Umibōzu
Region of origin: Japan
Towering sea spirits with minimal features save two large, staring eyes, the umibōzu are said to arise out of calm seas and capsize ships, giant manifestations of sudden oncoming storms and rogue waves. It would appear before the doomed ship and demand a barrel which it would use to scoop seawater into the ship, sinking it and drowning the crew. If provided with one with the bottom removed, it would become distracted by its futile attempts to fill the barrel, giving the ship a chance to escape. The name means “sea bonze,” or “monk,” referring to its bald appearance’s similarity to a Buddhist monk’s shaven head.
Originally posted on Tumblr on October 24, 2016
The Compendium of Arcane Beasts and Critters 