Purple-Bottom Sky Terrors
Purple-bottom sky terrors are a species of semi-aquatic, aviary jellyfish which mainly exist in Nas Kotok Bay. Their incredibly low density allows them to float in the air, sometimes up to 165 feet above the surface of the water. They have tentacles which often extend all the way to the water's surface, and sometimes even probe beneath it. Occasionally, sky terrors will descend to the water if they have drifted too high into the atmosphere or too far from their home; they do this by pulling up their tentacles into their body, which makes them dense enough to gently float down into the water, where they are then able to control their movement by swimming. Sky terrors spend most of their lives mindlessly drifting through the air, and feed by means of trapping other creatures in their extraordinarily long, numerous and venomous tentacles, which will certainly entangle and kill any living thing they happen to come into contact with. Because of this, although they are somewhat rare, sky terrors are an immense danger to ships passing through the areas inhabited by them. Many sailors have been lost over the years, as well as ordinary citizens who happened to be on the coast when a sky terror drifted too close by. Because of their low weight and density, they have a tendency to move through the air incredibly quickly, and can be hard to notice before it's too late. Many folktales and fables warn children of the dangers of swimming too far into the water, or going to the beach alone.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The sky terror's anatomy is nearly identical to that of its aquatic jellyfish cousins, the main difference being that its skin is thin and light enough for it to be able to drift through the air. The sky terror is also capable of controlling its tentacles and even swimming with them, which many aquatic species of jellyfish are not able to do. The sky terror's tentacles contain a potent, paralyzing venom which quickly finds its way into prey by means of thousands of small barbs which line the bottoms of the sky terror's tentacles.
Genetics and Reproduction
Female sky terrors will release thousands of eggs regularly, which float through the air until they come into contact with the tentacles of a male sky terror, who will then bring them into his body to fertilize them, before dropping them into the water below.
Growth Rate & Stages
Sky terrors begin their lives as very small creatures, no more than a foot in diameter, with tentacles up to five feet long. They grow consistently throughout their life until they die - most sky terrors make it to an average of ten to fifteen feet in diameter, with tentacles of between forty-five and sixty feet in length. However, sky terrors tend not to die unless something such as a human or a large bird of prey actively kills them, so they have the potential to reach incredible sizes. The largest observed sky terrors measure approximately thirty feet in diameter with tentacles of approximately 180 feet in length.
Ecology and Habitats
Sky terrors mainly live in the skies above marine waters, but they do occasionally return to the water if they drift too high or too far from their home range. Sometimes, sky terrors will drift above dry land, although they are generally able to tell when this is happening and stop it before it becomes a problem. Sky terrors have been seen as far inland as Tastasz, although this is incredibly rare and most sky terrors which drift inland die within several miles of the shore.
Additional Information
Domestication
Some cunningfolk and beastmasters have attempted to domesticate sky terrors and use them to travel quickly through the sky, although most who attempt this have been killed, and those few who have succeeded have been unable to do it consistently. Still, there are those who will continue to try to tame these floating beasts.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Sky terrors are generally thought to be very unintelligent creatures, who simply exist in the ecosystem but do not control their actions or impulses. Some believe that they are more intelligent than this, as they sometimes seem to specifically target passing ships with more sailors aboard, but most would consider this merely a curiosity or a legend rather than a fact.
Lifespan
unknown
Conservation Status
Sky Terrors are actively hunted by specialized groups of sailors, who hunt them only for sport and to make Nas Kotok Bay a safer place for ships to pass through. These sailors/hunters are enlisted mainly by the government of Tajj Neta , although private merchants often hire terror-hunters - as they are often called - to protect their ships as they pass through the bay.
Average Height
50 feet
Average Weight
40 pounds
Average Length
50 feet
Geographic Distribution
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