Serpent Sea Snakes

Deep beneath the ice of the Serpent Sea, dark shadows slither where Nemura's power wanes. Rumors from sailors going back as far as any can remember have established the legend of the Serpent Sea Snakes firmly within the minds of The Litoric Islands and Anhara, while the Northern Tribes living in the region have their own myths as well.

Rumored Biology & Sightings

"One of the men came back, said a dark shape beneath the surface knocked his brothers-in-arms off the ice and into the water. They did not surface. That was the third time I had heard of such a thing." - Marcolo Matei, Wide Blue Beyond

From all accounts, the creatures living in the far reaches of the Boreal North are snake-like in shape. To sailors from The Litoric Islands and Anhara, the only southerners to have traveled that far north, little has been established beyond the shape of the creature. In fact, to them, the amount of Sea Snakes is unknown, as rumored sightings have never included more than one shape. Most of these legends have been spread by members of the Litoric Fleet during the Frozen Wars, when sailors marched across foreign ice, and sailed through unknown waters, with the constant threat of tribal attacks hanging over them. Therefore, historians and researchers give little credence to the frightened recordings of these sightings, rather, the similarities between the tales form the general images of Sea Snakes in the minds of Anharans and Islanders.
The most well-documented sightings of Sea Snakes come from the Second of the Frozen Wars. During this conflict, the Litoric Fleet, buoyed by its enhanced knowledge and better mapping thanks to the prior war, engaged the Northern Tribes within the iceberg-covered Serpent Sea. As one would expect from a body of water known as the Serpent Sea, the reports of Sea Snakes were widespread. However, none was ever sighted above the water or breaking through the surface of the ice. From these reports however, a few crucial characteristics can be gained.

"Seeking to uncover the mysteries of stories reported since Argono Vivaldi was High Admiral, this expedition will be a true test of mettle, skill, and valour regardless of what is discovered!" - The Evening Bos'n

Firstly, when walking above the ice where a serpent has been recently spotted, soldiers are prone to falling through or becoming stranded on icebergs drifting off of the larger ice shelf. This is believed to result from the movement of the Sea Snake, as its long body burrows beneath the ice, the snake causes it to weaken. In some instances, sailors report actually witnessing a dark form appearing to slither beneath thinner sheets of ice or the water's surface. However, historians and researchers do not view this as enough evidence of the creature being a snake, rather they suspect it may be an aquatic animal which simply moves through the water in a manner resembling how fish swim, but on a larger scale. If this suggestion is correct, proponents say the creature may feature a fish-like tail, or some other means of assistance in moving through the water which is not yet known.
The primary research into these creatures comes from the University of Alarca, in the Anharan capital of Meridia, and the The Evening Bos'n, the premiere investigative paper of the Litoric Islands. In an all-too-rare moment of cooperation, these two organizations have partnered in sending The Frozen Expedition, an exploratory party of sailors, academics, and reporters to the Boreal North to investigate the claims.

Stories of the Northern Tribes

"We had landed on the north-western tip of the Boreal North, and began a trek across the ice in search of tribal fishing grounds. As soon as we landed the men heard cracking ice, like tunneling, and within five miles, they demanded to turn back out of creatures they thought lurked below." - Marcolo Matei, Wide Blue Beyond

Among the Northern Tribes, or the Seven Fires, as they collectively refer to themselves, tales about these Serpents are much more rooted in tradition and fact. While few tribes actually reside far enough in the north to be in close proximity to the Serpent Sea year-round, during the summer months, many of the northernmost tribes make hunting expeditions close enough to the ice to spot the Sea Snakes.
Members of the Northern Tribes have a consistent image across their culture of what a Sea Snake is. To them, from actual sightings of the rear portion of the beast, it does have a fish-like tail, visible when the creature flicks it above the surface to dive deeper. However, only portions of the face have been seen by surviving hunters, who report hundreds of sharp teeth glistening in the sun and two beady black eyes visible during attacks. These reports of sightings list the Sea Snakes as appearing in different colors, which gives credence to claims of multiple creatures lurking beneath the ice. To the Northern Tribes, these predators are not subjects of experimentation nor research, rather a force to be feared, and a major interference with hunting in the farthest reaches of the north.

Geographic Distribution

• Serpent Sea