Great Leviathan
The story of the Great Leviathan began in 11,000 BDR as the great serpent rose from the waters to protect the Fey in Sarifal from invaders coming from the sea. The first human explorers who sailed to the Moontide Isles had their ships dashed and shattered by the Leviathan and the waters developed a treacherous reputation. Generations would pass without anyone seeing the Great Leviathan, but when it appeared again, it was always with fury and rage at the travelling ships.
There is no clearly defined description of the Leviathan, mostly just tales and exaggerations. But most tales seem to describe it as a great serpent that lives in the water, with razor edged swords for teeth and an eel-like body that can coil around ships to crush them and bring them down beneath the waters. Stories tell that the Leviathan is large enough to coil around several ships at a time. Some tales have the Leviathan releasing shards of ice and torrents of water from it's mouth, cutting down sailors and washing them overboard.
Northlanders call the Great Leviathan by another name, Linnormr, or 'ensnaring snake'. The first Northlander raiders fell to the Great Leviathan's attack, splintering ships and dragging sailors down into the waters. A few survivors made it to the northern islands and they grew wary and respectful of the Leviathan. When they would fish or sail, they would always make a sacrifice into the waters for the Leviathan, asking for the sea's bounty or for safe passage over its waters. The longer the voyage would be, the greater the sacrifice would be. After the Great Leviathan's initial destruction of the Northlander fleets, many of the survivors were torn apart and devoured by sharks in the waters. It is because of this that the Northlanders believe that sharks are connected to the Great Leviathan, acting as its eyes in the world. Northlanders will never willingly harm a shark, and will cut them free from their fishing nets when caught and offer a sacrifice to the waters as an apology to the Great Leviathan.
In 255 DR, after generations of no appearances, The Great Leviathan returned to demolish the Oleander fleets heading toward the isles. The Great Leviathan's return coincided with harsh storms and raging seas, as well as with Lugh Dunaid's riding with the Wild Hunt. Because of the timing, there are speculations that the Great Leviathan is Fey in nature, or a great beast at the command of the goddess Ran, or just a protector somehow tied to the Moontide Isles. But the seeming bond with Lugh Dunaid made the Northlanders respect him, submitting to his rule as High King.
Northlander stories tell of how the Great Leviathan will eventually destroy the world when its people are no longer worthy of it. The serpent will grow so large that it will coil around the world and bite its own tail. As it swallows itself down, it will crush and destroy the world beneath it as it swallows itself down into oblivion.
In 288 DR, the Leviathan was imprisoned by the Oleander Throne agents in Paraetonium on Ilfor. The Wizard Silence was in charge of the operation and succeeded in baiting the Leviathan out and then piercing it with a large cold iron lance mounted on the bow of one of their ships. Once pierced, the Leviathan fell to the ocean floor where it was bound my a magic that employed a circle of great undersea plinths. While the Leviathan was captured, it's wound from the iron lance did not heal and the blood from it turned to coral once it hit the ground. The Oleander forces in Paraetonium extracted the magical energies from the collected coral to create magic arms and items to ready themselves for battle.
While imprisoned, the Oath of the Ancient paladin Zadoc Marlin made connection with the Leviathan and it told him its name is Narahm, and it's lover is Acacia, the Reaching Green. Zadoc Marlin also recovered the Leviathan's weapon, a great spear named Gae Bulg.
Spread
The Great Leviathan has mostly been a legend that has remained in the Moontide Isles. However, after the destruction of the Oleander navy, stories of the Great Leviathan have spread throughout the mainland and through the Oleander Throne. However, the Oleander Throne is quick to downplay the beast as exaggeration stemming from the storms. A mythical beast that stopped their invasion would not tie in well with the Allfather's power.
Variations & Mutation
The Daoine call it the Great Leviathan, though the Northlanders have named the beast Linnormr. The Elves of the Moontide Isle have named the creature Hirilonde, which translates into 'great whale'.
In Art
There are ancient carvings and states of the Great Leviathan from centuries ago crafted by Fey hands that are found hidden away in parts of the isles. The beast is typically depicted as a serpent in these works of art, although sometimes it is shown as a giant whale. Northlander wood carvings of the Great Leviathan are always serpent-like in their depictions. There are Northlander sailing and drinking songs sung about Linnormr, still sung to this day.
Names: The Great Leviathan, Linnormr, Hirilonde, Narahm
Related Locations
Related People