Charybisa, Sea Serpent

The feared sea monster of the Kadag Strait

The mythical Charybisa is an aquamarine sea serpent which has a shark-like head that tapers off into a sleek eel-like body covered with long razor sharp fins. He is said to breathe out a spray of freezing cold seawater which can wreak ships and crew.

It is known to stalk the Kadag Straits, terrorizing the occasional merchant or longship. It is said to strike only during days or nights of the full moon (14^th, 15^th, and 16^th of the month).

Historical Basis

The Charybisa has been known to attack ships for over 500 years. When a ship disappears in the Kadag Straits, the Charybisa is often blamed.

Records from the last century show a considerable variation in the size of the Charybisa, many believe that it may actually be different creatures, possibly members of a colony, however on no occasion has more than one ever been sighted.

Variations & Mutation

Ivinian Skalds have stories of the Charybisa claiming it is one of the Pradeyalkri, one of the many monsters driven out of Ivinia by the God Sarajin and his minions. Charybisa, if slain, is said to fall into the seafloor, and some time during the next full moon from his cold dead corpse will emerge a swarm of giant eel-like creatures. These savage monsters will fight among themselves with the strongest emerging, devouring his kin becoming the new Charybisa.

The superstitious Kubora and Urdu barbarians living on the Northern coasts avoid fishing or travelling by sea on during days and nights of the full moon, likely to avoid the Charybisa.