NUZAR

The Nuzar is a blind, shoaling filter-feeder that drifts through the warm, nutrient-rich shallows of Ralar Bay in the Dark Sea Region on the Dark Side of 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, Sulak, and Taval. Their compact bodies, clear fins, and faint bioluminescent speckles read as a slow, shimmering cloud in the perpetual night.

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

• VOI 700 D
• Dark Side
• Dark Sea Region
• Ralar Bay
• Known Wildlife of the Dark Sea

Prey of: Sulak, Zilkar, Taval Predator of: Microscopic plankton and microbial mats