| Climate/Terrain: | Subarctic to tropical waters |
|---|---|
| Frequency: | Rare |
| Organization: | Solitary |
| Activity Cycle: | Any |
| Diet: | Carnivore |
| Intelligence: | Animal |
| Treasure: | Nil |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 1-2 |
| Armor Class: | 5 |
| Movement: | Sw 30 |
| Hit Dice: | 14 |
| THAC0: | 7 |
| No. of Attacks: | 1 |
| Damage/Attack: | 1-8 |
| Special Attacks: | Nil |
| Special Defenses: | Nil |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil |
| Size: | G (60'-100') |
| Morale: | Steady (12) |
| XP Value: | 4,000 |
This creature is about the size of the Merhorse, and some people mistakenly assume they are different sexes of the same species. However, the differences are too great for that. For example, aside from a few whiskers on the muzzle and a hairy crest making a short ridge along the spine, no hairs are visible on the Long-necked sea serpent. Its neck is also far more slender than that of the Merhorse, and is quite long. Though it may look like a plesiosaur, it, too, is a giant form of sea lion. Its eyes are too small to be seen unless the observer is very close, and a pair of short hornlike tubes project from the top of the head. These are probably breathing tubes, erectable at will, enabling the creature to take air while remaining virtually invisible at the surface. If extended while below the surface, these tubes let the Long-necked exhale under water without blinding itself with the stream of bubbles.
The Long-necked has a very small round head, with a tapering muzzle like a seal's, often compared to the head of a horse, giraffe, or camel. Its neck is cylindrical and is flexible enough to bend in any direction or to stick out of the water perpendicularly. As mentioned before, it has no mane, but a fold in its skin behind the head seems to form a sort of collar. It has a thick, fat body with visible rolls of fat that can form from 1-3 humps as the animal bends its body while swimming. It has four seallike flippers, and its tail is either nonexistent or a mere stump. The skin looks smooth when wet, but rough and wrinkled when dry or when viewed up close. Coloration on top is dark brown, with gray, black, or whitish mottling; the underside is a much lighter, dirty yellow hue.
The Long-necked is just as fast as the Merhorse, and, except for the fact that its bite only does 1-8 points of damage, its stats are the same. It has been reported in all but the coldest waters, and it seems to prefer cool waters in summer and the tropics in winter.
by Gregory W. Detwiler