Pulo Hukom

Pulo Hukom is a small island at the entrance to the Bay of Mynilad, used by the Tagápulo Empire as part of its harbor defenses. Nicknamed "The Rock," it is heavily fortified. Together with its smaller neighbor, Pulo Kabayo, Pulo Hukom plays a key role in defending both the Bay and the Empire's capital city of Mynilad.

The island lies near the center of the twelve-mile-wide mouth of the Bay of Mynilad, dividing the entrance into two main channels. Technically, a third channel exists between Pulo Hukom and Pulo Kabayo, but at only a quarter mile wide and quite shallow, it is closed to all but naval traffic moving between the two forts.

Pulo Hukom has no permanent civilian population, though troops are always stationed there. Its fort includes a lighthouse - one of the few in the Great Ring not belonging to the Ring of Light. The fort's walls are lined with ballistae and trebuchets capable of striking any ships attempting to enter or leave the Bay. In times of attack, chains can be raised across parts of the entrance; where chains are impractical, designated ships are sunk at key locations to block the channel. Many of these measures are designed not merely to keep enemies out, but to trap them inside the Bay of Mynilad, where coastal defenses, other fortified islands, and the Imperial Navy can destroy any raiders who breach the outer defenses.

Notable Spirits

Like the rest of the Bay of Mynilad, Pulo Hukom is known for its hauntings - a lingering curse from the Weeping Plague a century ago. On moonless nights, the victims quarantined on the island once appeared, endlessly re-enacting their final moments. At least, they did until recently. For reasons not widely understood, the ghosts of Pulo Hukom have almost entirely vanished. Over the past year, more and more of them have disappeared. While it was not uncommon for a few spirits to fade on their own, the pace has far exceeded anything seen before, and no similar pattern has been reported elsewhere in the Bay. There are whispers of the same phenomenon occurring on Pulo Kabayo, but that islet is off-limits to nearly everyone, and the rumors are difficult to confirm.