Part of the Magic Elementals (Open Art Collab) series. Hmu if interested
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Bestiary Entry
To talk about the Ink Hydra without first noting its insurmountable danger is impossible, as one of their most notable traits is their volatile and exceedingly violent nature. Indeed, to describe even a single trait of the Ink Hydra, one must draw onto how that only serves to aid in their monstrous tirades across the War Seas. Its diet is largely unknown, but it is believed that they frequently dine on other such massive sea creatures as whales, squid, and even the Alpha White Eyes, dwarfing all who find themselves with the great misfortune of encountering the beast. It has also been observed that the Ink Hydra possesses an entirely serpentine body with no legs, slithering across the land smoothly as it leaves a constant trail of black ink behind it.
Their vast and largely uncharted territories, thought to be located over the deepest trenches of the seas, can be seen marked with a noticeable black inkiness to their waters, such that if one were to stick their hand below the surface they’d not be able to see the tips of their fingers and come up with it stained completely black. To enter these territories is almost certain suicide, as even if you somehow manage to survive the attack itself you will surely die to creatures such as the Alpha White Eyes and other leviathans within its depths.
As its territories lay close to the skies, the Ink Hydra has been observed in battle with an unexpected rival of the seas: the Wind Quetzalcoatl. Events such as these only appear to occur when sea vessels perceived as innocent by the Wind Quetzalcoatl are under threat by the Ink Hydra, such as the countless fleets of a migrating people. Conversely, the Wind Quetzalcoatl is not above flinging entire armadas into the inky black seas of the Ink Hydra, should they be foolish enough to attack it.
To any dauntless enough to attempt it, the Ink Hydra can indeed regrow heads, returning not one but two from which it was split. Each acts and thinks independently of the others, however it is typically found that the eldest head is most dominant of them all and will not hesitate to put the others in their place through violent means. The alpha head can be observed baring the most extravagant frills and whiskers, purposefully ripping and tearing from both structures in the other heads in order to further assert its dominance over them. If one were to be injured in a fight, perhaps with a Wind Quetzalcoatl or rival Hydra, it would not be considered abnormal behavior to exhibit the alpha head purposefully ripping off the injured one in return for two more. Still, it’s an estimated 50/50 chance of this happening, as more heads also results in more competition and maintenance to retain control.
Though it is unknown how many the Ink Hydra is born with, the fewest known heads seen has been as little as three, while the most have been thirteen on a single body. The typical amount of heads is supposedly five, though with any more a second dominant head may appear to manage the others under the first. It should also be noted that to kill the body joining the heads of the Hydra is also as futile as targeting the heads themselves due to their ability to separate from the body itself with enough damage. In doing so, the heads are all vulnerable to the abyssal creatures within the territory, as well as each other, but will happily prey upon anything they see fit.
To kill such a tremendously ferocious beast there are but two solutions:
- If even one of the heads lays their eyes upon that of the Ash Cockatrice or Poison Basilisk’s eyes the entire body will die with no chance of escape or recovery.
- It is possible to end the Ink Hydra through brute force and to do so one must sever the heads and cauterize the wound in such a quick succession that the heads do not return. However, as is the case with all Magic Elementals, the only way to harm them is through the use of Magic Energy, so any being incapable of magic will surely perish.