Seals

La. "merikoirat", sing. "merikoira"

Protective of cubs, but slow and clumsy on land. Will retreat to the water if threatened.

Seals of Forodwaith
Seals migrate into Forochel's bays and inlets in spring, before scattering to warmer waters in the South in autumn. There are two main types of seals of interest to the Ystävät Talven. The first is the fur seal or karvainen merikoira, used for both meat and fur. The second is the lihamerikoira, used primarily as a source of meat and leather (especially armor).

In spring, the seals can literally cover a beach in one great, boisterous and gregarious colony. The female seals are fairly placid, preferring to take to the safety of the sea rather than fight. The bulls, however, can be aggrissive in their defense of territory or harems. In the water, the animals have never been known to attack Men, except occasionally or a slight nip or bite as the creatures include the individual in their underwater play.

The Snow-elves find seals absolutely delighful, spending hours wandering a beach among them and staring into the big, brown, intelligent eyes of the creatures.