Mountain eel

Mountain eel

(Creature)

Type

Animal

CR

6

Environment

Temperate or warm mountains (Castrovel)

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Source: Alien Archive, pg(s). 78

Mountain eels are a species of terrestrial eel-like predators native to the mountains of Castrovel.

Appearance

A mountain eel has an eel's body plan, an arthropod's compound eyes, and dark green skin. Multiple wing-like appendages allow it to push the underbrush aside and distribute its weight so as to create as little sound as possible when hunting. It is 5 feet tall and 60 feet long, but tends to contort its body, and weighs around 300 pounds. Newborn mountain elvers are human-sized, translucent, covered in mucus and toothless until a few weeks old. Mountain eels' vocal chords are almost vestigial, and they communicate via numerous scent glands.

Ecology

Mountain eels hunt for prey on the slopes of the mountains of Castrovel, quickly gliding from tree to tree and ambushing prey. Ravenous predators, they need to eat close to their weight in food daily, so while they prefer fresh meat, they are willing to feed on carrion if available. If a mountain eel is sated, it will leave the rest of the prey item there for other creatures. Mountain eels depend on eating for hydration, and usually avoid big bodies of water, but sometimes bask in rains or small streams.

Due to their lack of teeth, mountain elvers cannot hunt and are fed by their parents during the first weeks of their lives. They start hunting for smaller prey when their teeth develop, grow to full size after a few years, and become sexually mature in a few more years. Old mountain eels tend to move slower and emit stronger odours. Mountain eel corpses decompose quickly, taking just a few days to completely disappear in Castrovelian weather.

Society

Despite (or because of) the danger involved, some lashuntas and formians enjoy hunting mountain eels. Such hopefuls must be very alert of signs, as mountain eels leave very little evidence of their movements. Formians view mountain eel meat as a delicacy, while lashuntas skin them to create magic items like reckless gloves, resilient jackets and trampling boots.