Squid
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Basic Information

A squid is an aquatic mollusk similar to the octopus. Unlike the gentle octopus which has eight tentacles, the squid had ten; so if you are ever attacked by a cephelapod, be sure to count the tentacles.

Some squid can fly. Seriously. Small lightweight squids have been documented jumping up to 50 meters horizontally across the water surface, and moving as fast as a motorboat. They swim by forcing water through their mantle and siphoning it out by muscular contraction, almost a sort of watery jetpack. Scientists calculate that some squid species may be able to jump up to 6 meters high if they were aiming predominantly up rather than across. Like flying fish this appears to be a way of escaping predators rather than an attack mode … but that need not be the case in all times and places.

Often unfairly associated with eldritch-abominations as, for example, in the case of angels, demons and squid.

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Game and Story Use

  • Giant Squids are always fun. Just ask Captain Nemo.
  • Flying squids could be a big shock for the unexpecting.
    • Seeing them jump like flying fish would be one thing, seeing one come flying up out of the water and grab a seagull like a trout taking a fly, quite another.
  • Note that the flying squid are generally small ones - how well it scales is in doubt, and apart from the fact that a lot of the really big squid would be at risk of significant decompression trauma from coming anywhere near the surface (as they tend to be very deep dwelling), it may be that the power to weight does not increase proportionally by size: whilst a squid with a six inch long body might be able to jump six feet out of the water, one with a six foot body might only be able to jump the same distance or less. If jumping distance does scale then that's a whole different kettle of squid…
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