Shiver Male


Shiver Males are aggressive leviathan-class lifeforms that inhabit the Void of Proteus. Three Shiver Males will appear alongside a single Shiver Female the moment a player enters the Void.

Appearance

Male Shiver Leviathans are nearly identical in appearance to the females, with the only differences being a lack of trailing organs on the underside of the tail, and their inferior size. The males are approximately 39 meters long compared to the 89 meter long females.

Behavior

Shiver Males are always found in groups of three alongside a larger female. When a group of Shivers notices the player, one of the males will break off from the group to attack them. A Shiver Male is capable of instantly killing the player when grabbing them. They can also grab and crush Tadpoles.

The Shiver Leviathan telegraphs a change in swimming direction with a loud, noticeable roar. This is only the case when undisturbed by the player.

Shiver Males will avoid crossing the barrier and will cease pursuing a player that leaves the Void.

How to Scan

Shiver Leviathans only spawn once the player crosses the Early Access Barrier.

Scanning Shiver Males is only possible after they detach from the female Shiver Leviathans. It is recommended to use the terrain as cover to approach the leviathans as the males are very fast. A commonly used method in Multiplayer is to scan them while using friends as bait for the leviathans to focus on.

Databank Entry

Source: Scan a Shiver Male

Skythopterygion atropos, the scythe-finned fate-ender. The male of a sexually dimorphic leviathan predator species which dwells in open water and attacks in packs (or shivers).

1. Death's head

The ancestors of the shiver leviathan diverged from other Protean fish early. The armor-plated skull and long, highly developed limbs (resembling wings and claws) are defining traits of the clade. The closest living relative may be the foureye. The body plan is optimized for slow cruises through deep water interrupted by sudden, rapid attacks. An armored skull suggests that prey fight back.

2. Sexual dimorphism

Male shiver leviathans are smaller and more agile than the large female. They also lack the female's distinctive tail organs, which may be a form of long-range 'towed array' sonar. Males depend on the females for guidance and nourishment during long cruises in the open ocean.

3. Shiver attack

Packs of males cooperate with a single female in hunts. Attacks are aggressive and comprehensive — and not limited to prey. Females will drive off or destroy any large challenger they encounter, while males engage smaller consorts or companions.

4. Partible paternity

Spectrogenetic testing suggests that multiple males fertilize a female's brood. Females may compete to attract the most successful consorts to their shiver.

5. Your closest relative?

On Earth, land tetrapods (including humans) descended from the lobe-finned fish. The shiver leviathan's complex wings are loosely similar to these ancestors' fins. In a sense, the shiver leviathan is the most humanlike organism so far discovered on Proteus.

Assessment: sophisticated, dangerous predator that will attack even large submarines. Avoid.

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