The Immortal Naturalist's Guide to Cryptic Creatures: The Dread Manatee

This post is part of the Immortal Naturalist's Guide series. The explanation for that series can be found in this post.

    The Dread Manatee is, if the people of Goldspire Island are to be believed, a common hallucination of those who go on expeditions around the island without bringing enough food and water. What they describe is a massive manatee the size of a killer whale that is somehow able to float through the air, ambushing prey from high altitude. Such a beast actually does exist, and it roams the coasts of the island. It has a habit of attacking caravans, but it does not always catch everyone in the caravan, leaving the few survivors to find their own way back to food, water, and shelter. When it is not hunting, the beast rests in the upper atmosphere, making observation difficult.

    The incredible feat of flying, as far as I can tell, is the result of some kind of gas within the Dread Manatee that allows it to fly through the air as if it was water. It is unclear if this flying ability is the result of magic or a natural development, but what is magical for sure is the creature's fireproof skin. Fire cannot harm the Dread Manatee's hide, leaving no marks behind. That being said, I have reason to believe that fire is also the key to warding off this beast. Although its skin is impervious to flames, the Dread Manatee will always turn its face away from even a tiny spark. Perhaps the inside of the Dread Manatee is not quite as fireproof as the outside? Either way, I doubt the creature's reaction to inhaling flames would be more than floating away, even if rumor has it that the creature would explode.

    There is much money to be made for those who are willing to brave an encounter with the Dread Manatee. Not having much use for the goods in the caravans it attacks, the beast's hunting grounds are littered with abandoned wagons. This caravan graveyard, while directly in the sight of the creature, is filled to the brim with trade goods, and maybe even some food and water that hasn't gone bad yet. All one has to do to ensure their safety is maintain a constant shield of fire.