The Pinching Gulf
The Pinching Gulf is a body of water found on the southwestern coast of Dekarth. It's named so for splitting two landmasses in a way that leaves it them resembling a crab's pinching claw.
Geography
Most of the Gulf is relatively shallow, but remains deep enough to host plenty aquatic life. This makes it a fine respite within the otherwise perpetually dark and nigh-unnavigable jungle that surrounds it. The coast is primarily made up of sediments that occasionally rise with the rain and tide. The gulf's northern coast is often considered to be the end of the Golgelen Jungle; because the surrounding coastlines have a much more hospital landscape around it.
Grassy highlands make up the entire east coast and landscape that it leads to. The grass here is tall enough to dwarf a man's height; with each blade being about ten feet high. The west coast is taken up primarily by a bamboo forest. The southern coasts, at the very tips of the gulf, are mainly occupied by a sandy beachside.
Ecosystem
The Gulf's ecosystem is most notably determined by two things at the bottom of the food chain; Parliti -- a kelp that can grow to massive sizes and support itself from a deep sea floor, and Red Urchins, which are large sea urchins found drifting across the Dekarti coast. Many predators have adapted beaks to crunch through dense shells, such is the case for the urchins, while crustaceans and other shellfish have adapted filter feeding to live off the plankton or krill that feed off the kelp -- or they simply live off the seaweed found across the gulf.
Ecosystem Cycles
During wintry seasons, it's noted that the kelp found throughout the ecosystem develops dense, bulbous fruit that glows throughout the gulf. This unique phenomena causes the entire ocean water to be left shimmering a faint gold. The pods are capable of being harvested and eaten, but are generally left to the peasantry due to the salty, slimy texture that comes from the densely packed seeds within. The taste is often considered an acquired one.
During the summer, a species of fish known as River Lions swim up the gulf and move upstream towards the mountains; their skin begins to give off a beautiful, striped effect that leaves them much more easy to notice. This is because the scales along their body are meant to attract other River Lions during their spawning pools. Dekarti often take advantage of this and fish them up due to their unique taste.
Fauna & Flora
The Pinching Gulf hosts a diverse ecosystem; to note, there is a massive amount of Parliti -- a species of Kelp that forms an underwater jungle beneath the shallow waters of the gulf. This kelp jungle supports a lot of local fauna.
Fauna
Due to the kelp jungle found across the gulf, many herbivorous creatures live within the Pinching Gulf. It is also a prime fishing ground for both Dekarti and predator alike. There are many breeds of Shellfish and Conches found nearby the shore and bottom of the ocean; though there is a host of saltwater wildlife that can be found throughout the ocean. Notably are the Parrotfish; which are colorful saltwater fish that can graze both on the kelp, and crunch through the shellfish and conches found across the bottom of the ocean. Clams, Conches, and Crabs are very notable species within the ecosystem.Kishishish
Red Urchins Red Urchins are found throughout the pinching gulf, floating listlessly both within it, and the coasts of Dekarth. They graze off the kelp and just about anything that happens to catch them listlessly bobbing about. Despite their hard spines and shelled carapace, they are typically prey animals, and are even hunted by the Dekarti due to the simple fact that they can be eaten raw.Mudpuffs
Mudpuffers Bottom dwelling grazers, Mudpuffers are a species of pufferfish that are typically found listlessly swimming along the muddy seafloor. When threatened by predators, they will rapidly expand to release a dangerous, sticky toxin to deter prey. They typically graze upon the kelp, but are known to sometimes eat shellfish or crustaceans using their beak-like teeth.Raptor Shrimp
Raptor Shrimp are a species of large, cat-sized shrimp that form 'frenzies' in both fresh and salt water. They're often considered a pest due to their tendency to tear through just about anything they can get their claws on. Despite this, it's more common for them to be found filter feeding around the gulf due to plankton or krill found within the gulf.Megafauna
Most notably, the gigantic conch snails found slithering at the bottom of the ocean; they typically feed upon the smaller crabs found along the floor of the gulf, but also sometimes feed on the kelp at the bottom of the sea. They are also the primary prey of Knight Hermits.Knight Hermits
Knight Hermits are a species of gigantic hermit crab, and are found not just in the pinching gulf, but the coast of Dekarth as a whole. They get their name for their ability to grow to sizes large enough to make use of armour scraps left by soldiers or adventurers; many Knight Hermits have been known to have made a new home out of a newly acquired helmet. Some even take it an extra step; using entire breastplates as valid pieces of armour to serve as their new mobile home.Bullfish
Bullfish are a species of large, predatory fish that are found swimming throughout the gulf. Their primary prey happens to be shellfish, crab, or other large, shelled creatures; such as Urchins. Strict meat eaters, Bullfish possess a set of massive jaws that resemble a beak, shaped like a pair of pointed shears that are designed to slice chunks of anything they bite into. They are often considered the Dekarti equivalent to a shark.River Lions
River Lions are fish that are typically ambush predators within the dense kelp jungle; they sport a long mane of loose fins that dangle around a massive jaw, and are capable of changing their skin colour to match the environment. This allows the River Lion to thrive in kelp forests, where they typically prey upon urchins or other fish that would wander too close to graze on the kelp. River lions are also able to move into freshwater rivers and do so during their mating season; hence the name.Golgelen Otter
Golgelen Otters; or Dekarti Great Otters are a massive species of long-bodied mustelids found around the Pinching Gulf -- and the river that leads into it. They're typically sluggish on land, but unlike most mammals, they spend most of their lives in the sea. Here, they delve to catch large shellfish to crack open with rocks, or in some cases, massive fish that happen to be unlucky enough to meet their jaws. Great Otters are huge; and are thus often considered to be the apex predator of the gulf. Despite that, Otters and Bullfish are known to often engage in frequent fights, though this more often than not leads to the Bullfish being dragged to land. They are also smart enough to form 'gangs', which keep close and embrace not just strength in size, but numbers as well.Tourism
Aside from a colorful ecosystem, tourists that arrive during the winter may find that it's actually pleasantly warm around the gulf, a stark contrast from the rest of the world. Further more, the shimmering, golden lights that give a view to the depths below is very much a welcome sight that has attracted people across the world; with stories telling of a 'sea of gold' that brightly shines at night.
Type
Gulf / Lagoon
Location under
Included Locations
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