General
Somni pterois abaia make their home in the sea between the islands of the Candle Archipelagos. They serve as its guardians, protecting the waters from overfishing, and protecting the island's inhabitants in turn from outside attack. One prick by the sharp spines of a displeased pterois abaia is capable of paralyzing most creatures, even small dragons. Rarely, and only for particularly favored magi, pterois abaia display an additional, strange gift - they leave the water to coil around the arm or torso of their companion and turn into an intricate tattoo, accompanying their magi on adventures in this form. This tattoo is a living guardian, able to turn back to a creature in an instant and strike any who would threaten their companion. Once a threat is dealt with, they return back to tattoo form. Somni pterois abaia do not need sustenance or special attention when in this state, and so far no-one has found a limit as to how long they can stay that way. It is believed that the Somni and Nareaun pterois abaias were once one and the same species. Through millenia the two diverged into their own species with one of them remaining in isolation and becoming endemic to the Caves of Nareau, and the other having a more wide spread range in the oceans around Somni. This separation has affected the two species in profound ways especially in regards of their habits and magical abilities.
Egg
Soft red spines have emerged from this egg, as well as a tail fin wrapped protectively around its base.
Hatchling
Somni pterois abaia hatchlings are small and delicate when they first hatch, and vulnerable to predators for the first week of their lives. After that, their spines become both sharp and poisonous, and most other sea creatures leave them alone. Hatchlings who survive past this point grow rapidly, spending their days eating to sustain their growth. Notably, while hatchlings will eat anything smaller than themselves, they seem careful to change their feeding grounds each day. Male and female hatchlings are easy to tell apart, as the males have a large frill around their mouths that the females lack, and this difference persists into adulthood.
Adult
An adult somni pterois abaia can grow to a length comparable to an average human magi, smaller than their aloof deep ocean abaia cousins, but still large enough to be intimidating. The males, especially, with their extra spines and large frills, are a terrifying sight to behold when angered. The oldest among them have used their abilities to go on multiple adventures beyond their home, and their eyes seem to contain hidden wisdom as they surface to observe visitors to their waters.
Notes
Obtained from: Donation (Jul)
Breeding: No
Renaming cost: 2000 gold
Release date: July 1st 2024
Element: Neutral 
July 2024 3-shard Donation Pet.
Sprite art: Mysfytt | Description: Kestrad