Shark

Sharks were aggressive carnivorous fish. They could be found hunting alone or in groups and were known for attacking anyone approaching them without provocation.

Behavior
All shark species were utterly fierce, aggressive, and fearless. They were relentlessly hungry.

Combat
Sharks were tactical hunters, using their keen senses to circle their prey just outside of their field of view and charging to attack at the most opportune moment. Their powerful jaws and sharp teeth were effective against many different targets, sometimes even ship hulls.

History
These creatures had been swimming in the oceans for thousands of years with little change in their appearance or methods.

Species
Sharks were categorized into medium, large, and huge species.

Medium shark

 * Reef sharks: the species of shark that usually inhabited shallow waters and coral reefs. They hunted in packs.
 * Goblin sharks: the species of ugly deepwater sharks, vicious predators that could be found in the deepest parts of the seas.
 * Mako sharks: the most agile and fierce of their kind. They hunted in packs akin to their reef cousins.
 * Hammerhead sharks: the species of shark notorious for their agility and their distinct hammer-like head shape.

Large Sharks
Large sharks included hunter sharks that preyed on deep waters, and fleshtearer sharks, which were found in various environments, including underground rivers and lakes. They usually hunted alone, but could also be found in groups. A species of muck-dwelling freshwater shark known as barbfish inhabited lower reaches of the Riven Specie in Amn.

Huge Sharks

 * Dire Shark: The second largest species of the shark in the Realms, they behaved in a similar manner to great whites. They were prone to attacking anything that they perceived to be edible, no matter how large.
 * Great White: Also known as "huge sharks" or "giant sharks," they were the third largest type of shark in the Realms. This species could be found in deep oceans and attacked anything that approached them, including whales and ships.
 * Megalodon: An ancient and monstrous species of shark, sometimes known as "giant sharks". They were one of the largest species of shark in the Realms.

Habitats
The smaller types of sharks were very common in the waters surrounding Chult. The Bay of Chult and Refuge Bay contained large groups of reef sharks. Hunter sharks and reef sharks hunted off the coast of Ishau, as well as Jahaka Anchorage. In the Shining Sea, they lurked in the sunken ruins of Untisczer.

Mako, goblin, and hammerhead sharks lived and hunted in the close vicinity of the Temple-Under-The-Sea, the submerged temple to Umberlee in the Fiddler's Green underwater region of the Sea of Swords.

Outside of the Prime Material plane, sharks were extremely prevalent in Draga Salt-Biter's domain of Saragoss in the Domains of Dread.

Relationships
Sharks were revered by sahuagin and could be trained by them. Their kinship to sahuagin was so strong that even wild sharks considered them allies and did not attack them. Sahuagin could also telepathically issue commands to nearby sharks.

Kalbari al-Durrat al-Amwaj ibn Jari had a wide variety of sharks as servants in her Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls.

Usages
Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold shark hides for 15 gp a piece.

Notable sharks

 * Sekolah, shark god of the sahuagin.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #64, "Grotto of the Queen" • The Runes of Chaos • Dungeon #79, "The Akriloth" • The Twilight Tomb • Princes of the Apocalypse • Locathah Rising • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Novels
 * The Coral Kingdom • Realms of Valor: "Grandfather's Toys" • The Veiled Dragon • Rising Tide • Under Fallen Stars • The Sea Devil's Eye • The Emerald Scepter • Queen of the Depths • Maiden of Pain • Wrath of the Blue Lady
 * The Ring of Winter
 * Video games
 * Icewind Dale • Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast • Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea
 * Warriors of Waterdeep
 * Gamebooks
 * To Catch a Thief
 * Gamebooks
 * To Catch a Thief