A Sperosian’s Guide to the Land’s Creatures:
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Ye whom reads this beware, for thou hast surely come by a beast, and consulted this trusty bestiary. Below, the quotes of ancient texts, all retelling first encounters. Read warily, and see if your foe has been faced before.
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« It is after about an hour that they saw the stuff of wonder. Perched atop a mountain, a strange creature with a lizard’s body, large wings, and a rooster’s head gazed upon them. Its icy stare penetrated their warrior courage. The Band had grown up on tales of the mythical Sperosian continent and could not believe what lay before them, a flying basilisk. They immediately remembered that too long a stare could supposedly lead to petrification. » – The First Hunt
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« There one will find find himself upon a shore, and crawl onto a heavenly beach. It is a beautiful and untamed land, one belonging to the royal basilisks of the south. They are twice the size of the ordinary basilisk, and when petrified, one is not turned into common rock but into rare stones such as jade or amethyst. » – The Tale of the Black Beer, Gregor’s Histories
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« Yet, Odoarent, further away from the tree pounding, could hear shrieks coming from under the hot ground. Near him a hole emerged and out of it came flames. Alaric quickly ran over and plugged it with his large stone foot before a shadow emerged out of the flame and grabbed him, swinging him into a tree. The twins regrouped with Odoarent, all three staring at what lay in front of them. On its back was the head of a goat yet its body was like nothing a Tarentian had ever seen. Nowadays we recognise these beasts as chimeras, a mix of lion and goat, capable of breathing fire and hiding from prey underground, ready to pounce. » – The Odoarentian Band
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« Large jaws emerged from the water, snatching at whatever they could. Then came elongated necks… They were truly massive, covered in scales, with sharp, lizard like features. Their very fangs were the size of trees and their necks dwarfed many mountains. They dived under water and swam around, creating gigantic waves… « You call these beasts leviathans. » » – The Haggler and the Inventor
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« At some point during the afternoon, a small but aggressive wyvern showed up. It looked like a flying lizard with two legs and a disturbingly long tongue. » – The Scarlet Delegation, Curious Encounters
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« In his many decades, he’d never actually seen lutins. They were even smaller than he’d imagined, barely as tall as his arm. Their facial features seemed exaggerated, with a long nose accompanied by a scheming mustache. They wore tunics with a pointy red hat. The lutin’s attempted thievery seemed to explain their reputation in children’s stories » – The Scarlet Delegation, Curious Encounters
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« In front of him were thousands of gnomes. They had beards, round noses, and seemed a bit rounder than lutins, although of the same height… He was both amazed by the gnomes’ ingenuity and irritated by their perseverance… The gnomes gleamed at the mention of commerce and markets, unlike the lutins… asking for battle, demanding it, knowing gnomes could easily win » – The Scarlet Delegation, Curious Encounters
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« Gerard approached a pillar of a figure in the center of the pit… After a few more hits, a mist appeared and dissipated across the opponent’s face, revealing he had but a single eye… the cyclopes slammed him against the wall… Opening his large mouth, he prepared to eat Bernard before some observers jumped into the ring to tie the beast down » – The Southern Campaigns, The Endless Night
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« So loud was the snoring that it took much time to get close to it, although after turning yet another corner, Segeric and Cleph found themselves face to face with a large pile of bodies. Then they looked up and found an immense lizard like beasts with colossal ragged wings. Its scales, adapted to their environment, were black as the darkness of the cave, only lit up by Nereid’s blinding glow. Although it must be said many were missing. Hundreds of horns decorated everything from head to tail along with many spikes down its spine. Its large forked tongue fell out of its mouth, drooling over the many corpses under it. With every breath its nostrils grew red, creating small flames and smoke. It had the fire of a million chimneys and the strength of a thousand knights… Every breath bursting through the dragon’s nostrils blew the Prince and his companion back… This dragon was astute if anything. Leontius the Black » – Imperial Fury, A Kingly Choice
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« With this Clovis planted the flaming white sword into the ground, creating a wave of light, dismantling the nizakaj’s appearance and spirits, revealing its true form. I, a mere boy of some backwater village, could not believe the magic before my eyes. Out came an immense being of darkness. It was taller than any human, with eyes of purple flame, hot tears crawling down, and molten chains strapped to its wrist. Its body was hidden in black shroud. It commanded the heretical fire, the very same that killed all who practiced it. Again a vile and deep voice emanated from the very walls, and as fire came from the beast’s hands, more souls rose from the ground. Darkness hid most of the being’s body, but it shuddered as the spirit seeker defeated its minions and approached it. » – The Tale of the Spirit Seeker, Gregor’s Histories
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« In the midst of my thought, I was cutoff by the sound of trumpets, and speeches. Albert and the Despot both gave a speech, before a colourful man stepped in and explained the tourney’s rules to all. Soon, much water came out of the remains of a black tower at the center of the arena. Each contestant was knee deep in it, as all sorts of sea beasts emerged. There were many fish-men, mermen, and sea monks. They each resembled humans but acted most savagely, and were covered in scales and algae. » – The Tale of the First Naval Tourney, Gregor’s Histories
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« We arrived. The tower was darker than the typical ocher of imperial architecture, as if scorched. Alongside it were dozens of gargoyles. When they slept, they hung by structures, like ordinary statues, quite sublime in fact. Between them and the tall pointed towers, Kranberg truly seemed like something of another realm. Strong winds no longer disturbed the moribund city. » – The Tale of the Spirit Seeker, Gregor’s Histories
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« His armor was rusty, and antiquated, but he fought with a most elegant sword and shield, and his crest bore a creature that was then unknown to me, a fire lizard. These were like dragons, but wingless, and far more common. The first had been found some decades ago, and now they were being spotted all across the woods and mountains. My father told me of Hermann’s fame, and proclaimed he’d been the first to slay a flaming-lizard. » – The Tale of the First Naval Tourney, Gregor’s Histories
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« Eventually, he joined the Sorcerer’s Guild of Amity, and learned a great many spells, enhancing his lethality. It’s around then, at thirty years of age, that he slew Grog the Volcanic Wyrm. Of such size was the beast that none could even hurt it, but the Shell Knight enchanted his blade with frost dew of the caves. So cold were his strikes they gave the wyrm frostbite in the middle of a volcano. » – Of Knights and Chivalry, Gregor’s Histories
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« Samarin was still astounded by the sight of a manticore in his lowly house. Supposedly, it was as tall as a man, and twice as large. Its fangs glistened disturbingly as it spoke most clearly and articulately. Its face was handsome, bearded, and aristocratic even. Were it not for the rest of its body, one would think it a noble of Endheim, or even the nearby Kingdom. Its bright and silky mane adorned a large neck, trickling down towards a ferocious body that could tear any man to pieces. Again it spoke. » – The Tale of the Manticore, Gregor’s Histories
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« One pointed up, and there Segeric spotted gargantuan, cocoon-like figures hanging from what beams were left. Behind them, the moon rose and began to wake them. Slowly, the creatures opened their wings, revealing titanic and gruesome wings with sharp edges. Their ears reached for the skies and their fangs for the depths. They seemed taller than most men and theirs were the beadiest and cruelest of eyes, shining a dark and soulless red. Immediately Segeric and his men stuck together. Razorwings, a fierce and little-known opponent said to haunt the western peaks of New-Availoire. When Segeric first became governor of the region, he refused to believe in such tales. » – The Exiled Prince, Segeric’s Dawn