Ravenser Odd

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History

From the chalk outcropping of the Wolds at Flamborough Head 122m (400 feet) high, to the silt laden out-flowing of the Humber estuary, a distance of some 45 miles or 72.4k., during recorded history, have vanished beneath the ever encroaching waves of the North Sea some 30 habitations including the townships of: Hartburn; Hyde; Withow; Cleeton; Northorpe; Hornsea Burton; Hornsea Beck; Southorpe; Great Colden; Coilden Parva; Old Aldborough; Ringborough, Monkwell; Monkwike; Sand le Mare; Waxholme; Owthorne or Sisterkirk; Newsham; Old Withernsea; Out Newton; Dimlington; Turmarr; Northorpe; Hoton; Old Kilnsea; Ravenspurn; and Ravenser Odd. The last of these, Ravenser Odd, geographically was an odd place indeed. Its existence was but fleeting, but its historical impact more perhaps than should have been expected for a place of such physical insignificance.

"The town of Ravenser Odd ... lay open to devastation ... the floods and inundations of the sea ... surrounding it from every side like a wall, thus threatening its imminent annihilation. And so with the terrible vision of waters seen on every side, the besieged persons ... preserved themselves at that time from destruction, flocking together and tearfully imploring grace."

"While those same inundations daily threatened the destruction of the town, some sacrilegious persons carried off and took possession of certain ornaments of their chapel without our consent ... excepted were a few ornaments, images, books and a bell which we sold to the mother church at Easington ... That town of Ravenser Odd ... was an extremely famous borough, devoted to merchandise with many fisheries and the most abundantly provided with ships and burgesses of all the boroughs of that coast. But yet by all its wicked deeds, and especially wrong-doing on the sea, and by its evil actions and predations, it provoked the vengeance of God upon itself beyond measure."

The cursed town of Ravenser Odd now lies beneath the waves of the Humber, where the North Sea enters England, this ancient village rotting but not forgotten, or abandoned, other than by the living.

Ravenser Odd in the Flesh

Underwater the decayed remains of the town lie supplemented by wrecked ships and with debris gathered by the hands of the Breathless in order to give their master’s lair a defensive wall, of sorts. At the centre of the town is a citadel – what was once the chapel of the town is now a nightmarish castle made of decaying wood, the ribs of ships and the detritus of the sea. The forlorn church bell is a small Locus of loss, its clapper lost to sound no more. There are dozens of the Breathless standing guard at the edge of Ravenser Odd, others wander or swim at random through the sea – seeking the few fish who venture into the cursed town.

Ravenser Odd in the Shadow

Within the Shadow Ravenser Odd is both more complete and more alien, whilst the damage done by the waters of the Humber to the town are less, the additions made are greater – and many of them incorporate the forms and essence of spirits. Some of these are those who would be expected to be found in or near the sea – water elementals, shark spirits, spirits of ships and so forth – others are more alien. Spirits of land animals, conceptual spirits of justice and mercy, anger and fear, even fire and lightening elementals can be found within the town.

The mighty fortress raising at the towns centre is impressive indeed, spines reach out seemingly searching for prey, eyes and feelers search for invaders and a mighty cage formed from Earth and Soil spirits rise like a cage above the roof. The folorn and tarnished bronze bell hangs from the apex of this cage, its mournful clang sounding flatly across the Hisil and echoing oddly through the water. Chained with the cage, and somehow to the bell, is the mighty form of Old Man River. A gaggle of fear, dread and drowning spirits stand guard on Old Man River as they abuse this mighty spirit to feed its power into the Locus.

More of the Breathless swim around the Hisil, moving effortlessly and silently through the dank waters. Shoals of spirits allied with the Breathstealer flit around the Shadow, nervously watching each another for the first sign of aggression.

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