Hiraeth Creature #1186 - Uri-Tolvi“There are many tales of the Sea Beast Armada that once patr

Hiraeth Creature #1186 - Uri-Tolvi

“There are many tales of the Sea Beast Armada that once patrolled the oceans that surrounded Hiraeth. Tethys hid many things in her seemingly endless depths, both sacred and terrifying, and by her will the sea beasts would safeguard whatever she desired. With her absence, her soldiers have become wild monsters, doing battle with one another, hunting after all things, and living as they please. A few still hold these bonds closely though, one being the Uri-Tolvi. Most imagine serpentine, scaled leviathans emerging from dark fathoms when they picture a sea monster— Uri-Tolvi defy this expectation, flying down from the clouds on giant wings. They perch themselves on sea-bound cliffs and archipelagos to oversee the waters around them. Despite being the size of a large vessel, they appear and disappear into the sky with hardly a noise, their subtle nature setting them far apart from their compatriots who often create ear-shattering dins upon their arrival. Tethys valued the Uri-Tolvi for both their strength and guile, able to watch her enemies from a great distance, planning carefully before striking. 

Uri-Tolvi save most of their trickery for their enemies, which nowadays are hungry sea monsters they once fought alongside, but occasionally they do still do battle with vengeful drowned ghosts and sea spirits twisted by malice— ethereal entities who would look to corrupt the waters. When fishing for prey, they usually don’t mind being spotted by seafarers, but will still keep a careful eye on them. Sometimes, they soar over the waters and skim for prey with their beak, creating a powerful gust as they glide by, but they prefer to wade through lagoons and sandy shallows to try and methodically nab large fish. Uri-Tolvi collect a lot of sea water as they hunt, which they store in a special organ that lets them blast it outwards in a short, sharp javelin, strong enough to split boats in twain. This is usually their warning shot during close combat, as they prefer to save water to turn into a misty vapour that they use to cover their escapes. The fog they spew is a misdirection, as it masks their actual getaway. Many find it outlandish that such a large creature can vanish that quickly, and that’s because of the real source of their power. Uri-Tolvi are attuned to celestial magic, and are able to vanish into a far off plane to conceal themselves. They hide within a frozen realm, where one can walk upon meteors and stars encased in ice. They come here to rest from time to time, but in the midst of a conflict they will either flee here if they deem it not worth their time, or they will return in a barrage of icy debris to punish their foes. Elder Uri-Tolvi are able to call upon the powers of this place whenever they wish, holding their beak up to the heavens to signal a volley of icy comets down upon their foes. These heavenly abilities have put them on-par with spirits— it’s no wonder Tethys valued them so highly as scouts, warriors, and dear friends, keeping some of her most clandestine isles safe under their gaze.”