Sea linnorm

Sea linnorm

(Creature)

Type

Dragon
(aquatic)

CR

22

Environment

Cold oceans

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Source: Beyond the Veiled Past, pg(s). 90-91

Sea linnorms are a colossal, reclusive breed of linnorms dwelling in the deepest oceanic trenches.

Appearance

The sea linnorm resembles a sea serpent with a distinctly draconic face. Its dark grey scales with swatches of crimson help it blend into its deep ocean habitat. Lures dangles off its face, each glowing with a pulsating orange light accented by regular electrical discharges. A typical sea linnorm grows up to 55 feet long and weighs around 14,000 pounds.

Ecology

Sea linnorms power their lures and breath weapon with bioelectricity. This breath weapon is a powerful bolt that overwhelms the nervous system of living creatures in its path and is further empowered by the innate bioelectricity of victims, creating additional discharges that arc off the breath's straight trajectory toward the nearest living creature. This breath weapon is capable of overwhelming entire schools of fish at once when the sea linnorm hunts.

After eating, a sea linnorm hibernates up to centuries, long enough for entire aquatic settlements to emerge. Inevitably incurring the wrath of the beasts, some of these settlements adjust their entire societies to provide for them, shepherding schools of fish toward their lairs and, in harder times, encouraging visitors there.

It is believed that sea linnorms are effectively immortal, with the oldest recorded ones surviving well over 5,000 years. Their death curse causes their killer to feel the pressure of crushing depths when fully submerged in any water, regardless of depth.

Society

Sea linnorms live in the deepest oceanic trenches and rarely surface, usually being already sustained by the schools of megafauna in their habitats. Due to their voracious appetites, a sea linnorm's perceived territory encompasses a space of several thousand square miles. Any intruder considered to be a threat is sought out by the sea linnorm who recognises that it will either triumph or die: better to die in the open water than be cornered in its lair. Settlements inside their territory are used as warning systems, being seeded with traditions of alerting the linnorm to the presence of potentially threatening outsiders or of certain apex predators like krakens or luscas.

Few mortals know of the existence of sea linnorms. The only person confirmed to have killed one is the Linnorm King Elgar Fahrstad, when he was crossing the Arcadian Ocean on the way to Valenhall.