Whales

Whales are aquatic mammals inhabiting waters surrounding the Civilised World. They are most numerous in the Natorn Archipelago, as well as the temperate waters of southern Anásthiasplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAnásthias

Anásthias [a-NAS-thee-ass / ænæsθiːæs], or [an-ass-THEE-as] is an equatorial island continent, heart of the Civilised World. The north straddles the equator and is hot and humid, while most of the equatorial centre is an upland plateau with fertile river valleys, and stretches of arid plains and desert in the shadow of the mountains. The south is temperate but more wild, separated from the civilisations of the north by the almost impassable Harthera.

Whales fill several ecological niches from placid herbivores to cunning predators. Baskers are the largest and most well-known, filter-feeding on greenfry and seaspor. Skippers are much smaller predators who eat greenfish, often hunting in groups. Rakes are larger predators who hunt other whales, as well as fighting off viridplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigVirid

Referring to the Virid Kingdom of flora and fauna, toxic to human life. monsters that stray into their territory.

Most live in the waters of coastal shelves, though skippers are often seen in rivers and estuaries. Lake Otaran in northern Anrel has a renowned population of skippers, as do some large lakes and rivers in Anásthias.

Whales were traditionally eaten in the Junda Isles but only when stranded. Whale bones, particularly of large baskers, were used for roofs and columns in Junda long houses, and carved to make ceremonial artefacts.

Modern Hartherans began hunting whales commercially in the 9th century, to feed growing cities in their empire. Commercial hunting has decimated whale populations in the Natorn Sea.