It might stay true by maintaining the atmosphere of mystery. Just as in real - life situations where the unknown can be quite terrifying, the story creates a similar sense of unease.
It might be inspired by real - life accounts of people getting lost in desolate areas and encountering strange and menacing individuals. There could have been stories of travelers who took a wrong turn and ended up in a place where they felt a sense of impending doom, which was then fictionalized and incorporated into the 'Irul' story.
Yes, '1408' is based on a true story. The story was inspired by a Stephen King short story of the same name. It's about a man who stays in a supposedly haunted hotel room, Room 1408, and experiences terrifying and inexplicable events.
Well, it's a bit of a mix. While it may be inspired by some true elements from 1899 such as the general state of the world, sea travel, and social hierarchies at that time, it also has a lot of fictional elements added for the sake of drama and mystery. For example, the overarching mystery plot might be a creative take on some historical uncertainties, but not directly based on a single true story.