Dolthe 5, 5675

I’ve always been told one of my better qualities is my refusal to quit seeking answers. After the sailor mentioned dangerous creatures in these waters, I brought up the issue in almost every conversation I’ve had since then until I finally received an answer. An old, grizzled sailor who spends most of his time mending nets and sails and splicing ropes finally spoke to me in response to my inquiries. His name is Veldon, and he claims he once encountered the dangerous creatures the other sailor warned me to avoid. The scars on his arms and his missing eye give credence to the tale he told of disaster and woe, while his tangled beard and the smoke from his pipe added to its mystery and suspense.

The creatures are flying eels, vicious, slimy serpents that leap from the sea to attack their unwary prey. Veldon said they latch onto unwary sailors, and pull them off their ships to provide a feast for the creatures of the sea. In extreme cases, a swarm of eels can overwhelm the crew of a ship, causing mayhem, chaos, and death. Veldon was a survivor of such an attack. With the large eels flying over the deck in all directions, the crew was unable to defend against them. Many died, others suffered grievous wounds, and all who survived were the few who managed to escape below decks. Veldon was a fortunate survivor. A large eel trapped on the deck slithered into the bowels of the ship and attacked the survivors. The doomed eel killed another sailor and wounded several others with its throes, including Veldon, before he managed to kill it. He still keeps one of its teeth on a string around his neck.

I briefly mentioned flying eels to one of the Sisterhood operatives, and she said there are no such things in the sea. They are nothing more than a fable used to impress the young and new to sea. Something other than an eel gave Veldon his wounds, but she doubts I could coax the truth out of the man. However, I can’t prove she’s right either. Perhaps I should ask Veldon if there’s a way to catch one of these eels.