#harborside

Eden & Wren's House

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside

This Cape Cod style house was bought by Eden Lu when he first arrived in town. Though he could easily afford any property in World's End Isle, he liked the rustic charm of this older building. He was never one for roommates, but they seem to have a habit of showing up out of the blue on his doorstep. His squonk, Moo Deng, and Wren Zhao now live here too, and though Eden will never admit it, the company makes the house feel like home.  

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If you ever manage to get an actual invite inside, you may notice the complete absence of any mirrors. When asked, Eden will say that it's an "intentional design choice."

Watch your step as the floors are extremely slippery due to Moo Deng. Hope you like wet socks.

Birds of all types seem drawn to this home for some reason. There seems to always be at least one or two perched on the front porch, and some neighbours claim to see flocks gather in the backyard every now and then.

You may see fallen tree branches and half-started attempts at nest sitting around the property. Don’t worry about it.

There’s different rocks on the front lawn, porch, and in the backyard that are all painted various designs. Wren prefers it over paper.

Rock Lobstah

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside

What goes best with seafood? If you say fries, you’re wrong. The answer is rock n’ roll. Rock Lobstah may not be on the local fine dining list, but they win in atmosphere. Customers can enjoy their relatively fresh lobsters, clams, and fish while classics ranging from Van Halen, Joan Jett, and of course, the B-52s blare out from the numerous speakers situated around the restaurant. No rock n’ roll themed restaurant would be complete without memorabilia, and Rock Lobstah can boast ownership of one of Jimmy Page’s guitars. The rest of their things… well, let’s just say Maine can’t compete with Orlando, Florida or Hollywood. You’ll have to settle with such objects of intrigue as one of Bob Dylan’s toothbrushes, The Edge’s guitar pick, and a hair that allegedly came from Janis Joplin’s head. 

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A robotic lobster named Ronnie the Claw greets you at the door and if you spin his claw of fortune, you can get a discount of 10% off your entire meal! Limited to one per person, tax not included, etc. Just spin carefully since some of the outcomes are… less desirable. 

Of course, Rock Lobstah has a performance stage for live music. They usually have a couple musicians playing each week, but most are cover bands of 70s or 80s music. Every once in a while a younger band will play – most of those are heavily inspired by classic rock.

Every sunday the restaurant hosts “lobster bobbing”, which is what it sounds like, but with a backdrop of classic rock. Only the bravest bob for them, not to be confused with bobbing for apples for a free t-shirt and unlimited bread rolls. Here, the victorious receive not only their lobster cooked for free, but a hat that sings. 

One of the restaurant’s famed displays features the original singing Big Mouth Billy Bass. Being the oldest model, it sings some songs that aren’t in the repertoire of other Billy Bass. They must have decided to remove some. It was a sensible choice since a few of the songs this one sings just sound like strange garbling from another world.

Sea Breeze Boathouse

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside

Operated and funded by the town, Sea Breeze Boating lets everyone get out on the water, even if you don’t have a vessel of your own. The non-profit rents out sailboats, kayaks, canoes, and other water sport materials to anyone who wants to take them for a spin. In addition to offering boating, the Sea Breeze Boathouse sometimes holds town events and is a good vantage point for fireworks. They’re situated where Whye River meets the ocean, so you can take your pick of the river or ocean when you go out. Sailboats and keelboats can be yours for $50 an hour or $300 for the day, fitting 4 or 5 people. Kayaks (single and tandem) go for $15 an hour. Be sure to read the fine print in the damage waivers, and don’t let your life vest leave your sight – they tend to wander off on their own when you’re not wearing them.

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If you’re renting a sailboat or keelboat, you do need to know how to sail… technically and legally. The dockmaster on duty will interview the intended skipper of the boat, and rental approval is at the dockmaster’s discretion. Said discretion is known to change at a whim if he’s handed something especially shiny.

Sea Breeze is used to some of their rentals never returning to them. Most of the time they don’t even assume theft. They’ve seen enough of their chewed up boats and kayaks turning up on the rocks after a storm to draw the right conclusion. Fortunately, the township has built these “incidents” into their budget.

Many of the employees are selkies, and as such, that’s one aquatic hazard boaters don’t usually have to worry about. It also explains why the bottoms of all of Sea Breeze’s boats and materials are painted with a bright red – selkies are signaled to leave them alone. That doesn’t mean the other monsters will do the same. In fact, one particular mermaid seems especially fond of that red color.

One of Sea Breeze’s sailboats is perpetually out on the water, and can be seen from the shoreline not too far off. Those who get close to the sailboat are unable to actually find it, as if it was only a mirage. 

A giant circular stone disc is on display on a counter inside of the boathouse, in a glass case, and with a sign reading “Did you lose this? Let us know.” Apparently it was left on one of the boats, and no one was sure what to do with it.

Beacon Tours

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside (with other tour sites)

Wicked’s Rest’s history as a port town means that it boasts several lighthouses, which are a big draw for tourists but also an interesting piece of the town’s history. Although, WR might have more lighthouses than your standard maritime town, given there are seven of them. That just makes it more exciting, right? Beacon Tours, operating out of Harborside, takes groups on tours around the lighthouses – and while not all of them allow the tours to actually go inside, people enjoy seeing and learning about their unique character. They promise scenic views and windows to the past, but if you read the fineprint on the waivers they make you sign, you might notice they don’t promise your safety. If nothing else, their ferries seem sturdy enough.

THE LIGHTHOUSES:

Deersprings Lighthouse - Despite rumors of being haunted, this lighthouse is generally considered to be reliable, if not a bit boring in its views.

Haven Lighthouse - A functional lighthouse located right near the scenic Sunken Haven cove and whirlpool, and one of the most picturesque.

Stormwatch Tower - Before Haven Lighthouse was constructed, Stormwatch Tower was the only lighthouse in Harborside. When the lighthouse keeper died suddenly, no one was able to continue using it. Why? According to local lore, anyone who tried to light it was pushed off the top. Instead of trying to fix this in any sensible way the town just put a new lighthouse up right next to the old one. The tour markets this one as a freebie fourth lighthouse sometimes.

Pointy - It doesn’t seem like anyone remembers the actual name of this lighthouse, so they just call it Pointy after the especially pointy top it has. It’s found up in the northeastern part of the Pines, where forest meets coastline, and no one knows the last time it lit up, or knows if anyone works there at all.

World’s End Lighthouse - Out on World’s End Isle, you can hop on a ferry to see the most scenic angles. This impressive lighthouse is seen on a lot of postcards. It usually works.

Darkling Peak - Why this lighthouse was constructed by a lake, no one knows. It’s not especially tall and it doesn’t work, but it does seem to be an actual lighthouse. DON’T GO AT NIGHT.

The Wormhouse - Where else would this lighthouse be than near the Wormwoods? It used to function, but the worms have taken it now.

THE TOUR:

Beacon Tours operates both a ferry and a tour bus. The ferry offers beautiful views of the lighthouses from off the coast, but the bus allows people to come off and snap photos of themselves by the lighthouses. You can choose your type of tour. That said, if you want to see Darkling Peak, the bus is your only option.

On any given tour, they take you to see three different lighthouses, though they rotate which are in the roster for the tour (with the exception being the relatively normal Deersprings Lighthouse, which is usually on the list). This seems to be based on weather and other accessibility factors… like recent deaths in an area. The good news is that there are plenty of options.

Depending on your tour guide’s mood, you may be able to coax a story about the fearsome Lighthouse Keeper, one of Wicked’s Rest’s many cryptids, into the tour’s agenda. Different guides have different versions of stories, each one allegedly based in varying amounts of truth. Some tourists claim to have run across the Keeper on their tours, but this seems unlikely to be true… 

Except for on one occasion, where a tour was interrupted by a sudden storm and the group never returned to the Harborside location. Beacon Tours offered refunds, but no one was left to accept them.

The staff doesn’t seem overly concerned with safety, with one exception: they always do a headcount before and after seeing Stormwatch Tower, the original harbor lighthouse.

Of course there’s a gift shop. It’s a tour! You can purchase photos of lighthouses, Wicked’s Rest memorabilia, and their most popular item – a plush lighthouse. Just what everyone wants.

Sunken Haven

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside

When the demon that was buried beneath the town was defeated, it destroyed swaths of the coastline, creating some charming new spots. One of these is a lovely cove. Different rock formations once part of the cliff now stick up out of the water, almost like a barrier from the rest of the ocean, to form a scenic view for the beach goers who have discovered this little treasure. It’s mostly locals who know about the cove with it being new enough that tourists haven’t caught wind of the location, so the beach is never too crowded and has become a popular spot for bonfires and small events held by the town. It’s also the perfect place for locals to view the small marine life that Wicked’s Rest has to offer, from sand dollars to scallops to the occasional globster… don’t worry, those are easy to outrun.

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The cove is only accessible by land. The rock formation from the old cliffs has formed a barrier that makes it impossible for any boats or recreational watercraft to get through safely. There are cracks in the formation, so swimmers can still get pulled out to sea with the tide or current so be careful when going for a dip.

There’s a whirlpool that has formed in the cove, and nobody can explain the neverending motion of it. It just keeps going, no matter the circumstances. People tend to stay away from it, but there is one lone octopus that has made the whirlpool its personal amusement park ride. Every now and then people will see its tentacles circling around as the octopus takes it for a spin and locals have affectionately started calling the whirlpool the tilt-a-whirl because of it.

Selkies tend to love the cove. While none have gotten territorial over it (yet), they seem to flock to it because of the privacy they can get for their swim. It’s not uncommon to see a very large seal swimming around and maybe even taking the tilt-a-whirl for a spin as well. The octopus does get huffy if one joins in on its fun though.

There’s one large rock in the formation that people are able to climb for a nice leap into the ocean below. There’s a clear cut path from the bottom towards the top as if someone somehow cut one out for this intention, but that’s a silly notion. Nature probably just made it that way.

Karkaskuttle aren’t uncommon to find on the cove’s beach. In fact, some of Harborside's restaurants have made the cove their go to for catching the sea creatures, but there is one large one that keeps snipping the nets with its claws much to the dismay of restaurateurs. Replacing the nets is getting expensive.

Harmony Hill

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside (World’s End Isle)

Harmony Hill is easily the nicest cemetery in town – and contending to be one of the nicest in the state. Located on World’s End Isle, it can be accessed via the causeway in Harborside, making it rather isolated and peaceful. Given its affluent location, the cemetery has been given the utmost aesthetic attention and is always meticulously maintained, with fancy gates, a manicured lawn, and marble tombstones kept clean and straight. Though the visitors appreciate it more than the dead, the cemetery has a beautiful view overlooking the ocean. 

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There is security at Harmony Hill. A small, rotating team patrols the area at night to prevent grave-robbers. And when we say rotating, we don’t just mean they rotate shifts – they frequently go missing. Even beautiful cemeteries can be deadly.

The extravagant tombs are coveted by the town’s vampires. Turf wars are sometimes fought in an effort to get the nicest resting place during the day.

Only the town’s most affluent individuals are able to afford being buried here. Some people are also brought in from other towns in Maine by request of their family.

An elder vampire named Byron supposedly lives in one of the larger crypts and will fight anyone trying to move in on his territory. He also put in an application to become a groundskeeper, but couldn’t pass the background check due to being legally non-existent. Some think Byron is responsible for some of the groundskeepers vanishing, out of a jealous grudge.

Harmony Hill has the biggest population of kerashags in town – probably because they can’t figure out how to get past the causeway and leave. Given their suspicious resemblance to the local cryptids known as “Bigfeet” and “Shaggarok” (the latter being in the mountains), some report sightings of Bigfeet here when they were really almost accosted by kerashags. Keep an ear out for their strange call; many think it’s a rare species of bird.

The Briny Maw

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside

Even centuries ago, The Briny Maw was specifically marked on nautical charts of the area – sometimes with warnings to avoid it and little illustrated monsters, other times as a place of importance. And perhaps that’s fitting, as the cave has been a source of both fortune and misery for those who visit. The Briny Maw is easily accessible during low tide, and those who enter might find any number of old and battered treasures (or junk) discarded throughout the decades. But don’t even try to take something and run off. All the locals know you can’t take without giving, and only the cave knows what it will accept as due payment for its cache. 

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The cave does have some interesting formations, and many people are interested in seeing it. However, it’s only accessible during low tide, and staying too long could mean not having an easy path out. That doesn’t stop people from going in, especially youth.

Over the decades and centuries, sailors have long used The Briny Maw as a place to store their valuables, and even pick something up in return. This works out for those who are essentially “trading” their goods, but those who are greedy and try to just take things will find themselves never leaving the cave. 

There’s an old sailor’s log from a captain who claims he watched one of his crewmates turn into a swarm of shrimp when he tried to take more than he offered. The captain probably had too much rum to drink.

The Briny Maw has become the center of activity for a lot of shrimp. So many shrimp. Some people report seeing groups wading into the cave at night in rubber boots, and they seem to be coming from Crusty’s Prawn Shop. 

It’s debatable whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but the mouth of The Briny Maw turns into a watery vacuum at high tide, as the current feeds it whatever is drifting out there. This means it’s often the final destination for the remains of those who drowned at sea, messages in bottles, and other things lost to the waves. Just remember nothing is free, even the bones.

When the tide is especially low, there are tunnels further back in the cave that lead way down below the town, connecting with the mines and even Netherville. It’s very difficult to make use of these pathways and those who try are likely to drown… but it’s of interest to historians that such an entrance to Netherville had existed for so long, and they can’t help but wonder if someone managed to use it back in the day.

The Codfather

NEIGHBORHOOD: Harborside (World’s End Isle)

The Codfather, located on World’s End Isle, is one of the fanciest dineries in town and specializes in seafood cuisine. The owners feel that serving anything short of a 3 course dinner is beneath them, so they’re only open after 5pm. The prices are expensive and the plates, like in many high-end restaurants, are small… unless you go for the highest priced items. Many patrons have to decide if they want a full stomach or a full wallet.

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People come from all over for this restaurant’s oversized lobsters. Nobody knows how they are able to find lobsters with claws this big, and the owners don’t seem interested in sharing their trade secrets. Those with knowledge of the supernatural are aware that the “lobsters” are actually karkaskuttles. At least they taste great.

The owners of the restaurant are a siren and selkie who got married and moved to Wicked’s Rest to find a coastal supernatural community. This might have something to do with how they’re able to find the freshest food.

The restaurant can be rented out for private events, and they also cater. While they will do an event for anyone who pays, the owners do have a preference for supernatural events. 

The hostess always puts people on the waiting list, even when the restaurant is nearly empty. Apparently, it’s the general practice of the restaurant to make it seem like there’s always high demand to be eating there. At least that’s the explanation people are usually given.

The sommelier here is unique, in that they won’t just provide the customers with the perfect wine pairing for their meal but will offer them any drink to fit their mood. And they know exactly what your mood is, since they’re an empath.

One of the tables towards the back has a blurry black and white photograph above it. The owners claim that the photo depicts Wormlan Brando, star of the 1972 film the Wormfather enjoying a meal at the restaurant. Most customers assume the couple mean Marlon Brando of the Godfather, but if you look closely enough, the guy in the photo does look pretty wormy…