Reefshell Tangler

Appereance

Reefshell Tanglers have a body like that of a meter wide crab, a wide carapace shell with a rough and craggy texture. Often coral and other aquatic life grow from the backs of the Tanglers. Instead of legs and pincers like a crab, Tanglers have 6 tentacles that look like kelp and can grow to be over ten meters in length.

Behaviour

Reefshell Tanglers are mostly herbivorous sea creatures that are found in pods ranging in size from a dozen to hundreds. The tanglers will graze along the seafloor, eating various plants and small marine life. When sensing danger they still and mimic a patch of kelp by letting their tentacles drift upwards like normal kelp.

These creatures become frenzied at the sight of wood, and will swarm wooden ships and attempt to devour them. This state of frenzy overrides their normally docile natures, and they will throw themselves into danger trying to eat wood until they are sated or have sustained mortal wounds.

Ecology

Reefshell Tanglers can be found all across Emala, in large numbers. They are sometimes hunted and eatan. The northern countries of Akzoriel, Kjist and Geshal, consider Reefback Tanglers a delicacy.

Many sailors believe these creatures are a sign of ill omen, soon after sighting a storm will capsize the ship, or pirates will attack, or the food will be found ot have spoiled. Killing or fishing Tanglers invites even worse luck upon the ship, but is sometimes unavoidable.