2025 May 20: Aquatic Monsters

 Sea serpents and their cousins, the river and lake monsters are the brood of Termak, demoness of the Waters Below. She was defeated by the gods, sealed beneath the earth, but her children escaped and multiplied to the point that almost all bodies of water house at least one monster.

Despite their origins, these monsters usually leave people alone, only occasionally sinking boats, or eating those who swim carelessly. Most of the time a few sacrificed animals a month keeps them amicable enough, and they have no wish to interact with mortals beyond that. Sometimes however, they become a danger to all who would enter their waters, in which case they need to be put down. Slaying these mighty beasts is very much a task for the mightiest, or most foolhardy of warriors.

The one place aquatic monsters are consistently hostile is the deep ocean. Once one sails a few days past the point they can see land from, they enter the territory of these deadly monsters, and they will try to sink any vessels sailing that far out.

Image by Kitt Lapeña