The Creatures

Drionus is home to a host of different creatures, be them mundane or magical. In addition to the normal, everyday beasts like wolves and deer and birds and bears, there are a variety of others, which this archive will cover, though it should be noted that this list is not all-inclusive, and you can be certain that a well-rounded journey throughout the entire realm will have you meeting some creatures not listed here.

Minotaur -
The Minotaur (also spelled "Minataur") is one of the Beastfolk - men worshiping unrecognized gods and undergoing rituals which turned them into humans resembling the beast their god "governs." However, these men suffer even more shunning than other Beastfolk, as the original ritual went wrong, and they lost their intelligence in the process, becoming mindless beasts.

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Minotaurs are generally muscular beasts, standing considerably taller and broader than any human, with bull legs and head, and the torso of a man, covered in a greasy, brown fur. They are tribal creatures, fighting with either bare fists, huge branches, or large weapons they scavenge from the dead, usually massive axes. When fully grown, these beasts can be absolutely massive, standing twice the size of a man. In the North, they grow thicker coats of fur. In the South, in Or'lancc, they have very little fur, and have many more spiked teeth, meant for tearing into the thick-skinned animals native to the land. "'. . . and, after being set on track by the kindly Arveri, I have found the Minotaurs. What I see before me is a majestic sight indeed - five fully-grown, well-bred Minotaurs. They are thick-muscled, with torsos like strong men, though covered in no small amount of greasy brown fur.""They speak in a primitive, grunting tongue, riddled with huffs and coupled with jerkish gestures. I now also see that some of them carry primitive . . . clubs, tools, though one carries a well-forged steel axe. Perhaps the chieftain. Have they a hierarchy? One would imagine as such. And where he got the axe . . . some poor soul, I'd imagine." "They stand tall on their bull legs, massive chests breathing in and out. Their 'camp' reminds one of a beaver's hut - massive, rickety structures of sticks woven through each other." They are going to bed, now. They shuffle into huts. . . one is on watch. I should go now - and, indeed, it is as my Wood Elf companion (a guide kindly given unto me by the generous Arveri) suggests." ~ excerpt from Tellebor's Bestiary, by Cassius Tellebor.

- Minotaurs, though savage and laregely unintelligent, some tribes (namely ones in Southron) have enough intelligence to be able to be trained or employed, as long as they are given sufficient reason to fight - namely, food, weapons, armor, or rank. Some slave trading companies throughout Southron and the Black Hills employ Minotaur mercenaries to help them fight against larger threats - Paladins, guarded caravans, or some dangerous beasts.

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Glass Reindeer -
"Glass Reindeer" is the somewhat inaccurate name for the creations of Fraes, god of Ice, that wander the Whitelands. Unlike the name suggests, Glass Reindeer are made of pure, crystalline, magical ice, shining a bright, beautiful, bluish-white. They are peaceful, and will only attack if given no choice, using its dangerous, crystalline antlers. They are rare, but not endangered, as it is believed they are borne from the snow itself.

Goblins -
Goblins, alternatively spelled as the original Dwarvish "Gobblin" or "Gob-blin," meaning, quite literally, "deep-man," though "blin," their word for man, is speculated to actually mean "weasel."

Goblins are hideous, disgusting creatures living in the Deep of Drionus, causing no end of difficulty for the Dwarves digging into the earth. In the Shallows, the Goblins are cannon fodder, throwing themselves in droves at the Dwarven forces, easy to annihilate. They are mindless beasts, using armor and weapons either scavenged from dwarves or poorly-created by themselves. They have a greed for all that glitters, much like Dwarves, except that they have no desire to actually work for it. So, instead, they fight Dwarves and take the loot.

Goblins in the Deep are a bit of a different story, being much hardier and much more dangerous, often having more intelligent, but still tribal, cultures, with some even able to use magic.

The origin of goblins is unknown.

The Midnight Shriek -
The Midnight Shriek, is a large, nocturnal beast in the shape of a bear, but with the head of a bird, complete with a beak. Their fur, though it, at first glance, appears to be normal fur, if one looks again one will find that is not the case. Instead, its fur is almost scaly, tough and difficult to pierce, the fur interlocking and weaving through each other, giving Nightly Hunters very strong hides. They have huge, sharp claws, and are very dangerous beasts.

Their name - the Midnight Shriek - was given to them due to the sound they make at Midnight, upon waking. "'There it is- Kranin shield us, I can hear it. A piercing scream, through the air, at the tide of midnight, like a poor woman's shriek. Gods help us, it comes for us - that Midnight Shriek.' "~ Collected at midnight by a scribe posted to observe the night watchmen on the walls of Thrifton, 4th of Haren Winds, AO 456, 2nd Decamillennium.

Griffon -
Griffon, also spelled Griffon, Gryphon or even Gryffon - all depending on where you see it spelt - is a majestic, winged beast usually found in Hy-Effia. Griffons have the body and legs of a lion, but the front talons and head of a bird, with a large, dangerous beak, but still sporting an illustrious mane, much like a lion. Their fur is often gold, or an orange-brown, and renowned for its softness. The Hyveri in Hy-Effia enslave these beasts, and treat them horribly as they use them as winged cavalry or tows for their massive airships - all despite the fact that these beautiful creatures would likely do it voluntarily if trained and given rewards for doing it.

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They are intelligent - more than both a lion and bird combined, though they have no language. Legends do tell of griffons being able to speak telepathically with someone they form a bond with, much like dragons, but it is unclear if this is true. "-""'Behold, there, in the mists, a mighty gryphon - isn't she beautiful? With a mane like flowing gold, and wings like the tides of time, who can insult such a beast?'"~ A Hyveri scribe to his wizard master, concerning a griffon in the distant Hy-Effia fog, later recorded in his journal in entry dated 28th of Suns' Shine, AO 922, 6th Decamillennium

Troll -
Trolls are nasty, nasty beasts, with thick manes of matted, smelly hair, often red or black, with sticks and mud and leaves and fecal matter all mixed in. Their faces are ugly and contorted, with long, brutish noses and large tusks. Their cracked, bulged, blistered skin literally oozes mud, contaminating the rivers they make as their homes with boiling pits of mud. They also breath this mud.

Generally, they'll live under bridges over small, wet rivers. If you come across a bridge with an oozing, festering, bubbling swathe of mud beneath it, do not cross it. The troll will emerge and demand all the gold on your person. If you refuse, he will attack you, and if you lack combat skills, he will likely kill you.

Once they get the gold, they will eat it. That's right, eat it. Trolls eat gold - it's their diet.

It's not entirely clear where trolls came from, but its generally assumed that they are creations of Jimaldran and Mylana, as all they do is bring chaos to the world - and their strange, odd, impractical nature is right up the god and goddess of chaos and mischief's alley.

Sand-Troll -
Sand-Trolls, also called "Trogletters" are the desert-living cousins of typical Anvillian Bridge-Trolls. They breathe sand instead of mud, and eat glass instead of gold. "'Supposedly, trogletters were created by Jimaldran once glass became a major export of the Harenoss, as a way to cause chaos - much like the other types of trolls. They are far hairier than Anvil trolls, whom only have hair across their body, whereas trogletters have thick, matted red or yellow fur across their whole bodies, much like the Dune-Lions of the Wastes. Their manes are also far thicker and longer than Anvil trolls. Much like Anvillian Trolls, they lie in wait in the sand until a traveller comes along, carrying some amount of glass. This trog, however, will not be having my potion bottles.'"~ excerpt from Tellebor's Bestiary, by Cassius Tellebor.

Mountain Troll -
Mountain Trolls are fat, pale-skinned trolls lacking all hair. Instead of eating gold like Bridge-Trolls, they hoard it in their caves. They may just be even stupider than their other troll brethren.

Ogre -
(TBD)

Phoenix -
"My gods, look upon it, Lara - and don't look away. It's happening now. She's cycling. Isn't it beautiful?"

~ Recorded by a scribe in the court of King Beatar IV of the Sorgan Empire, as he speaks to his wife concerning his Phoenix, date unknown. Phoenixes, when first born (like normal birds, hatching from their mothers' egg), look very much like ravens, with dark gray or black feathers. However, after their first cycle ends with their own fiery demise, they are reborn from the ashes, and when the flame dies, they are born anew, with a new, beautiful coat of red and orange feathers - truly a spectacular sight. Phoenixes are fiercely loyal to whatever human they bond with, who is chosen by their mother, who will lay the egg in the home of the human they deem fit. All Phoenixes are female, and reproduce without a partner.

How Phoenixes choose the human that they wish their baby to bond with is unknown, but there is no known instance of a Phoenix being given to an inept human - the birds have an uncanny ability to select the most capable, kindhearted humans to gift their offspring.

Phoenixes will also always make their way back to their master, no matter what the circumstance - unless their master is dead, absolutely impossible to reach, or the Phoenix itself is dead.

Phoenix aging cycles are up for debate, but it is largely believed that they are ultimately random. Some Phoenixes a rebirthed within days, others take centuries. A Phoenix has thirteen cycles before it will disintegrate a final time, and then. . . who knows?

Centaurs -
(TBD)

Unicorn -
Unicorns are the majestic creations of Zareth, Zae Fortuna. They are harbingers of luck, fortune, and the future. Killing one will bring a series of unfortunate events upon you, until some price is payed. They are exceedingly rare and can come in many colors.

It is said that even gazing upon a Unicorn will bring you good fortune.

Dragons -
Dragons are the large, fire breathing, winged monstrosities of Drionus.

See "Dragons" for more info.

Manbat -
Manbats, also called Bat-Men or Stonebats, are hideous cave dwelling-creatures (generally in the Deep) that have long, sharp teeth, and sharp claws. They are blind, and therefore rely on their bat-like echo-location to guide them. They are roughly the size of a child, and have dark gray, rough skin.

One their heads, paired with their large ears and dark eyes, and massive goat-like horns, curling off of their skull. It is unknown how these beasts originated.

Pegasus -
Pegasai are winged horses. They are beautiful creatures, creations of Zareth, like Unicorns, and, like Unicorns, they can have horns on their heads. They can come in a variety of colors, much like Unicorns, and are even rarer, most being in Hy-Effia - a sad fate indeed.

Befriending on, as with a Unicorn, is a very difficult process, but extremely rewarding.

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Giant Lizard -
Giant Lizards, also known as Thrar-Zugs (In Orcish, literally, "Giant Lizards") are a mundane variety of Dragons, being massive, scaled beasts without wings and having no ability to breathe fire. They are usually found in the rocky plateaus of Or'lancc.

Some young Thrar-Zugs are bred and trained by the Orcs of Or'lancc to become their powerful cavalry, which is a terrifying sight and a force to be reckoned with.

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Idretor -
Idretors, also called Wisps, or Illusion Sparks, are strange creatures. They have entirely unknown origins, and appear (color varying) as a wispy mote of light in the darkness. These creatures have been known to assist or cause harm to the travelers who encounter it."'My seeking it out is a fool's errand, indeed. Usually, tales speak of the Spark as residing in Madman's Forest. However, I heard tell of one such wisp being spotted in this very forest (Greenwinter Forest).""One thing I must keep in mind at all times: do not follow the wisp.  These beings have an unexplained tendency to be completely irresistible to those who look upon them. I have instructed both my servant, Vitas Markoran, and my guide, Lithara, to remain behind once I spot the creature, and not to look upon it themselves, but to keep an eye on me and be ready to snap me out of a trance, should the creature draw me into one.""Some time has passed, and I have finally stumbled across the Spark. It is a gaseous thing, a white, sparkling core, radiating an entrancing yellow light.""I will now approach the creature.'"~ excerpt from Tellebor's Bestiary, by Cassius Tellebor. The entry ends here, and resumes a day later, after having been entranced by the creature and knocked unconscious, as a precaution, by his companions, and nursed to health in the nearby city of Emis.

Tree Goblin -
Tree Goblins, known to the High Elves as "Ditevics," ("literally, "bad tree creature") live in the mystical forests that dot the magical land of Hy-Effia, the Hyveri homeland. They are unknown in their origin, but generally cause mischief in the Hyveri lands, breaking things, stealing things, and wreaking havoc. Some believe they are a variety of Grimblin.

They have a very primitive culture, with little language to speak of. For tools, they use the things they steal, or the Rokefort plant, a mushroom-shaped fungus as hard as rock, as clubs. This plant is often called, by ignorant humans, "Rockrooms," given they are mushrooms, but like rock. This plant can also be mixed into potions to give the drinker's skin a rock-like hardness and strength for a short time.

Despite much hunting and attempted genocide of the Tree Goblins on the part of the High Elves, the beasts never seem to thin in numbers - leading to the saying, "they're breeding like Ditevics!" or, even, "they're breeding like goblins!"

Dunesifter -
Dunesifters are massive, worm-like behemoths living in the Harenoss desert of Southron. They sleep beneath the sand, and when a caravan moves across the roads above it, it bursts forth from the earth, like a monster of the sea, and eats the caravan, the valuables within, and all the people with it. It is a dangerous beast, and very difficult to defeat. After the First Loremaster Cassius Tellebor discovered the beast's weakness to fire, the dangers of crossing the Harenoss was lessened greatly, as the Glass Road was constructed - a route betwixt Dunewall and the major settlements of the Harenoss, paved with magically reinforced glass and protected by no small amount of magical fire wards, manned day and night by the Merchant Guard, well-trained individuals ready to protect caravans from the Dunesifters at a moment's notice. "'The specimen was likely matured and fully-grown. 15 meters long, and 2 1/2 meters wide. It has a massive, filtered mouth with several rows of teeth meant for digging through the earth.""(. . .)""The Dunesifter has an impressive digestive system, made to digest literal tons of dirt, rock and sand. The filters in its mouth allow the creature to spit unwanted materials out its cheeks. Its rear end allows digested material to be ejected in the form of a slick muck which hardens after some time.""The creature moves about with a combination of slithering, walking, and propulsion using gravity and its own weight to spin and launch itself through the air. It has a set of small legs. It would also appear that this creature is adapted to the wet, dark soil, and only has the tolerance to be above ground for a short time while it eats its food, explaining my finding that it was susceptible to fire, as well as some previous stories of the creature, after long exposure to the sun, returning beneath the sand before eating its meal.""This also debunks my earlier speculation that it also preys on other creatures below-ground, as, if it did, what reason would it have for coming above ground?'"~ excerpt from Tellebor's Bestiary, by Cassius Tellebor. This entry is after he and his apprentice have been ambushed by a Dunesifter, but successfully defeated and dissected it.

Kraken -
"Gods help us, I see its head. Our doom comes for us . . . the Kraken. By the Water Goddess, it's real."

~ Recorded on the 13th of Haren Winds, AO 320, 24th Decamillennium, the date of the first official Kraken sighting, written by Vitas Markoran, in an attempt to quickly log the occurrences before the Kraken descended on them, should someone find the papers. Speaker unknown.

The Kraken - an ancient beast, spoken of in many different tales and stories, the bane of men sailing the Four Seas. Its reality has been the subject of much debate over the centuries, but, sure enough, on the 13th of Haren Winds, AO 320, 24th Decamillennium, Cassius Tellebor discovered it truthfully, and logged it in his journal, which was later published as Tellebor's Bestiary. "'By Kranin, that was two and a half battles. Me and Vitas fought it with our fire magics, and warded the ship sufficiently, but it was no end of exhausting. It is an entire week after that event as I write this - I was unable to lift a finger for that entire time, as that fight had taken such a toll on me. The Kraken's might was considerable. A massive beast, a king of the seas. It was like the bastard son of a crab and a squid, if you can picture that, but grown as large as a mountain.""Beard of Iccus, it was terrifying. I would wish an encounter with that beast upon no one - not even Markus the Heretic.'"~ excerpt from Tellebor's Bestiary, by Cassius Tellebor.

Krakens are the kings of the sea - though that plurality is not a sure fact; there may only be one. While they may not be the most visually unique creatures of the sea, they are still stunning, what with their crab-shell armor and squid-like extremities, and pure size.

Eitara
'"You're . . . a ''tree?" '''

~ Darren Selins, Lord of the Alliance, to an Eitara in pure disbelief, recorded in Jax's journal.

Eitara are the tree-people of Drionus - literal living trees, walking on legs of their trunks, with toes of roots. They are a reclusive race, preferring to be left alone and trying to leave humans to their own devices, not wishing to meddle in their warmongering affairs. They live largely in secluded forests, usually ones with some magical air to them. "'Translated, both it (Eitara) and the less common, Northern 'Argoti' mean, literally, 'Tree Giant.' Yes. These mystical creatures are walking trees. I will never stop marveling at them. And, from what I hear, Highgreen Forest is home to a fair few. I only seek to see one.""The Eitara are intelligent - certainly moreso than any standard tree, and more than any common beast. They know the human tongue, from what I hear, and also have one of their own. They are the product of the goddess Varmira. Well done, goddess, well done.""(. . .)""I have arrived in Highgreen Forest, and have spent some time wandering it. But, at last, in the distance, I see an Eitara. I will record my findings after the encounter is over.""---""The giants knew of my journal - they said 'the trees told us.' They hear whatever the trees hear. They heard me conversing with Markoran. Astounding. The beings themselves were magnificent, like giants with skin of bark, and hair of twigs and leaves. They were astonishing.""Eitara, unlike some classic speculative artistry of them, have no easily discernible faces. Their faces are the knots and twists in the bark, the branches and leaves, the roots. They are of one mind, each of them, the soul of the forest.'"~ excerpt from Tellebor's Bestiary, by Cassius Tellebor.