The first part of the Something Wicked Bestiary and will post the other half later.
Natural Fauna of Asnorit
Chimeras-A ferocious mixed-matched creature. Not to be confused with the chimera homonculus found in creation magic or bio-alchemy, this bizarre beast is surprisingly found in nature. It possesses the bottom and back legs of a goat, the wings and tail of a dragon, and the upper body and front legs of a lion. As for it’s head, it possesses three, one a lion, one a dragon and one a goat. This is a very dangerous creature and is rarely if ever captured. The best idea when confronted by this beast is to run away, unless you possess some kind of defense and even then engaging this creature is not wise.
Dragons-Asnorit is filled with different breeds and species of dragons found in the sky, the land and the ocean. Many of these dragons are vicious beasts but are sometimes very intelligent and either possess sentience or can be taught things. Many of dragons are magical in nature and some of their body parts possess certain magical properties. Here are a few of the different species and breeds:
Amphipteres- Perhaps among the smallest of the dragons. They generally only grow to be about 6 feet long but possesses a small body similar to a snake with bat-like wings. They generally are sold as pets or live in cities and towns eating small rodents and birds.
Basiliks- Basilisks are among the terrestrial breeds of dragons. They are odd creatures looking like a giant horned lizard standing 2 feet tall but 10 feet long with four sets of legs allowing it to quickly burrow into the sandy soil of it’s habitat, mainly the deserts. In mythology this creature is said to possess a paralyzing gaze that turns people to stone but in truth, it sprays a paralyzing toxin from orifices in the corner of it’s eyes that allows the basilisk to eat it’s prey.
Coatyls-These serpentine dragons possess an odd trait in the dragon species; they possess a feathers over most of their body. While having a long serpentine body, they possess a pair of large feathered wings with a wing span ranging between 8-12 long. They tend to reside in warmer climates like Gaula, Southern Xiangzho and some islands with jungles/thick forests. They are worshipped as holy creatures by some cultures and their feathers are rather valuable, making them a prime target for hunters.
Dracolich- Not actually another species of dragons but a magically altered, undead great dragon. Dracolichs, as their name would suggest, are basically liches but with dragons instead of mortals. Even the great dragons who possess one of the longest natural lifespans of any creature on Asnorit must eventually be confronted by death and some will avoid it by performing a ritual which will turn them into one of these creatures. With the assistance of a powerful wizard and the consumption of a concoction called Dracolich Brew, a great dragon poisons itself and transports it’s spirit into a phylactery.
Dragonettes-These bipedal dragons is perhaps the most docile of dragons. The largest are generally 6 feet at the shoulder, 12 feet in length with a 20 foot wingspan while the smaller are generally 3 feet long with a 6 foot wingspan. Their bodies are made up of two large wings, two small front legs, and two large powerful back legs, along with a long tail, a long neck and their head of course. They are generally herd or flock animals but can be raised on their own by a good owner. The larger dragonettes are used as steeds and work animals while the smaller are used as reliable messengers. Uniquely the dragonette is omnivorous, though preferring plants and vegetables.
Drakes- The Drakes are another common terrestrial dragon species. Early civilizations have domesticated them and bred them in many different ways. Drakes tend to vary depending on their breeding and what they are used for but they all generally possess a stocky quadrupedal body similar in shape to a lion, which those in Gaula have been known to be fierce rivals of. Many well known breeds of drakes are the common drake(the drake which all drakes are descended from), the siege drake(bred for war and possessing boney spikes on it’s shoulders), the pit drake(bred for fighting), and the toy drake(the smallest of breeds, domesticated as a generally docile pet). As said, the Drakes have been bred by many different races all across Asnorit and can be found in almost every environment.
Fairy Dragons- The peculiar cousins of the great dragons, they are small playful creatures that are often companions to fairies. They grow not much larger than a medium sized dog and are coated in vibrant blue scales, pink-purple spines, and flowery frill-like wings for flight and gliding. Fairy Dragons do possess a breath attack but it is more of a defensive attack than offensive. Their breath weapon is a narcotic spray that puts people into a state of euphoria, causing them not to fight.
Great Dragons- The Great Dragons are probably the largest of the dragons and the most intelligent, mostly. It is sometimes discussed by scholars if Great Dragons can be counted as a race as they are highly intelligent and some act in a manner befitting a sentient race. Some even use shapeshifting spells to take the forms of humans and other races at times. Most of them are very dangerous. They are wide and varied with different appearances and possess different abilities. It is often believed that the chromatically colored of these dragons are inherently evil while the metallic are more good natured. Though the metallic dragons tend to better tempered than their cousins, it is mostly about the dragons upbringing where some parents will lead their children to be very intelligent while others will nurture them to be beastly and savage. The Chromatic dragons are the foul-tempered black dragons, the orderly blue dragons, the cunning green dragons, the greedy red dragons, the savage white dragon, and the imperialist purple dragons. The Metallic Dragons are the talkative brass dragon, the just bronze dragon, the mischievous copper dragon, the intellectual gold dragon, the friendly silver dragon, the stoic cobalt dragon, and the sociable steel dragon. Each of these dragons can call upon a different breath attack, blasting some form of magic or toxin from their maw to harm or outright destroy an opponent. Breath weapons include fire for red, acid for black, lightning for blue, chlorine gas for green, ice/frost for white, energy blast for purple, fire and sleeping gas for brass, repulsion gas and lightning for bronze, slowing gas and acid for copper, fatigue spray and fire for gold, paralyzing gas and ice for silver, ice for cobalt, and paralytic toxin for steel.
Hydras- Perhaps one of the most frightening and bizarre of dragon species, the Hydra dragons are often large terrestrial dragons possessing multiple heads and a varying shape to the rest of it’s body. Sometimes it possesses a quadrupedal body with five to three heads or a large serpent body with up twelve heads. While not very smart as their intelligence is divided amongst it’s many heads, they are very dangerous and tend to live near lakes and rivers waiting for their prey. A hydra is known for it’s ability to regrow a head after it has been severed. Though not as quickly as most fables say it can regrow at least head but taking the length of a month or a year to regrow it completely and should all heads of this dragon be severed it cannot regenerate them all. Hydras are also easily distracted at times for example by tossing a piece of meat to one of the heads, the other heads will then to fight over the meat and some get into arguments allowing one to slip away. This is best used on the hydras possessing a number of heads larger than three.
Kirins- A unique cousin of the arctic lung dragons, Kirins are dragons which possess a similar height and shape of a horse. Like the arctic lung it does possess scales that grow fur on it’s body but depending on the climate that it resides in it will either be a coat of fur on it’s body for cold areas or form into fringes of fur near it’s feet plus a mane around it’s head and along it’s tail in warmer climates. Kirins tend to inhabit the various mountainous regions of all over Asnorit or the temperate areas of Xiangzho. Some have been used as alternative steeds to horses.
Lung Dragons- Another species of terrestrial dragon, the lung dragons possesses long serpentine, quadrupedal bodies. Their characteristics are split into different kinds of dragons. One the Arctic Lung, the one of the only dragons that bares a coat of scales that grows a thick tuft of hair upon them which insulates the dragon in the coldest of environments. Given it’s name the Arctic Lung tends to live in the colder areas of Asnorit mainly in the northern wastes or far northern areas of Ranell and Xiangzho. The second lung breed is the Forest Lung, a dragon that only lives in areas of Xiangzho in particularly it’s bamboo forests. Unlike it’s cousin the Arctic Lung, it does not possess furry scales but normal scales of green and yellow. The forest lung also possesses a unique construction of frills that allow it to glide for short distances. In some ancient art from Xiangzho lung dragons are depicted as being able to fly which is odd as neither can in reality.
Raptors- These dragons are cousins to the dragonettes and possesses a similar physique save for some minor differences such as longer claws and sharper teeth. Raptors are also exclusively carnivorous as opposed to their omnivorous cousins. They are also believed to be one of the most vicious of dragons, second only to wyverns. They hunt either as solitary hunters or in a pack, herding foolish prey towards their doom. Though rare, it has been witnessed that raptor dragons have been used as mounts. Only the most fearsome or perhaps foolish train these dragons to be their steeds.
Salamanders- The miniature cousins of the Basilisks. They grow to be about a foot long but four inches high and possess five sets of legs. Covered in thick scales they are able survive in the most inhospitable of habitats such fire places and even volcanoes. They are scavengers generally feeding on the scorched remains of creatures who wandered into their habitat and eating scraps that fall into the fireplace.
Sand Dragons- Not to be confused with the Basilisks, The Sand Dragons are huge terrestrial dragons that reside in the desert, burying themselves in the sand dunes and burrowing underground until unsuspecting prey walks into their midst. They grow to be about 25 feet tall and 100 feet long with tan-beige scales. They are the most deadly hazard in the desert realms of Asnorit second only to dehydration.
Sea Orcs/Sea Serpents-These dragons are among the only aquatic dragons in the world. While some of them have amphibian qualities that allow them to visit the land, most are bound to the sea. The Sea Serpents are just what one would expect; an aquatic species of dragons similar to the wyrm dragon, possessing a serpentine body and living in the oceans. The other breed of sea dragons are the Sea Orcs. Not to be confused with the lumbering cousins of the goblins, the Sea Orcs are large eel or seal-like dragons that stalk the oceans of the world. Some are mainly eel-like only being able to survive in the water, while others possesses modified limbs that allow them to be amphibious and visit the land from time to time. However, despite the differences all aquatic dragons much surface for air. While they can hold their breath for long periods of time, they cannot live with it, like most dragons.
Titan Dragons- These enormous dragons tower over all other dragons species growing to maximum heights of 50 to 75ft in height. These dragons simply by height are capable of going toe-to-toe with giants and take them down. They possess a burly body covered in black scales.
Wyrms- Wyrm dragons are infamously known through out the world and feared by many. They generally lack wings or legs and have the appearance of a large armored snake with horns on its head. They reach tremendous lengths and some possess the muscle strength of a python, sometimes crushing their prey in their coils. The wyrms do possesses an odd small subspecies known as the lindwyrm that possess small vestigial legs but they are generally rare. They are generally solitary creatures that live in the swamps of the world, lurking in their domain for unsuspecting prey.
Wyverns- Wyverns are the most dangerous and ferocious dragons, possessing thick armored scales, two powerful back legs, large bat-like wings, and a poisonous stinger on its tail. With a single one on it’s own, it is dangerous but in large packs, they are fearsome and can even take on a larger dragon that should it wander into their territory. Their homes tend to be near alpine areas with their hunting ground being the the forested area near the base where they snatch up deer, elk, or bears for food. Some foolhardy adventurers and warlords have sometimes attempted to slay or worse tame one. Such practices are met with the ill consequences. Some who have actually managed to kill the beasts will sometimes extract the poison from the tail to line their weapons and make a grazing strike fatal.
Giant Boars/War Hogs- Though not as prominent as other giant species but not to trifled with if you run across one. Giant Boars often called “War Hogs” are above average sized boars that can grow up to the size of large bull or even a carriage. These large wild beasts are known to charge people who enter their territory and trample them. Their large bodies make them very durable and they will often take a great amount of damage before falling. They are the second favored steed of the Goblins and Orcs who will ride them into battle like the Wargs but it’s often better not to have them side by side as a Warg may attack a War Hog if it’s hungry.
Great/Giant Moles-The Great or Giant Mole is an exotic breed of moles that share the appearance of ordinary moles but grow to the size of buffalos. They are sometimes used as mounts and beasts of burden by the dwarves. They are used to help them make large tunnels and mine for rare materials.
Giant Spiders/Death Weaver Spiders- Among some of the extraordinarily large animals that inhabit Asnorit, Spiders are among those that many fear. They share traits with their smaller cousins and are generally referred to by a similar name but with giant added to them like Giant Tarantula. They vary in size from being the size of a small dog to being as large as an elephant. However, they mostly stick to their habitats like caves, deserts, and dense forests. The most well-known of these giant arachnids is the Death Weaver Spider. This spider grows to the size of a horse with a build similar to a black widow. It has a black exoskeleton with a purplish shine to it and a red-purple mark shaped like an eye on it’s abdomen. These creatures are believed by some to be messengers of Gorathone and are tamed by some dark elves as mounts and used in rituals for Gorathone.
Gryphons-Gryphons are large animal creatures who appear to have the head, wings, and claws like an eagle but with a large feline body like a lion. They are often found in the mountains, generally feeding on large rodents and sometimes goats.
Hippogriffs-Hippogriffs are an odd combination of a horse and eagle. They are generally very proud creatures and are difficult to train as a mount. However, if the right amount of care and respect is given to a hippogriff, they can make fine mounts and companions.
Pegasuses- Pegasuses are playful, winged horses. They are sometimes viewed as steeds of the gods and sometimes very rare to find. They are also known for being very rambunctious and difficult to train.
Phoenixes-Mystical birds with brilliant feathers and possessing a unique mystical power. Upon reaching a point in it’s maturity roughly 25 years, it spontaneously bursts into flames and arises from the ashes fully restored with a new coat of feathers. It is said that through this mystical act it can live for centuries. It is believed though that if killed, it does not always rejuvenate. Much like other animals the males are the more colorful of the species covered in feathers of shades of red, yellow, and orange while the female is coated in a solid but equally beautiful coat of blue feathers. It is believed that the feathers of the phoenix can be used as a good luck charm and consuming the feathers in a potion can bring amazing healing and long life. Some people believe that dining on the bird itself will make one immortal.
Thunder Lizards/Behemoths- These strange, large reptilian creatures are believed by some to be remnants of an age before the free races walked the earthly plane. Some believe them to be omnivorous cousins of the dragons, who branched off from the family tree in different manners. These thunder lizards or behemoths as majority has come to known them, vary from having plates of hardened, jagged scales on their backs to diamond-shaped spines to horns on the crown of their heads and tip of their noses. They tend to live in the more tropical locations of Asnorit like Gaula or the far southern areas of Xiangzho, feeding off lush vegetation.
Wargs-Wargs are large, canine creatures found in different areas of Asnorit. They possess a body that is a strange mix of wolf and hyena and are about the size of a horse. They are often used as mounts and riding animals by Goblin Kin and other people who ride them into battle.
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