Difference between revisions of "Greatshell"

'''GreatshellsGreatshell''' areis a groupterm ofused to describe various large crustaceans native to [[Roshar]]. The family includes numerous related species,{{wob ref|12183}} among them [[chasmfiend]]s, [[Tai-na]], [[Yu-nerig]], and the extinct [[lanceryn]]s.{{book ref|sa1|36}}{{book ref|sa1|12}}{{book ref|sa2|i|3}}

Greatshells refersconsist toof a variety of creatures both aquatic and land-bound. TheyTheir do,appearance howevervaries widely, but they share a number of physical characteristics. They are uniformly massive, vastly larger than a human; the largest creatures on the planet, both on land and in the water, are greatshells.{{book ref|sa2|i|3}} They possess an exoskeleton, and multiple legs.{{file ref|Chasmfiend.jpeg|text=Shallan's sketch: Chasmfiend}} Their exoskeletons are chitinous, and known species have carapace armor that is extremely difficult to penetrate.{{book ref|sa1|13}} They have no tongue, and a complex set of jaws;{{book ref|sa1|15}} though it's unclear if they're all carnivorous, it is unlikely. Their blood is violet, and has a musty, moldy smell.{{book ref|sa1|26}}

Greatshells breed slowly, and for most species, their populations are generally small. They all reproduce the same way: an adult greatshell transforms (pupates) into a chrysalis, which eventually produces a number of young.{{book ref|sa2|49}} They do not seem to have a singular biome they thrive in; they can be found as far east as the [[Shattered Plains]], as far west as [[Aimia]], and as far north as the [[Reshi Isles]].{{book ref|sa2|i|3}}{{book ref|sa1|36}} Their sheer size makes domesticating most species unfeasible, although there are stories of greatshell riders in places like [[Kadrix]].{{book ref|sa1|36}} If the [[chull]]s are considered greatshells -- which is unclear -- it would make them the only case of widely-spread domestication of greatshells.

=== Gemhearts and Spren bondsBonds ===

The greatshells maintain their enormous size bythrough bonding[[Nahel bond]]s with [[mandra]]s, a type of [[spren]] also known as 'luckspren'.{{wob ref|1227}} Mandras decrease theirthe animal's weight, allowing them to exist and move their bulk in defiance of the [[wikipedia:square-cube law|square-cube law]].{{book ref|sa3|99}} Aquatic greatshells may not need a bond.{{wob ref|6498}} Perhaps toTo facilitate this bond, greatshells possess [[gemheart]]s, massive gemstones, within their bodies that the spren can enter.{{book ref|sa3|i|13}} ForThe thistype reason,of they're[[polestone]] oftenmay hunted;vary in some species, likewhile it is consistent in others.{{wob ref|3772}} The size of the [[lanceryn]]gemheart andscales [[chasmfiend]]s,up havewith beenthe huntedsize downof the animal.{{wob ref|756}} Due to extinctionthe orbuoyancy near-extinctionof overwater, theirthe gemheartslargest greatshells are aquatic,{{wob ref|1499}} and it is possible that some aquatic greatshells can survive without a spren bond.{{bookwob ref|sa1|366498}}