Jellyfish, Aerial

In many areas there are nearly as many varieties of floating jellyfish as there are varieties of birds, and as divergent. While the smallest, the swarming sucker jellies, are but an inch in diameter, the vast sky island jellies have bells measured in miles. Most are buoyed by sacs of lighter-than-air gases but some have even more valuable lighter-than-air gel. Some rely on Buoyant Blubber Blastula (which SEE) for loft. Either variety may be a source of lift for dirigibles and such.

Most jellyfish have the defense advantage of "no vitals" because their organs are rubbery and buried deep in their rubbery flesh; blunt blows are dissipated through the quivering flesh, while edged strikes are gummed down in the flesh and unlikely to do major harm to any vital organs.


Jellyfish, Ghost

Class: Beast
Hab: Any damp area; woods, caves, marshes, old buildings
Fre: Rare
Num: 1 or 1-6
Lair: 90%
Size: 1' bell dangling 5-10' tentacles
Move: Rapid, guided "drift"
Def: Rubbery, no vitals
Att: Lashing poison tentacles
Int: Non-sentient but cunning
Spec: Poisons + blood draining
Posns: Incidental; on remains of previous victims

Ghost Jellyfish

Pale, luminescent, and drifting through the air, rendering its victims paralyzed, it is no wonder this perfectly natural jellyfish may be mistaken for a ghost. The ghost jellyfish uses its luminosity to create hypnotic pulsations. Entranced, the prey is lured in as far as possible through the bone-yard with develops before the jelly's lair. The "foyer" will have a mass of bones, often inhabited by some other creature or creatures that live symbiotically with the luring jellyfish.

The true lair, or nest, will often be a hidden chamber reachable only by hovering upward and squeezing through a cranny. There, in the nest, the ghost jellyfish nurture their hordes of larvae.


Jellyfish, Shrouding

Class: Beast
Hab: Enclosed terrain; caverns, woods, ruins
Fre: Uncommon
Num: 1 or 3-18
Lair: 90%
Size: Dog to cow
Move: Jet-propelled flight or hovering
Def: Rubbery, no vitals
Att: 2' Lashing poison tentacles
Int: Non-sentient but cunning
Spec: Poisons
Posns: Incidental

Shrouding Jellyfish

Shrouding jellyfish prefer prey they can lift, so they rarely hunt prey over half their own weight. While some are lone hunters, in areas rich with prey or with dangerous predators that might hunt floating jellyfish pack-hunting varieties are more common.

The marking characteristic of shrouding jellyfish is their use of their unique "shrouding gum." Once they have paralyzed their prey, the jellyfish enshroud it in this preserving gum and either glue it directly to the ceiling of their "larder" area, into a wall crevasse, or suspend it, hanging from the ceiling; suspended food may have additional gum attached in the form of trailing tentacles, so it resembles the jellyfish themselves, thereby warding off other creatures which might raid the jellyfish's larder. The shrouding gum is infused with the jellyfish's paralytic poison, so it keeps the preserved prey alive and fresh. They jellyfish - and their larvae - can tap in to the shrouded food creatures whenever they need a sip.


Jellyfish, Swarming Suckers

Class: Beast
Hab: Damp areas; woods, caves, marshes
Fre: Uncommon
Num: 20-1200; swarms
Lair: 90%
Size: 1" + tentacles trailing to 2'
Move: Slow hover but rapid 20' harpoon-and-reel
Def: Rubbery, no vitals
Att: 2' Lashing poison tentacles
Int: Non-sentient but cunning
Spec: Poisons + blood drain
Posns: Incidental

Swarming Sucker Jellyfish

While swarming sucker jellyfish generally prefer rat-sized prey, they will attack larger prey if they are hungry or if they are guarding an egg mass or a horde of larvae. Being small and transparent, they are effectively invisible while they lurk, still or drifting, emitting practically no heat for infrared vision to detect. Then, the swarm whirls in, little bells pulsing like glassine hearts. Harpoon-like roping tentacles latch on to the prey, allowing the wee jellies to reel themselves in close to their prey lightening-fast, despite their limited flying ability. Lashing tentacles sting and inject paralytic poison, slowing and desensitizing their victims. Slowly, their heart-like bells become infused with red as they leech blood from their prey.


Jellyfish, Zapping

Class: Beast
Hab: Damp areas; woods, caves, marshes
Fre: Uncommon
Num: 1 or 3-18
Lair: 90%
Size: Dog to cow
Move: Hover + jet-propelled flight
Def: Rubbery, no vitals
Att: Lashing poison tentacles
Int: Non-sentient but cunning
Spec: Electricity + minor toxins
Posns: Incidental

Zapping Jellyfish

These floating jellyfish use electricity instead of poison to stun their prey. Unlike most jellyfish, zappers stalk prey up to ten times their own size. Once their prey is downed, whether dead or just stunned, the zappers drill into it with feeding tentacles and drain out the delectable body fluids; digestive juices may be injected in to liquefy stubborn flesh. Each zapper can ingest half its own weight in fluids.

After they have fully fled, they move on; prey that has not been overly drained may recover.


SEE also Island Jellyfish of Sea and Sky.

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Apr 4, 2006