Téras

Sailors swear they have seen the Téras, claiming it will attack anyone or anything that gets too close to its territory. They say that where it has its lair, not only do ships disappear with only wreckage washing up on the shore, if at all, but it also seems that fish and other wildlife avoid the area.   Those sailors who claim to have spotted it describe it as having a massive barrel-like chest that's tapering to a large and powerful tail; all this mass is driven by four broad, paddle-like flippers that are capable of sudden accelerations. Sailors have described it as having a broad, blunt head that is built for pure bite force and its jaw lined with interlocking conical teeth. One Téras that was spotted in 1045 IC was described as having a row of pink scars that is believed to line up with another Téras' jaws.   Its skin is described as thick and leathery, slate-blue and green, with visible lines believed to be scar tissue. Its belly is pale and just as tough as its upper hide and is generally the only place a ballista bolt can penetrate to any reliable depth. It has been observed that ships that survive the first attack and put up a good fight are often left alone, and despite the win, the ships that do survive are often still heavily damaged.   It's believed by scholars that the Téras attacks its prey from below, using vertical speeds that should be impossible for a creature the size of a small warship. Sailors who have survived their ship getting attacked by the Téras have said that it first smashed their ores before disappearing for up to hours before returning and breaking the ships back, leaving them to sink.   Coastal communities have shrines built on the beach or on a hill overlooking the waters, where they bring small offerings to the Téras. Some local beliefs claim that the Téras is a god of the sea   Legends tell of a fleet being destroyed off the coast of Rulk; some attribute the attack to the Téras, while others say that the fleet sank because of the storm that hit it. Some of the wreckage that washed up on shore showed signs of bitemarks, but it's impossible to determine if they were made before or after the ship was destroyed.