Phadoyan Eel

There are many creatures in the waters of the Old World, but none are as scary as the Phadoyan Eel. They are sea monsters known to grow extra body parts at will when chasing prey. Many do not approach these horrors as they are fast and have a seemingly endless appetite.
Phadoyan Eels have been terrorising local communities both above and below the sea ever since the Ice Age ended. No-one seems to know why they only appeared after the Ice Age or where they came from.

"We cannot keep letting our people go out to get killed. To these creatures, anything that moves is food."

— Chief Kaliska of Akuzo Island

Appearance

Serpent Form

In their base form, Phadoyan Eels are serpent-like creatures and are what people and animals first encounter. They usually stay in their base form if they are hunting animals like fish, which are easy to catch. Even though this form is weaker, it's still strong enough to terrorise the humanoid societies nearby. Apart from just taking their food supply, they will also submerge any boat in the sea or swallow the people on that boat. For this reason, no-one has been able to travel too far outside the Old World, and few have been able to come in. The only good thing about the eel's serpent form is that they tend to leave people and animals alone unless they come too close.

Octopus Form

If their prey proves to be elusive, Phadoyan Eels will grow extra limbs or even extra heads just to hunt them down. However, it's more common for them to grow limbs, so people have called it their "octopus form". It's this form that has scared the continent for the last 100 years and ensured no-one dares go in the sea. No-one knows how they grow these extra body parts and few really want to know the answers.

Origins

Despite the terror they bring to local communities, there have been no shortage of theories on the monsters' origins. The only certain thing is that the Ice Age somehow brought them out. But many questions remain. Unfortunately, it seem all these answers will remain a mystery, as any attempt to research them is like courting death.

The Curse From Above

A common theory among the Orcs is that the eels were a curse sent from the Gods. Because they believe themselves to be cursed, they see it as the world punishing their existence. It is true that Phadoyan Eels have taken a particular liking to Orcs, who are known for their love of meat. Whether they were sent by the Gods, who have had no physical presence on Dankar for millennia, is up for debate.

Spirits of the Sea

For the civilisations who live below the water, the Phadoyan Eels are spirits who roam the seas. They believe the eels to once have been a person or sea animal who was cursed during the Ice Age. These people would usually give them offerings to keep them away from their settlements. These offerings are mainly meat and fish and are given to the eels in their habitats once a month.