Detailed Explanantion: Ripper Seals
At first, the more fantastical setting of Az may lead some to believe that the apex predator of this world would be one of the native species of dragon, either of the Rocs, or perhaps the gluttonous Wandering Maw of Tolu. But if there was any naturally occurring creature roaming the world of Az that could befit such a moniker, you may be surprised at the initially mundane visage that the ripper seal presents.
Certainly not to be ignored, the ripper seal appears substantially similar to the leopard seal, with long, slender bodies which support a large, earless head. They would be considered cute... if not for the fact that they grow as large as six meters in length, all while sporting a maw with dagger-like teeth, with canines over six centimeters in length, large enough that they often jut out of the seal's mouth much like a sabre-toothed cat. Coat coloration ranges from mottled grey-white, akin to their relative the leopard seal, to more rustic browns and blacks as populations move towards the lower latitudes. Large front flippers allow for a shocking degree of aquatic maneuverability for such a large predator, which compliments the seal's ability to swim up to 50 km/h.
But what makes a true apex predator is their uncontested success in hunting, something that ripper seals certainly achieve. Being so large and powerful is a definite factor in their success, but their skill as a predator is mostly owed to the wicked intellect that they possess. Showing an aptitude for ambush tactics, ripper seals usually attack by biting an animal, preferably smaller seals and penguins, before thrashing it about, tearing it to shreds in the process. However, they have shown a readiness to change feeding tactics, from hunting krill when ideal prey is unavailable, to pursuing the calves of whale pods and, most notoriously, stalking and killing humans. Here is where the intelligence of the ripper seal is on full display, with many instances of several rippers partaking in coordinated efforts to capsize fishing vessels, either by dragging the ship under or generating waves that attempt to knock passengers into their waiting jaws.
So notorious are these beasts, that they have received several monikers from various cultures, such as "Smiley Sea Devils" from sailors and pirates around the Long Stretch, owing to survivor's reports of ripper seal attacks, who claim the animals appeared to be grinning before dragging victims below. Other nicknames include "Salt Hounds", "Merchant Manglers" and so on.
When a ripper seal pup is born, it will be cared for by its mother for three to four months, learning how to hunt and being weaned off its mother at around its second month. Males display little to no involvement in parental care, and are known to be highly polygamous.
Male and female ripper seals reach sexual maturity anywhere from eight to ten years, though females usually reach this threshold earlier. Once mating is complete, the female will carry the seal pup for roughly thirteen months, retreating to a secluded location away from other rippers so that she can raise the pup safely.
Ripper seals have a natural lifespan averaging thirty years, though it is thought that they can reach as high as fifty years of age without aid of magical augmentation.
Ripper seals are rated as "Moderate Arcane Entities", placing them in a similar range of magical affinity as most canines, felines and birds. Able to acquire a stock of soul-force and manifest magic in certain ways, ripper seals have mainly been recorded using magic to directly enhance their own physical form as of the Enlightened Era. Not quite intelligent enough to demonstrate an advanced understanding of their power, magically gifted rippers seem to be aware of their innate advantage over their peers, yet only use their magic as far as it aids them in hunting for the most part.
There are of course a selection of individuals from this species who have been observed utilizing more advanced forms of magic. Notably, ripper seals who frequently stalk humans make up the majority of these outliers. Chief among them is a female known as The Plundering Wave, a lone nomad seal who lived around 200 E.E and terrorized the waters ranging from the coasts of Gimea to the Northern Ocean. Having observed human mages manipulating water in her youth, this female learned how to crudely control the currents around her, using the knowledge to capsize vessels with powerful waves, from where her name was given. This example is not the only one where a ripper seal shows more complex magic ability, but it is the most well known.
Physiology
Certainly not to be ignored, the ripper seal appears substantially similar to the leopard seal, with long, slender bodies which support a large, earless head. They would be considered cute... if not for the fact that they grow as large as six meters in length, all while sporting a maw with dagger-like teeth, with canines over six centimeters in length, large enough that they often jut out of the seal's mouth much like a sabre-toothed cat. Coat coloration ranges from mottled grey-white, akin to their relative the leopard seal, to more rustic browns and blacks as populations move towards the lower latitudes. Large front flippers allow for a shocking degree of aquatic maneuverability for such a large predator, which compliments the seal's ability to swim up to 50 km/h.
Hunting Behavior
But what makes a true apex predator is their uncontested success in hunting, something that ripper seals certainly achieve. Being so large and powerful is a definite factor in their success, but their skill as a predator is mostly owed to the wicked intellect that they possess. Showing an aptitude for ambush tactics, ripper seals usually attack by biting an animal, preferably smaller seals and penguins, before thrashing it about, tearing it to shreds in the process. However, they have shown a readiness to change feeding tactics, from hunting krill when ideal prey is unavailable, to pursuing the calves of whale pods and, most notoriously, stalking and killing humans. Here is where the intelligence of the ripper seal is on full display, with many instances of several rippers partaking in coordinated efforts to capsize fishing vessels, either by dragging the ship under or generating waves that attempt to knock passengers into their waiting jaws.
So notorious are these beasts, that they have received several monikers from various cultures, such as "Smiley Sea Devils" from sailors and pirates around the Long Stretch, owing to survivor's reports of ripper seal attacks, who claim the animals appeared to be grinning before dragging victims below. Other nicknames include "Salt Hounds", "Merchant Manglers" and so on.
Life-cycle
When a ripper seal pup is born, it will be cared for by its mother for three to four months, learning how to hunt and being weaned off its mother at around its second month. Males display little to no involvement in parental care, and are known to be highly polygamous.
Male and female ripper seals reach sexual maturity anywhere from eight to ten years, though females usually reach this threshold earlier. Once mating is complete, the female will carry the seal pup for roughly thirteen months, retreating to a secluded location away from other rippers so that she can raise the pup safely.
Ripper seals have a natural lifespan averaging thirty years, though it is thought that they can reach as high as fifty years of age without aid of magical augmentation.
Affinity for Magic
Ripper seals are rated as "Moderate Arcane Entities", placing them in a similar range of magical affinity as most canines, felines and birds. Able to acquire a stock of soul-force and manifest magic in certain ways, ripper seals have mainly been recorded using magic to directly enhance their own physical form as of the Enlightened Era. Not quite intelligent enough to demonstrate an advanced understanding of their power, magically gifted rippers seem to be aware of their innate advantage over their peers, yet only use their magic as far as it aids them in hunting for the most part.
There are of course a selection of individuals from this species who have been observed utilizing more advanced forms of magic. Notably, ripper seals who frequently stalk humans make up the majority of these outliers. Chief among them is a female known as The Plundering Wave, a lone nomad seal who lived around 200 E.E and terrorized the waters ranging from the coasts of Gimea to the Northern Ocean. Having observed human mages manipulating water in her youth, this female learned how to crudely control the currents around her, using the knowledge to capsize vessels with powerful waves, from where her name was given. This example is not the only one where a ripper seal shows more complex magic ability, but it is the most well known.
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