Seen in Ishmael's memories in Intervallo II
The Pallid Whale's closed eye
Ditto, but opened
Pallid Whale
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The Pallid Whale is one of the five Calamities of U Corp's Great Lakes. Also known as "The All-Consuming Pallid Whale" due to it consuming anything in its path, it was the target of Ahab and her crew, the Indigo Elder and eventually Limbus Company during Canto V when it ingested a Golden Bough.
Appearance
The Pallid Whale is a cetacean superficially resembling a colossal white sperm whale with vacuous, pitch-black eyes. Both fresh and old scars cover its body, and numerous harpoons are embedded in its head. White and blue veins are visible under its skin, and it possesses a set of sharp, crooked teeth.
The Pallid Whale's interior anatomy is equally massive (enough to use boats), convoluted and highly hazardous.
In Ishmael's flashback, the Whale appears significantly less scarred.
Pallidification
Like the other Whales of the Great Lake, victims of the Pallid Whale become Mermaids. This happens via Palldification, where the victim, upon being ingested and spewed out, is covered in an off-white membrane with red and blue veins. The Pallidified are described by Ishmael to still "themselves" to a certain extent. Pallidified have been seen in two variants:
- Victims may transform into Pallid Mermaids, animalistic beings that vaguely resemble mermaids.
- Victims may become Pallid Things, retaining their bodies and skills. Ishmael recounts stories Pallid vessels and their extremely hostile crew roaming the Lake.
In either case, Pallidified individuals lack any higher cognitive abilities and will attack the non-pallidified on sight. The only exceptions are Ahab and the Pequod's crew, who survived being Pallidified within the Whale.
Pallidification appears to be linked to one's obsessions and desires. Ishmael experienced Pallidification after defeating Ahab, her sole direction and goal now lost. Conversely, the obsession with escaping the Whale is what prevented the Pequod's crew from succumbing. Additionally, Pallidification can be countered by Golden Boughs which cause the membrane to receded, or rapid removal of the membrane, such as how Ishmael was rescued.
Synopsis
Prior to Ishmael joining Limbus Company, she was part of the Pequod's crew on their ill-fated voyage to hunt the Pallid Whale. However, the Calamity swiftly destroyed them, leaving her the only presumed survivor. In reality, the rest of the crew survived within the Pallid Whale, working to slay the Calamity and escape.
During Canto V, prior to the Sinner's arrival at U Corp., the Pallid Whale consumed the Lobotomy Corp. Branch Facility, ingesting the Abnormalities and Pallidifying the entire structure, along with most of the LCCB agents within.
