Crystal nippers were a very rare species of fish found in the Great Glacier.[1]
Description[]
The crystal nipper, a distant relative of the rot grub, bore a resemblance to a miniature eel crafted from blue crystal.[1]
Behavior[]
Crystal nippers displayed non-aggressive behavior, swiftly swimming away from any perceived threats. Driven by instinct, they sought out warm bodies and endeavored to burrow into any exposed flesh. If successful, the consequences were just as dire as an attack by a rot grub. Unless the wound was treated with flame or cure disease, the wound was fatal.[1]
The true danger lay in the crystal nipper's ability to survive outside of water for short periods. During the night, nippers might emerge and crawl onto the shore, advancing toward any nearby warm bodies. They moved slowly but were driven and relentless in their pursuit. Due to the numbing secretions of the crystal nipper, victims who were asleep remained unaware of the attack until it was too late.[1]
Thankfully, crystal nippers could only remain outside of water for up to an hour, providing some respite for campers sleeping a significant distance away from bodies of water where crystal nippers were known to dwell. The presence of scattered tiny blue worm corpses near the river or lake shore served as an unmistakable sign of the presence of crystal nippers in the water.[1]
Ecology[]
Crystal nippers were scavengers. They consumed plankton, organic waste, and any organic material.[1]
Habitat[]
Crystal nippers inhabited the rivers and seas of the Great Glacier. Crystal nippers were not territorial and had a natural inclination to form schools of different sizes. Their reproductive strategy involved laying numerous tiny eggs, typically numbering in the thousands.[1]