Bestiary
A semi-aquatic behemoth native to warmer regions of the Realm. While they may be a sight to behold at first, it is worth noting that they are not the “gentle giants” one would wish they were.
Physical Traits
Mainly dwelling in the warm oceanic regions, sea wraiths have bodies adapted to both seafaring lifestyles and heat resistance.
Their overall body structure is similar to that of a snake, save for their finned forearms. While they carry the ability to traverse on land with their forearms, this is rare as they are not in shallow regions most of their life. The fins tear and fray relatively easily given their size, not quite delicate but not impervious to damage either. Much like an aquatic mammal, they lack gills but take in air from the surface and can hold their breath for an incredible amount of time.
Sea wraiths have glowing spots along their topside, always in pastel tones contrasting with the much darker blues and greens of their skin. When lit, these glow in sequence, creating “flowing” patterns along their body and fins.
An odd feature the wraith possesses is a three-part jaw structure. The top jaw is completely solid, but the bottom jaw is in two mirrored parts, similar in appearance to mandibles. They do not have teeth, though this is made up for by a crushing bite force and “spikes” on the mandible structures that help with trapping prey.
Some who have encountered sea wraiths while passive have made note that they do not possess scales like it would appear, but instead have skin similar to a dolphin’s. What gives the appearance of scales is instead a hardened coat of a fireproof “mucus” that they secrete from the time they hatch.
While most of the larger wraiths sighted in the Realm appear to be around 50 years of age with a size great enough to pose a threat to a Windwyrm, a skull lurking in deepest parts of the Gaping Sea suggests they may have once reached hundreds of years of age. There has not been one of similar size spotted in any recent history, and it is possible the skull is much older than suspected. It has been suggested that they may have begun swimming south and away from the Realm as they grew to find more suitable sources of food, though the wraiths that stay within the Realm’s waters survive close to 70 years on average.
Newly hatched sea wraiths are about the size of a large dog and grow rapidly for their first few years, slowing down by the age of 10. At this juvenile stage, being roughly the size of a killer whale, they move out to deeper waters to hunt larger fish. Adulthood lies at the age of 35, where they reach the age they can reproduce.
Their overall body structure is similar to that of a snake, save for their finned forearms. While they carry the ability to traverse on land with their forearms, this is rare as they are not in shallow regions most of their life. The fins tear and fray relatively easily given their size, not quite delicate but not impervious to damage either. Much like an aquatic mammal, they lack gills but take in air from the surface and can hold their breath for an incredible amount of time.
Sea wraiths have glowing spots along their topside, always in pastel tones contrasting with the much darker blues and greens of their skin. When lit, these glow in sequence, creating “flowing” patterns along their body and fins.
An odd feature the wraith possesses is a three-part jaw structure. The top jaw is completely solid, but the bottom jaw is in two mirrored parts, similar in appearance to mandibles. They do not have teeth, though this is made up for by a crushing bite force and “spikes” on the mandible structures that help with trapping prey.
Some who have encountered sea wraiths while passive have made note that they do not possess scales like it would appear, but instead have skin similar to a dolphin’s. What gives the appearance of scales is instead a hardened coat of a fireproof “mucus” that they secrete from the time they hatch.
While most of the larger wraiths sighted in the Realm appear to be around 50 years of age with a size great enough to pose a threat to a Windwyrm, a skull lurking in deepest parts of the Gaping Sea suggests they may have once reached hundreds of years of age. There has not been one of similar size spotted in any recent history, and it is possible the skull is much older than suspected. It has been suggested that they may have begun swimming south and away from the Realm as they grew to find more suitable sources of food, though the wraiths that stay within the Realm’s waters survive close to 70 years on average.
Newly hatched sea wraiths are about the size of a large dog and grow rapidly for their first few years, slowing down by the age of 10. At this juvenile stage, being roughly the size of a killer whale, they move out to deeper waters to hunt larger fish. Adulthood lies at the age of 35, where they reach the age they can reproduce.
Behaviour
Sea wraiths are often seen as passive creatures with disinterest in any other beings around them. Unfortunately, this leads to some brutal encounters with them, as they can be quite violent when defending themselves or hunting. While they are not territorial and instead roam freely, it is not often recommended to tread in the same waters, lest you disrupt the peace.
Oddly enough, they completely avoid any seafaring vessels. Whether this is out of fear or otherwise is unknown but beneficial for those crossing between Cyr, Theavia, and/or the Island of Fire. For any curious in researching them, this is not very helpful at all.
Sea wraiths have some level of intelligence, staying away from dangerous areas and groups of dragons but having very little of a “flight” response in a “fight or flight” situation.
During their mating season (late winter-early spring), males and females alike are far more aggressive with other species and occasionally kill for sport. The process of choosing a mate is unknown, but a few lucky sightings have confirmed they mate for life and, in the event that their partner passes, do not choose another mate in their lifetime.
Younger sea wraiths (less than a year of age) have the potential to be tamed, though one would need to go out of their way to find and capture one successfully. Most who attempt to capture them will either turn up empty-handed or with severe injuries, as even the hatchlings possess a powerful bite. It is a very tedious process that takes months to years of work to build up trust between an individual and a hatchling while managing to keep them well-fed and healthy, and as a result many who have tried have not gone through with the entire process. The idea of taming them is a relatively new one, only existing for a few years.
Oddly enough, they completely avoid any seafaring vessels. Whether this is out of fear or otherwise is unknown but beneficial for those crossing between Cyr, Theavia, and/or the Island of Fire. For any curious in researching them, this is not very helpful at all.
Sea wraiths have some level of intelligence, staying away from dangerous areas and groups of dragons but having very little of a “flight” response in a “fight or flight” situation.
During their mating season (late winter-early spring), males and females alike are far more aggressive with other species and occasionally kill for sport. The process of choosing a mate is unknown, but a few lucky sightings have confirmed they mate for life and, in the event that their partner passes, do not choose another mate in their lifetime.
Younger sea wraiths (less than a year of age) have the potential to be tamed, though one would need to go out of their way to find and capture one successfully. Most who attempt to capture them will either turn up empty-handed or with severe injuries, as even the hatchlings possess a powerful bite. It is a very tedious process that takes months to years of work to build up trust between an individual and a hatchling while managing to keep them well-fed and healthy, and as a result many who have tried have not gone through with the entire process. The idea of taming them is a relatively new one, only existing for a few years.
Habitat
Sea wraiths live in areas of warm and deep water, namely in the Southern Gaping Sea, the Heaving Expanse, and the Wild Ocean. During mating season, they make their way towards the Molten Sea to lay their eggs in the outskirts of the ashy waters so the heat can help them hatch.
Diet
Sea wraiths are notably carnivorous, thriving mostly off of fish. They lack the ability to chew, instead crushing their food and/or swallowing it whole. During their feeding sessions, any bite-sized, unlucky dragons wandering alone may be considered for a meal, though this is an uncommon situation as they hunt dragons only if there is no other suitable food source nearby and the dragon is alone. They scarcely attack dragons in a group of 2 or more unless provoked.
Ecological Relations
Tidekeeper pods are usually safe swimming in the same waters as sea wraiths as long as they stay in their groups. Juvenile sea wraiths that spot them may be drawn in by curiosity of their glowing patterns, mistaking them for another of their kind at first and leading to either very interesting interactions or potential bloodshed.
While sea wraiths mostly coexist with greater bone leviathans, they will not hesitate for a moment if they can turn one into a meal.
It is safe to assume that if a sea wraith can eat it, it most likely will if it is given the chance. Traveling by boat is the only way to guarantee that you will be safe from one.
While sea wraiths mostly coexist with greater bone leviathans, they will not hesitate for a moment if they can turn one into a meal.
It is safe to assume that if a sea wraith can eat it, it most likely will if it is given the chance. Traveling by boat is the only way to guarantee that you will be safe from one.
Rarity
Sea wraiths are uncommon to find. Their size makes them easy to spot, but there are few in the Southern Gaping Sea. Their mating habits, combined with their eggs requiring nearly volcanic heat to hatch and the amount of food they need to eat, has left their numbers on a stalemate in double digits around the Realm. Clutches of eggs range from 10-15 and on most occasions, less than a third of the hatchlings will survive to adulthood, so their numbers stay low. While recent efforts to tame them have been going about as well as trying to ride a wild horse with no prior experience or tack, if they prove successful in future years there may be a chance for their numbers to increase before they can plummet and risk extinction.