| Climate/Terrain: | Arctic waters |
|---|---|
| Frequency: | Very rare |
| Organization: | Solitary |
| Activity Cycle: | Any |
| Diet: | Carnivore |
| Intelligence: | Animal |
| Treasure: | Nil |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 1-2 |
| Armor Class: | 4 |
| Movement: | SW 12 |
| Hit Dice: | 12 |
| THAC0: | 9 |
| No. of Attacks: | 1 |
| Damage/Attack: | 1-10 |
| Special Attacks: | Nil |
| Special Defenses: | Nil |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil |
| Size: | G (65'-100') |
| Morale: | Average (10) |
| XP Value: | 2,000 |
This is a primitive aquatic mammal, probably closely related to whatever carnivorous mammal first returned to life in the sea. It may also be a real sea serpent that does not exist any more; the last definite sighting was in 1848, so it may have been driven into extinction, possibly through competition with the Long-necked (see below). It has a flat, elongated head, small eyes, a slenderneck of medium length, and a long tail that ends in a point. Its spine is so flexible that it can form six or seven bends visible when the animal is on the surface. It has webbed feet with definite toes, making it the least specialized of sea serpents. It has no fins or other appendages on its back; its skin is rough or wrinkled, a light or grayish brown in color. It lives only in Arctic (generally Scandinavian) waters, and Heuvelmans makes the point that melting ice makes polar waters the least salty in the world, making it easier for a land animal to adapt itself to life in the sea. Remember, this is where the polar bear lives.
by Gregory W. Detwiler