelry, gold coins, and scavenged gear. Its central eye pulses with greed and malice, surrounded by a gaping lamprey mouth that whispers spells in no tongue known to mortals. From its twisted lair deep beneath the Sko, it radiates dread like heat from coals.

It weren’t movin’ like no beast—it twisted the water, the stone, my gods-damned thoughts!

— Larrik, drunkard ferryman turned mute

 

Origins

The Morkoth’s presence in Grizburg predates most records. Some believe it arrived aboard the Golden Reed, buried in a reliquary in the bilge. Others whisper it was birthed when the corpse of a demon prince shattered on the seafloor beneath the Depths, seeding aberrant life. Cultists claim it was summoned through the mouth of a drowned oracle.  

It knew me name. Said it before I crossed the wardstone. Said it in me mum’s voice.

— Chandler Three-Eyes, Deep-Gate Watcher

 

Habitat

Its lair is a spinning gyre of rooms and refuse beneath Grizburg’s oldest cisterns, reachable only by folding paths or dream-steps. The walls weep brine; the floors are choked with coins from every age. Windows open to alien stars. Some say time loops in its tunnels, others say it stops altogether.  

Behavior

The Morkoth hoards not only treasure, but people, memories, and fragments of other planes. It studies captives like scrolls, then shelves them in stasis. It rarely kills unless betrayed—but betrayal is measured by its rules, not yours. It may offer trades, riddles, even mercy—but all are traps wrapped in etiquette.  

I traded a truth for my brother's life. I think I got the better deal. But I don’t remember the truth anymore.

— Una Cleft-Tongue, Rustleech smuggler

 

The Collection

Among the relics in its vaults: • A vial of tears from the First Kraken
• A severed eye of Zothra-Khaar, pickled in void-brine
• A mural that weeps fresh paint, showing different scenes each year
• Seven living shadows bound to dancing glass figurines
 

The thing that most folk get wrong? They think it’s a monster. It’s a *curator*.

— Shrike Nent, cult defector

 

The Lair’s Influence

Water near the Morkoth’s lair takes on strange qualities—sometimes breathable like air, sometimes mirroring your dreams. Memory loss is common; dockworkers forget whole shifts. Lost items show up months later, changed. Occasionally, whole people are misplaced.  

Allies and Worship

A minor cult known as the Spiral Ledger serves the Morkoth, offering treasure, secrets, or bound prisoners. They tattoo spirals over their mouths, claiming silence earns them voices in the vault. Some factions believe the Morkoth bankrolls rogue barons with cursed gold.  

Tactics

It strikes only when cornered or defied. It begins with Hypnosis, drawing targets close, then grapples them for collection. When threatened, it redirects spells back at their casters with Spell Reflection, often while speaking their deepest fears aloud.  

Legends

• The Spiral Trade: A bard who struck a deal for infinite inspiration—her songs now summon storms.
• The Mirror Ransom: A scribe promised the Morkoth her reflection; her soul was taken instead.
• The Salt Chess Game: A rogue baron wagered his kingdom and lost. The Morkoth never claimed it—it simply erased the heir from every map.
 

The Grizburg Connection

The Morkoth’s lair likely connects to forgotten routes beneath the Whispering Depths. Rumors claim its movements can tilt the city’s tides. Those attuned to magic sometimes dream of being invited—always into a room with a spiral floor and no ceiling.  

Factions’ View

• Rust Barons: Deny its existence. Fund expeditions to find it.
• Canal-Wardens: Treat it as a natural force—chart sightings like storms.
• Cult of the Dead Light: Believe it’s a shard of a dead god and venerate it through art theft.
 

Threats to the City

It destabilizes planar barriers. Its collection grows sentient. It remembers everything and forgives nothing. It is not evil in the way fire is not evil—but it will burn through Grizburg if you give it reason.  

Behavioral Oddities

It sings to its treasures. It weeps when it forgets a detail. It sometimes returns stolen items—but always altered.  

Adventuring Hooks

• A renowned artifact returns to Grizburg, but speaks in the Morkoth’s voice.
• A noble heir has vanished—his last known act was seeking a forgotten ledger.
• A faction seeks mercenaries to infiltrate the Spiral Vault and recover a soul jar.
• A dream plague spreads—every infected dreams of the same spiral chamber.
 

Closing Words

The Morkoth of Grizburg is not a threat you kill. It is a story you enter, and pray you leave behind unchanged.  

I saw my mother’s face in the water. She died twenty years ago. She asked for her necklace back.

— Orlin Bek, wharf witch