-Zephorian Clan Animal: Terissia-
Terissia are colossal ocean dwellers often likened to the mythological Kraken. Like the Kraken, Terissia are hostile, opportunistic predators that are territorial, often resulting in anything from flying creatures, to sea-going vessels, to the passing school of fish being attacked and - usually - eaten. Unlike their mythological counterparts, Terissia are a well-known threat, and it isn't hard to lure or spot one. When the species was originally discovered it was believed that it was also a treasure hoarder, and that a graveyard of bones and riches lie on the ocean floor where the Terissia lurks. While the bones have been proven, there has been no evidence of treasure troves outside the massive rifts and caves these creature reside in. Sorry, bounty hunters.
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Appearance
Terissia are an impressive sight. Resembling a dragon crossed with an octopus, Terissia have long necks, fat, triangular heads tipped by stout beaks, a multitude of eyes and fins, and barbed tentacles usually numbering to 8, though with rare cases of 6 or 10. The bulk of a Terissia remains entirely underwater, and the creature always surfaces head-first, always at a safe distance from anything on the water. Terissia have flexible, sapphire-colored scales, pockmarked by stark scarlet ones and pink fins. The eyes blend in perfectly with these spotty scales, and their bizarre, seemingly-random placement adds to the effect. With the eyes being so small and easily-confused with the red scales, it is speculated that the Terissia used to have - or still has - other creatures that attack it, always aiming for the eyes. With only a long ring of gills going down the neck, it's a popular idea that the only senses the Terissia has are feeling and sight, making it vital to have protected eyes. Being such a large, water-based creature, the Terissia has no bones, but does have an inner cartilage structure keeping it mostly together; the exception to this are the skull - which is somewhat harder and denser than cartilage - and the teeth and barbs, which are true bone. The Terissia's tentacles are all identical, and are decorated with fins in a way that allows them to be used as finite rudders. Each tentacle has a large, red spot on its front; considering it makes the tentacle conspicuous, it's unknown why this red spot exists. Finally, a huge, wicked barb is sported on the end of each tentacle. These barbs are used both in locomotion and to capture and tear apart prey. As for the red spots, our best idea is that they are flashed at potential threats in order to disorient or warn them.
Behavior
Terissia are entirely solitary, and fiercely territorial. They will clash over any and everything that dares to threaten their boundaries, and glare at a distance at anything coming too close. They aren't exactly silent either, letting out huge "grumbles" and moans a couple of times each day regardless of what's around them. Occasionally young Terissia - no less large than their adult counterparts - will be found darting about, but their breeding behavior is unknown (and quite frankly, we don't really care). Young Terissia have lighter pink scales and roam, having no established territories yet, and are actually a greater threat than adults due to living nowhere in particular. Terissia will eat anything residing in the water with them, though will also surface to snap at large creatures flying ahead; sometimes a persistent Terissia will ambush flying prey and end up with a prize. On the topic of ambushing, Terissia will always lunge head-first and bite whatever the target is; if a hit lands, they wrap themsleves around the prey to keep it from escaping and start tearing it into chunks small enough to swallow whole. While they are entirely capable of crushing bones and scales, these are always carefully eaten around and discarded.
The behavior that makes the Terissia most notable is their tendency to attack anything, even if it's innanimate; any sea-going vessel is at risk in an ocean claimed by a Terissia. Curiously enough though, Terissia rarely attack the vessel for food, and while they will attack if it trespasses on their territory it's not the full reason, either. Dummy vessels placed specifically to observe this behavior reveal nothing new other than one thing: Terissia will eat ships! Anything with wood, stone, or dirt on it especially will be consumed by the mouthful by Terissia, decimating the wreck left behind, wheras tiny passengers are often left alone. This curious behavior suggests that natural wood and stone is beneficial to the Terissia's diet, similar to how cats eat grass or parrots eat clay. Because Terrisia live so deep below the surface of the ocean, and it's so dangerous to explore there, very little is known about how the Terissia lives beyond that of surfacing to catch prey or eat ships, and unless a way to placate Terissia is found, it may stay that way.
The behavior that makes the Terissia most notable is their tendency to attack anything, even if it's innanimate; any sea-going vessel is at risk in an ocean claimed by a Terissia. Curiously enough though, Terissia rarely attack the vessel for food, and while they will attack if it trespasses on their territory it's not the full reason, either. Dummy vessels placed specifically to observe this behavior reveal nothing new other than one thing: Terissia will eat ships! Anything with wood, stone, or dirt on it especially will be consumed by the mouthful by Terissia, decimating the wreck left behind, wheras tiny passengers are often left alone. This curious behavior suggests that natural wood and stone is beneficial to the Terissia's diet, similar to how cats eat grass or parrots eat clay. Because Terrisia live so deep below the surface of the ocean, and it's so dangerous to explore there, very little is known about how the Terissia lives beyond that of surfacing to catch prey or eat ships, and unless a way to placate Terissia is found, it may stay that way.
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