Grandfather Whale is a legendary figure in Rilumic history. There are numerous accounts starting from the beginning of recorded time of sightings of the gargantuan whale. Many cultures know of him as Old Ironfluke. He is incomprehensibly large, dwarfing all known ships by hundreds of feet. The first sign of his presence is the water turning black and getting ice cold, even to freezing temperatures.
From far away he appears to be a mass of dark blue and black, but anyone who manages to get close in the black water can see his form. His body holds a patchwork of different ecosystems living in symbiosis on his skin. Covered in green algae over a layer of black barnacles. The larger barnacles can span up to 3 feet across and grow to be as dark and black as his skin. Grandfather Whale has numerous flippers including two large flippers and a row of smaller supporting flippers that work in unison like oars.
The black shroud of winter is normally an ominous sign to pirates but is actually considered holy to followers of Roton who worship him as a blessing and a guardian of lost sailors. Sailors give tribute and prayer to Old Ironfluke in order to have safe journeys over the seas. The priests of the whale have a clergyman on most ships still sailing. Black candles are lit and prayed over by the faithful on open sea voyages, both to appease and give thanks to the deep.
