Bestiary

[beastlyroses]

Other than your typical animals that roam Loria - deer and fish and cute little kitty cats - there are many that might have been more myth than reality. There are creatures that live in Loria that seem unusual, and others that have been twisted by magic.

	B E S T I A R Y
	BANSHEES A type of fairy, banshees are spirits of women who emit a high pitched scream when someone is typically about to die. Since the curse in Loria, sometimes banshees are the reason for death, using their screams to incapacitate both human and animal. They are found within the withered wood called the "Dead Forest" beyond the Glass Forest, although this is not the only location they live in.
	BEASTLY ROSES The beastly rose was once a normal rose bush, of course. Before the curse, that is. Now, they're sentient flowers in a sense that crave only one thing: meat. They'll eat anything with flesh: animals, dragons, people, even their own rosy kind. And while something that dangerous should be removed (they grow into hedges and walls), the magic they feed back into the ground allows for exponential growth year-round.
	BEEVIL In the past, there had been no such thing as the "beevil", as the people of Loria now call them. Once the curse had been unleashed, dark magic affected a large portion of the bee population, transforming them into the monstrous insects they are now. A sting from them can result in instant full-body swelling. They make the best honey, though.
	DIREWOLVES Not cute or cuddly, Direwolves are the shadows in the deepest parts of the forests. They're the ones that stalk you when you walk through, and they especially like cute little girls in red. If you see them, run. Prolonged physical contact with direwolves can result in your soul being stolen. Some say that's what gives them their spectral auras and shadow bodies.
	DRAGONS Dragons are a varied creature. Most are smart, some are vicious, some couldn't care less about people. There's a legend that once, long long ago, people could become partners with dragons. They are all the children of Fluffy, though nobody quite knows how old she is anymore. Their eggs are quite a delicacy.
	DWARVES The dwarves that live in the Glass Forest are the same ones descended from the Original Seven that crusaded with Princess Tristana. They've... devolved since that time, mostly due to inbreeding. They're led by their beautiful queen, and generally go around falling in love and making out with comatosed bodies.
	ENTS Sometimes, a tree is never just a tree when you're walking through the woods. Many of these spirits are ancient and refuse to uproot for any reason, not that it stops them from giving sage advice or telling you to get off their lawns. The younger ones, though... Now those are a problem.
	FAIRIES Some just look like tiny people, and those are the ones you really want to watch, because they’ll steal your things and trip you and tie knots in your hair while you sleep. The innocent, pretty, inviting, giggly ones are always the worst. Others look just like you and me; they're usually of the "godparent" variety, the ones who will adopt a person in need. And others still are just quiet nature spirits, helping to restore balance.
	GARDEN GNOME No longer just your ugly-cute lawn decorations. Garden gnomes hide whenever people are nearby. They are known for kneecapping people too close to their hiding places and robbing them blind. Sometimes literally!
	GOBLINS Fast, mean, and also incredibly smart. Goblins are really not the kind of creatures you want to get yourself involved with. There have been rumors that since the barrier came down, they've created their own mafia.
	GRYPHONS Typically share the mountains with the dragons, although that ends up in massive aerial flights and smoked gryphons (barbeque, anyone?). Smart creatures that are attracted to shiny bits. They're people animals. Once you feed them, they'll never leave you alone.
	KELPIES Found near bodies of deep water, kelpies appear to be overly friendly horses with water weeds tangled in their long manes and tails. Known for luring riders onto their backs with their amiable demeanor, only to dart into deep water and become startlingly brutal once they leave land. Kelpies have a taste for waterlogged flesh, but are not particularly bright.
	MERMAIDS The mermaids of massive Lake Inferior are quite intelligent, which only matches their utter ruthlessness. They seem to be a female-only species, which might explain why no merman has yet to be spotted in the murky waters - or the fact that they're so eager to either catch a man or drown one (it depends on the day and how offended the ladies of the lake feel). Best to use caution and a female touch when approaching.
	NYMPHS They don’t speak, not in a language you can understand, and they aren’t easy to catch up to if you find them wandering. If they spot you, they'll blend into their natural habitat. If you make a point to go into their hive like den places, you will not be treated pleasantly. They're as twisted now as the magic in Loria.
	RATS OF ARATIV The rats of Arativ were once villagers of Arativ, and while they still live in their ruined village, it's mostly below it in a place the Heroes know as the Rat Kingdom. The rats were a people who had gone back on a deal with Fox (as shown by the Magic Mirror)and were "rightly" punished for it. They recently kidnapped the wooden toys of Astor, resulting in several deaths of toy prisoners and rats.
	SIRENS Sirens are the sisters of mermaids - who are found to inhabit lakes rather than the sea. Sirens, on the other hand, are only found within the ocean. They resemble eels rather than fish, allowing them to slither away much easier from larger predators. They are also known to sing and confuse sailors, drowning them in their waters if they feel like they have overstepped their boundaries.
	SKIN FISH These parasitic little fish live in the rivers around Loria. they tend to find their way under the skin and use your body as their own person vacation spot - all the free food and living space they need. Immediate medical attention is required.
	TROLLS Big, dumb, ugly, and with a smell that could rot noses off, trolls are the grunts of the goblin mafia. Or anyone, really. They're kind of easy to manipulate into doing what you want. Just don't actually call them dumb, ugly, or stinky. Their feelings get hurt easily.
	UNICORNS Legends go that unicorns only reveal themselves to virgins. Or is that they only attack virgins? Hm. What is known for sure about the unicorns in Loria is that killing one creates bad luck, their horns make for excellent weapons, and unicorn feces are the primary ingredient in healing potions.
	WYVERNS Like dragons, but kind of smaller and less pesky. They're the winged serpents of the ground, as their wings cannot hold them aloft. Think of them like the ostrich of dragons. They're incredibly attracted to shiny things and dead bodies.
	A D D I T I O N S <b>Creature:</b> <b>Picture:</b> <b>Description:</b>

Comments

[whalebone]

Creature: Kelpies
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/o89Folh.png
Description: Found near bodies of deep water, kelpies appear to be overly friendly horses with water weeds tangled in their long manes and tails. Known for luring riders onto their backs with their amiable demeanor, only to dart into deep water and become startlingly brutal once they leave land. Kelpies have a taste for waterlogged flesh, but are not particularly bright.