THE
MALKUT
KING
FISH
("KING
FISH") |
The Malkut, more commonly called the "King of Fish", the "King Fish", "Put'ine", "Chó'yph'masır" or, more colloquially (especially amongst fishermen) the "King". Endemic the coasts of Sanguia, eastern Manthria and Brendolan, the Malkut (which will be hence forth referred to as the "King Fish") is massive, and many are the grizzled fishermen boasting about their scars gained from fighting with these fish.
Appearance.
A fully grown King Fish averages 2 peds long, with exceptional specimens
reaching 2.2 peds, and at
least one confirmed specimen having been recorded at a massive 2.4
peds, and weigh anywhere
from 3 pygges to 6 for the
largest specimens. These great sizes are attained because the King Fish has no
definite top size. If there is abundant food, the King will eat and continue to
grow. Their scales are a beautiful blue, their fins the same color but
noticeably darker, they would be counted amongst the most beautiful of fish,
likely, if it were not for the frequent scars they gain during their long lives.
King Fish have cone shaped heads, with narrow, toothed mouths, beady black eyes
and, naturally, gills. Rapidly flaring out into a much larger, stockier body,
they possess pectoral fins that appear awkwardly small to terrestrial observers,
and pelvic fins that seem exaggerated, but have been seen to aid the bulky fish
in feats of incredibly underwater agility. Noticeably, they have three dorsal
fins, which some have postulated to have developed to keep the fish's large bulk
from causing them to roll over during dramatic hunting chases. Starting from
about a fore behind their gills, the first sticks about 3/4
fore from its back and is
deeply curved. The second, roughly in the middle of the fish, is even more
deeply curved, and is about 1/2 a
fore tall. The last, near
the base of the tail, is much smaller, only 1/4 of a
fore tall and is much
straighter. On their inferior side, King Fish have a short, long and curved anal
fin, which stretches for almost a ped across their underside.
They're large bodied and very bulky and muscular and covered in very thick
scales that are a deep blue that sparkle spectacularly in the
sun, a sight that is often remarked upon as
being one of the rewards for catching these fish. Their tails are large, and,
uniquely, diphyceral, resembling an axe head with a bulbous growth in the
centre, and that their vertebrae extend all the way to the end of their tails.
It has been postulated by many researchers and observers, that having their
spine extend so far allows them to generate more power as they swim.
Special Abilities.
King Fish are considered a mundane species of fish, as they lack poison, or
massive regrowing teeth, outstanding size (though they are quite large), or any
magical enhancement. Nevertheless, they are
still counted amongst the most extraordinary of fish, perhaps more so because
they lack any special enhancement. They have shown a stupendous intelligence,
outsmarting commercial fishermen by destroying their nets and outmaneuvering
boat nets. Their scales are quite thick and serve their purpose well - spearing
a King takes either profanely precise aim, or great strength.
Also of note is the great strength and agility these fish display, which makes
them among the most dangerous of catches for fishermen. Tales abound of spear
fishers taking a shot at these fish, only to have it smash the boat, or for a
particularly angry King to pull a fisherman into the sea after being hit. Few
who are pulled into the sea with an irate King Fish live through it and those
who do are usually maimed for life.
Territory.
King Fish live all along the western coast of
Sarvonia, ranging from the Aetryam Sea in the south, to the Sea of Tears in
the north. They also roam further west in smaller numbers, and some individuals
have been found farther north and south. During spawning season they can be
found in great number in Eight Winds Bay
or the Gulf of Maraya, depending on their normal range, to fertilize and lay
their catches around the coasts of the bays.
Habitat/Behaviour.
Considered a gentle giant, despite their fierce reputation and incredible
strength and agility, the King Fish doesn't pose much of a threat to the average
person. Indeed, during the spring, when the Kings congregate in the Gulf of
Maraya, some can find smaller individuals of the species journeying into
shallower water, where many a delighted
children have found the large fish to be docile, although showing a rather
troubling level of comfort around people. Apart from spawning season, King Fish
are known to be loners, roaming from the gulf far out into the Aetryam Sea,
sometimes in pairs or trios. During mating season, however, they have been
observed attacking one another, but this seems to be entirely mating-related, as
there have been no reports outside of the spawning season of fighting.
Despite this docility, fishermen know the terrifying ferocity and strength they
possess, both attributes displayed to the fishermen who try to spear them -
unless one is incredibly skilled or lucky and manages to pierce their heart on
the first thrust, one must be prepared for a brutal struggle! Tough, and
possessing thick plates that act as armour, the logical way to catch these
beasts would be to simply use a net. Kings are just too intelligent for that.
They avoid nets, and a few fishermen have found their nets simply ripped apart
by an irate individual who was unfortunate enough to get caught.
Because of this, the only way to catch these fish is to
spear them. An incredibly dangerous, though
lucrative, proposition, many Sanguians,
Manthrians and Brendolans risk it for the prestige and the money. Many young
men die attempting this, though if you ever chance upon a young man from central
Santharia with a necklace of deep blue
scales and teeth, give this man respect.
Diet.
King Fish are fish eaters. Due to their size, teeth and ferocity there are few
fish that they won't eat. During their youth they often eat molluscs and smaller
fish, and gradually climb up the food chain to the larger ocean going fish.
Kings are also known to have developed a particular taste for
dolpholk, a preference that has resulted in some
truly spectacular submarine battles and chases.
Predators of the Kings include any larger meat eating fish, including sharks
and, most commonly, larger Kings. However, this is not a hard and fast rule - it
is entirely reasonable to assume that even sharks, occasionally, become the food
for the King, though it is unlikely they actively hunt the larger fish.
Mating.
Being sea dwelling creatures, the exact details of their mating rituals are
unknown. What is known is that they congregate in the Gulf of Maraya or
Eight Winds Bay to spawn in the
spring, depending upon where they range. Those that range further north head to
the Bay, while those further south head to the Gulf.
Clutches are found in egg sacks, which are fertilized during the spring and laid
in shallow waters, probably reefs, where they
develop and hatch. The number of eggs in each sack is estimated to be between
200 and 300, accounting for a high mortality rate for hatchlings who are only
about 1/3 of a fore in size when they hatch 3 months later.
Usages.
By warrant of their great mass, and therefore large quantity of meat, the
primary use of the King Fish is for sustenance. A single adult fish, averaging
at 4 pygges, provides a
great amount of food for fishing villages, or fetch a very (very) high price at
fish markets - these fish are considered to increase the strength and stamina of
those who eat its flesh raw, and many a superstitious soldier will pay large
sums of money for some. When caught during the spring, the eggs, which are
rather large, are harvested and sold as a very expensive delicacy.
These fish are much too difficult to catch to waste, and little is allowed to
waste. Scales and teeth are traditionally fastened into a necklace for whoever
speared the giant - thus, should you find a man with several strings of Malkut
teeth and scales, be sure to show him respect! This custom evolved independently
amongst both the Avennorian and
the Trk'Matiu, the only
difference between the two being that the
Trk'Matiu keep a single
tooth from every catch and add it to a string, while the
Avennorians generally make a new
necklace out of several teeth and the scales for every successful catch.
Of particular interest, these fish have an organ located behind their stomach
that produces a viscous, putrid looking yellowish fluid. For a long time, this
fluid was considered toxic and the sack and organ producing it was discarded by
fishermen during the slaughtering process. Recently, however, it has been found
that this fluid is a very powerful anti-infectant. This caused a surge in demand
for a few years, and a demand for larger fish with larger glands - a demand that
resulted in many untimely deaths, as the larger the fish, the further out they
roam and therefore, the more dangerous it is to hunt. Most scholars, judging by
the frequent scars found on older members, believe that these organs release the
fluid when the fish is injured and keep infection from setting in.
Myth/Lore.
All the names of the fish ("Malkut", "King", "King Fish") stem from a popular
and prolific Avennorian fairy
tale, called "Malkut the Fish King". Detailing the story of Malkut, who is only
ever identified as 'From the east', the fairy tale follows his journey to the
ocean kingdom and his battle of wits and might with the king of all fish, a King
Fish. Through the generations and cultural osmosis, the fairy tale spread to
other provinces bordering the Gulf of Maraya and Aetryam Sea and the name of
these fish gradually changed to a name taken from the story.
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