It's a Sea Monster, you know - a Beast of the waves. And yet, when it comes close, the air feels thick, and heavy... like you're underwater. Like you can't breathe. Then again, that may have been the fear. But the water churns, and the clouds gather, and you wouldn't think they would... it's a sea monster, after all...

But I could feel the electricity crackling, making my hair stand up at the roots. I could see its white eyes staring at me.... and I could see the moon through its body, too. Like it wasn't there. Like it was a ghost.

And I knew right then and there... that I'd better get the hell out of there before it decided I was too close.

— Shermuth of the Brine, famous sailor after a close encounter with the Tempest Serpent


Overview

As the first of the Great Beasts to show itself. the Tempest Serpent is perhaps the best known and most universally feared. Despite this, in reality it very rarely shows itself - and appears even less frequently in any way that can be fully confirmed.

A Brief History of Encounters

390Y
The Tempest Serpent devours a fleet of Demon ships as they approach Astrum. This is the first appearance of any of the Great Beasts.

9488Y
Celestials inside Astrum spot the Tempest Serpent from afarafter a celebration is hit by season-inappropriate storm. Though they are not injured, the experience leaves them rattled.

10210Y
A group of fishermen claim to see the Tempest Serpent in the distance.. While it does them no harm, it does terrify them. Half disappeared during their next fishing expedition - survivors said they threw themselves into the waves.

17826Y
The Tempest Serpent rests near Manalora, curled around the undersea city. It makes no move toward hostility.

23544Y
An Aurali scout observes the Tempest Serpent from afar while patrolling near the Gaean border.

32852YThe Tempest Serpent participates in the death of Sirhn, catalyzing the departure of Dagon from Astrum.

32866Y
A servant claims to have seen the Tempest Serpent in the Lonely Sea.. No one believes them, since this makes no sense.

A Brief History

It made its first appearance in Astrum during the Caelestise-Sura War, when a fleet of ships came out of Incaendium and attempted to travel to Astrum by sea. Once the fleet had passed Gaean and entered Astrum's waters, the Tempest Serpent rose from the depths, ripping through the fleet with its massive jaws, while scattering the ships with its seemingly endless coils.

There were only three survivors - two Maero and a water Djinn who were, by their nature, better equipped to survive a sea encounter where others might drown. According to their accounts, the up close the Serpent did not seem to be any animal of any kind, but rather a moving column of water that somehow moved as one, solid being.,

For some time, it was suspected that the Serpent was not a beast at all, but rather the work of an especially powerful Astrumi water elementalist. However, in the years since, it has become clear that the Serpent moves of its own volition - sometimes appearing hundreds of miles from any potential master.

After the birth and ascension to power of the great King Deep, the Serpent became heavily associated with him, often appearing at his side, or seen curled around his home, Manalora. After Dagon left Astrum, sightings tapered off; it has now been missing for several centuries.

It may be a coincidence, of course, but in recent decades, there have been several sightings of a large sea serpent inside the Lonely Sea, near Amaya.

Habitat

Naturally, the Tempest Serpent's native environment is the waters of the Boundless Sea. It can be difficult to track it, and thus to determine greater specifics as to what kind of environment it prefers, since it naturally tends to blend with its surroundings... particularly without endangering oneself. However, the infrequency of its trips to the surface suggests that whatever it needs to survive can be found in the depths of the Sea.

Appearance

The Serpent is an unfathomably long snake-like creature... at least by default. It has a long snout, and sharp teeth. His head is lined with spike-like protrusions that continue partially down the length of its body. Its eyes flow a pale green-blue colors and it appears to be covered in blue-green luminescent scales, lending it a majestic and ethereal air.

That said, because its body is not truly solid or organic - it is believed to be water held together with Void Energy, its form can be somewhat inconsistent. The length of the serpent can vary wildly from a few meters forward; at its largest observed size, it was able to entirely wrap around Manalora... twice.

When underwater, the Serpent is somewhat difficult to spot, but it appears as shaped bioluminescent water.

Behavior

As Great Beasts go, the Tempest Serpent is a skittish one, with the only confirmed full attack it has ever launched seemingly linked to a disturbance drawing too near to its body. Generally, the Serpent keeps its distance, sighted from afar from time to time, sometimes announced by storms that often surround it.

Due to its inaccessibility , it's difficult to discern exactly how hostile the Serpent is under normal circumstances - if anyone has tussled with it since the Caelestise-Sura War, they did not survive to report it.

It should be noted that it has never been seen to attack or devour other sea-creatures, but also that its storm aura can be dangerous even if it does not intentionally target someone - anyone close enough to see the Serpent clearly is close enough to be sucked into the storm.

Some of the more credible sightings have involved the Serpent acting as the mount and "defender" of Dagon.

The Tempest Serpent Takes Down a Ship

During the Caelestise-Sura War, the Tempest Serpent famously destroyed a fleet of Demon ships headed into Astrum's waters.

Abilities

As a creature made of water and energy, the Tempest Serpent is appropriately oceanic in its abilities.

Resistance to Damage: Due to its semi-solid body, the Tempest Serpent is extremely difficult to physically damage - weapons pass through it seemingly without effect, and even if one manages to deplete its power, it simply dissolves and reforms after some recuperation time.

Control of Storms: It is able to affect the weather to create rainy conditions in various forms - gentle spring rains, tornadoes, snowstorms and hailstorms are all applicable. It can also summon underwater storms.

Sense of the Sea: It can read activities in the area by "communicating" with the waves around it, feeling as things move through the water. This allows it to track potential intruders far before they actually reach the Serpent itself.

Water Elementalism: With its extraordinary connection to the element water, the Serpent can easily move, shape or control water over a massive area. During its one documented attack, for example, dozens of thick tendrils of water rose from the Sea and tore the ships apart, dragging cargo, crew and wreckage into the depths.

Water Alteration: Through the use of the Void energy that animates it and the water manipulation that is its greatest strength, the Tempest Serpent can alter the the qualities of water in a certain area to create different effects - for example, the water may become acidic and burn anything that passes through it, or it may become medicinal, cleansing those in the water of toxins, disease or other afflictions.

Shape-Shifting: Again, the body of the Tempest Serpent is made of water - as such, it can alter its form by manipulating the water that forms it. Generally, the Serpent will simply alter how large - or long - it is. However, there have been times when a humanoid shape seemingly made of water has been seen - particularly around Manalora - and rumors circulate that this is actually the Tempest Serpent adjusting its form for convenience.

Manipulation and Direction of Electricity: As water conducts electricity, so too does the Tempest Serpent - though for the Beast it is a more conscious and deliberate action. It is unknown whether the Serpent produces electricity, though it is generally believed that it actually stores the electricity it encounters instead. Regardless, it has been known to send our massive waves of electricity through the water around it, with devastating effect.

Sea-floor Manipulation: It has been observed that the Tempest Serpent is able to alter the sea-floor. Typically, it is believed that it uses this ability to create tunnels that allow it to move through the sea unseen. However, at times he has also created pseudo-tsunamis to drive away or destroy anything coming close to it unbidden.

 

Status Quo

The Serpent still lives - as it cannot truly die. Even so, it has not been seen in Astrum for some time. Perhaps it was bereft at the departure of its friend (or, perhaps, its lord?), Dagon? Or perhaps the Serpent has some connection to the smaller - but still imposing - sea serpent sometimes sighted in the Lonely Sea.

Threat Assessment:

With its mastery of both storm and sea, and its ability to manipulate and alter water and conduct/control electricity, as well as its keen intelligence, the Tempest Serpent is exceptionally formidable. Considering that, as well as its shapechanging and enhanced senses within the water, and ability to manipulate the sea floor, creating sinkholes, and pseudo-tsunamis, it's fair to say that little more terrifying than an encounter with the Tempest Serpent, even from afar.

The Tempest Serpent is considered a Vis level threat!