Otarion (OH-tear-ee-ohn)
Also known as Abyssal Seals, Otarions are neither from the abyss nor are they exactly seals.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Seal-like in shape, it is no wonder that the otarion is commonly compared to seals.
Pinnipoid creatures with three sets of fins set equidistant around the circumference of their bodies, otarions are distinct from their distant relatives in the seal family in a number of ways. Beginning with the triad of fins, which are categorized as minor, major, and frilled fins, the minor fins are not true fins at all, but ears. The major fins are used for navigation, while the frilled fins are used for propulsion. The frilled fins, emerging from the furry skin at the back third of their body, are starkly alien in appearance. Faintly bio-luminescent skeletal structures show through thin, translucent skin, and the frills ripple with minute water currents.
Otarions' heads resemble the distant, ancient ancestors of modern seals and canines, inasmuch as they resemble anything. Protruding tusks which can reach almost a foot in length at their full adult size extend from the upper jaw, and sharp, needle-like teeth angled backwards for piercing and catching fish line the inside of the mouth, which opens a great deal wider than from the outside it appears that it should. The skull has a central ridge, which protects the brain during mating ceremonies which often involve rather rambunctious headbutting.
A set of fibrous whiskers emerge from just above the nasal passages on either side of the central skull ridge, then extend back over the head, where they join together to form a net-like cradle for a magically-generated orb of light. This light, called the lure, is a membranous sphere that the otarion can expand or contract at will, down to a very bright spot of light approximately three inches wide or out to a three foot diameter of dim light. An individual can have a number of lures active at the same time, though scientists have not been able to discover what determines how many. When no lures are currently grasped by the whisker-net, the whiskers separate and revert to normal whisker-like behavior.
Thick, hydrophobic, cold-resistant layers of fur cover the body of each otarion, keeping them warm and dry even in the icy depths. Their skin exudes an oily substance for twelve moons out of each year, and a strange, milky secretion for the remaining two. The milky liquid, which is extremely acidic as well as being an incredibly valuable reagent in a shockingly wide variety of alchemical compounds, has no apparent purpose that modern researchers can determine. However, it interacts peculiarly with the oily compound which, by the time it appears, has thoroughly coated the otarion's fur. The combination of substances creates small sacs, typically two-to-six inches in diameter, which cling to the otarion's sides until scraped off. Whether these sacs serve some role in mating, social hierarchy, or hunting, the otarions will not tell.
Growth Rate & Stages
Otarion gestation lasts an average of 10 moons, during which the mother is jealously protected by her two podmates, one of whom is usually the father of her pups. Even on the rare occasion that the father is from another pod, this protection remains as vicious and assured as it otherwise would. Females must periodically branch out from their primary pod in search of genetic material, lest the genetic variety of the entire species suffer.
At the end of the gestation period, the female otarion gives birth to 1 to 4 pups. The most common number is 3. The process is relatively painless and safe, especially by comparison to many land-going mammals, and requires only the continued support of her podmates, who use their bodies to carry her while she is going through labor, and catch the pups as soon as they are born. Otarion pups are born roughly three feet in length, and though they arrive in the world with the full racial memory of their species, they need help to maintain their buoyancy in the water in their first few weeks of life. Additionally, many struggle with the innate understanding of millennia of ancestors.
A juvenile otarion is usually one whose ability to interface with their racial memory is not yet fully developed, but who is comfortably able to physically navigate the depths. They remain with their parent pod for the first twenty or so years of their lives, during which time they learn to hunt and socialize with their parents and siblings. The adult pod of three raises the pups as a social unit, operating in tandem so that at least one parent is always on guard against whatever terrifying deep-sea predator might hunt such intelligent and capable creatures. Towards the end of their juvenile years, the pup-pod begins venturing out on its own to hunt, never traveling more than a day's journey from the parent pod. This fosters independence, as well as giving the parent pod a chance for some much needed rest and enjoy each other's company without the interference of eager, affectionate pups getting in the way. Single births can cause some disruption to this pattern, and occasionally, parents of a single pup will seek out other pods with more offspring to ensure that their child receives proper socialization. In this case, all of the parents will travel with the pups until they are of an age to set out on their own.
When an otarion pup-pod reaches maturity, which generally occurs around their twenty-fifth year, they separate from their parent pod and go in search of other young adult otarions. Finding another group of otarions who are not related to them by blood, the newly mature pod will socialize, attempting to discern which members of their pod might mesh with their new friends. Once this determination has been made, the otarions will separate again, this time into new pods with as few siblings in the same group as possible. This process of shuffling pods continues for the next thirty years, as groups of mature otarions swap members from pod to pod, allowing the adventurous to travel far from their homes and ensuring that genetic diversity is maintained, despite their scattered population.
As they continue to age, they continue to grow, up to a maximum size of approximately 12 feet long and can weigh in at anywhere from 1200 to 2100 pounds, depending on sex and season. Some older stories about the species, preserved in the oral tradition of the sea elves, the merrow (who are not generally inclined to share stories with outsiders), and the tabaxi claim that after a few hundred years, the otarion enters a new stage of growth, wherein they can reach a mythical 24 feet or more of length, and develop even more impressive powers of perception, intelligence, and tactics. The legends suggest that at this point, the otarion no longer needs a pod to hunt or socialize, as it can connect to the collective subconscious of the entire race, and it simply swims into the depths to fulfill some purpose of its own. No evidence has been found to either support or refute these stories, and as of now, they remain only legend.
Ecology and Habitats
Otarions primarily occupy the deepest places in Berth's oceans and lakes. They only rarely approach the surface, and their appearance usually portends a truly catastrophic storm (in the case of oceans) or drought (in the case of lakes). Little is known about their habitat, as they discourage explorers from venturing too deep.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Obligate carnivores with nevertheless quite discerning palates, otarions consume a variety of fish, crustaceans, and deep sea invertebrates. Their individual tastes differ widely from individual to individual, but almost all display a certain preference for squid, octopi, and eels of all descriptions.
Behaviour
As pack hunters and deeply social creatures, otarions as a group are polite to surface-dwellers. Unless, of course, said surface dwellers display any intent to harm the otarions, their pod, their environment, or their prey. Attempting to evade their sight in order to swim into the depths of their protected habitats rarely goes well, and even autonomous magical probes have been hunted and destroyed by otarions defending their territories.
Towards prey, they display a terrifying sort of brilliance, honed by millennia of ancestral memory. Towards other members of their own species, however, they are friendly and playful. Many of them favor riddles and strategy games, practicing among the other members of their pod for the rare delight of encountering another pod with which to match wits.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Certain incorrect individuals believe that the specialized organ which otarions use to breathe at great depths can be used in a potion designed to increase fertility and vigor, with a certain unseemly emphasis on sexual prowess. This rumor, which has repeatedly been proven false, still leads to a number of deaths each year as desperate humanoids dive into the depths with various inadequate weaponry in an attempt to harvest this organ.
When ethically sourced from already dead otarions whose pods are willing to part with the body, alchemists have determined that while the organ cannot create anatomical alterations in humanoids of ANY description, it has exhibited some usefulness as a reagent in the brewing of extremely powerful water breathing potions.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
With the ability to hear clearly through each of its three ear canals, the otarion can determine the direction of sound even under water. This means it can use the incredible distance that noise travels through water to locate the source of noisy prey from thousands of miles away in certain places.
Each otarion has three sets of eyes, set on either side of the central ridge and which each have distinct capabilities. The foremost set of eyes have the ability to see in darkness and dim light as easily as in bright light, out to a range of 120 feet. The middle set has the capacity to see creatures which are invisible, or which have passed into the ethereal plane. The most posterially located eyes talents are unclear, though they seem to observe something completely beyond humanoid understanding. Asking cooperative otarions what their third set of eyes sees results in cryptic commentary about "that which slithers between the worlds," and a strong feeling of dread in researchers.
Scientific Name
Otariidae Abyssos pagidus
Lifespan
unknown
Conservation Status
While only seldom seen, there is no particular indication that these creatures are in need of protection by surface-dwelling entities. In the quite rare instance where a member of a surface race encounters one, the otarion in question usually indicates that the individual is not welcome, and escorts them to the nearest exit. If the humanoid persists in swimming deeper into their territory, otarions can become quite persuasive in their insistence that the depths are not safe for such creatures. Historically, those who continued to press on after the second warning did not report back to their surface teams.
Average Weight
1200 - 2100lbs
Average Length
12 feet
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