Bestiary
Aquatic

Manta / Sting / Pungi Ray

Habitat
Warm shallow tropical seas and sandy sea floors
Biomes
+water
Spawn
solo, day
Temper
Wary; dangerous when trodden on or provoked
Threat
High
Rarity
Common–Very Rare
Move
crawl; swim.
Special
Tail-spine venom briefly paralyzes a struck creature for a few seconds, dealing damage over that time.
VariantSTRDEXCONINTHealthDamageArmor
Manta2932713257516
Pungi1561611522812
Sting7991931612

Rays are broad, flat fish with eyes set on their dark upper surface and mouth and gills hidden beneath. Wing-like fins ripple to glide them gracefully through warm shallows, while a slender tail trails behind as a rudder. Most bury themselves in silt to ambush shellfish and rarely trouble larger creatures. The great manta spans several strides wing to wing and can engulf a swimmer whole in one cavernous gulp, or lash out with a stinging tail-barb. The smaller sting ray hides in sand and whips up a venomous spine when stepped on, leaving victims numb and helpless. The pungi ray bristles with poisoned back-spines disguised as weed, lethal to anyone who treads on it. In play they make coastal foraging and wading genuinely perilous.

Behavior

  • Glides on broad fins and steers with a whip-like tail
  • Buries in sand or silt to ambush passing prey
  • Mantas engulf man-sized swimmers in a single bite
  • Sting and pungi rays strike upward when trodden upon
  • Generally flees disturbance unless cornered or hunting

Abilities

  • Engulf. A large manta can swallow a man-sized swimmer whole.
  • Venom Spine. Tail or back spines inject poison that numbs or paralyses.
  • Sand Ambush. Lies hidden beneath the seabed until prey draws near.

Drops & Crafting

  • Ray hide (durable rough leather for grips and bindings)
  • Spine venom (a coating for darts or fishing spears)
  • Edible ray flesh (wing fillets)
  • Cartilage and tail-barbs for hooks or awls