# Skimmer
\
\
To Lietta Winthrope.\
Dignitary recipient.\
\
Kathington W7\
Heading Northward, River path.\
Diplomat Carriage.\
\
\
Lietta,
I have taken a great interest of the creature you have referred to as a Skimmer. And, as per your request, here are my notes.\
\
I would like to begin by stating that no Skimmer has ever been found dead, nor caught in a fishing net. All descriptions of Skimmers have come from reports made across the Kingdom to officials over the past several centuries.\
\
Skimmers, sometimes referred to as "*wagon snatchers*" or "*snatchers*," are large flat underwater creatures. These river dwellers look much like large blankets, with a smooth thin triangular wing on either side of their body to glide through the water.
Skimmers are almost always reported as black; however, one witness reported a skimmer that was, "*like the color of sand.*"
Skimmers have somewhere between 2 and 6 tentacles. These tentacles seem to tuck away beneath or inside of their long flat body but can extend outward great distances. Far beyond that of the length of their body—while still being quite powerful even when extended to their full length.
These large underwater creatures seem to mostly eat fish. But will occasionally “*snatch*” larger mammals such as elk, bears, and wild dogs into the water if they get too close to a river bank.
Skimmers usually attack when they hear a loud noise or when the water near them is disrupted. Which draws their attention to the disturbance. For this reason, Skimmers have also been known to attack loud intellects, such a humans. Especially children who are often noisy and unobservant.\
\
Children have a tendency to tend to throw sticks and stones into the water. Which would very much attract the attention of a nearby Skimmer. And this appears to be why a sizable number of Skimmer victims are rather young. If not, drunken adults.\
\
In a similar vein, Skimmers attack peasants more often than nobles. This is likely caused by the fact that peasants interact with rivers more often than nobles. Who refer to the lower-class to fetch their water, wash their clothes, tend to their horse, and other freshwater activities. Nobles are also more apt to swim in private lakes often closed off from alternative waterways and less likely to contain any noteworthy source of food for a Skimmer.\
\
From what I can gleam from my research, Skimmers do not like being outside of water and do not travel through smaller streams, or through rapid white waters. For this reason the best defense against Skimmers would be to narrow rivers through multiple choke-points creating narrow streams. And section off the these narrow streams with gates to prevent a larger skimmer from passing through into the waters beyond. A costly endeavor, no doubt. *But also one that is likely not worth the expense!*\
\
Skimmer attacks are fairly uncommon and the most famous noteworthy reports of Skimmer attacks with news that spreads far and wide, appear to only happen every half decade to decade, thereabouts. Although it’s quite possible that skimmers are responsible for many mysterious missing person reports for individuals traveling alone—or in noisy pairs. \
\
There is a great deal of water on this planet. And intellects only occupy a small portion of them. And even less, noisily. It’s possible that some Skimmers flee sources of extreme noise rather than investigate or attack. Skimmers attack just infrequently enough that many locals, especially ones that do not live near rivers often consider the stories of Skimmers to be a myth.\
\
Skimmer attacks appear to happen more often in the south near the fishing villages, but can happen in any fresh water river or lake across the entire land mass. Reports of attacks have happened as far north as the mountains, and can happen in any temperature climate. \
\
Although Skimmers have even been known to make appearances in salt water, this is much less frequent. While Skimmers can attach themselves to the bottom of ships and move from location to location effortlessly. They seem to prefer lying flat against the silty river bottom downstream from waterfalls waiting for easy prey to be delivered to them.\
\
According to some villagers Skimmers have been seen moving through clearer waters with an appearance similar to that of a dark shadow from a cloud moving across the water. But some researchers suggest that these are tall tales made by more attention-seeking villagers who wish to have an interesting story to spread.\
\
In some villages the locals will raise their children to stay quite around large shadows above water. And in one comical letter I’ve read, it seems many people who haven’t yet heard of Skimmers, or don't believe in their existence, believe this to be just another trick used by clever mothers to get noisy children to silence themselves. *Splendid!*\
——————\
I have found numerous historical sightings of Skimmers in my library.\
Here are some of the more notable accounts:
• In the first report I discovered one generation ago, two local children were playing alone near a river during a loud festival celebration with loud music. This music must have attracted a Skimmer, because once these two children stepped close enough to the river, one of them, a boy throwing sticks, was immediately pulled into the water—never to be seen again. This unfortunate incident was witnessed from above by some travelers crossing a nearby bridge.
• A second report spoke of a villager being grabbed by a skimmer while swimming within a lake. The victim was said to be continuously shouting the name of a friend who was ashore.
•A third report documented a Skimmer grabbing a bell-ringing courier beside a dock in a fishing village further south near Haverton Port. The witness was a reputable fisherman within the village. His report was further verified by the local pub hearing the couriers bell making unrhythmic sounds before immediately being silenced mid-ring. Followed by the fisherman's dog barking up a storm, which too was silenced. Only to be proceeded by another large splash.
• Of course the most famous example of a Skimmer attack was recorded in a military report, long ago some time during the grain wars. When a military convoy was setting up camp in flat wooded area near the Gritan river.
According to one survivor who was observing the water at the time of the attack, the approaching Skimmer looked like the shadow of a large oak tree moving closer to the land. Numerous tentacles then lunged out of the water towards the convoy and quickly grabbed two wagons, an armored battle horse, three men, and the wheel from a 3rd supply wagon which had broken free from the wagon. All of which were dragged into the river.
The first wagon, which was buoyant, was nearly crushed in half and was abandoned by the Skimmer. The second wagon which was loaded with heavier munitions had sank to the bottom of the river. As for the men and the horse, once they were pulled into the water there was no further sound or signs of life.
During the time of the attack, the boisterous drunken soldiers, were making lots of loud noises. Two of the three men who died were the closest to the river. And were said to be having a dispute over a game of cards. The third man close to the river was the witness standing silently near a tree.
Witnesses said the convoy was about one and a half wagon lengths distance from the water and that the Skimmer had no issue pulling the heavy wagons into the water from that distance with a tremendous show of force.\
\
\-------------------------\
\
I often pondered how a Skimmer might be able to have such incomparable strength to its own size. I once saw an academic perform an experiment that might explain this phenomenon.
\
The presenter first placed a flat wooden stick on a surface of a desk. And hit the edge of the stick. Naturally, the stick flew a great distance from the table and clattered onto the floor. The academic then did the same test once again, but with a large thin and lightweight piece of paper on top of the stick. This time when they hit the stick, the stick stayed put as if the paper added the weight of a boulder to the wood object. *Remarkable!* \
\
Many of us have experienced the difficultly of trying to move large flat items within water. It seems to me that the blanket-like shape of a Skimmer in addition to the resistance of the water might be what gives the Skimmer their ability to pull items larger than itself into the water, without immediately pulling itself to towards a much heavier object, such as a wagon.\
\
According to my research of Skimmer attacks written by other men of writing, Skimmers appear to be less interested in consuming the victim than they are at ceasing all noise that victim may be creating.\
\
Skimmers must have extraordinarily sensitive hearing or an acute sense of vibration within the waters. I find this information to be most peculiar as Skimmers tend to wait downstream from waterfalls, which are quite loud. I’m still unsure what I have to say on that matter...\
\
Anyways. There are a several more Skimmer reports I could share, but I must keep my letter fairly short. I hope this provides the information you were seeking. As for your second request. I will not be able to do research on that subject at the moment as I am working on something quite significant. However, I will soon give myself a much needed respite in my research by entertaining your request.\
\
Once accomplished I will send forth another letter to meet you at your destination or it will be waiting for you when you arrive home. Safe Travels Lietta, I wish you well on your apprentice trip. \
\
Sincerely, \
The Scholar\
\
`Ref: 3 — [2]`