Difference between revisions of "Santhid"

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(This reads as if Cultivation had direct influence on the sentience of Santhids)
(expand, complete, review)
|image=Santhid.jpeg
|type=Animal
|sapient=y
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
'''Santhidyn''' are massive shelled marine animals native to [[Roshar]]. They are one of a few Rosharan species known to have some degree of sapience.{{wob ref|2792}}
'''Santhidyn''' are fairly intelligent gigantic marine animals native to [[Roshar]]. They are so reclusive that some books claim they are extinct. They sometimes follow ships, although all that can be seen from the surface is the top of their shells. Sailors consider sighting them to be very lucky, and say hunting them brings bad luck. Decomposed santhidyn occasionally wash up on shore. Because of their rarity, there were no known pictures or reliable descriptions of live specimens until a santhid was drawn by [[Shallan Davar]].{{book ref|sa2|1}}▼
 
▲'''Santhidyn''' are fairlyso intelligentrare gigantic marine animals native to [[Roshar]]. They are soand reclusive that some booksscholars claimbelieve theythem areto be extinct. They sometimes follow ships, although allsailors that can be seen from the surface is the top of their shells. Sailors considersometimes sightingsight them to be very lucky, and saydead hunting them brings bad luck. Decomposed santhidynspecimens occasionally wash up on shore. Because of their rarity, thereThere were no known pictures or reliable descriptions of live specimens until a santhid was observed and drawn by [[Shallan Davar]].{{book ref|sa2|1}}
They are one of the few Rosharan species with a degree of sentience, due to [[Cultivation]]'s influence in the system.{{wob ref|2792}}
 
== Appearance and Anatomy ==
Santhidyn have a dome -shaped brown-green shell on the top of their bodies, about the size of three rowboats tied together and at least six or eight feet in height, on their top. The shell is sometimes overgrown with seaweed, and small crystals jut up from it. UnderneathWhile the shell,santhid theyis areswimming athrough knottedthe gray-bluewater, mass.the Theirshell skin are rippled and folded, gnarledlooks like an ancient tree. They have an eye as big as a humantiny, headmobile and three enormous fins on each of their flanksisland. TheyThe haveshell long,extends droopingunderwater, andsuch verythat thickno blueother tendrils, like thosepart of athe jellyfishanimal thatcan disappearbe downseen intofrom the depths of thea seasship, trailingonly behindshadows.{{book the santhid at a slant.ref|sa2|1}}
 
Underneath the shell, their bodies are a knotted gray-blue mass. They have long, very thick blue tendrils that trail behind the santhid at a drooping slant. Their skin is rippled and folded, gnarled like an ancient tree. They have an eye the size of a human head on each side of their body and three enormous fins on each of their flanks.{{book ref|sa2|1}}
 
Although it is unclear if santhidyn are categorized as "[[greatshell]]s", they have some characteristics in common with other animals such as the [[yu-nerig]] and [[tai-na]], and they are part of the same family tree as [[chasmfiend]]s.{{wob ref|7450}} Shallan observes arrow-shaped [[spren]], presumably [[mandra]]s, near a santhid.{{book ref|sa2|1}} These spren are known to enable animals to grow to enormous size on Roshar.{{book ref|sa3|99}}{{wob ref|1806}} The size and anatomy of santhidyn may also indicate that they have [[gemheart]]s.{{wob ref|756}}
 
==Behavior==
Sightings of santhidyn are extremely rare. Even full-time sailors may only see one every few years. When a santhid does encounter a ship, they may sometimes follow it for days, even waiting at sea for the ship if it visits a port of call. Their large fins allow them to swim quickly and smoothly, and they seem to easily keep up with ships, even over long distances. They are generally considered harmless, although their presence still worries some sailors since they are enigmatic creatures.{{book ref|sa2|1}}
 
Santhidyn have some degree of sapience. This is related to the [[Shard]] [[Cultivation]]{{wob ref|2792}} and presumably facilitated by a relationship with [[spren]], although this relationship is not well-understood.{{wob ref|8302}}{{wob ref|2684}}{{wob ref|11667}} Shallan noticed that a santhid seemed to focus its eye directly on her;{{book ref|sa2|1}} she believed that the same santhid later rescued her from a shipwreck.{{book ref|sa2|11}}
 
{{image|Shallan And The Santhid.png|Shallan meeting the Santhid.|width=250px|side=left}}▼
== Ecology ==
The waters around santhidyn are teeming with life. SmallSchools of small fish usually follow santhidyn around, picking at the underside of their shell, perhaps indicating a symbiotic relationship. OthersIf movea betweensanthid approaches a ship, fish will move back and aforth santhidbetween the two, also picking at the bottom of the vessel. ThisShallan maytheorizes havethat somethingthe tofeeding dobehavior withof whythe santhidynfish followmay shipsbe around.the Theyreason arethat alsosanthidyn surroundedsometimes byfollow anships.{{book unknown type of [[spren]].ref|sa2|1}}
 
Because sightings are so infrequent, the full range of santhidyn is unclear, although their size presumably limits them to deeper waters. They have been observed in Longbrow's Straits and the [[Southern Depths]].{{book ref|sa2|1}}{{book ref|sa2|11}}
They are generally considered harmless, although the lack of reliable accounts on them makes it suspect.
▲{{image|Shallan And The Santhid.png|[[Shallan]] meeting thea Santhid.santhid|width=250px|side=left}}
==History==
Santhidyn are rarely seen by sailors, and even more rarely by scholars. A naturalist named [[Naladan]] spent her entire career chasing santhidyn and never got a good look at one. Sightings are so infrequent that there is a great deal of disagreement about their nature, and even their existence. Some corpses have washed ashore, but they are generally badly decomposed and not useful for study.{{book ref|sa2|1}}
 
[[Shallan Davar]] and the crew of the ''[[Wind's Pleasure]]'' encountered a santhid in [[Longbrow's Straits]] in in {{Rosharan date|1173}}. Shallan was determined to observe the creature underwater, and ordered the crew to tie some ropes around her and lower her over the gunwale down to the water, against [[Yalb]] and [[Tozbek]]'s better judgment. Shallan was amazed at the santhid's massive, majestic body and the many fish and [[spren]] surrounding it.{{book ref|sa2|1}} She was ecstatic after emerging from the water and made a number of sketches of the great animal.{{book ref|sa2|6}}
 
When the ''Wind's Pleasure'' later sank off the coast of the [[Frostlands]], Shallan managed to survive; she made landfall near the [[Shallow Crypts]].{{map ref|Frostlands|the Frostlands}} When she woke up, she did not remember what had happened, but she saw a santhid leaving the area. She believed that it was the same santhid she had encountered in Longbrow's Straits, even though she had since traveled a significant distance without seeing it again. She assumed that the santhid had saved her, and speculated about its level of intelligence.{{book ref|sa2|11}} She lost her original drawings during the sinking, but later recreated some of them.{{book ref|sa2|17}}
 
== Lore ==
Sailors[[Thaylen]] sailors consider santhidyn to be very good luck and a good omen, and even the thought of hunting one is enough to make most uncomfortable. ThereThey areoften tell stories claimingabout theysanthid sometimessightings followand abehavior. shipScholars forsuch days,as waitShallan outand in[[Jasnah]] theare seaaware asof the shipreverence goesthat intosailors port,hold andfor followsanthidyn.{{book it again once it goes into open sea.ref|sa2|1}}
 
Santhid shells are sometimes displayed in coastal cities such as [[Amydlatn]].{{book ref|sa2|1}} [[Mraize]] also appears to have a part of a santhid skull in his "trophy room".{{book ref|sa2|43}}
 
==Trivia==
Shallan believes a santhid rescued her after the sinking of ''[[The Wind's Pleasure]]''.{{book ref|sa2|11}} She lost her original drawing during the sinking but redrew it after meeting [[Tvlakv]].{{book ref|sa2|17}} When she visits [[Mraize]]'s basement, he has a santhid skull among his collection of trophies.{{book ref|sa2|43}}
*Santhids are not based on any particular real-life animal.{{wob ref|2792}}
 
== Notes ==
<references /><!-- sa2: 1, 6, 11, 17, 43, art -->
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{{Stormlight}}
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