Rasala

Jaws of Steel

The rasala lurks underwater. Silent as the night, it watches, a watchful predator stalking its prey. When an unlucky Rootfish swims too close to the logs, it strikes. Like the heaviest of steel doors, it slams on its quarry.

— Taxonomist-General Bai

The rasala is one of the apex predators of the swamp. With a jaw that shuts like steel, and an advanced camouflage, it is one of the best ambush predators in the Kava swamp of the Salt Plains.

Basic Information

Anatomy

With echolocation, silent swimming, texture camouflage, and a death-grip, the rasala puts any superhero to shame.

— Taxonomist-General Bai

While the rasala may look more akin to a crocodile or alligator, it is actually a closer cousin of the fish. The Rasala's anatomy is more heavily armored than other, smaller fish in the swamp. These armored scales come at the cost of mobility, but that isn't really a problem with its reinforced jaw.
The fish's body itself is more like a sea snake's, with a rounded body and midsize guiding fins. This is to make it look more like a log, to lure rootfish into striking range. The jaw is the most striking part of the body, containing paralyzing venom and reinforced with extra bones and fangs perfectly suited for cutting through rootfish bone.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The rootfish is the primary food of the rasala. However, the stealth hunter can easily net kills of other small minnows and fish.

All of the rasala's armored scales are colored, and more importantly smell as if it were a newly-fallen hunk of wood that had just entered the water. This decieves the rootfish into approaching it, giving it a free food source.
Normally, the swimming of the rasala would notify the rootfish, via its extreme sense of hearing. However, the rasala has evolved a near-silent form of swimming, and is similarly content to sit in the same position for hours until a rootfish draws nearby.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Like the rootfish, the rasala uses echolocation, although to a lesser extent than the rootfish. Like other denizens of the swamp, it has no eyes, but has a keen sense of smell, a blood tracking ability that allows it to stalk fish if necessary.

Scientific Name

Laqueus laqueus

Origin/Ancestry

Zentland Kava Swamp, Clara

Lifespan

Unknown

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Average Weight

30-40 kg

Average Length

2-3 m