Difference between revisions of "Nightmaw"

Nightmaws are nocturnal.{{book ref|sixth}} Many of a nightmaw's normal senses are relatively dull, as they are almost completely deaf and blind; however, their sense of smell is incredible, and they have the ability to track minds by detecting the Cognitive Aspectsactivity of their prey. This makes them deadlyextremely dangerous predators. They are also clever, for beasts; in fact, some think nightmaws have begun to realize that humans make use of the mind-shielding Aviar and can only be tracked by scent.

When out at night, a trapper's only options are to avoid them or die. Nightmaws' thick skin is nearly impervious to regular bladed weapons, although it is vulnerable to larger gunpowder-based weapons such as [[Vathi]]'s spear cannon. The nightmaw's skill at hunting makes it the apex predator on at least Patji, although it is uncertain if they exist on any of the other islands of the Pantheon.

When [[Vathi]] and [[Sixth of the Dusk]] crossed Patji at night to prevent employees of the [[Northern Interests Trading Company]] from engaging the machine from the [[Ones Above]], a nightmaw came across their trail. It followed them, bursting out of the trees and surprising them. However, Vathi shot it with her spear canoncannon, mortally wounding it. In its death throes, its call attracted other nightmaws from across the island. Dusk and Vathi fled up the canyon to [[Patji's Eye]], pursued by the other nightmaws. Trapped in the pool, Vathi and Sixth lashed one of the blooming flowers from [[Patji's Finger]]s to a spear and fired it from the gun. As the flowers mimic a Cognitive aspectactivity, the nightmaws were distracted by the flower and followed it away, allowing Dusk and Vathi to escape.