In the southern Yakozan peninsula, a group of reclusive fishermen make a living by rounding up shi ika. The shi ika is a type of squid aberration found just off the coast.

The shi ika kai—death squid herders—are shunned by most because they bargain low prices for corpses, which they use as bait. They pile the dead on fishing boats and sail to the shi ika breeding trenches, where they are dumped overboard.

By evening, the next herd of shi ika walkers shamble forth from the coastline. The squid anomoly attaches itself to the corpse’s skull. As they feed on the decaying fluids, they release enzyme that reanimates the body. For some mysterious reason, it always travels back to the shore. The shi ika kai taser the corpse, which forces the squid to detach itself, at which point they’re gathered for the next morning’s market.

The shi ika is a very high profile delicacy in Yakozanese cuisine. If cooked incorrectly, the side effects could be severe.

Officials don’t allow these side effects to be publicly known.