Storm Warning
MOTE Week 10, 2026
This week on MOTE, I was prompted by Fiona Grey: Each year, the Great Kraken migrated to parts unknown.
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Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
People always say that there are exceptions, that they are good enough sailors, that their ship is the best in the harbour, ...
There are no exceptions. Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
If there is one thing the Great Kraken loves, it is the wild seas of a winter storm. Always, always at the heart of such a storm you will find the beast of nightmares frolicking as if it hasn’t a care in the world. If it finds a ship in the midst of the storm, it will attack. It doesn’t matter how good the crew is, how well maintained the ship is, how well built it is, once the Great Kraken decides that it wants to drag her down, down she goes, and her crew with her.
Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
Oh, we’ve all heard the tales of how this ship or that met the full force of the winds and the sea head on and survived. What the brave fools who tell those tales never mention is that they were the lucky survivors. They weren’t the only idiots to brave the storm, they were just the ones who the Kraken didn’t catch because it was distracted with the ships it did claim as its own.
Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
Summer storms on the other hand; they are risky, the ship might not be up to it, but if the ship can cope it tends to be worth the risk.
The Great Kraken only haunts these waters from autumn to spring. Every year, some time during the spring – no-one knows when – it migrates to somewhere else. We don’t know where, and I would strongly suggest that no-one be foolish enough to try to find out – the Kraken is deadly to all who encounter it after all. It doesn’t return until some time during the autumn, and we only find out that it’s returned when the ships start going missing.
Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
If you’re at sea during the winter and spy a storm in the distance, run. Head back to land as quickly as you can. Head to the nearest port, I don’t care if it’s not where you sailed from, even the heart of the land of your bitterest enemy is safer than the Great Kraken. Do not brave the winds and the waves. Once the Kraken spies you, you will head inexorably to the depths of the deep, there to die and then await the Kraken’s decision as to your fate.
Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
If you haven’t grasped this message yet, then please reconsider whether you are intelligent enough to captain a ship on the open ocean. If you think that you can somehow outwit or evade the Great Kraken, then please reconsider whether you are sensible enough to captain a ship on the open ocean. Do not, I beg of you, condemn the men sailing under your command to the depths of the ocean because you believed that you were better than the average, good enough to safely traverse a winter storm.
Never, ever go out during the winter storms.
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My prompt this week went to Leigh Kimmel.
I invite you all to head over to MOTE and enjoy everyone’s contributions. I’m looking forwards to reading them all.