Leviathan
Leviathan are huge fish-like predators of the oceans and seas. Measuring some 70' in length on average, and with some truly giant individuals reaching lengths of more than 100' and weighing as much as 100 tons (200,000 lbs). They are the largest and most deadly predators of the seas, capable of destroying multiple ships in their efforts to eat the crew members.
Leviathans are large beasts with huge heads, gaping mouths and long serpentine bodies. They have four appendages that are wide and flat, much like a dolphin's flippers, but end in long, razor-sharp and jet black claws. they have a thick, eel-like tail that usually constitutes 50% of their total body length. One beast that measured 80' from nose to tip of tail had a tail that was 39' long and a head that was 19' long and 13' wide at its base. The mouth is filled with hundreds of long rapier-like teeth, some of which can be 24" long in a mature specimen. These teeth are angled back towards the gullet to ensure that prey that might try and escape a bite could only do so by moving further into the creature's mouth.
As feared as these creatures are, there are those few especially brave hunters who pursue the beasts as prey themselves. Nearly every single part of a Leviathan is incredibly valuable. Teeth, skin, flesh, claws, spines, bones, blood, bile and eyeballs are all worth a fortune, but the real value in a Leviathan is in the contents of its gut: ambergris.
Much about the creatures habits, biology and life cycles remains a mystery. Known examples of the beasts that have been examined have shown that they do, indeed, have gills, but the gills are small and seemingly under-developed for a creature as large as they are. They are also known to have two organs within their torsos that have always been assumed to be lungs, but every time one has been examined these organs have shown to be full of seawater, so it is not fully understood if the creatures can breathe air. No definitive evidence has eveer been shown to determine what sex a particular specimen is, or even how they reproduce. No sign has ever eggs or milt have ever been found, and the smallest specimen of Leviathan ever observed was still huge, at an estimated 55' long and weighing at least 50 tons so no one really knows what a juvenile or young Leviathan looks like.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Unknown
Growth Rate & Stages
Unknown
Ecology and Habitats
Deep salt water seas and oceans, with rarer sightings in murkier waters such as sounds, estuaries and harbors.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Not fully understood, but observed behavior and examination shows they consume vast amounts of animal protien
Biological Cycle
Unknown
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
All of the disparate portions of a Leviathan are valuable, but the most valued part of the beast is ambergris
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Have been observed in all known seas and oceans
Average Intelligence
Unknown, but suspected to be about that of an average human child
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Nearly blind out of water, exceptional visual acuity when submerged. Can "smell" prey underwater from more than a mile away.
Scientific Name
Monstrus Lotidae Leviathanus
Lifespan
Unknown
Average Weight
75-80 tons
Average Length
75' with the largest recorded at 118' and weighing 120 tons
Average Physique
Incredibly strong, and capable of amazing speeds underwater for short distances
Related Materials
