Namazu

Namazu is a Godfish that resembles a giant catfish. It lives around the Isle of Zakana south of Valordyn having formed a mutual relationship with the native Sea Elves. Namazu patrols the island, circling around its shallow waters. Uncharacteristic for a Godfish, it does not seem to actively hide its presence except when it senses danger. It can be seen clearly on the surface.

While Namazu had originally trapped the Zakanites preventing them from leaving, Namazu would also protect them from outside invaders who were attempting to plunder Zakana’s rare species of valuable Mejiru Coral. Attempts by pirates to attack Zakana would result in them being devoured alive by Namazu.

It became tradition on Zakana to offer Namazu a portion of their harvest every year by sending out a wooden raft filled with an assortment of fruits and fish. The native Sea Elves would occasionally execute criminals by feeding them to Namazu in a similar way. It is thought that Namazu is at least two thousand years old as it is currently the largest Godfish ever recorded at 70 meters long. Despite Namazu not being divine in nature, the people of Zakana still revere it as a guardian spirit of the ocean.

A legend among the Sea Elves of Zakana is that Namazu once swallowed a dragon named Shenlong to hold him as a prisoner for defying the gods. Shenlong would eventually escape after his followers tricked Namazu into ingesting a toxin that would force it to spit out Shenlong. Shenlong is acknowledged in many parts of mainland Valorum as being a hero, but to Zakana, Shenlong is seen as a devil figure and defiler.