Death Cove

Death Cove is a small, special cove found along the Island of Undoing.

Background
Located nearby the Callay Garden, this cove covets a mysterious half-island, half ship structure that rests above the waters. Upon said contraption lay towers composed of warped metal with blue-lit bases, each one ending in a thistle-shaped roof. The inhabitants of this cove are highly humanoid. Neither human nor abhuman, however, these creatures are called echk and they rob, steal, pillage, and cheat without any remorse for their actions. These echk number to about a hundred and are dressed heavy bone and metal armor. No one can truly tell their gender, true size, or anything else due to how much their armor covers their bodies. They each carry stolen weaponry, that they've often times upgraded, to be more painful and gruesome, instead of simply more powerful. They rejoice over death and are want to make it slow.

Similarly to the Jaekels of Aras Island, the echk also paint themselves in symbols made from the blood of their prey, and place high value on bodily experimentation. But unlike the former, the echk are for more bloodthirsty and furious, having been able to take down entire ships full of passengers and crew during one of their raiding parties, simply because they could. They attack in groups of a dozen, riding on top of water striders; long, motorized boats that can carry up to 3 people at a time and are known for being fast, silent, and easily maneuverable.

Echk steal anything they can get their hands in, with people being the only exception. "Dagger in, blood out!" is a common battle cry among their number, and they may rarely spare an individual only if he or she is of enormous value, in terms of either knowledge or experience. Luckily for anyone unfortunate to come across them, the only weakness the echk seem to face is an avoidance of dry land, with the exception of their own island. For some reason, they remain fearful of it as well as what lay upon it.

Many rumors have circulated over the years regarding the echk, told and retold by sailors of how their towers are filled to the brim with all sorts of unnecessary treasures and junk. So much so that its hard for them to even live within. On top of that, a giant silver water snake is said to guard this hoard and commands the echk to carry out its brutal bidding. It even said that under the bright light of a new moon, the echk themselves transform into a giant silver water snakes and course across the water toward unsuspecting sailors. No one knows for sure if these are all true, but anyone who's come across the echk, most likely hasn't survived to tell anyone else.