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Floeshell Krust — Description

As has been well established, the frozen north bears a fair share of terrestrial predators. Powerful beasts that have been hardened by the extreme weather and honed in their pursuit of prey. It should come to no surprise that the icy ocean surrounding these isles carries monsters as well. Their presence is almost forgotten when sailors complain about the arctic sea, as the icebergs and violent storms already create immense amount of woe for any ship. For the denizen of this land, though, the threat they pose is known well. Creatures both aquatic and amphibious must be vigilant when traveling through the freezing water, as danger lurks in the deep or in plain sight.
The Floeshell Krust is a beast of the sea that is known yet rarely seen. At the size these creatures can grow, rivaling whaling ships in length, it seems crazy that such a species would be hard to spot. In truth, quite a few people have witnessed the Krust, they just didn't realize that what they were looking at was a living animal and not just an ice floe.
This is its key to hunting, using disguise and deception to disarm prey. While the Krust is large in length, its body is quite flat. The creature looks like it has been compressed, yet it is all part of the plan. Orifices on its back emit freezing Tears, maintaining its armor of segmented ice. The top of the beast is covered in ice, hiding dark blue chitin below. It uses its fins to swim to the surface and float, exposing only its back to the air. Once in place, the creature goes still, the only movement dictated by the currents. Fins maintain its position, while legs can push away chunks of ice that may annoy it. The best next step is for snow to fall, quickly burying its icy back in a layer of fresh snow. Once that happens, the Krust vanishes, becoming just another chunk of ice in the sea. May fate have mercy to those who fall for such a ruse.
The point of pretending to be an ice floe is simple: it is a disguise that is tempting for swimmers of this sea. Seals and other amphibious creatures use ice floes as rest areas, able to get out of the water and lay about. Out on the sea, such a sleeping spot is safe from terrestrial predators, while aquatic ones struggle to reach them. But these defenses mean nothing when you accidentally make a stop atop a waiting Krust. This scenario is exactly what the creature wants, as prey is close at hand and completely unaware of the danger. When food comes to rest on its back, the Krust will wait a few minutes before striking, as it wants its prey to have its guard fully down. When the time is right, the beast will quickly roll its body forward, dumping the unaware sleepers into the sea. The rolling motion is executed in a way that the Floeshell Krust is back in its original position in seconds, with face and claws pointed directly at the food that is floundering in the water. In the blink of an eye, the pincers lash out and claim their prize, victims too confused and disoriented to properly flee. Prey is devoured and the Krust will go back into its hiding form, which is perfect for resting as it waits for the next meal to come by.
Its disguise makes the Krust incredibly difficult to spot, as its back is easily confused for any chunk of ice while its dark exoskeleton blends in with the water around it. Those underwater and seeing its underside don't get much of a better view, as the limbs fold up tight to mask its silhouette, and their icy features add to the illusion. Both predator and prey alike often mistake the hiding beast, which is excellent for securing food and avoiding being eaten. Floeshell Krusts spend most of their lives in this state, only moving for the breeding season when they are looking for mates. Even then, they maintain their disguise as ice floes, just ones that slowly, but purposefully, go against the currents to interact with other "harmless" ice floes. There is one other time that the Krust moves as an animal and not a piece of scenery, and such a sight certainly sets sailors into a panic. When the giant invertebrate drops its ruse and quickly swims away, which is a sign that all else should be fleeing too. For this only occurs when something in the deep glows bright, the dreadful light ascending from the dark as the clouds above rumble in anticipation...
For any who sail the sea, be they seafolk, Skeggr or other, the Floeshell Krust is a nuisance. Not an all out threat, as very few humans ever try to climb atop an ice floe in the middle of the ocean. The issue is them running into the ship and blocking safe passage. Trying to shove them out of the way only results in retaliation, with icy claws raking at the hull and tossing the vessel back and forth. Yellow Bile charges meant to break up ice chunks will be chucked onto the creature's back, either aware of its presence or oblivious to its true nature, and the detonation will cause them to dive in confusion and pain. Thankfully, they are quick to run when found out, and any attacks are brief before it swims away. However, recent stories may suggest that the Krust is about to become more of a problem, as they are getting smart. Reports from ships talk of instances when an ice floe causes the ship to be stuck or stranded, and crew members climb out to try and break it free. In an instant, the floe dumps them into the sea and vanishes below, with none of them ever surfacing. The worry is that the Krust is starting to learn that these large vessels have tasty things aboard, and they may be coaxed out under the right conditions. Intentional sabotage or obstruction may allow them to prey on the stranded crew, which just adds another misery to this already awful sea.