Eyrball
The Eyrball is an Aerial Estalon, notable for its unusual life cycle that bridges both ocean and sky. During the first quarter of its life, it does not dwell in the heavens but upon the deep ocean floor, where it feeds on microscopic organisms until reaching its adolescent stage. A defining feature of the Eyrball is its singular, enormous eye, which occupies the entire front of its rounded head. Small fins line its sides, a shark-like dorsal fin rises from its back, and two split tail flippers provide balance and mobility. The Hydromancers of Odayn are known to adopt young Eyrballs discovered along the seabed, raising them until the creatures mature. Upon reaching adolescence, the Eyrball undergoes a remarkable transformation: it releases the energy and mass accumulated during its early years, becoming buoyant enough to rise from the sea into the sky. From that moment onward, it spends the remainder of its life soaring high above Astracel, until the day it dies and gently falls from the clouds. Because the Eyrball divides its life between sea and sky, it has evolved natural camouflage suited to both realms. Its upper body is a deep bluish hue with rippling markings near the dorsal fin, concealing it against the ocean depths, while its white underbelly mirrors the brightness of clouds, making it nearly invisible from below.
Eyrballs are hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive organs. However, they still require a mate of their own species in order to reproduce. Each breeding cycle yields around 50 eggs, though survival rates are exceedingly low. Many perish before hatching, some shatter on impact with the water’s surface if laid too far from the sea, while others fail to sink quickly enough to avoid predators near the ocean floor. Even after hatching, young Eyrballs face constant danger. In the sea, they are a favored snack of Neratiss and Darkin, while in the skies above, predators such as the Muirugiay and Clofogan hunt them relentlessly.
C-0169
Eyrball
Ascensus Piscis Cyclopis