Of Ordinary Fish
The world of Telath is graced with many different forms of fish, and I'm certain you will find many a book detailing the common sort of fish that fills the rivers or the lakes, even those that swim the bay or the sea. This is not meant to be just another account of the species that most would be able to recognize, but an in depth look at some of Telath’s rarer species. So, if you desire more information in the way of those more common species, your salmon, your trout, and the like, I suggest you seek out another book. This book will be focusing a bit more on those species that are less common, and those that only the best of fisherman have had the pleasure of catching.
Of Extraordinary Fish
Abestatian Soft Fish:
This fish is found in the waters near the port city of Abestat, although some have been caught in other regions. This fish is of very tender meat, hence where it gets its name. This soft meat also has a very sweet taste, and is considered a delicacy by many. The Abestatian Soft Fish has a rather long body, with the largest catch ever to be recorded measuring twenty-four inches. Unfortunately, however, this fish has very hard scales. Tales have been told of some of the sea people's using these scales to make their armor, though this can only be thought of as a rumor for now. Because of the overall size of the fish, little flesh can be gathered from one fish. Scale coloration of the Abestatian Soft Fish runs anywhere from a silvery white to a dark black, mainly depending on the variety it belongs to. The varieties are as such:
Deep Day: This Abestatian Soft Fish has dark grey scales. It comes out during the day and sticks to the deeper waters.
Deep Night: This one has the darkest of scales. It comes out only at night and remains in the deepest of waters.
Shallow Day: This fish has the lightest of scales, a silvery white. It comes out in the shallow waters during the day, though it has been known to go deeper.
Shallow Night: This fish has a color much like the Deep Day Abestatian Soft Fish, though a little lighter, proving almost of a silver hue for its scale colors.
Each of the varieties of Abestatian Soft Fish have their own unique taste because of their dietary habits. For example: the Shallow fish eat only the bugs that skim across the surface of the water and the smaller creatures in the shallow waters. The Night fish only eat the nocturnal bugs and the Day fish those that come out in daylight. The Deep fish tend to eat other sea animals. It is known to prey on anything from their own to other species of smaller, but fully-grown fish.
Silrosian Fish:
This fish resides in the waters near the city of Silrosia and about the shores of what was once known as the Syl'rosyan Confederation. Unlike many other kinds of fish, this fish only has one main variety. It is a very slender fish and has very keen senses that aid it in the finding of its main diet – underwater plant life. The Silrosian fish is not one that is very tasty, but it has a great value to it. When boiled down, the scales and bones of this fish melt and can be used as a salve that heals minor wounds swiftly and with great ease after it is set to rest for a while. It can also be used to relieve pain if it is drank swiftly. Another unique attribute possessed by the Silrosian fish is the natural ability to grow two rather small pearls in its belly. Many speculate that this is due to the unique plant life the fish feeds on, while others claim that it must be a reaction to the fish’s digestive juices when it eats. Neither have been proven, though, as any Silrosian fish raised in captivity, oddly enough, never has had these gems in its belly.
In appearance, the Silrosian Fish has one remarkable feature. Its scales are a dull, yellowish color, much like gold. This makes the fish easy to spot when it is in the open and shallow, but it usually makes its abode in the deep waters and in caverns underwater along the shores of what once was the Syl'rosyan Confederation.
Taralonian Lurker:
This particularly foul smelling and grotesque fish is native to the part of the Black (or Dark) River of the Confederation of Sherian. Particularly, it has been spotted down river from the city of Taralon, and lives mainly off of human waste, proving vital for the good water environment in the area. Living in large shoals around the sewer entrances along the city's river areas, the fairly large fish fasten themselves against the bottom and bed walls with their large and toothy mouths, filtering their nutrition from the surrounding water. The body is teardrop shaped with small fins and come in colors ranging from blueish grey to brown.
While the Taralonian Lurker is not appropriate food, its taste is reported to be bitter and a few cases of poisoning ensuing shortly after ingestion. The dried and powdered fish has proven to be an excellent fertilizer for the surrounding farming community.
Black River Blue Fins:
The Blue Fins are a small to midsize fresh water fish native to the Black (or Dark) River of the Sherian Province. Its silvery body and blue fins, which named the species, hold a surprising amount of fatty meat although it does not seem to provide much taste. Nicknamed "Poor Man's Dinner" by the wealthier population of Sherian, the fish has kept many a family afloat during hard times as it is relatively cheap and easy to come by compared to other catches of the river.
Trelorian Malba:
The Trelorian Malba is a heavily bodied fish that can reach about twelve inches in length. They have an anterior spine in the dorsal and anal fin. The Trelorian Malba originates from Trelorian waters, as can be assumed by the name. But, however, they are believed to have come over in the first migration of the elves and have now established themselves in various regions around the Empire. It prefers shallow, muddy pools and backwaters of sluggish rivers, ponds, and lakes. It can hybridize with the common carp. Scale colors vary from dark olive to brilliant red, gold, and white.
The Trelorian Malba is horrible as food, but is prized as a pet by many families of the upper class. Elves in particular prize them as the reminder of their homeland, where the Malba originates.
Haru Leith:
The Haru Leith is a streamlined fourteen inch silvery fish with a flat head and a conspicuous, sharp dorsal spine, from which its common name was derived. The only breeding color noted has been a wash of light yellow at the bases of the pectoral and pelvic fins. Haru Leith are essentially scale-less, with the exception of small plates of bone situated in the leathery skin, especially near the nape. The head and belly are flattened, and the overall aspect of the fish is one of a streamlined torpedo.
The Haru Leith lives in underground rivers and lakes, preferring turbulent rivers to the lakes. They are a prime source of food for the Vysstichi Elves, as they are consequently the ones whom named them. Though rare, a Haru Leith can sometimes be found in a surface river that is fed by an underground source. The Haru Leith is prized by the nobility of the realm due to it’s rarity of being found on the surface. Many people who eat the Haru Leith though, are dubbed suspicious by fellow members of society, due how common it is with the Vysttichi. Bartering with the Dark Elves has always been frowned upon, and owning a Haru Leith for any purposes make a person appear to have barterd with one of the Vysttichi before.
Carmelyan Featherfin:
The Carmelyan Featherfin is most notable because of its large wing-like fins that measure approximately four inches in length, and span out from its eight inch frame. The species lacks filaments on the pectoral fins. It also has pronounced banding on the pectoral fins. Most Carmelyan Featherfins are reddish or purplish brown in color with dark bars on the body. But, some individuals sport varying amounts of yellow on the body and fins.
In most locations, this species is common on reef flats, in shallow lagoons and on coastal reefs. In these locations, it lies on sand bottoms near isolated rocks, coral fragments and small coral heads, often near dense coral growth. Carmelyan Featherfins are seldom seen close to shore, as they prefer the secruity offered by the growth of fossils. Outside of these areas, the Carmelyan Featherfin is noted to frequent sea grass beds and inner reef flats. It occurs at depths of 2 to 30 m (7 to 98 feet). During the day, the Carmelyan Featherfin hangs upside down under ledges or rests among boulders, rubble and soft corals.
Blade of Jalat:
The Blade of Jalat is about ten feet long, though the tall blade-like tail adds almost an additional ten feet to its overall length. The Blade of Jalat is deep obsidian black, with a pure white underbelly. Many fishermen will warn against being careless with this fish, as it’s tail is a rather deadly weapon. There are many accounts of fishermen who would lean to far over the side of their boats and before they knew what was happening, the tail of the Blade of Jalat would whip out of the water and remove the poor fool's head. However, this is far from the truth. A Blade of Jalat will not usually harm humans unless provoked. Mostly they eat small fish, travelling alone to do their dining. They first swim in circle around a school of fish, using their tails as whips to drive the fish together. Once the fish are in close groups, the Blade of Jalat charges in jaw wide open. It catches them easily, due to it’s speed and surprise factor of this maneuver, swallowing a few with each big gulp.
Blades of Jalat live a few miles off shore in all the temperate seas of Telath. A litter usually contains two pups, each five feet long. The Blade of Jalat is a difficult fish to catch, but to the people of the sea they are invaluable. Many were the wandering Mermen who would slay a Blade of Jalat with a spear, then take the blade and fashion it into a suitable weapon. Also, the bones of the Blade of Jalat are not the thin, soft bones of most fish. Their bones are much thicker and much tougher, and many have been used to carve various tools, toys, and even buttons for those that live under the sea, or for selling to those that live above it.
The flesh of a Blade of Jalat is plenty, but poisonous. Found to be a delicacy by many peoples across the face of Telath and under her waves, the Blade of Jalat requires specialized cooking to even have a chance of being safe. Restaurants that do serve this delicacy have well paid food testers to make sure that the meat of the fish is prepared properly. If the tester gets sick or dies, then the chef who prepared the Blade of Jalat is fired, or killed, depending on the situation. It is rare to find a chef that can truly prepare this sweet meat.
Silver Sided Diana:
Named for their silver color, these fish live in vast numbers along the coast of the Sea of Diana. Their diet consists of primarily small jellyfish, as well as plankton, and the foolish angler's bait.
The white meat of this fish is a decent, common meal among the households along the seacoast, as well as to those beyond to which the fish is traded or sold. A meal on its own, the Silver Sided Diana also goes well with many drinks, from the light Elven wine, to the sturdy Zerdargian Ale, and even the teas of the land.
Eunesian Sea Cat:
This relative of the common catfish swims about in the darker waters in the depths of murky sea. They are primarily scavengers, feeding on the scraps left behind by others and trailing in the wake of larger predatory sea goers, hoping to catch a bit of fresh flesh that drips from their jaws. Also, like their fellow scavengers, they feed on the carcasses of animals, from sea urchins, to their own kind, to mighty whales. In the case of larger carcasses, masses of Eunesian Sea Cats will come, sensing the blood in the water from miles away.
Though not a pretty fish, when caught, these fish yield a tasty bounty. Their sweet meat is a delicacy paid for by the wealthy, for the poor could not earn enough to pay for a meal of Eunesian Sea Cat in their lifetime. The spines of these fish are very hard, almost as hard as metal. They provide excellent defense for the fish itself, as well as many uses for the races under the waves and sailors above. Anything from weapons, to jewelry, to ornaments on ships has been made from their bones. The meat, though, is where the true value is. Rarely is an older fish caught, so those who are are treasured, for the smaller fish can only provide enough for one meal, and a small one at that.
Arakmatian Sandfish:
The Arakmatian Sandfish is more reptilian than fish, but it also has many of the characteristics typical of fish. Like a reptile, its scales are large and it is cold blooded. It depends on the heat of the suns to stay alive as it swims through the sands of the Desert of Arakmat. They eat grains of sand and small desert bugs, roots, and even larger reptiles when they can get a hold of them easily. Their fins have claws on the end, as if they were trying to be legs, but could never quite make it. A fierce fighter, the Arakmatian Sandfish has been known to claw a traveler's legs to shreds before the traveler could react, though the speed of this is probably exaggerated.
Although beautiful, valuable, and deadly, the Sandfish has a very bad taste to it. Some wandering packs of Dorin have taken to it in the past, but civilized tongues tend to dislike it so much that some have even vomited at the taste of it. High in salt content, the meat is very bitter, and it has a peculiar taste to it, almost like a mix of vomit and vinegar. The salt is not possible to remove, unfortunately, as metal and the foul oils that flow through the fish’s body, the oils being the cause of the horrid taste, contaminates it.
Its golden colored scales have made it a popular sight, as it flashes in the light while leaping from dune to dune, dazzling those who watch. Its scales have high portions of iron, gold, and sometimes platinum in them, as small portions of metal dust are in the sand and end up mixing between and eventually into the scales themselves. The delicate mixture of oil and salt sometimes, however, strengthens the metal, making it harder to break and slightly more valuable. The scales, after being melted down, are commonly referred to as Sandfish Iron, though most smiths prefer to separate the individual metals and claim to be better than they are, using the metals strength to their own fame's advantage. Usually, however, the Sandfish will have a very weak metal content, making very brittle metals. Sometimes the oils of sick fish even become acids that eat through the metal when it is heated, causing a lot of work to go to waste. Overall, it takes a highly skilled miner or smith to identify the truly valuable scales.
Enamorian Stenchfish:
Found in the Sea of Diana, the Enamorian Stenchfish has become both the bane and savior of sailors and travelers alike. Overall, this long, fat fish looks as though it would be a tasty addition to a fine dinner. Those that have tried to cook it have found, however, that the meat is not only revolting, but also just poisonous enough to make a Human sick for nearly a month.
With glowing pink scales and a glistening coat of oil over its body, the Stenchfish looks to be one of the more artistic creatures in the sea. Over the years, though, sailors have found that there is really only one side to the fish they care about - their stench. Except in the direst of circumstances, captains who spot a school of Enamorian Stenchfish will veer away to avoid the vomit invoking smell that permeates the air above the points where a Stenchfish has jumped out of the waves. Many are the stouthearted, strong-stomached sailors who have turned away from such a school in fear of dishonoring himself before his shipmates or the passengers aboard his or her vessel.
There is one, and really only one, saving grace about the Enamorian Stenchfish- the very same oil that makes them such a horror to sea-going peoples. Being a fish that lives near the surface of the waves, the Stenchfish has developed an oil which protects its hide from the damage the three suns over Telath can cause. The oil that can be extracted from their bodies, although very pungent, can protect even the most delicate of skins from the ravages of the suns. Unfortunately, the stench never leaves. Many have found that drenching themselves in expensive perfumes helps to mute the horrible stench, but it does not leave until many hours after the oil is applied to the flesh.
Over the Eras, many sailors have tried to move schools of Enamorian Stenchfish to the Northern Sea, but all attempts have failed. Although the fish have survived, some crucial ingredient in their diet is lost in the new environment, and they never adapt to the sunlight. Usually they become darker over the many Eras. They retain their stench, but lose their usefulness. People travelling through the Arakmatian Desert have been forced to purchase imports from those provinces bordering the Sea of Diana if they wish to save their precious skins from the heat of the furious desert suns. Though it is a severe discomfort for the travelers, many merchants have found that the money they gain from trading in the refined oil more than makes up for whatever discomfort they themselves have found when someone might break a bottle and send its stench throughout the store.
Debil Fish:
An insane combination of many different types, it would seem. Capable of expanding its body by taking in water, the fish becomes a ball of spines, with exceptionally large spines on its head. In its slender form, it still has these 'horns' on its head, as well as long, slender, wing-like fins, which are swept back, close to the body. When the Debil Fish goes in to attack, actually increasing its speed in a competitive manner as it tries to get to the meal before other Debil Fish. All Debil Fish are cannibals, and will eat almost any other flesh they come across, including that of intelligent races. Much like piranhas, these fish swarm at the food, consuming all, even bones and marrow, before moving on to a new occupation to wait for more food.
Female: The red lines on the body glow during their mating season, attracting those of the opposite gender with very strong pheromones. Many other creatures in the sea are affected by these pheromones, causing several species to find themselves lacking in population after trying to mate with the Debil Fish, which quickly ate them. Their black, crimson, and silver bodies are quite a sight in the moonlight when they swim close to the surface, as if balls of flame were rushing through the waves. The female is much smaller than the male, about a hand in length and a fourth as wide. When mating season comes around, the female will attract the male, and then, after being impregnated, will kill the male and eat its flesh, leaving her eggs to hatch in the remains, which are swiftly eaten upon the hatching of the young fish.
Male: Much larger than the female, the male is mainly muscle. It is hard to catch one of these, and they are very valuable. Quite a tasty meat. They live short lives compared to their female counterparts, for the females eat them, and when more Debil Fish are born, it costs the male its life.
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