“Captain? Why is it suddenly dark outside?”
“We’re not outside anymore. The ship was swallowed by a Sea Monster.”
“Crap.”
“Hopefully, in a few days.”
Sea Monster
Splinter - ΛZMΛRÉ
Class - Tank
Size - 600 - 150,000 Chickens
Lifespan - The waters of the Splinterseas are older than the Splinters themselves, and some of the monsters within have lived for thousands of years, or longer. It is said that the Splintering released new titanic monstrosities from great fissures in the depths. The largest live in the deepest waters, and there they may outlive all other creatures of the Splinterlands, but who can say for certain?
Habitat - The largest concentration of Sea Monsters is in the Primordic Sea that separates Anumün from Mortis. Lyverians believe that the monsters are created in the special enchanted waters of the Primordic Sea, especially those near the outlet of Anumün’s River of Power. The only Sea Monsters that can live in or out of water are the Quelyps of the Splintral Sea, who sometimes crawl out and inhabit caves near the base of Mount Mox.
Weapon - To be considered a Sea Monster, a beast must not only be incredibly massive and strike fear into sailors’ hearts, but must also be equipped with powerful natural offenses and defenses. Some of the great serpents of the deep simply coil themselves around a ship and crush it with ease, while others like to use their teeth. The Greater Sniping Narwhal has a single projectile horn in its head that regrows within hours of being loosed. The magnanimous Megalodon Shark likes to eat entire clans of regular-sized sharks for an after-dinner snack. Many Sea Monsters make excellent use of the tentacle, such as the infamous Sqawktopus, whose curious tentacles can reach more than a hundred yards out of water in any direction. Squawktopus is the reason the owners of Lyverian seaside cottages lock their bedroom windows at night.
Diet - It is presumed that the Sea Monsters have their fill on the countless smaller fishes in the oceans, so when they attack (or consume) seafaring vessels, they are doing it merely for enjoyment. In the stories of the Merfolk, there is a great Monster deep in the Dark Water known as the Gorlodon that actually feeds on living souls.
Allies - Sea Monsters are wild creatures; they do not have the intelligence of the Dragons, and they do not understand political motives. If any people of the Splinterlands could be considered their allies, it is the Merfolk of ΛZMΛRÉ. Most Merfolk are taught at a young age to communicate with the ancient Sea Monsters. Sea Serpents have even been known to come to the assistence of Mermaids in distress.
Enemies - Sea Monsters have their own world underwater, with their own territories, rulers and traditions. The Pirates of ΛZMΛRÉ consider them enemies, but to the Sea Monsters, Pirate ships are no more enemies than a flea is the enemy of a dog. Their only true enmities are among themselves, but the majority of them are united against the massive and cruel Serpent of Eld.
Pastimes - To those above the surface of the water, little is known about the day-to-day activities of various Sea Monsters. While they occasionally come to the water’s surface, they almost never approach beaches. The Fishermen’s stories of ΛZMΛRÉ say that Sea Monsters hoard stolen treasures in a great deep-sea cave, a cave that contains enough riches to put the Dragon Banker in the poorhouse.