Depth Guard Nautiloid


Released on: May 1, 2021
Created by Shrew Studios

Of all the creatures in the deep, none are as cunning or smart as the Nautiloid. Many predators really on their brute strength or speed to catch prey but the Nautiloid prefers to use its sizable intellect to hunt. Cezorian scholars have witnessed several different hunting strategies employed by the Nautiloid, each more cunning then the last. From hiding within tight passageways and lashing out at unsuspecting morsels, to burrowing themselves inside the rotting husks of larger fish and catching the fresh bottom feeders that approach such a buffet. It was this very same cunning that made perfect candidates for Viselius' army. 

Many of Viselius' beasts of war require the direct input of a Corsair operator to fulfill the role that Viselius' demands of them. Without their operators for example, Tortogals would sooner hide in their shells then act as the living siege engines they were meant to be. With their vast intellect however, Nautiloids are able to operate fairly independently on the field of battle and are even capable of handling weaponry with their tentacles. The latter is only achievable after intense conditioning and mind reconstruction at the hands of the Tide Sages. Even so, a unarmed Nautiloid can still wreck untold havoc on enemy lines with its barbed tentacles and snapping beak. To assist them in above water combat, the Quartermasters of the Tide Haunters designed propulsion thrusters to allow Nautiloids to move on the surface. These thrusters are linked directly to the brain of the beast itself and allow it to move freely in the air as it does in the sea.

The Nautiloids preform another function in addition to providing fire support. As one of the few 'flight' capable creatures in Viselius' arsenal, Nautiloids have the second duty of resupplying and reinforcing combat zones. Large cargo nets are affixed to the back of their shells and are packed with munitions, bombs, and occasionally, swarms of small crustaceans. Many victories have been won due to timely carpet bombings from swarms of Nautiloids, and this coupled with their ferocity and power, makes them invaluable to the Tide Haunters.