EelsOfUnusualSize
From IMiA
Excerpt from a report forwarded to Commodore O'Donovan: "An infestation of unusual and revolting eels has forced the closure of the Rojo, Azul, and Verde docks in South Quarter. The eels are of a remarkable size, some as long as 10 feet, and exude a viscous slime that eats away at skin, timber, and metal. The eels were discovered clumped around several of the dock pylons and the entire warehouse structure has been evacuated due to structural concerns.
Upon reading the report, O'Donovan commissioned the creation of a glass-handled spear and requisitioned rope and gloves and safety goggles and led men to the docks.
O'Donovan and underlings, equipped with their glass gear, arrive at the docks. The area has been closed, but the naval security officer on duty gives O'Donovan and his team admittance. O'Donovan and his men secure their equipment before preparing to face the eels.
The docks have become somewhat unstable near the end. Looking down, O'Donovan can see the brief flash of something large and serpentine before it disappears beneath the surface.
There is definite movement in the water. O'Donovan feels the dock tremble beneath him as he waits. Eventually, there is movement as something huge and serpentine breaks the surface and goes back below. Segments of its glistening hide break the surface then follow it below
After waiting for his opportunity and taking aim, O'Donovan hurls the glass harpoon. The force of the throw and the impact that follows strains the already damaged dock still further. O'Donovan feels a great tugging as the powerful creature struggles to get free.
O'Donovan pulls with all his prodigious might. He's hard pressed to remember anything that proved as great a physical challenge. His men pull on the rope to assist him.
Eventually, the great eel is free of the water. It is covered in a viscous slime that the eye wants to slide away from. the eel turns toward O'Donovan and huge razor sharp teeth flash as its mouth opens and closes with frightening speed. It lets out a terrible shrieking sound that hurts the head. O'Donovan can hear nearby horses screaming in panic.
O'Donovan moves back, away from it, toward firmer "ground", then pulls it a bit towards him.
The great eel thrashes and bits of the dock break apart. Everywhere it touches, its slime seeps like acid. Its terrible shriek continues. The glass harpoon vibrates and bends and looks as though it may crack as O'Donovan and his men pull the struggling creature.
O'Donovan gives it a little bit of slack, scrambles back a bit, then pulls for all he is worth.
The ear-rending shrieking continues. Nearby, there is the sound of glass breaking in nearby windows and streetlights.
The eel continues to thrash and try to pull O'Donovan to it, but with his men helping, he continues to pull it away from the crumbling dock.
O'Donovan starts glancing around for some large and heavy, preferably long as well, that would make for handy eel-skull-bashing.
The eel shrieks and thrashes violently as O'Donovan and the men pull it. Only O'Donovan's years at sea give him the balance needed to keep his footing.
As the eel twists and snaps and shrieks, O'Donovan spies something long and wooden nearby. Perhaps an oar or something similar...
O'Donovan risks a second look at it, trying to verify it is something expendable and handy.
More of the old dock breaks away under the eel's violent motion.. The object appears to be something fairly sturdy and wood. An oar. A dock worker's staff. Something of that nature.
O'Donovan grabs for the object with one hand.
O'Donovan grabs it, but is almost knocked off his feet by the eel's powerful movements.
He takes a moment to gather and restablize himself, then takes a look to see what he has grabbed. It's an oar.
Okay, O'Donovan carefully works his way towards the eel, one hand firmly on the rope, one hand on oar. He wants to see if he can get close enough to start wailing on it.
It's easy to get closer as the struggles of the eel tend to pull O'Donovan toward it. The trick is in maintaining footing and not being bit by that vicious snapping mouth.
O'Donovan strikes the beast with a great blow. It impacts with a sickening thud and the shrieking and thrashing and snapping intensifies. O'Donovan strikes again and again. With each impact, the creature struggles and attempts to tear great chunks out of him. with each impact, more and more of the oar is eaten away by the slime covering the eel . Finally as O'Donovan is about to be pulled within the range of the creature's teeth, it cries out with another deafening scream and is still.
O'Donovan grimly pulls it to solid land.
As O'Donovan does this it shudders and snaps and shrieks once more and then is still
O'Donovan sends one of the sailors to fetch a sturdy cart.
O'Donovan quickly makes another discovery about the eel; it stinks. It may in fact have the one putrid scent of which all others are but mere Shadows. Imagine rotting fish to the Nth degree...
The viscous slime covering it seems to be gelling.
One of the sailors soon comes by with a cart.
A crowd has gathered and has been watching the spectacle with great interest.
O'Donovan heads toward a dockside Admiralty warehouse as quickly as possible. He sends one of the sailors to inform Admiral Ambrose del Mar, in case he is interested in taking a look himself.
The disgusting eel carcas is soon secured in the dockside warehouse.
The sailor returns, but without Ambrose. "Sir, Admiral Del Mar is not in his office. His secretary reports that the Admiral arranged passage on a ship from the Northern Fleet. She did not specify his destination, but reports that he is expected back within a week."
Acknowledging this, O'Donovan quickly gets to work on the eel. First and foremost on his minds are getting some samples of the now-congealing slime. In glass jars, if possible. Its messy smelly dangerous work, but it gets done
Second is an overall quick anatomic study of the creature -- obvious weak spots, dangerous bits of it, etc. He's willing to sacrifice a few old swords/knives to cut the creature open. (Also worth observing is how quickly they damage the metal -- maybe steel weapons would work fine on one as long as the attacks were quick enough?)
If the attacks were sufficient to kill it or mortally wound it no problem. A good harpoon shot or blow to the head with a big enough sword-like Gerards :-) just whacking on it with a sword wont do much and the blade will either slide in the ooze or start to tarnish and be eaten. A metal tipped spear with only a surface hit would just be eaten away and do little more than annoy the thing
The thing also seems to be decomposing incredibly fast now that it is dead and in the air. The body almost seems to be burning away.
O'Donovan sends the sailors to dispose of the remains of the eel back in the water where the other eels are. Then he gets to work with one of the jars of goo, trying to work out a charm that will protect its wearer from the eels' slime.
With time and experimentation, O'Donovan succeeds in creating a charm to protect his men from the eels and the remaining eels are eventually killed.
-- Main.GingerStampley - 21 Dec 2004
