Castles In The Sky

To: Countess Arianna Silverstream of Silver Shadow Keep
From Shaeun Shontoleen, Royal Explorer of Silver Shadow Keep

My lady,

       I sit upon the red and gold sands on an island on the Fire Sea Islands looking across the sparkling waters as the tiny Coral Dancers play amid the firethorn coral with the native Meriel and Merfolk children. The warm water and blazing sun are welcome after the months of freezing cold.

Perhaps my ladyship is wondering what a Coral Dancer is? I shall elucidate. They are relatives of the gigantic Wave Rammers found in the cold lands of the Artic Circle. Each Coral Dancer is perhaps a little more than two hand-spans from forehoof to head and thrice as long from chest to hind-end with a long tail curling away from its vestigial hind feet. They weigh scarcely ten pounds each, except for venerable billies who may tip the scales at twelve or even fourteen.

In color they resemble the brightly-colored fish that dart like living palettes. Vivid hues such as no herd-goat has ever worn adorn their hides in shades that dazzle the eyes. Stripes, bands and rings of blue, yellow, purple, orange, gold, pink, green, red, white and black make each Coral Dancer a living work of art.

They much enjoy grazing on the sea anemones that populate the shallow reefs. How they manage to consume such inedible-seeming creatures is beyond my understanding but, they consume them with great relish. Their unusual taste for sea anemones is displayed by the soft spines sticking through their backs and limbs in writhing clusters.

The local children adopt them as pets while they are still kids. I have watched them frolic together for hours in a blur of fins and tails in the sapphire water and even joined them myself from time to time. Rarely, have I found a creature as innately friendly and companionable as these tiny sea-goats.

So taken was I with their charming nature, I have gathered a few to populate your saltwater pond. May they bring you as much delight as they have given me. 

I look forward to hearing from you my lady before I write again from the sandbars of the Fortune Isles.

Best Wishes,
Shaeun

Sixmonth, Year of the Sliding Sands

 

 

Name: Coral Dancer      

Type:  Tiny Mammal

Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Swim 20 foot (4 squares), Climb 5 foot, Walk 2 Foot
AC: 14 (+2 Size, +2 DEX), Touch  14, Flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Bite +2 (1d3-4), Tail-Slap +2 (1d3-4) , Ram +2 (1d3-4), Claw +2 (1d2-4)
Full Attack: Bite +2 Melee, Ram +2 Melee (1d3-4), Tail-Slap +2 Melee (1d3-43), Claw +2 Melee (1d3-4)
Special Attacks: Poison 
Special Quality: Scent
Saves: Fort +2, Reflex +6 Will +2
Abilities: STR 3, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 2 WIS 12, CHA 8
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8. Hide 11, Spot +3
Feats:  Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will
Climate / Terrain: Coral Reef
Organization: Herd
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement 2-3 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: N/A

Coral Dancers are tiny goat-like creatures with very short hair covering their bodies. A beard of longer hair hangs under their chins and runs along their jaw. Their fore-legs are flattened into clawed flippers useful for clinging to atolls of coral or maneuvering around the shallows. Their hind-quarters are molded into a single muscular tail much like that of a dolphin. Nearly useless nubs of their fore-legs remain just under the tail.

Coral Dancers come in a variety of colors; blue, yellow, purple, orange, gold, pink, green, red, white and black. Rings, spots and stripes often contain several different hues. The belly is usually one solid color. Adding to the Coral Dancer’s bright coat are tentacles of sea anemone in various softer shades from pale yellow to bright red.

Measuring just 6-10 inches from their thick wrists to the top of their shoulder and 16-24 inches from muzzle to hind-quarters, the Coral Dancer is the smallest of the Sea-Goats. Their muscular tails are usually 5 to 9 inches long from the vestigial back legs to tip of the fluke. Adult Coral Dancers weigh between 6 and 15 pounds.

Combat: Coral Dancers will flee any attack, only defending themselves if cornered. They can bite, butt with their thick horns, slap with their tail and rake with their clawed flippers.

While such attacks are rarely seriously harmful they do fight to draw blood which may attract near by predators. The sting of saltwater in wounds and the possibility of a lucky strike on a critical vein or tendon make handling a struggling Coral Dancer no easy task.

The coating of sea anemones on the back, shoulder, flippers and tails of the Coral Dancers can also deliver a stunning poison that can incapacitate a victim by paralyzing their muscles. The effect can be mild or strong enough to prevent the victim from breathing.

When paralyzed the victim may asphyxiate immediately or after sinking under the water while unable to move. The poison can cause severe allergic reactions as well that can cause rashes, blistering, blindness, inability to talk, or partial paralysis. Tentacles inject the poison directly under the skin or release it in a cloud 5 feet square around the Coral Dancer.

 Coral Dancers will become enraged by the sound of a kid bleating in terror or the distress call of an adult. They will rush to the rescue of any threatened Coral Dancer to bash, bite and rub their poison on the attacker. Predators are shown no mercy by the drift.

 Society:  Coral Dancers travel in small herds of one billy and five to ten does with their offspring. These small groups are called a drift. Drifts of Coral Dancers often combine briefly during the mating season in large groups called waves.

The offspring of a wave are forcibly driven off by their parents. The young does and billies form small drifts. Lead Billies from other drifts circulate around the unattached does, performing feats of acrobatic flips and twists. Young billies seize the opportunity to form their own drift and find a territory.

Does become pregnant during the mating season in early spring when they come into heat. Mature Billies start a series of obsessive behaviors at this time. They may stop eating to engage in ritualistic combat, and displays of acrobatic prowess.

Gestation takes approximately three months (90 to 100 days), after which 1-3 kids are produced. The kids hide themselves in small places among the top of the coral atolls and seaweed forest where they stay immobile for hours at a time while their dam feeds. When the doe returns, she bleats to call her kids to her to nurse and play. Coral Dancers are fully mature at about 2 years of age, and live between 20-25 years.

Despite their reputation as being indiscriminate browsers, Coral Dancers are actually rather fussy. They prefer to eat only new growth, close to the surface of the water. They are considered useful for their voracious appetites that keep reefs clear of plagues of algae and seaweed during the warmest months. They also scavenge dead bodies and trash. They are important for the control populations of sea anemones, sea slugs, sea urchins, squid and octopi.

Billies are easily distracted by the scent of a doe in heat or the presence of a strange male. Both does and billies will respond to the bleating of a kid in distress. Hunters sometimes use musical instruments that mimic the distress call or collect the musk of captive Billies.

Coral Dancer kids are sometimes captured by young natives and raised as pets. Tame Coral Dancers are social creatures that become friendly, curious pets that enjoy the company of their master. They are easily trained to perform simple tricks, carry burdens, and retrieve objects.

These tiny sea-goats do not have gills. They rarely dive more than a few feet deep and only stay submerged for 10-15 minutes at a time. Their front flippers are suitable for dragging them out of water and moving around slowly on land. Despite their awkward appearance, Coral Dancers are adept climbers and have been known to pull themselves up low-growing trees, coral atolls, and porous rocks.

Coral Dancers are usually eaten before they are weaned. After Coral Dancers begin eating sea anemones, their skins become less desirable since the portions where the sea anemones grow are unusable.

The poison generated by the sea anemones is harvested from pet Coral Dancers for use in hunting. Coated onto arrows and spears, the poison paralyzes prey when shot into the skin.