Some places are better left undisturbed…you never know what may be waiting there for you.
In the depths of Destinen Wood, the grotesque pets of the Dark Lady lurk, belching forth their vile webs.
Named for a type of tick found in the wastelands of Acheron, it is extremely tiny, barely the size of an ant or ladybug and, due to its bright blue coloring and segmented, mite-like body, it is often taken to be a strange insect. It is not, however, a harmless bug.
The Snarf is one of the funnier and seemingly harmless and defenseless beasts, but underestimate it at your peril.
The VirginsBane Beetle has ruined the life of many an innocent girl. Many a forced wedlock or an honour killing has been caused by it’s sting.
A smaller cousin of the typical fox, closer to trees.
Crawling among the garbage and offal, the detritus of what men call civilization, the myrie bugs claim their own small domains. They eat, and breed, and wait…
A dark shadow falls over the still waters of the swamp, and for a brief instant every sound made by a living creature ceases.
Unbeknown to them, the party of Brave People wading in the shallows in hot pursuit of a small band of defeated human soldiers, have themselves unwittingly become the prey.
Storm clouds! The folk of the caravan were overjoyed! They had been moving through the hostile desert for weeks, and this was the first they had seen of any sign of precipitation. The people actually cheered when the first drops of rain hit the desert sand. But soon the cheering turned to cries of confusion as the sand beneath their feet began to move…
And the Immortal Spirit shall unleash his wrath to strike down the maloveant forces that would seek to oppose the Chosen sons of Geshua..
-Fifth Verse from The Gospel Of Prophecies
Often the largest of the terrestrial predators, the bear is often overlooked in favor of more flashy and glamourous monsters.
These foul-tempered brutes are seldom encountered away from their native jungles, and a good thing that is!
From the Book, The Southern Reaches - of Savages and Silver, a travel log by Admiral (ret.) Saveth, noted Naturalist.
“One of the most interesting discoveries we made during our visit with the Hanaset was the odd looking, but very useful beast they called the Ralu. ”
The crests of Compall Fowle are reputed to have potent healing powers, but little else is known of the vicious birds.
Twisted and cave-filled are many of the coastlines of Acqua, scoured by the mighty waves and sucking currants and tides. If you are not careful when approaching one of these caves, you might well not be able to dodge in time as one or more spines spring out at you.
“Careful where you step. There’re grassbiters ‘round here.”
-Farmer Jorl
Those who hunt by night will tell you that the wildest, most vicious of all animals is the tiny shrew.
The shrew feeds only by the dark of night. He must eat his own body weight every few hours or stave to death. The ravenous shrew eats everything, bones, flesh, marrow… everything.
Intro from Attack of the Killer Shrews 1959
The toxic lands of the Wastes should support no life. Here the land is slowly corrosive to the touch, causing illness with prolonged contact. The bubbling sulfur and ectomass pools are especially lovely, if you have the right aesthetic. The soil is soft and any heavy object slowly sinks. Other than a few migrant birds and some exotic small insects, The Wastes support only one native lifeform - The Verners - Exerpt from the often wrong but very popular Kalemandi’s Beasts of Lore and World.
Beware the Ice Giants of the north, they are a foul tempered bunch.