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Every Dredge Aberration (2024), Part 9

Ruptured Vessel

Encyclopedia #155

Aberrant form of giant amphipod

Description:

Willing host, or sacrificial receptacle?

Comment: I'm going to go with the latter; although, the bigger question may be to what this creature served to hatch. Whatever the answer, it apparently fetches a nice price to the traveling merchant, relative to cargo space it takes.

How to catch: This crustacean is one of a couple of trickier finds in the Stellar Basin. Deeper than deep, they are only able to be angled up from the hadal zone. Pursuing amphipods generally will require an advanced upgrade along to the abyssal-suited rod line, as well as story progression through the way of operating the generator at the abandoned research outpost. Be wary of those limited windows of safety its pulse will provide. Thankfully, amphipod presence is not determined by night or day.

Perished Loosejaw

Encyclopedia #121

Aberrant form of Loosejaw

Description:

A few ragged scraps of skin hang like cobwebs from its fins. Its exposed muscles are riddled with small white worms.

Comment: Why the fish markets will accept one of these at the price they do is beyond the scope of my own comprehension. A shudder rolls through my body to consider the fishmonger scraping this morsel’s bones for the tainted scraps he seeks.

How to catch: Haul up from the inky depths of the abyssal zone. Circling the Stellar basin should reveal the glowing “stoplights” of their shoals before long.

Calcified Snailfish

Encyclopedia #157

Aberrant form of Snailfish

Description:

Waiting in dormancy for its moment to arrive.

Comment: Even at the bottom of the world, this vessel found no respite from the hook to hide its transformation from the light. Appearing as a fossil, but functioning as a calcium chrysalis. Few could truly appreciate the metamorphosis taking place within- just as the caterpillar that is unmade and rebuilt for a new purpose, its fate belongs to a new cycle.

How to catch: Sailfish are a bottommost inhabitant of the hadal zone, only hooked from the treacherous core of the Stellar basin. Narrative progression is the pathway to accessing these few harvesting spots. Ensure it is safe to do so before fishing for this.

Seizing Snailfish

Encyclopedia #158

Aberrant form of snailfish

Description:

Fingers of flesh hold teeth on their tips, a grasping grip that feels through the dark depths.

Comment: It may be a further leap of logic to guess that this is the matured form where the previous aberration is the pupa, but it is a tempting consideration. At least, it is a superior form to the merchant’s appraisal.

How to catch: ^^^

Consumed Grouper

Encyclopedia #159

Aberrant form of coral grouper

Description:

Once dazzling skin now bleached and eroded. It barely resists, relieved at a final end.

Comment: Another reminder that the Deep’s influence is partial and without compassion. It knows nothing of worthiness, and less of mercy. There are simply those it gifts, and from those it takes. Without rhyme. Without reason.

How to catch: Haul by sunlight, only in the shallow waters about the Basin’s reefs.

Every Dredge Aberration (2024), Part 10

Medusa Octopus

Encyclopedia #160

Aberrant form of glowing octopus

Description:

Eight snapping mouths crawl over each other at the behest of a silent master.

Comment: Eight times the mouths for eight times the menace. Notably, it has also forsaken the bioluminescence of its natural kin, suggesting alterations to living more as an active hunter in the night, rather than potential prey.

How to catch: A shallow swimmer within the Basin's coral reefs. Only comes out after sundown, but can be passively caught with crab pots (10 meters of above) in addition to the reel. The telltale blue glow of the regular octopi make their harvesting spots easily visible in the darkness.

Bursting Anglerfish

Encyclopedia #161

Aberrant form of anglerfish

Description:

The deep faces its own consequences of creation. In the darkness, brutality becomes the ultimate filter.

Comment: It is aptly put by the first source. Even moreso, there is an additional familiarity that is all too tantalizing to see in this design.

How to catch: Available through day and night, lurks the abyssal depths around the Basin.

Savage Baracuda

Encyclopedia #162

Aberrant form of baracuda

Description:

It thrashes about ruinously, jaws snapping and tearing its own flesh apart. A body sundered by ravenous hatred.

Comment: It can’t go unsaid that source did a strangely phenomenal job on the art delivery with this. The description as well, since it invokes to me another disfiguring madness I’ve seen before.

How to catch: A Day-swimmer found in shallow shoals in the Stellar Basin.

Concertina Baracuda

Encyclopedia #163

Aberrant form of baracuda

Description:

Its body extends, then collapses together with each gasping breath. Nature dissected into mechanical motion.

Comment: Your childhood accordion fish paper crafts, brought through the stark filter that is reality.

How to catch: ^^^

Gazing Shark

Encyclopedia #164

Aberrant form of hammerhead

Description:

Huge bulbous eyes move about on large fleshy stalks, siphoning energy from its body. Its search is not over.

Comment: Disfigurement and intrigue aside, what makes this mutation particularly notable is its bounty- starting at base of $425 per head. Prior to the discovery of The Pale Reach, this was actually the most valuable individual aberrant available in the sea. While later outshone by expanded entries in the encyclopedia, it is still not a wretch to be completely overlooked by any means.

How to catch: Giving one of the biggest vanilla bangs for a buck, a couple of these could go a decent length towards your next ship renovation. As with other large sharks, hammerhead spawns are few and far between at oceanic depths. This species called the Stellar Basin its home. While it will be available night and day, it may be worth risking a trip or two into the fog after this beaut, for the slightly raised chance of an aberrant appearance. As with any abominable fish, bait and the fishing tools from the deep can only help in your search. Before anything else, a sturdy and spacious hull must be considered before seeking out the beasts, keeping in mind their 9 Slots of cargo requirements.

Skool field trip moment