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Sand Angler — Description
The desert is an incredibly harsh place (big surprise), which means that those who live in it must be equally as hardy and rough. In a land that sees searing temperatures in the day and feels freezing chills at night, one cannot live a quiet, simple life. The species you find here will be coated in armor or thorns, while others may be designed to last for weeks without essential resources. On one hand, it is incredibly interesting to observe and study these creatures, as their adaptations are simply amazing. On the other hand, though, it's miserable. Just everything is miserable to deal with when you are working in the desert. The heat, the dehydration, the freezing nights and the endless amounts of hard rock and irritating sand. It certainly isn't all sun naps and root soaks there! I feel that study in the desert, for me, is just as difficult as studying sea life. Both of these environments are hostile towards land plants like myself, and both are filled with amazing creatures that do everything in their power to evade my sight. So many serpents and fish down in the depths that I can never see! It's infuriating! Almost as bad as that infernal salt water that practically burns me at the touch! Why must the pursuit of knowledge be so rough? Anyhoo, back on topic, which is funny now that I think about the mention of fish. It is quite fitting that I brought up sea life, because this entry is on the Sand Angler, and it looks like a creature from the ocean that got very, very lost.

Though found solely in desert environments (as you would imagine with such a name), Sand Anglers require specific conditions to fully thrive. Mainly they need a desert that contains large quantities of sand or possesses loose soil. Places where the ground is too solid or is primarily rock will not work for them. This is because Sand Anglers spend most of their lives underground, using their claws and hardened snouts to burrow through the soil at startling speeds. With the right conditions, these creatures can swim through the sand and dirt like a fish in water, which is one of the reasons why their many common names often refer to them as such. The many appendages that line their body sport tough claws that can work in tandem to dig their way through the earth. On the tips of their snouts are armored plates of bone that push away soil and protect their heads from sharp rocks. Their prominent lips will create a seal that will prevent sand from entering their mouths as they dig. Further down their body are two mantles and long tendrils, which can move in a pulsing fashion to further push them along. The large dorsal fin on its back, and the smaller ones on its forelimbs, can collapse and hug tight to their bodies, further streamlining their form. With all these parts working together, Sand Anglers can outpace many creatures that walk above ground, which is perfect for them. Though they may hide beneath the sand and dirt, Sand Anglers are the kings of their desert homes, and those who tread on their land should do so with extreme caution.

While the Sand Angler is burrowing its way through the sand and soil, it is ever vigilant of the surface world above. Any movement that happens up above causes minute vibrations, which the Sand Angler can detect. Its membranes and tendrils are sensitive to these vibrations, which allows them to figure out the location and speed of prey. When motion is detected, the beast will go into full hunt mode. It will dig rapidly to the source, hoping to get beneath them before the victim notices. As it closes in, it will monitor the movements of its target in order to figure out the best tactic for taking them down. If prey seems oblivious to their presence, then they will slow down and slowly position themselves below the target. In a flash, they will surge upward, unseal their mouth and swallow the victim whole as they burst from the earth. If prey is still and wary, they will go for a long range attack. With this, they will use their famous weapon that has given them the "angler" name. Hidden in the orifice on their head is a long boneless tentacle that ends with four flexible "fingers." While they dig, this tentacle is retracted and coiled in their body. When it is needed, the Sand Angler will swim up to the surface and position itself so that only its dorsal fin and tendril is exposed. The tentacle will emerge and the beast will whip it forward towards prey. Though blind, Sand Anglers use vibrations and sound to track prey on the surface. With this information, they can strike in the direction of prey, which often is enough to get the job done. If the tentacle hits home, the fingers will wrap themselves around the body or limb of prey and hold tight. While they may look thin, their grip is like iron and is almost impossible to dislodge. If the attack misses, the Angler will whip the tentacle around in sweeping motions in an attempt to locate and grab the missed target. Once a grip is established, the victim will be pulled off their feet and yanked into the waiting maw. In the last case scenario, if prey is alerted and running, the Sand Angler will give chase. With its mastery of digging, it can keep up with many desert dwellers, following close behind as they seek an opening to attack. When such a chance rears its head, the Angler will surface and lash out with its tendril, hoping to either grab the victim or trip them up. If the unfortunate soul falls, the Sand Angler will be upon them and drag them down below. In most cases, prey will simply vanish beneath the dirt, leaving little evidence of their demise. Some theorize that the Sand Anglers are the reason why the fear of quicksand is so prevalent, despite the fact that such a substance is quite rare.

With its stealthy underground lifestyle, precise sensors and lightening fast tentacle, the Sand Angler is the apex predator of the desert world. By living beneath the sand, it is safe from any surface attackers and has the perfect cover to ambush prey from. It's digging speed and sensitivity to vibrations makes it a master of targeting unwary prey and rushing in for an attack before they even realize the danger. Even if baited to the surface, the Sand Angler is a terrifying opponent. While their claws are meant for digging soil, they can easily cut through flesh and hide in a pinch. Their collapsible dorsal fin also possesses sharp spines, which can be thrust upward if an opponent is standing above them. Their long "fishing" tentacle can lay out paralyzing strikes and can knock foes off their feet in the heat of combat. What also helps make it top carnivore is its jaws. While some may expect a meat eater to have a mouth full of fangs and daggers, the Sand Angler's mouth is actually coated in broad, stubby teeth. We are not talking about a single row of chompers, what I mean is that the mouth of this creature is covered from bottom to roof with a layer of wide, flat teeth. Think cobblestone road, but the stones are teeth and the mortar is made of gums. While such a maw is poor for cutting flesh and slicing through muscle, it is excels in crushing prey into a bloody pulp. Victims who are swallowed by these creatures are not torn apart or shredded, they are pulverized into paste. These bizarre jaws are useful in two different ways. One is that the underground lifestyle makes up-and-down chewing impractical and awkward, while the back and forth grinding of flat teeth works in such tight spaces. Second is the fact that the toothy layer protects their mouth from spines and nasty thorns, which many desert creatures possess. With very little gum and flesh exposed, a Sand Angler could grind a cactus into juice in its mouth and be no worse for wear. With this, this beast can consume practically any prey it encounters, which is perfect since the Sand Angler is not a picky predator. They will pretty much attack anything that moves, be it man, beast, plant or tumbleweed. Since their maw can crush anything, they don't care what they swallow. Sand Anglers will even eat Desert Dryads if they catch them, hardly affected by their sharp spines and thorny limbs. So if you find yourself in their territory, do everything you can to leave it, because they will be coming and they will be hungry.

For Sand Anglers, there are hardly any differences between the males and females. Females tend to be bigger, while the males possess enlarged vibration sensors on their necks so that they can track down potential mates. When breeding season occurs, the males will scour the lands in search of a viable female. The females in turn will let out a constant, low-pitched rumble that can be felt for miles around, tipping males off to their presence. The bachelors will lock onto the signal and zero in, rushing to be the first to the prize. If more than one male arrives to claim the female, they will fight over her. This battle involves them ramming into each other as they swim through the sand, looking to force the opponent towards the surface. In order to win, the fighter must shove the other male out of the ground and onto the surface, and only then can he claim his mate. The winner must than defend his claim on the female, as more potential bachelors arrive. During this time, the dominant male will remain on the surface, letting out guttural bellows to intimidate lesser Anglers. Once all suitors are driven away and the two have time alone, the female will go off and dig deep down into the earth. She will go as far as her claws can take her, and there she will lay her thick-shelled eggs. They are placed here so that they are not in areas that Sand Anglers normally travel, since they would totally eat them if they came across them. Once they are laid, the female will leave and never return. It is up to the young to fend for themselves, hatching from their eggs and ascending into the hot sandy layers above.

Due to their aggressive hunting style and their willingness to eat anything that moves, Sand Anglers are an incredibly dangerous species. There is no telling how many explorers, wanderers and nomads have been lost to their pulverizing jaws. Every creature that calls the desert home fears these beasts, and they will do anything they can to avoid treading where they hunt. In some cases, some may not have a choice and must brave the treacherous dunes. Some species have adapted a special way to move in order throw off the Sand Angler's sensors, while others stick to the good ol' run-like-mad-and-pray-you-make-it-to-the-finish-line method. To travelers who must walk through the lands of these creatures (and I say "must" because there is no way a sane person would willingly go through such a place) I have a few pieces of advice. One is to stick to rocky areas and places where the ground is hard, as that will prevent the Anglers from attacking from below. Do note that this does not make you impervious to them. When prey scrambles up onto boulders or hides on ground that is too hard, the Angler will surface and use its tentacle to try and snare them. Once prey is grabbed, they can be reeled back into the soft earth and crushed. The other piece of advice is to walk lightly. Try to send out as little vibrations as possible. If you can pull it off, you can either slip by unnoticed, or make the Sand Angler believe you are smaller prey. If it thinks you are a small morsel, it may try a simpler approach to the hunt, which may give you a chance to escape their jaws. If you can't do that, then take you gear and lash it onto a few small sleds. Tie them into a train and drag them behind you. By doing this, you will create multiple targets for the Sand Angler, forcing its attention away from you. In hopes of being stealthy, the Angler will go after the sled in the back. In its mind, it sees such an arrangement as a mother leading a line of her offspring. In such a scenario, it is best to start at the back and silently suck each morsel into the sand so that no one notices until it is too late. Instead of a young one, though, it will be eating a mouthful of inedible equipment. When this happens, the rope you tied to yourself will go taut, alerting you to its presence. At that point, cut the swallowed sled free and start running. It will take a moment for the Angler to realize its captured prey is not food, then it will give chase. Hopefully it will go after your remaining sleds first, allowing you time to escape. Two things to note, though, is that you need to be ready to cut yourself free whenever a sled is eaten. Its no use if you wind up getting dragged down below with it. The other thing to keep in mind is that you should load the last sled with the most useless and replaceable gear you have. It is practically guaranteed that you are going to lose it, so don't pack it with valuables.

Now some of you may be expecting some story from me about my encounters with these beasts. "Surely, the great Chlora Myron has a tale to tell with these fantastical creatures!" you would say (Oh how you flatter me!). Well, the truth is....I don't. In all honesty, these things creep me out. I have not seen one, nor do I have any wish to. The best encounter I have gotten is through the stories I have heard from Desert Dryads, and they are enough to make my bark crawl. Tales of friends and family being pulled down below, gone in a blink of an eye. Frightful tellings of mad dashes to safety as spiny fins slice through the sand behind them. It is horrible just to think about it, especially with the violent end you know all the victims faced. So no way was I going to go near their territory. I was perfectly content camping on the solid rock and stone, hearing only the bellows of these monstrous creatures as they stood upon their sandy throne and challenged the world.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian