Candlefish
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Basic Information

The candlefish - also known as eulachon or oolichan is a fish native to the American Pacific Coast which played a significant part in the pre-Columbian economy and continued to do so through the Colonial Era into modern times.

Candlefish earns its name from the high fat content of fish caught during their spawning season - so high, in fact1, that a dried specimen could be strung on a wick and burned like a candle. The fish was also stored for use as a high energy long life foodstuff and rendered for an oil (generally referred to as "grease") which was traded far inland for culinary and industrial uses.

Sources

Candlefish at "the other" wiki

Bibliography
1. full source reference

Game and Story Use

  • The idea of a fish which can be burned like a candle will probably stretch your players suspension of disbelief, so have the wiki link ready.
  • "Grease" should be considered a variant form of tallow for most purposes.
  • Presumably you could brew up some kind of fishy pemmican out of their greasy fat…
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