Shinefins

“Even the monsters flinch when the Shinefin flashes.” -Old Wardsea fishing proverb.

A glittering beacon of Everwealth’s upper shallows and sunlit sea lanes, the Shinefin is a sleek, medium-bodied predator bearing all the grace of a common tuna, and none of the humility. Its crystalline, glass-slick scales shimmer like a living sculpture, each one a perfect mirror of the world around it. But these are not for beauty alone. The Shinefin wields its reflection like a blade, turning sunlight into weaponized brilliance, disorienting predators with searing bursts of light aimed into their eyes, or scattering schools of prey with hypnotic flashes. Despite its relatively small size compared to cousin species, the Shinefin is one of the most successful mid-tier fish species in Everwealth’s waters. First recorded more than 2,000 years before the present day, Shinefins are believed to be the product of Lost Age evolution refined by magick, possibly by design. Scholars have long noted the fish’s uncanny intelligence when reflecting light, as if its patterns are choreographed rather than instinctive. Some suggest they were once bred by mages to blind deepsea threats or signal ships in need of rescue. Others call them 'The sea’s smallest tacticians.' More than just a marvel of light, the Shinefin also plays a key ecological role: it is the only consistent predator of the Hooligans , a scale-harassing nuisance so hated by all sea life that even apex predators seem to tolerate Shinefins among their ranks. It is one of the few creatures that swims safely in the company of monsters, because it eats what they hate.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Shinefin resembles a tuna in miniature, rarely exceeding 36-40 inches in length, with a streamlined body built for incredible speed and tight maneuverability. Its most distinctive feature is its mirror-like scales, thin, angular, and sharply edged like wet blades of carved crystal. The scales' reflectivity is such that Shinefins often appear like flickering pieces of the sea’s own light. Each fin ends in a slightly hooked, translucent extension, and the tail flares outward in a cleft “V” similar to other open-water predators. Internally, their musculature is dense and compact, optimized for short, darting bursts of acceleration. Its eyes are dull gray, but extremely perceptive, able to track moving shadows and subtle surface shifts from dozens of feet away. Unlike most fish, Shinefins blink using a membrane that darkens their eye momentarily, allowing them to stare directly into their own reflective glare without harm.

Genetics and Reproduction

Shinefins reproduce through seasonal spawning rituals, where schools of hundreds gather near shallow, sun-warmed reefs to cast their reflective glimmers across the waves in synchronized flashes. This ritual disorients predators and creates a shifting maze of mirrored light through which eggs and sperm are safely dispersed. Fertilized eggs are nearly invisible, shielded by their own semi-reflective coating, and drift freely for up to a week before hatching. It’s believed Shinefins possess some limited ability to recognize kin by reflection, possibly imprinting the mirrored pattern of their school’s unique flash rhythm shortly after birth.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Egg (0-7 days): Drifting, transparent, highly reflective.

• Hatchling (1 week-1 month): Feeds on plankton, begins developing initial shine.

• Juvenile (1-6 months): Sharp scales begin forming, reflex-based flashing starts.

• Adult (6 months+): Full shine, complex light-use observed.

• Lifespan: 4-6 years in the wild.

Ecology and Habitats

Shinefins thrive in surface-level shallows, particularly in open ocean regions where light penetration is strong. Most commonly found near:

• Gullsperch shallows.

• Wardsea’s coral-rimmed bays.

• Though not particularly deep-diving, Shinefins follow prey into reef-choked coves or open tidal channels, often schooling just beneath boats and causing flickers on the sea’s surface that resemble arcane runes or mirrored coin-tosses.

• Their presence is considered a sign of safe water by sailors, but only until the light starts flashing too rapidly.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Shinefins feed on:

• Hooligans (their primary prey).

• Clusters of small crustaceans like Elfshrimp.

• Tide-minnows, juvenile Shinefish, Griefscales, and detritus-rich plankton.

Their method of feeding is aggressively precise: Shinefins will stalk a Hooligan until its attention lapses, then dash in with a slash of their tail or a bite along the gills. This “precision pecking” is rarely fatal in one go, but repeated strikes overtake even larger prey. Interestingly, Shinefins do not overhunt, they seem to follow some innate rhythm, leaving periods of respite between feeding frenzies. This may be instinct, or another remnant of ancient magical conditioning.

Biological Cycle

Shinefins grow most rapidly in the late summer and early autumn, when light intensity is high and food sources peak. During full moons, large schools engage in long “mirror-chases,” where individuals flash across each other in spiraling orbits, possibly as a mating or schooling behavior, but also speculated to be a kind of light-based language. In winter months, they move closer to thermal vents or reef shadows, maintaining smaller schools and feeding less aggressively.

Behaviour

Shinefins are not just reactive, they’re tactically intelligent. They understand predator angles, light refraction, and even use cloud cover to plan breaks in their reflective defenses. They have been observed:

• Blinding surface-diving birds with pinpoint flashes.

• Startling larger fish into nets by “spooking” them with bursts of shimmer.

• Hiding among Silverfin schools and mimicking their light patterns.

This adaptability has led to the growing belief that Shinefins possess primitive magickal cunning, rather than simple instinct.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

• Extreme light sensitivity, especially high-sun and dusk.

• Vibration detection through lateral lines.

• Heat mapping, used to identify targets among crowded schools.

• Reflection-based awareness, including recognizing the difference between self, kin, and predator reflections.

Scientific Name

Thunnos minor prismaticus

Origin/Ancestry

A Lost Age descendant of common oceanic tuna, the Shinefin is widely believed to have been magically altered or accelerated during an early post-Dawn era to serve as light-based signalers or beacon-fish.

Conservation Status

While not endangered, Shinefins are treated with ritual respect. Killing one near a ship’s bow is considered bad luck. Their shimmering corpses, when piled or improperly disposed, are said to reflect "too much", drawing sea-monsters from the deeps. Some coastal towns forbid netting them during solstice tides, lest they draw unwanted attention.