Teal

Specifications

• Species: Otrayk
• Classification: Guardian spirit
• Origin: ancient
• Elemental affinity: Air and water
• Symbiotic character: Required for optimal performance.
• Symbiote type: Human or other sentient
• Symbiote selection: determined by Teal

Description

Teal was named for the color of his eyes as seen by his symbiote Evelyn when he first opened them in her presence. His base color is a pale brown similar to driftwood with darker brown belly and back. His wing and tail slots are also a teal color to match his eyes. Consistent with what few records of his species exist, the wing patches start from the shoulder and extend as a stripe on either side of his back midway down his tail which is nearly as thick as his torso. The end of his tail is marked by another teal slots that become his v-shaped ruddervater fins in flying and swimming configuration. His body is covered in very fine green tinted fur when in his base form which gives him the look of mossy driftwood.

Teal's swimming form is roughly 35 feet from nose to tail and about 55 feet wide as measured along his manta ray like wings. In this form, all fur is replaced by smooth, rubbery skin with an armor value close to that of tank armor. His flight form is much more delicate with a wingspan close to 100 feet. Like his swimming form, he is smooth, but the armor rating in this form is at best like a well built armored car. Because of this, Teal enters combat most often in swimming form where he engages targets on land and in water, and he will try to ground flying targets rather that take to the air.

History

Teal was first sighted in Japan in the late 1800's where he sheltered along the west coast for some time. While it is not possible to be certain that the sighted individual was Teal, the markings recorded are consistent. He vanished in the 1920's for a time, possibly driven off by industrialization along with many other native spirits.

Teal did not appear again until after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While not publicly known, a third strike had bean planned but was terminated when the aircraft carrier bearing the third bomb was attacked by a massive entity. Any offensive action against it resulted in it damaging aircraft on-board until it finally got to the weapon itself which it pulled apart and then sunk into the ocean. Once again, images from the event seem consistent with Teal's markings.

Teal's current arrival came amidst a hurricane that somehow pulled a hard right and slammed the west coast. The freak storm managed to quell California wildfires and left Teal on a shore in Oregon. After a particularly bad year of storms, fires, and even earthquakes, Teal's arrival was met with uncertainty. He was initially isolated on a US Navy base and kept in containment as a threat. His docile if not lethargic nature left his status as questionable. It was not until a sergeant was sent to check vital on him that he started to move. She was evacuated, and he remained still for nearly a week.

Following an accident that left the same sergeant injured with a broken leg, Teal moved and transformed to his swimming form with which he broke free and ended up picking up the wounded woman. Bringing her back to the barracks safely, he resumed his smaller form again and remained there standing but otherwise nearly asleep again. This was to begin his bonding with her and lead to the current age in which a otrayk has resumed an active role in the defense of a coastline.

Tales

Teal and Evelyn

Evelyn Victoria East, or Eve as she was called, remains the sole person capable of guiding and even controlling Teal. Part of the research of metaphysical creature control, she is part of a team charged with identifying and countering new threats of supernatural form that, in this world, are a constant threat to civilization.

Her role on the science team, her tasks included performing measurements on such captured beasts. However, upon her contact with Teal, the otrayk activated and became sufficiently mobile to sit up and observe Eve at which point she slowly exited the chamber. She would not see him again until a mountain hiking accident would trigger a powerful defensive action by Teal.

The navy still lacked any idea of what type of monster Teal was, and so it used Eve again to cause it to activate so they could study it. This eventually resulted in an event by which Eve was converted to a form of energy and absorbed into Teal where her senses merged with his. Even though she could feel, she was not in control, and Teal once again took to swimming form and gave Eve quite a ride as well as revealed some of his abilities in the water including his incredible speed.

The merger proved to be reversible, and after roughly a month of the two feeling each other out, it appeared that Eve's merger with Teal meant she was symbiotic with the monster and able to respond to commands through him. Their role together against other monsters was soon realized, and Teal proved to be bigger, stronger, and smarter than nearly any threat they faced human or beast. Only the gooroo Smotele proved to be an equal match and resulted in an extended battle that left both of them reeling. However, Teal's larger size and denser exterior secured their victory and drove Smotele away from the town.

Eventually Eve coordinated with her superiors to have a navy uniform made for Teal's compact form. They deemed it good for morale of the base and the city to have Teal in plain sight at least at some points, and Eve was tasked with keeping interactions in town with Teal to something safe. The town was loathe, at first, to accept a monster into their midst until old tales were resurrected and some of Teal's power demonstrated without causing any harm. Teal was a guardian spirit, and such had not been seen in ages but now existed in this isolated location.

With help from Eve, the navy and the city nearby coordinated cleanups of the shoreline and roads inland. General improvements in environmental stewardship seemed to earn Teal's respect, and he has remained a fixture supporting local defense as one of the very rare friendly monster-class entities, and Eve remains the only one he will really listen to.