Written by ‘Captain Roving’
Co-written by ‘Deckhands of the Heart’
Forsooth! I, the MIGHTY Captain Roving, opted to conjure a tome of knowledge all about SEA MONSTERS! From mindless sharks whom view humans as nothing but meat, to the GARGANTUAN mutants that grow corrupt by the minute; I shall teach all that read this tome on how to properly combat the Beasts of the Deep, starting from the natural calamities to the TWISTED machinations of the Dark Sea!
…Excuse our captain’s… extravagant way of speaking. I encouraged him to write a journal since he won’t shut up about slaying White Eyes to the sailors that pass by, so he’ll direct all this energy into this book. This can also serve as a guide on how to kill sharks without damaging their parts, surely you’d want a shark intact and not vaporized for their fins, correct?
-Bailey
Type 1: ‘Shark’
Hah! Tis but the regular shark you shall see around the War Seas! It carries no special value… yet one must tread with caution, for even a mere shark may tear off a limb in just a single bite should one be reckless! This goes for every shark, but it’s important to know that blood in the water shall attract these fiends, big and small. This makes for an easy lure, but be prepared to fend them off with haste!
Now… should you take up your harpoons, net-cannons, or harpoon guns, the sharks nearby will begin encircling your ship, how preposterous! After a handful of cycles around your ship, it will charge in for a bite, gnawing at the hull of your precious vessel! Now, there are a few ways to repel such attacks, the first and main way is to predict where they’ll swim and throw your hunting weapons straight at them! The sudden pain will cause them to change direction, but no shark goes down with a singular harpoon, and therefore you must repeat the process until it falls!
A regular shark has little tolerance for pain, usually going down once two harpoons hast skewered its physical form. Though, it is decently fast, so a rookie hunter MUST train before moving onto bigger game!
Type 2: ‘Tiger Shark’
Hmph! Tis but another natural shark mutation… though, be warned! It is MUCH more agile than any other shark thou might’ve seen before! Such speed! Such speed is unmatched even amongst the healthiest of sharks and MUST be handled with efficiency and accuracy!
A tiger shark can be recognized by it having black top with a white bottom, but its most defining aspect is its speed!
Now, you must treat it as a regular shark, except it will be much faster. Throws and shots from a distance will be much more difficult, however I, the Captain of the Heart, propose another way of dealing with Tiger Sharks; letting them close.
“Isn’t the point of Sea Monster hunting to prevent them from sinking the ship?”, you may ask, but you must understand! Against foes with such speed, it’s better to lure them into dashing into a straight line or getting them to stray closer to your vessel, which will allow you to gain a cheap shot on the tiger shark. Now, they will be more durable compared to the basic shark mentioned before, but should you follow these steps, they shall be culled just like the rest!
Hmph! Writing is such a tiring activity, is it not? I’d rather make conversation with my crew, rather than silently speak with a piece of paper… but I did make a promise to my deckhands, so I must finish this book first… at a later date. Perhaps Roy or even Francis could be interested in writing a few entries. Now, I must go and best this Blue Whale in fierce ship combat! Stay put, my Tome of Knowledge!
PART 2
So, this is the journal Captain told me about, huh, thought it’d be filled up by now. Well… this is Roy writing, 1st Mate of the Heart, or Captain’s ship. Been sailing with the feller for quite a while. I remember when we killed our first whale, good times… though I don’t know how Captain ended up like this. Oh well, at least he didn’t lose it. I’m supposed to write about sharks, but seeing how Captain cut it off after two entries, he won’t mind me skipping as well, hm?
Type 3: ‘Great White Sharks’
A classic shark known to just about anyone in the War Seas. If you think of the term ‘Shark’, then the Great White is the first thing that’s gonna come to mind, excluding White Eyes, of course. Great White Sharks are one of the predators of the sea, being both bulky and having one of the deadliest bites known to man out of all of the ‘normal’ marine life.
Now, onto the general statistics.
Bite Strength: High, don’t want to get caught too close to it.
Pain Tolerance: Also high. It can take a serious beating.
Speed: Slower than average.
Great Whites, as glorified as they may be, are quite vulnerable when it comes to fending off against harpoons. They move slower than the average shark, and because of this, it’s easy to impale them with various armaments. Though, if you let them slip too close to the ship, then trust me when I say it’ll crunch through the hull if given enough time. In short? Target the biggest sharks first… and don’t jump into the water. Bad idea with these ones.
Type 4: ‘Megalodons’
Ah, the Megalodons. Most dangerous shark of the ‘marine life’ category. Bigger than the Great White before it, yet it’s considerably faster. Oh, and not to mention their bites HURT. I remember when a castaway got too close to the waters while we were fighting it… he died of shock.
Alright, they’re dangerous, all right, but they’re really just a Great White who’s bulkier and took a swig of an agility potion. It’s speedy, yeah? But just focus on repelling its advances with your harpoons and considering its size… an adept shark hunter is unlikely to miss.
Bite Strength: High
Pain Tolerance: High
Speed: Above Average.
If Captain was writing, he’d call this ‘the pinnacle of experience for a shark hunter’, but honestly… it’s just another shark. Happy hunting.
Alright, that’s enough outta me. I have repairs to make to the Brig… apparently Captain got into a ship fight… typical. This should be the last of the basic sharks, so I’ll let someone else write about the Sea Monsters and Whales.
Signing off.
Hahaha! So, this is what those two were up to? It’s an alright shark guide but- Oh, come on~ You didn’t even mention that we eat Tiger and Great White Sharks? That’s like, such an important detail, especially for Chefs like me! Oh! Almost forgot to put my name here, since Maple and Roy did as well; I’m Francis, the Chef of the Heart!
Now, let’s see Tiger Sharks, Great Whites, Megalo’s too~ Aw, they forgot one, gimme a sec!
Type 5: ‘Lurkers’
Here’s the second reason why whirlpools are dangerous: Lurkers! They’re pitch-black sharks that hide under whirlpools and devour anything that falls inside it! Horrifying, I know, but they’re actually super-duper friendly! Heck, as long as you don’t struggle or squirm in a whirlpool, they won’t attack you! Hehe, I even managed to hug one before!
Well, I already stated one way to lure them out, which makes the second being attacking them using a ship attachment! They’re pretty fast and their biting power is strong too! I really pity those who get trapped in Lurker Whirlpools… must suck to be ripped apart in a place where you struggle to swim…
That’s kinda all there is to Lurkers, honestly, just a fast shark that’s opportunistic, in a sense. Their main value comes from their eyeballs, rather than fins. I heard Lurker Eyes do something regarding your vision… it doesn’t improve it, rather it helps you find stuff… oh! Right!
It’s the thingie for high class Revealing Potions. Well, that’s your reason for hunting Lurkers, fellas! Always check under whirlpools for those guys!
Ghehe~ Francis strikes again. Now, I’ll be leaving the Captain’s Quarters in a moment, all this writing about Sharks is starting to make me really crave one of those meals… perhaps we should fish some up again, wouldn’t that be a treat? Only ones left are… whales and sea monsters, though this journal will definitely be updated once Maple heads to the Nimbus Sea, there must be new things over there, ye
PART 3
Francis needs to stop snooping around Captain’s property, even if she’s a part of the crew.
Nevermind, she wrote something meaningful… Lurkers. Really never seen them in a while, especially since they disappear after a whirlpool dissipates.
Since everyone is resting at Sailor’s Lodge, I suppose I’ll leave my contribution to this book. Name’s Rasmussen, by the way, and I’ll take up the spot for the two Sea Monsters we’ve encountered so far, Poison Jaws and White Eyes.
(Sorry in advance, Captain. Couldn’t think of any other marinelife.)
Sea Monster ‘Poison Jaws’
Poison Jaws are likely one of the first ‘Sea Monsters’ you’ll encounter. Before I continue, I’d like to press the fact that ‘Marine Life’ and ‘Sea Monsters’ are different terms, as Marine Life refers to sharks, megalodons, and otherwise unaltered life. Meanwhile, ‘Sea Monsters’ are usually mutated variants, ranging from the growth of a White Eyes to whatever happened to the Obolus.
Back on topic, Poison Jaws are small sharks with a blueish and grey color scheme. While it’s unlikely you’ll recognize the pattern immediately, you’ll certainly notice the purple mist coming from its jaws, poison.
Poison Jaw bites are actually weaker than many might think, I’d say a good estimate is the bite of a regular shark, though when we factor in the poisonous effect, things get messy from there. If we combine the bite injury alongside the poisons, then death is nearly certain for those without decent endurance. Honestly, don’t go in the water… at all.
As for hunting them, they’re easy pickings. In comparison to just about any shark, I’d peg them to a Tiger Shark without their agility, only keeping their durability. Why do I rate them so low even after explaining their dangers? Because your ship can’t get fucking poisoned.
Sea Monster ‘White Eyes’
Here’s the real deal, practically the poster…child? Poster beast? Well, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ‘Sea Monster’, the Capsizing Mutant, White Eyes.
Fighting against White Eyes is going to be one hell of a journey, as White Eyes likely going to be MUCH bigger than your boat and especially yourself. From personal experience, here’s how this battle should go.
White Eyes, if they didn’t immediately charge for your ship, will begin encircling your ship, just like any shark would, but they won’t dive down and hide, they will keep moving. Depending on their patience, they’ll be orbiting your ship, so expect to be switching from different Ship Attachment spots as you barrage it with nets, cannonballs, or harpoons. However, one thing is likely to happen; it’ll head in for a bite.
I’ve seen countless sailors make the mistake of thinking they can repel White Eyes during its charge, so trust me when I say it’s better for you to dismount your armament and high jump away from where White Eyes is going to bite.
There are two reasons for why your retreat is exaggerated to this extent.
- White Eyes’ jaw can harm anyone too close to itself. This is why backing off is important, as being too reckless will get your upper body torn clean off.
- High Jumping is related to dodging White Eyes’ bite, but it’s also to prevent you from falling into the water. Whenever a Sea Monster of gargantuan size damages your ship, it will cause it to rumble and shake. If you haven’t caught on already, falling into the water with an angry monster is good way to shorten your lifespan by an indefinite amount. By High Jumping, you’re less likely to… you know what? You aren’t stupid, aren’t you? That’s basically it.
To summarize, hunting White Eyes consists of three phases; Your Barrage, White Eyes Rush, and Evasion → Counterattack. It all comes down to if you can land your projectiles and if White Eyes doesn’t rend your ship apart. So, if you come across the Crimson Beast, I wish you good luck.
Sea Monster ‘Obolus’
And before we forget any other of our recently discovered monsters, let’s give our enlarged Anglerfish a greeting.
Obolus is an elusive Sea Monster taking up the appearance of an azure Anglerfish, sized to an immense scale. It’s often sighted near mounds of treasure near the bottom of the sea, the most apparent indicator being a bright blue bulb.
That bulb is the Obolus itself, guarding the piles of treasure in the ocean. It’s important to mention that Obolus has the ability to cloak itself, as in ‘turn invisible’, minus the bulb, which is called an ‘esca’. If we compare Obolus to a regular Anglerfish, I’d assume that the esca is left uncloaked so it may attract prey.
There’s not much to say on how to fight it, as I’d compare it similar to White Eyes. You can provoke it by swimming nearby the Treasure Mound or attacking it from the get-go with a ship attachment. The esca will begin approaching you, and that will be your cue to reboard the ship and man your vessel for the incoming fight.
That seems to be, I suppose. Writing definitely isn’t my strong suit… I’m a warrior, not a scholar, after all. I’m sure I missed something about these sea monsters, but I’ll let someone else correct me. This is Rasmussen, and I’m tired of writing.
End.
YEEEEEAH! You really gotta work on this, Rassie. You missed so much about these guys, but I’ll keep it short.
Poison Jaws can have their teeth extracted after death. Their teeth can be used to make potent poison potions, while some of their fangs can be fashioned into a makeshift dagger; heard it’s popular with Magic-Warriors, whatever they call them nowadays!
White Eyes can be harvested for their scales, which can be used to create a brew that increases your power temporarily. I speculate that the magic pollution in the scales was filtered to an extent, allowing for the Power Potions to be safely consumed without heavy side effects… looking at you, Sailor Fist Practitioners!
Lastly, Obolus specimen can have their scales or escas harvested from their bodies. Obolus Scales are used for high tier invisibility potions; popular among spies or hunters, while the Escas are used for… blinding potions. The latter is kinda underwhelming, but I’m a chef, not an alchemist, so why should I care?
The text seems to halt there.