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=== Major Planetary Zones | Regions | Wildlife ===

====== NUZAR ======

{{ :nuzar_gg_scenic_2d.jpeg?200|}}
===== Overview =====
The Nuzar is a blind, shoaling filter-feeder that drifts through the warm, nutrient-rich shallows of [[ralar_bay|Ralar Bay]] in the [[dark_sea_region|Dark Sea Region]] on the [[dark_side|Dark Side]] of [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. Riding geothermal currents, Nuzar schools strain plankton and microbial mats, forming the forage base for mid-sized predators such as the [[zilkar|Zilkar]], [[sulak|Sulak]], and [[taval|Taval]]. Their compact bodies, clear fins, and faint bioluminescent speckles read as a slow, shimmering cloud in the perpetual night.

===== Physique and Appearance =====
  * **Length:** 30–60 cm  
  * **Weight:** 0.6–1.2 kg  
  * **Body Shape:** Short, oval, laterally compressed; built for maneuvering in dense shoals  
  * **Skin:** Translucent blue-gray with sparse blue-green bioluminescent nodes along the flanks  
  * **Head:** Smooth, eyeless face with micro-pore sensory pits; broad filter mouth and gill combs  
  * **Fins:** Paired pectorals for trim control, small dorsal fin, tidy forked tail for gentle cruising  
  * **Speed:** ~10 km/h drift; brief darts when scattered

==== Special Features: ====
  * **Eyeless Sensory Net:** Lateral-line-like pores map vibrations and current shifts  
  * **Filter Basket:** Gill rakers trap plankton and vent-borne microbes  
  * **Faint Bioluminescence:** Low-intensity nodes aid shoal cohesion without bright display

===== Game Mechanics =====
  * **Armor Class (AC):** 9 (soft-bodied)  
  * **Hit Points (HP):** 5  
  * **Speed:** 30 ft. (swim)

**Actions & Traits:**  
  * **Shoal Evasion (Reaction):** When a Nuzar within a school (≥10) is targeted, the school scatters; attacker makes the next attack at disadvantage.  
  * **Filter Drift (Passive):** Difficult to surprise; advantage on checks to detect current changes or pressure waves.  
  * **Dim Glow (Passive):** Emits very faint light in a 5-ft. radius; not bright enough to reveal position at distance.

===== Behavior =====
  * **Diet:** Plankton, microbial mats, mineral detritus near vents  
  * **Social Structure:** Dense shoals of 200–1,000+ individuals  
  * **Activity Pattern:** Continuous slow feeding; shoals tighten during predator passes

==== Survival Strategies: ====
  * **Massed Confusion:** Tight schooling and synchronized turns foil single-target strikes  
  * **Current Riding:** Tracks warm upwellings to maximize intake and minimize energy use  
  * **Low-Glow Cohesion:** Subtle speckle pulses maintain formation without attracting hunters

===== Reproduction and Lifecycle =====
  * **Spawning:** Year-round peaks near volcanic upwellings  
  * **Eggs:** Thousands of microscopic eggs released to currents; pelagic larvae settle within days  
  * **Growth:** Rapid—juveniles reach adult size in 3–4 months  
  * **Lifespan:** 5–7 years; high turnover sustains populations under heavy predation

===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters =====
Use Nuzar schools as living terrain and omen:  
  * **Predator Tell:** A sudden shoal split foreshadows Zilkar or Sulak strikes  
  * **Guiding Cloud:** Following Nuzar may lead parties along warm currents to vents or cave mouths  
  * **Forage Resource:** Netting a portion of a shoal can sustain expeditions—but may draw in larger hunters

===== Related Pages and Further Information =====
  * [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]  
  * [[dark_side|Dark Side]]  
  * [[dark_sea_region|Dark Sea Region]]  
  * [[ralar_bay|Ralar Bay]]  
  * [[the_wildlife_of_the_dark_sea_from_a_to_z|Known Wildlife of the Dark Sea]]

**Prey of:** [[sulak|Sulak]], [[zilkar|Zilkar]], [[taval|Taval]]  
**Predator of:** Microscopic plankton and microbial mats