Disappearance of Krawk Island
The disappearance of Krawk Island occurred on 20 July 2011, following sightings of an enormous tentacled beast around the island on 11 July†. All that was left of the island was a single shanty occupied by Garvil McGill, who tasked the player with finding where his home island has gone.
Participation
Beginning around 11 July 2011, users who visited the explore map could see the tentacles of an enormous squid-like monster encircling Krawk Island. While they could still visit the island during this time, by the 20 July all that was left was a single building on a rock a fraction of the size of the full island, and every other Krawk Island activity became inaccessible.
The disappearance wasn't noted in the New Features section of the site, but site adverts and a front page banner implored users for help.
The Solitary Shanty
The building is owned by Garvil McGill, who enlists the user to help him search for the rest of the island. He provides the player with a chart of part of the ocean, divided into a seven by seven grid. The player must then search the sectors of their map one at a time. They may search five sectors per day.
Each sector is in itself divided up in a seven by seven grid. The player, captaining the ship The Surly Peadacle, and their crew of sailors can then start searching these areas one at a time. Each area may either be empty, have a small item prize, or intersect with an island. Finding an island also rewards the player with an item prize. Islands take up two by two grid spaces.
The player can keep searching a sector until their crew is completely demoralised. They grow more frustrated the more empty areas are searched - after finding five empty areas, they will insist on calling off the hunt in that sector. When this happens, the player is returned to their chart and the area they have searched is checked off.
Notes
† The map image of Krawk Island being dragged down by tentacles was initially substituted in error with the disappeared image on 14 July before reverting - as acknowledged in Editorial 503.
External links
- Plot locations: Krawk Island (missing), Solitary Shanty