Bestiary notes

Coordination and information for the various volunteers of BDI.
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vile
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 3:49 pm

Bestiary notes

Post by vile »

http://www.123rf.com/freeimages.php
http://en.wikipedia.org commons
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/
http://www.stockvault.net/

To be completed:
Ebon Dragon, Giant Dragonfly, BloodWraith, Darken, Rint, Hlindar, Night Panther, Red Hawk, Great Wolf, Amur Tiger, Autumn Snake, Amber Bear, Jade Beetle, Black Lion, Ramshorn Deer, Grey Bison, Tree Spider, Rock Rat, Drake, Drakontos, Goliath Scorpion, Millipin, Sand Bear, Vampiric Gliders, Sresar Vale nineteen-toed sloth, Sresar Vale Mongoose, Mystonian Wharf Mongoose, Rondissian Skunk, Rondissian Speckled Marsh-stoat, Mystonian Sea-stoat, Sresar Vale Moorhound

Sresar Vale Moorhound
<Triolus`Pyrder> "Easy, laddy," admonished the Arms Commander of his dog, a rather large silver furred Sresar Vale moorhound, a big beast with classic lupine/canine features and a large nose and a thick coat of fur. Bred to hunt, protect sheep and other things in the Vale, it was a hardy and versatile breed, known for a certain amount of viciousness that made them popular in little dogfighting contests. They also made good companions for guardsmen, it seemed.

Tree Spider
This arachnid is as beautiful as it is deadly to it's prey. The color is a
vivid bring green and fades to brown in colder months. The spider with legs
outstretched can be 11inches across with a lethal neurotoxin bite to small
rodents and make humans seriously sick. Fortunately they are reclusive in
nature. This spider hides in tree where they make their home, or on the
brush to drop on unsuspecting prey and quickly bite to paralyze. Dragging
their prey more then 5 times their weight they proceed to eat. Normally
leaving their remains in a 'graveyard' of sorts under a rock. Like most
spiders the male is smaller and darker in shape and is sometimes eaten after
mating. Eggs are laid inside prey that has not been eaten and upon hatching,
receive food from insect as they prefer to nest in jade beetles or other
insects.

Ebon Dragon

Giant Dragonfly
see Elvendeep stuff

Rint
Only written description I have right now is from my 1998 Encyclopedia: "Leturian animal ridden in place of a horse; resembles a gaunt ox." The province of Rintenyela is named after an event in Leturian mythology, and translates to "the Heart of the Rint." But rints were also ridden by the nomads from the west who destroyed the Mingit & Igmerind kingdoms. They are also apparently eaten sometimes, though not by Leturians.

Hlindar
Herd animal, shaggy horned beast, a long ago created breed that seems somewhere between buffalo and normal cattle. Characterized by the shaggy coats on a normal-for-cattle-sized frame. Hlindar are also well known for their meat, which is considered a delicacy. Thontaran.

Thontaran Horses (We need a good name for the breed here, too) -
Tend to be a bit shorter than usual due to steppe pony blood in most of the breeding lines. Most of the Thontaran horses also tend to be thicker in body than the average horse. However, the breed is noted for power and stamina above looks. However, Thontaran steeds the size of the larger warhorses have been seen. Thonaran steeds are not prized as breeding stock among the aesthetically inclined, but breeders that know of horses and wish to breed for hardy strength could do no better than to choose a Thontaran stallion or mare to bring that about.
Man-eating sand bear
Both are hunted for their furs. Arlok has a robe trimmed with sand-bear fur, which is speckled.

Phet'kree-
The Phet'kree are a peculiar race of bipedal humanoid cat creatures that seem to have came from some alternate dimension, where they are apparently a sub-set of a much larger race. WHAT the rest of the race exactly is like remains unknown but the Phet'kree seem to think of themselves as rather unique creatures. In general the appearance of Phet'kree vary dramatically, this variation however, is restricted to the various tribes and not individuals. This enables to Phet'kree from different tribes of family groups to recognize members of other tribes and proceed to slaughter them, which seems to be a racial obsession. Individuality is not encouraged within a Phet'kree tribe. Those who are different are generally killed at birth or cast out and quickly slaughtered by other tribes. Consequently Phet'kree society is quite violent and savage, tribes roaming, hunting and killing for no particular reason other than pleasure. Phet'kree do not eat in the traditional sense, rather they take in nutrition from both physical and mental vampirism. In addition to the ability of being to drain a body of all blood in a short amount of time (given the victim does not struggle, dead victims are useless) they also feed off several emotions. Hate, anger, passion, and fear as well as other strong, primal, emotions can provide sustenance. But in general the Phet'kree seem to enjoy (or more accurately, revel in) feeding off their own kind. Meaning if at least two tribes are in a given area the other creatures are considered safe until such time as one tribe exterminates the other. Phet'kree also enjoy hunting, killing and in some cases feeding off other creatures as well. Weres and Vampires are hated second only to other Phet'kree. Because of this violent society the Phet'kree have elevated fighting to a fine art. They make and use their own weapons (when they cannot steal good quality weapons of their own) and frequently use spears, brutal hook pointed saw-edged knives, and of course tooth
and claw. Phet'kree made weapons usually consist of bone, stone (flint and obsidian), and wood but will use swords and metal weapons and armor if they can steal them. Most often they will be taken from fallen foes as trophies. Because of this tendency to keep trophies from fallen foes a Phet'kree will have several weapons, hides, bones and skulls with him or her to prove his or her prowess in combat. Generally the more trophies one has the higher one's status in the tribe is. The second obsession of the Phet'kree next to their lust for battle, violence and slaughtering each other is their primitive religion. An area inhabited by a tribe is often marked with several primitive idols and alters. Their religion and possibly the religion of their home world centers around a god of fire, Phrenna. It is because of their peculiar religious obligations that the race is almost totally devoid of magic-users and psionicists. All Phet'kree that show talent in these areas are burned alive as a sacrifice to Phrenna. The sacrifices go willing believing they will be transformed in the flames into some higher form of being. No Phet'kree has emerged from a sacrificial fire yet (but no remains are ever left behind). Occasionally a Phet'kree is born with unique talents and an above-average intelligence. Such individuals are able to escape their fate and often fall into other communities and make a home for themselves. They are a startling contrast to their savage brothers and many value traits such as honor, duty, and loyalty. Although they still need to feed (usually upon livestock) they develop the ability to control their more primitive emotions, urges and instincts. These cases are rare on their home world, but are becoming more common on other worlds.
Brief physiology and appearance of a Phet'kree-
Phet'kree are widely varied between tribes, growing from 6' to 7' tall and weighing up to 350 lbs (all of it muscle). Bulky Phet'kree are not unheard of but generally they are lean and muscular. The fur of a Phet'kree it it's primary identifying mark. Each tribe, pack, or family group has different fur lengths, colors, and patterns. Phet'kree eyes range from orange, to yellow, green, blue and even red in some rare cases. Phet'kree eyes are always cat like though. Phet'kree have very large incisor teeth, and they are sometimes mistaken for prehistoric cats (which is quickly dispelled when they are seen walking erect), for feeding with. Females are generally a shade taller, stronger and smarter than the males. However, they are still virtually identical to the other members of their tribe. The act of mating as well as the ritual is extraordinarily brutal, and males who survive their first mating season are always designated as warriors (those who don't die) while the females serve as leaders. A typical female will bear a litter of 6-8 young about a ninety days after mating. Females are exceedingly rare and may mate with several males during its lifetime. A young Phet'kree will achieve physical maturity at one year. An exceptionally strong Phet'kree will live from 35-40 years at which point the "elder" is sacrificed to Phrenna (In one of the most ironically dignified and civil ceremonies in Phet'kree society).

NightPanther:
Large black panther, yet a TRUE panther with build closer to that of a puma or Florida panther. In other words.. classification wise this animal is STILL a 'small cat'. Unlike leopards this cat feels comfortable in wood surrounding but is found in more rocky cliff areas where they make a den from small caves. It is a lover of water like the tiger but even more shy. The ebony color gives the name and also the habit of dropping from trees to attack, mostly deer or otherwise. One odd trait pointed out is this animal has blue eyes. Like most cats.. it is thought this animal is NOT color blind and in fact has vision ten times greater then that of a human.
150-200 pounds
5-6.5 feet long.
Females smaller and tend to be more of a browner hue to coat.
4-6 cubs a litter. 3 the normal. Cubs leave home at 2 years of age.
These creatures ARE solitary and only during mating season are they seen together and even then it's brief.
Range: as large as 12 square miles but have been none to live closer due to habitat reduction.

Red Hawk:
( Think of Red Shoulder hawk or Red tailed hawk. My personal favorites :) )
Named of it's rusty brown/red color this bird is found in savannas. Vision is the standard 8 times better then human. This soaring bird has a wing span of 5 feet which is quite large for a hawk. It's piercing cry can be heard for miles.
3 pounds
males tend to be darker then females.
3-4 eggs
molting after the second year
adult at 3 years.

Great Wolf
( based on both my PC's Arciana and Nimara's religion and the now extinct North American Buffalo Wolf )
This animal has marking typical to a wolf but brown and black shades as they prefer grassland and woods. During winter they grow a downy undercoat of a cream shade making them lighter in appearance. Stories and legends have been told of a pure Black Wolf with blue eyes. This found particular in the Wolfskill clan stories of their god but none have seen this animal but devote followers and some farmers.
4 high at shoulder.. females 3.5 to 3
4.5 feet long
100-150 pounds.
The Black Wolf was rumored to be at least 5 feet and leaning towards 175 to even 200. We may never know as to find out one would have to capture it. Woe to those that dare as the Wolfskill Barbarians vigorously protect their totem animal. Most about these animal can be told from the very lifestyle of the clan as like they wolves they mate for life, instead of fighting for rights to mate as most believe. Nomadic in accordance to food they seem to have incredible endurance of both hardships and hunting.
2-4 cubs
adults at 2.5 years

Amur Tiger ( Snow AKA Siberian)
The great snow tiger is not what most people think .. THIS ANIMAL IS NOT WHITE. ( WHITE IS BENGAL!! Any questions? Ok .. good. :) ) This massive animal DOES become lighter in the winter like the wolves. But the coat is a paler shade of orange anyway. This cat does carry stripes throughout it's forearms ( unlike TRUE Siberians). Stripes different to each cat like a human's fingerprint and fur is shaggier as this animal prefers colder weather. Killing is done by a forepaw swipe to the neck, snapping it for smaller prey and biting the neck for the same result. ( cleaner then most animals.)
750-800 pounds
5 feet high at shoulder
eye sight 6 times better.
2-4 cubs

Autumn Snake
A multi color snake of reddish brown and black this snake is often found in wooded areas. A lighter variation for savanna known as Grassland seems to have the same habits. the Autumn snake is a fanged snake that enters in a poison to the bloodstream which cause heart failure to the animal. fatal to humans if not treated, the animal prefers to stay away from intruders. Making it's home in more rocky areas of the woods this animal does not lay eggs but gives birth to live young, about 3 or 4. They tend to be about 4.5 feet long and prey on rodents.
Amber Bear
A light brown bear that tends to reside in wooded areas. Commonly hunted for it's think fur and hide it is known to also be praised by Barbarian tribes. They can be anywhere from 7-8 feet tall standing and 5 feet at the shoulder. Weighing at about 800 pounds they can be a accounted for many a hunting accident. Cubs are normally twins and are born during winter. They can bee seen along the Darian river hunting various fish that swim upstream.

Jade Beetle
A bug often sought by boy to scare their sisters this bug is a glistening sheen of emerald green and black. About the size of a bumble bee and even more harmless this insect lays its eggs underground where it takes 2 or 3 years to pupate to an adult. Rodents and birds often search for the young as a tasty snack. Their main diet is plants and rotten vegetation.

Black Lion
This animal of the savanna is highly revered and feared by many people. With a coat of dark brown and a mane of black it would seem to give this cat an ominous presence. These animals live in groups and prefer to strangle there prey slowly and rip it apart as opposed to the tiger. Females lack mane but are also the same dark brown. Some groups can have as many as 25 but 10 is much more common.
9 ft long
3ft high at shoulder
400 pounds
4-6 cubs

RamsHorn Deer
An elegant and fluid animal that stands about 4 feet high at the shoulder and is capable of leaping 15 feet or more. The tawny hide and white muzzle and underside are often sought after but traders. The antlers on this deer curl upwards in a spiraling fashion and can reach lengths of 2 feet long for more impressive males.

Grey Bison
Called so for there dusky grayish hue that refracts heat better then darker colors, these herd animals are large in both size and strength. Over 5 ft high at the shoulder as long as 9 feet and weighing over a ton even Tigers have problem taking down these animals. In winter these animals shed their gray coat for an even paler version. Only one calf per cow but these animals are fiercely protective of all children they have as the young ones are often surrounded by the elders when running.

Rock Rat
This name was derived from the rats defense of 'play dead'. Often a house wife or child will be caught by seeing this seemingly lifeless animal suddenly get up and scurry away. This might seem as an odd defense but it seems to work. The rat is ruddy brown in shade with flecks of black for camouflage against raptors and other predators. It can be as long as 5 inches with tail. They are not known for climbing as much as burrowing and swimming. Habitat is various. As many as 10 young born blind. Adult in two months

Shadow Bats
Shadow bats look like small fruit bats but of a more shadow type substance. They eat fruit and nuts. They are sensitive to light but can and have been seen in daylight. Lay`Trayin raises them and a few possibly thought captured or killed on delivery of messages may have escaped to become wild around Drache and would most live in the forest preserve.
The shadow bats are telepathic and great for fast delivery of written messages. Messages can be secured to them and the sender forms a picture in their mind of who and where the message needs to go to. Time for delivery of messages is usually very fast as the bats can use the shadows to get from place t place. Rewards with fruit or nuts and sometimes cheese will keep shadow bats close to hand and docile for easy catching to send on errands.
Shadow bats in the wild are very elusive and hard to catch as they will utilize shadows to escape and if grown are hard to tame for use. Young shadow bats are harder to get as the parents hide them well in shadows and they are silent until old enough to protect themselves. Breeding pairs are harder to keep in captivity but well worth it if one can keep such. Lay`Trayin keeps several breeding pairs.

Drakes
If Malkraan Lizardfolk are the midpoint between dragons and humans, drakes are the midpoint between dragons and animals. Those found on Pentland's Imperial Isle come in two varieties: True Drakes and Wyverns. Both species are omnivores and come in a variety of colors.
True drakes are smarter than most beasts and are capable of surprising amounts of empathy. A mild form of telepathy binds drakes to their young and they can literally feel the hatchlings' pain or fear from many miles away and fly to their defense. Humans have hijacked this ability to bind captive drakes to human riders, whom the beasts adopt as their flightless "children." True drakes also possess magical breath weapons: usually fire, lightning or corrosive gas.
Wyverns are dumber than true drakes and lack their supernatural empathy. The smartest wyverns are only about as bright as the average horse. They also lack breath weapons. Instead, they evolved spikes on their tails and wings to defend themselves. Most wyvern tail-spikes have glands that produce neurotoxic venom. Wyverns will breed in captivity, making them the more versatile but less pleasant choice of mount.

Drakontos
"Twelve foot basilisks with horns" is how terrified travelers describe these grazing animals. The Drakontos have never turned anyone to stone and are actually peaceful creatures unless provoked.
The bulls are visibly bigger than the cows and often walk around the outside of the herd. Bulls also possess magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas. Their tough hides are scales in some places, bone plate in others, making them hard to injure and also a phenomenal source of durable hide and horn.
Not everyone has the skill it takes to maintain a herd. Wild herds can be found roaming all over the vale.

Vampiric Gliders
The second-favorite survival horror story about Kargaan Vale involves discovering a cute little tree critter with deceptively moist round eyes, only to have it sink its paralyzing fangs into the traveler's flesh and drink his blood. This is a very real thing that happens. Although blood loss is often negligible, it's a vector for infection and the paralysis renders the traveler vulnerable to other predators, of which there are many.

Milipin
There is a colorful bird in Rondis called the millipin, which has feathers of bright green and yellow.
Last edited by vile on Mon May 06, 2013 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
vile
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 3:49 pm

Re: Bestiary notes

Post by vile »

Reply to this post if any of these are completed so they can be crossed off.
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