Coral Blue Turtle Shell

Valued by the Duron and many who exist on the treasures of the sea, the shell of the Coral Blue Turtle is a critical part of survival. Sixty bones covered by hard and soft plates, known as scutes.
This rare species of sea turtle can only be found in the Black Coral Sea and only during the winter months, which presents a problem.
The animal so prized and critical for the survival of a people, can only be obtained during the most violent and dangerous time of year.

Uses

Consumption

Not all shells are equal and one thing which is not tolerated among the Duron is waste. Therefore no part of any animal taken in life is cast aside, most especially turtles.
Damaged shells, along with the entire carcass is boiled down and consumed. The soup is a thick and hardy broth, the soft rear area of the turtle produces a chemical--a protein made from amino acids, which supports both bones and joints. This is especially important for the Duron in maintaining their 'sea-legs'.

Turtle Jelly

This process of boiling also creates a 'jelly' that sticks to the edge of the boiled shell--useful in many dishes. If the jelly is potent enough (determined by both color and smell), it can be dried and used in various healing concoctions. Boiled until the water evaporates, the shells generate the jelly, which can flush toxins (and milder poisons) from the body.
Larger shells of older turtles will provide a light blue jelly, which can be separated and dried to make Lapse...the most potent and effective means of achieving the state of Serenity.

Divination

One of the less common, though highly religious uses of the turtle shell is divination.
Medicine men and those of the Kätulu will take these shells and heat them up until the singed scutes turn dark brown and crack. The shell is then left to cool, a holy reader then interprets the cracks to foretell the future, make predictions, and even verify prayers made to the elements and/or gods.

Items/Objects

Turtle shells are also known to be used to create useful items, such as armor pieces, dishes, weapons, and even jewelry.
As it has been mentioned, the turtle, at least among the Duron, is never wasted.
Most especially the shell.

Statistics

Size:

The coral blue can reach up to 200" in length.

Weight:

At 63" the coral blue has been weighed in at over 1000lbs. This causes us to supposed that a full length adult could weight upwards of 2500lbs+

Diet:

Jellyfish, sea urchins, seagrass, and mature adults have been known to feast on the poisonous coral viper.

Hatchlings:

Only one in 1000 hatchlings ever make it to maturity due to environmental conditions and natural predators.

Harvesting Shells:

The full chemical properties from a Coral Blue Turtle Shell can be obtained once the turtle has reached a minimum of 45" in length. NOTE: this is the length of the shell, NOT the total length of the turtle itself.