Aethershark

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Aethershark
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Fauna
Official Name Aethershark
Common Nicknames Sky Terror, Arc Chasers
Classification Magus
Habitat Ellador
Domesticated No
Current Status Rare

The Aethershark is a predator that was once only a scourge upon the great Aetherwhales of old, but now poses a far more general threat in the modern era despite their low numbers. While these creatures were thought to have died out around the birth of the Isldar due to a sharp shift in their ecosystem, they survived thanks to the intercession of the Void which took a number of them into its ranks when the Fifth Void Invasion took place. Whilst the Aethersharks have been thought to be more legend than anything else, their recent appearance in the past century and a half, especially throught recent conflict in Ellador, has led to the occasional sightings of packs of purple streaked creatures surrounding Airships and Wyverns alike, often leading to a vicious end.

History

The past of the Aethershark is one mostly recorded in bits and pieces through a wide myriad of tales, stories, and epics passed between the many Races both past and present to have inhabited the northern reaches of Aloria. Legend tells that the Aethershark was the eternal foe of the Aetherwhale, able to match them in aerial speed, and as many as a dozen of the creatures being capable of felling an adult Aetherwhale if given the chance to. The Drovv and Altalar were aware of them, but it appears the Dwarves were not, at least not until a later stage of their civilization, during the Dragon Wars. Dwarves exploring the surface for Wyvern dens and thus, Draconist camps, came across these vicious floating predators eating the carrion of the many battles fought across Ellador, and soon proved themselves a dangerous foe. In the following years, the Aethershark remained a threat to the natural world but also both sides of the many battles fought during this conflict. However, when the Isldar were formed and Ellador, alongside neighboring lands, was bathed in arcane ice and snow, the Aethershark retreated to the fringes of the continent, away from the worse cold regions that now dominated the area. But it was at these fringes that they were called into the service of the Void alongside similarly corrupted Aetherwhales.

Many believe the whole of the Aethershark population was swayed to the side of the Void, but that may simply be due to their purple spots, and there is no strong evidence either way. What is certain is that once the Cataclysm took place, and the Fifth Void Invasion came to an end, the Aethershark was re-invogorated. They swept over Ellador like a plague, killing the last of the Aetherwhales and threatening the Isldar fortresses with constantly attacks. With time, their population surge was brought under control, but they have remained a danger in the north. As Airships, especially of Dwarven design, have continued to grow in importance, the Aethersharks have posed a threat to regional trade. It has not helped matters that Ellador has been plunged into conflict since the start of the fourth century. This has left many struggling to keep their head above the metaphorical waves and in the sky, out of sight, might circle a school of these dangerous predators.

Physical Appearance

The Aethershark at first glance seems to be nothing more than a peculiar looking shark that soars through the sky, its size only reaching around eight feet in length at most, and six feet on the smaller end. At most, a fully grown Aethershark tends to weigh around 175 to 300 pounds depending on its size and age. Their heads are pointed, with the snout flattened into a conical shape with four rows of smooth-edged but incredibly sharply pointed teeth. The eyes of the Aethershark tend to be located more sunken and back into the head, the tip of the snout extending far past in comparison. Along the area just behind the head of the Aethershark lies a series of gill-like flaps that are used to release and regulate air that passes inside it, which can be used in short bursts in emergencies to grant a swift increase in speed at the cost of fatigue for a considerable amount of time afterward. The body of the Aethershark tends to be much stouter and bulky, with two widely curved pectoral fins trailing off the front of the Sky terror with a rather elongated yet angular caudal fin trailing behind. The top of the Aethershark is marked by two dorsal fins located between the caudal and pectoral fins of the creature. The bodies of Aethersharks range in color from a light gray to a pearly white depending upon what time of year they are born. If they are born more toward the first and last three months of the year, they tend to hold a rather pearly white color whereas the months between usually leave a mottled gray across their skin. There have been no observable differences in the time of year in which they are born and any other physical traits. Across the length of each Aethershark is a unique angular pattern of pale purple that arcs from the corner of each side of the mouth, and through a variety of different patterns makes its way toward each pectoral and caudal fin. While these creatures are not immune to any form of electrical stimulation, it has been widely documented that they possess a small resistance to electrical current, with these unique purple patterns tending to arc more than the rest of their body if they are ever struck by such. It has been theorized that these portions of their body are partially more insulated than the rest, and tend to act as a lightning rod in some fashion to prevent any lasting damage to the rest of its existence.

Diversity

Overall, the primary differences between Aethersharks tend to be found around which mountains they are born near. The higher the peak at which an Aethershark is born tends to lead toward the Aethershark having a more smooth purple pattern as opposed to the more jagged and angular patterns found in those born closer toward the ground. The females on average tend to be slightly larger, but not by any significant amount to warrant an observable difference.

Life Span and Development

Female Aethersharks tend to produce around two to three offspring per year through a gestation period of around six to ten months, with each successive term producing around two Aethersharks. The Aethersharks are born around two feet in length, before beginning to grow by around another foot toward the end of the first year; these creatures continue to grow at this steady rate until they have reached sexual maturity, which ranges anywhere from four to seven years. Aethersharks have been known to have a lifespan of around ten to fifteen years at most.

Mental Overview

Aethersharks are overtly hostile animals that have yet to be domesticated by any groups whatsoever. There have been multiple attempts by different groups to attempt any form of domestication or taming, yet none have been successful. These creatures often find themselves hostile toward both Wyverns and Morrok, as both are other apex predators in Ellador. The Aetherwhale's apparent extinction has caused the aerial fish to start hunting smaller creatures than it once did, but also has turned its viciousness onto these other large creatures. In its recent resurgence, flocks of high flying avian creatures have been known to be swarmed upon and devoured by Aethersharks, and in the past few years, there have been multiple outbreaks of conflict between modern Airships straying slightly off course into the local hunting grounds of the Aethershark, leading to perilous battles between the Dwarves and these aerial predators.

Territory and Groupings

Aethersharks tend to act in packs of around eight to twelve, with no central hierarchy or signified leader. These packs are made more out of necessity when seeking out larger prey, or the occasional mistaken Dwarven Airship, and the packs tend to have a territory that is bound not by the geographical area below them, but instead by the height at which they find themselves. There have been frequent reports of packs that share certain unique purple patterns being seen on one side of Ellador on one day, yet these same patterns being discovered by others hundreds of leagues away in the following days. Whilst Aethersharks have been known to break into conflict with other Aethersharks over what people can only assume to be a territorial dispute, it seems to only ever be in regards to the average height at which they are hunting rather than any other factor. Multiple packs who operate at the same height are often seen passing each other peacefully, yet whenever another pack attempts to travel up or down, they are usually met with a vicious frenzy from their kind.

Trivia

  • In recent years some Dwarven artisans have taken to covering the sides of their vessels in streaks and patterns of purple in an attempt to mimic the Aethersharks. Despite their change in appearance, it has yet to save any ship that has made the mistake of passing too near the path of a roaming pack of Aethersharks.
  • Aethersharks have begun becoming an actively sought out creature for its flesh, many Dwarven traders advertising its ability to catch lightning, though this is never anything more than a scam.
  • When Aethersharks moved to take down an Aetherwhale, it was often one of the few times that packs of Aethersharks from different heights cooperated. The Aetherwhale was usually guided toward the side of a nearby mountain, and for this brief period there were usually no signs of infighting or frenzy that started from the appearance of differently stratified Aethersharks feasting on the same catch.

Accreditation
Writers Follower
Processors HydraLana
Last Editor HydraLana on 12/9/2023.

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