Mammals: Bears

Ambusher Bear

An extremely large, white-colored bear with an incredibly thick coat whose leather is second only to Wyr leather in quality. As their name implies, they are an ambush predator. The Ambusher Bear possess thick, hair-like strands that dangle down the side of their body from both shoulders and each side of their head. These strands function much like the whiskers of other animals, sensing vibrations above them as they lay under thick layers of snow until it is time to leap out. Ambusher Bears are known to attack humans.

• Size: 1.5 to 2 men long (8-10 ft), 1 man high (5-6 ft)
• Coat: White fur
• Climate: Subarctic and Taiga regions of northwest Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest (Rare)

Blackhorn Bear

A corruption of the common Fisher Bear. The Blackhorn Bear possess long, twisted horns that curve around the side of their head to point forward; large, square jaws; and dull black eyes. They are extremely aggressive towards humans.

• Size: 0.75 to 1.5 men long (4-7 ft), 0.5 to 1 man tall (3-5 ft), maybe a hand larger in both length and height than the average Fisher Bear
• Coat: Fur is either a mix of their original brown color with large or small patches of gray and black, or else their entire coat is a gray-brown color
• Climate: The central Khavasak
• Habitat: Kurever, Galghad, The Marches, Shrigora Mountains, Thurka, Xizai Mountains (Rare)

Demolisher Bear

An exceedingly large dark, red bear whose preferred method of hunting is to use it’s substantial size to create a swathe of destruction through it’s habitat. It can knock down trees to get at their fruit, and kick off large rockslides to eat whatever animals are caught within it, among other habits. They are very territorial against other Demolisher Bears, as most habitats cannot support more than a few of them. Demolisher Bears will not go out of their way to hunt humans, but will eat them if circumstances force them to. There are two subspecies of Demolisher Bear: a slightly smaller breed with lighter fur found in the Silipian Forest and the Lianin Mountains (occasionally venturing into Naviras proper), and a slightly larger variant with a darker coat found in and around Nezhu.

• Size: 1.75 to 2.25 men long (9-11 ft), 1 to 1.3 men high (5-7 ft)
• Coat: Burgundy fur
• Climate: Temperate climates across Falnir
• Habitat: Lianin Mountains, Nezhu, Silipian Forest, Wajukara, Nostrean Archipelago (Rare), Velian Plain (Rare), Forest of Sarnakos (Rare)

Fisher Bear

A relatively small species of brown-colored bear common across Falnir. Befitting its name, the Fisher Bear gets most of it’s food from aquatic life caught on rivers or shores. They possess some ancient memory of Saklugz and his servants, and because of this they are frightened of humans and will not approach them.

• Size: 0.75 to 1.5 men long (4-7 ft), 0.5 to 1 man tall (3-5 ft)
• Coat: Brown fur
• Climate: Native to a broad range of climates across Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Lianin Mountains, Forests of Sarnakos, Naviras, Nezhu, Nostrean Isles, Velian Plain, Silipian Forest, Skjlda Mountains, Wajukara, Xizai Mountains, Dachai (Rare), Jungles of Pan Rin Forest (Rare)

Ring Bear

A small, black-colored bear with numerous thin, golden rings around their legs and a few larger ones around their torso. Ring Bears are very intelligent, and are capable of adapting to their environments in astounding ways. Ring Bears have been known to be particularly cunning in securing food from human travelers and settlements, but they they are not known to attack people outright.

• Size: 5 to 7 hands long (3-4 ft), 3.5-5 hands high (2-3 ft)
• Coat: Black fur with a golden ring pattern
• Climate: Temperate and subtropical regions of eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Nezhu, Pan Rin Forest, Wajukara, Xizai Mountains (Rare)

Wolfhunter Bear

A somewhat small but extremely strong and fast bear that hunts other large predators. It can change the scent of it’s urine and even it’s own pheromones to match what is appealing to nearby predators. Once it’s intended target pursues the scent, the Wolfhunter Bear springs from it’s place of hiding and devours them.

• Size: 0.75 to 1 man long (4-5.5 ft), 0.5 to 0.75 men high (2.5-4 ft)
• Coat: Brown fur
• Climate: Temperate regions of western Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Lianin Mountains, Silipian Forest, Skjlda Mountains, Kurever (Rare), Thurka (Rare)

Mammals: Canines, Coyotes

Coalitionary Coyote

A species of coyote with a straight, broad snout; short, wide ears; and a coat that shifts in color from brown to white to gray to black. If one understands the relationship between dogs and humans as something of a formal alliance, then the Coalitionary Coyote would be more akin to a temporary co-conspirator. While never truly entering into the company of mankind, it has nevertheless developed a number of cooperative hunting strategies with the humans who coexist in their habitats. They will detach one or two members from their packs of twelve to fifteen so as to follow groups of hunters at a distance. Using cries that are sonorous to human ears to coordinate with the rest of the pack, the Coalitionary Coyotes will coral their prey towards the human hunters, whose bow and arrows can make quick work of the creatures. Owing to these relationships, in most cultures that have contact with Coalitionary Coyotes, it is considered a transgression to either slay them or deny them a portion of any food that they drove to the humans.

• Size: 6 to 8 hands long (42-56 inches)
• Coat: Varies by habitat
• Climate: Found across Ilroin
• Habitat: Azrajid, Xumer, Datyavam, Nitlam

Dohekhuj

A species of coyote native to most of the central Khavasak, the Dohekhuj are named for the deep, mournful howl they use to communicate, which was mistaken for a lamentation for a missing mate. They have a gradient pattern of black fur on their paws and back, gray fur on the underbelly, and the rest somewhere in between. The Dohekhuj follow a pack hierarchy, and live in groups of eight to ten. They have occasionally been known to follow travelers, but usually prefer to remain hidden until they attack.

• Size: 5 to 7 hands long (35-49 inches)
• Coat: Black and gray fur
• Climate: Temperate climates within the Khavasak
• Habitat: Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad

Fishmonger Coyote

A species of coyote native to the coastal regions of northern climates with an extremely thick grey and white coat. It hunts by following riverbanks or rock jetties and lunging into the water to capture fish. During spawning season, owing to the surplus of prey, it will take a large number of fish and bury them deep in the snow, thereby preserving them for the more difficult months.

• Size: 4 to 7 hands long (28-49 inches)
• Coat: White and gray fur
• Climate: Coastal areas of subarctic and taiga climates
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd (Northern, Rare), Kurever (Northern, Rare), Kalvriz Isles, Shrigora Mountains (Coastal), Xizai Mountains (Coastal), Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes)

Gardener Coyote

A species of coyote with long ears and long, gaping jaws that moves in packs of four to seven. The Gardener Coyote is named for it’s strange hunting tactics. Packs will closely monitor the trees and plants within their territory, at which point they will begin to chase off smaller animals and uproot nearby, competing plants to allow the fruit-bearing ones the greatest chance of success. Then, disguising their scent, they will spread out and lay in ambush for unsuspecting herbivores who go to eat the fruits that they tended.

• Size: 5 to 8 hands long (35-56 inches)
• Coat: Gray and brown fur
• Climate: Temperate forest zones
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Silipian Forest, Sarnakos Forest, Nitlam

Spirit Coyote

A species of coyote native to desert regions with a pastiche of white, tan-red, and dirty brown fur. Spirit Coyotes are most known for their habit of dragging prey great distances to naturally forming crevasses in the exposed rock, which, owing to the limited availability of these hideouts, are often passed from one generation of Spirit Coyote to the next. The heaps of bones that came to litter these shelters gave rise to the mistaken belief that Spirit Coyotes were psychopomps guiding spirits to the realm of the dead.

• Size: 4 to 6 hands long (28-42 inches)
• Coat: Red, white, and brown fur
• Climate: Deserts
• Habitat: Ordagh Desert, Lawassa Desert, Cawau Desert

Mammals: Canines, Dogs

Note: Because dogs are domesticated animals, a normal description of their habitat doesn’t really work. Individual sizes are relative to other dogs, small = < 2.5 hands tall; medium = 2.5 to 3.5; large = 3.5 to 4; very large= > 4

Beastbane

A tall, proportionally slim dog with scraggly, dirt gray hair; long, thin, curved back ears; and a stubby jaw. Beastbane are typically used to defend farmsteads against wolves, foxes, and other predators, they can also be used to hunt these same animals, particularly in areas too inhospitable for shield dogs.

• Size: Very large
• Coat: Dirt gray
• Habitat: Domesticated

Foefinder

An extremely fast, lean, tan colored dog with floppy ears. Foefinders are typically used for military scouting due to their superb hearing, ability to recognize the sounds of enemy motion, and their ability to keep up with extended expeditions alongside light cavalry.

• Size: Medium
• Coat: Tan
• Habitat: Domesticated

Kolghur

A medium sized breed of tracking hound with a black, white, and crimson piebald coloration. Kolghur are bred as scent hounds, and their noses have been honed over millennia to surpass nearly any other species of dog. Beyond their noses, the Kolghur's most distinctive feature are their large ears. When they are resting, these ears look very similar to the floppy ears of other tracking dogs, but when the Kolghur are alert, their ears can stiffen into stiff, horn-like shape similar to a straight sea shell.

• Size: Medium
• Coat: Black, white, and crimson piebald pattern
• Habitat: Domesticated (Ukni)

Linebreaker

A massive, wide, extremely muscular dog with a mane covering it’s ears and neck. Not as intelligent as a shield dog, Linebreakers are typically released en masse into an enemy formation, forcing them to break ranks and and form openings that can then be exploited by allied soldiers.

• Size: Very large
• Coat: Dark gray with a white underbelly
• Habitat: Domesticated

Mountaineye Dog

A breed of sighthound with long strands of tan, white, burgundy and sometimes black fur which naturally wind into thick, braid-like strands. Mountaineye Dogs are bred for hunting in cold, inhospitable conditions.

• Size: Medium-large
• Coat: Multicolored strands of fur
• Habitat: Domesticated

Plaguebane

A small, muscular breed of dog with comparatively large legs; huge, pointed ears; and a conical snout. Typically bred by the rulers of cities and other civil authorities, given training, and then let loose through populated areas. Unlike other varieties of stray dog, the Plaguebane’s ability to hunt down and eat disease carrying animals makes them a welcome member of the cities they populate. It is not unusual for Plaguebane dogs to chase their quarries through people’s homes without being impeded, and in some cases, homeowners in impoverished, rat-infested areas will bring the notoriously clean Plaguebane dogs into their home to flush out vermin. Plaguebane dogs will also fight and kill Zunghur on contact, making them particularly useful in sieges.

• Size: Small
• Coat: White with brown and black outlined patches on body, and orange outlined patches on the face
• Habitat: Domesticated

Seeker Hound

A medium size scenthound with comically oversized ears hanging nearly halfway to the ground. Seeker Hounds are used for their incredible sense of smell and quick bursts of speed.

• Size: Medium
• Coat: Two-colored, one area is typically either brown or red, while the other is usually black or dark brown
• Habitat: Domesticated

Shield Dog

A large, muscular dog with broadly spaced legs, a large head with massive jaws, and a visible, broadening skull line. As their name implies, the most common use for Shield Dogs is military. They will typically accompanying raiding expeditions, where they are given freedom to move individually among the horses and break off intercept enemy mounts. However, Shield Dogs are also used for hunting, where they will often accompany teams of tracking dogs to deal with large predators.

• Size: Very large
• Coat: Black and white piebald
• Habitat: Domesticated

Tunneler Dog

A small hunting dog similar to Plaguebane but with shorter legs and boxed ears. Bred to go into holes and root out small prey.

• Size: Small
• Coat: White fur with a black “outline style” line pattern coat mixed with splotches of orange on the face
• Habitat: Domesticated

Wenghur

A large black dog with long, tangled fur; forward pointing, bull-like horns; and lifeless black eyes. Bred in the flame blasted lands of the Vakrag for military use, the Wenghur are employed by the Ukni for a number of purposes, including breaking enemy lines and individually engaging cavalry. Their greatest talent, however, is for quickly and efficiently chasing down and slaughtering fleeing soldiers.

• Size: Very large
• Coat: Black
• Habitat: Domesticated (Ukni)

Zunghur

A small black dog with pointed, outward-angled ears. The Zunghur are bred for heartiness in the unforgiving wastelands of the Uru, subsisting on nothing but carrion for the majority of their developmental stages. While the Zunghur are resistant to sickness, their diet and unsanitary behavior make them incredible disease vectors. Both their waste and their bites harbor fatal, infectious parasites. They are typically sent ahead of the main army to squeeze into fortified cities and spread plague to the congested population. However, the Zunghur are preyed on by Plaguebane dogs, who will sniff them out and hunt them, preferring them over even the rats they typically feed on.

• Size: Small
• Coat: Black
• Habitat: Domesticated (Ukni)

Mammals: Canines, Foxes

Embereye Fox

A large, jet black species of fox with an arched back, short, inward hooked ears, and eyes that can glow bright red at will. This eye coloration is used to ward off predators, communicate with other Embereye Foxes, and goad their prey into running. The Embereye Fox is known to employ a particularly haunting cry.

• Size: 3.5 to 4.5 hands long (25-30 inches)
• Coat: Black
• Climate: Temperate climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Nezhu (All), Wajukara, Pan Rin Rainforest (Rare), Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam

Gravedigger Fox

A small but long species of fox named for the way they chase Burrow Hare. The Gravedigger Fox will dive into their mounds, digging through the Burrow Hare’s nest quicker than the hares can bury themselves.

• Size: 1.25 to 1.75 hands high (9-12 inches). 2-3 hands long (15-20 inches)
• Coat: Tan to dark brown belly with a gray to gray-brown body
• Climate: Cold to temperate climates in western Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains (Rare), Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest

Herdsbane Fox

A species of fox normally known for their solitary existence, fiercely defending a small patch of territory against other foxes. However, when the Herdsbane Fox encounters a target that requires greater cooperation, it will undertake a biochemical transformation similar to what happens when other mammals go into heat, signaling to other Herdsbane Foxes to enter a similar cooperative state. This means that, while solitary Herdsbane will almost never attack humans or their herds, large packs of cooperating Herdsbane can be a real threat to human travelers and settlements.

• Size: 3 to 4 hands long (21-28 inches)
• Coat: Red to light brown with a white underbelly
• Climate: Found across Ilroin
• Habitat: Datyavam, Xumer, Azrajid, Nitlam

Snowswimmer Fox

A species fox with an extremely thick white coat that hunts by moving beneath snowbanks. Using their heightened hearing, the Snowswimmer Fox can determine the exact location of both animals walking on the snow above them, which they will leap out and attack, and the short breaths of hibernating creatures.

• Size: 2.5 to 4 hands long (18-28 inches)
• Coat: White or white with gray stripes
• Climate: Cold climates in Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd (Rare), Kalvriz Isles, Kurever (North, Rare), Shrigora Mountains, Xizai Mountains, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Rare), Wajukara (Rare)

Mammals: Canines, Miscellaneous

Bone Jackal

A medium sized species of jackal native to the Ordagh and Lawassa deserts. While many travelers believe that the Bone Jackal’s name comes from the patches of white fur at the upper half of it’s head, it in fact originates from their ability to derive sustenance from a number of extreme sources, including the bone marrow of dead prey.

• Size: 3.5 to 4.25 hands long (24-30 inches)
• Coat: A sandy brown underneath with darker brown fur at the top and a patch of white on it’s head
• Climate: Deserts in western Aios
• Habitat: Ordagh Desert and Lawassa Desert

Fleetthief

A small fox-like canine with a long, short body; comparatively longer, more dexterous front paws; and long, pointy ears nearly half the length of its body. There are two distinct species of Fleetthief: the White Fleetthief, which resides in mountains and other snow covered regions, and the Black Fleetthief, which lives in forests, and is one of the very few all-black animals to not bear the signs of contact with the Dark God. Fleetthief are scavengers, who, if not in contact with civilization, will use their superior speed to sneak into where larger predators are eating and steal a portion of their kills for themselves. They have, however, adapted remarkably well to human settlements, where they can often be found rummaging through refuse heaps and food stores.

• Size: 1.5 to 1.75 hands long (10-12 inches), in addition to a bushy tail which is typically held down
• Coat: White or black, depending on the breed
• Climate: Black Fleetthief live in temperate climates in Falnir, White Fleetthief live in colder climates in norther Falnir
• Habitat, Black Fleetthief: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever (North), Velian Plains (Cities only), Silipian Forest, Navarid Isles (Cities only), Sarnakos Forest, Nezhu (All save Cawau, cities only) Wajukara, Nowa Forest
• Habitat, White Fleetthief: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest (North), Kalvriz Isles, Thurka, Shrigora Mountains, Xizai Mountains, Shanxin Lakes (Rare)

Saket

A fire-red jackal with scars of black along its body; large, back-bent, hook shaped ears; and cold, glassy eyes. The Saket is native to Xumer and most of Aios’ desert regions. It is said that they have some premonition for the coming of death, a gift which allows them to beat other scavengers to carcasses while transforming the creatures into bearers of horrendous omens for human populations.

• Size: 3.5 to 4.5 hands long (24-32 inches)
• Coat: Bright red
• Climate: Desert climates across Aios
• Habitat: Uru Desert, Ordagh Desert, Cawau Desert, Xumer, the Lawassa Desert

Mammals: Canines, Wolves

Burst Wolf

A large species of forest wolf with a grey coat and tree brown coloration running from it’s paws to it’s underbelly and snout. Named for the way it stalks its prey in near-perfect silence, working with a pack of six to twelve wolves to noiselessly encircle it’s victims before leaping out as a group in a frenzied rush.

• Size: 6 to 8.5 hands long (45-60 inches)
• Coat: Gray and brown
• Climate: Temperate regions in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Nezhu (Fezhong and Shanxin), Nowa Forest, Wajukara, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam (Rare)

Fog Wolf

A gray wolf that hunts in the thick fogs which fall over the forests of Naviras early in the morning. It is not uncommon for travelers to hear their high pitched howls while moving through the forest in the dawn hours. Should such calls follow the path of the traveler or emanate from all directions at once, it is sure sign that their doom is fast approaching.

• Size: 5.5 to 7.5 hands long (40-50 inches)
• Coat: Grayscale brindle
• Climate: Temperate forests in western Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Silipian Forest, Velian Plains (Rare) Sarnakos Forest, Navarid Isles (Rare)

Rot Wolf

A small wolf native to the Galghad with a coat of various shades of green and long, swamp-gray tassels. The Rot Wolf emits a scent that is very similar to a badly decayed body, luring in scavengers to the smell and then devouring them.

• Size: 5.5 to 8.5 hands long (40-60 inches)
• Coat: Green and gray
• Climate: Swamps in the inner Khavasak
• Habitat: Galghad

Surveyor Wolf

A lanky, thin wolf with short, red-to-tan colored fur. The Surveyor Wolf hunts in packs of four to six. Named for their rigidly territorial nature, packs of Surveyor Wolf will stake out a firmly demarcated territory, and, once they have done so, they will lash out aggressively against even the slightest incursion by other wolves. Surveyor Wolves will not stray beyond the bounds of their self-selected domain, even when injured prey flees beyond its limits.

• Size: Roughly 5 hands long (32-38 inches)
• Coat: Red and tan body with a grey underbelly
• Climate: A broad range of temperate, subtropical, semi-arid climates in Ilroin
• Habitat: Xumer, Azrajid, Datyavam, Onima Mountains, Nitlam

Wyrbane Wolf

The dominant predator among animals that were not forged from the Dark God’s Zuthruhk magic, and one of the very few creatures that will freely roam in and out of his dominion. Moving in packs of four or five, Wyrbane Wolves are infamous for their complete lack of hesitation or fear, freely engaging even Ambusher Bears or organized human hunting parties. While they rarely range as far south as the Galghad, stories of packs of Wyrbane Wolves taking down fully grown Wyrmejh have captured the imagination of the peoples of the free kingdoms, giving the species their name.

• Size: Roughly 1 man long (4.5-6 feet)
• Coat: Dark gray back and light gray body , with a dark gray brindle pattern running down their mane
• Climate: Polar, sub-polar, and occasionally temperate climates across northern Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Kalvriz Isles, Kurever (Northwest extension, rare), Shrigora Mountains, The Marches, Thurka, Galghad (Rare), Xizai Mountains, Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Shanxin Lakes (Rare)

Mammals: Felines, Cheetahs

Ball Cheetah

A species of cheetah native to Falnir’s forest regions with a grey-blue color scheme and black spots. Unlike the Lightning Cheetah, whose movement is confined largely to straight lines, the Ball Cheetah employs the opposable joints in its legs, using the enhanced mobility that these adaptations provide to dart between thick strands of trees so that it resembles a bouncing ball when it hunts.

• Size: 6 to 8 hands long (45-60 inches)
• Coat: Grey-blue with black spots
• Climate: Temperate forest zones in Falnir
• Habitat: Silipian Forest, Sarnakos Forest, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Fezhong (Rare))

Lightning Cheetah

A species of cheetah with a silver-to-yellow coat pattern (silver near the legs and buttocks shifting to yellow near the chest and head) with black spots. The Lightning Cheetah is native to warm plains regions, and is capable of moving at short bursts of astonishing speed.

• Size: 6 to 8 hands long (45-60 inches)
• Coat: Silver and yellow with black spots
• Climate: Temperate and semi-arid regions of eastern Ilroin
• Habitat: Azrajid, Datyavam, Xumer

Mammals: Felines, Cougars

Hornstalker

A long, tan colored species of mountain lion whose males possess a pair of stubby, curved horns on their head. These horns serve no practical purpose in the Hornstalker’s day to day activities, but are used by females to evaluate mates.

• Size: 6.5 to 8 hands long (45-55 inches)
• Coat: Tan
• Climate: Temperate climates in Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains, Sarnakos Forest, Nezhu (Fezhong, Shanxin)

Javelin Cougar

A species of dark colored cougar native to western Ilroin, the Javelin Cougar is named for its distinctive style of hunting. They will climb high into trees and use their incredibly strong hind legs to silently leap from high branches, ambushing their targets so quickly that it is not uncommon for groups of travelers to suddenly find themselves one man short, only to realize that their companion had been attacked by a Javelin Cougar without anyone in the party having noticed.

• Size: 6 to 7.5 hands long (42-52 inches)
• Coat: A mix of dark colors
• Climate: Temperate forest zones of Ilroin
• Habitat: Western Azrajid, Nitlam

Sand Panther

A species of panther with a tan-to-brown coat native to desert regions across Aios. The Sand Panther will lay motionless in the sand for days at a time and then lunge out in a sudden, terrifying burst of speed. There are three known varieties with slightly varied color patterns: Ordagh, Nezhuan, and Lawassan Sand Panthers. Sand Panther’s are known to attack solitary human travelers, and on occasion even ambush guarded caravans.

• Size: 6 to 7.5 hands long (42-52 inches)
• Coat: Tan to brown
• Climate: Arid regions across Aios
• Habitat: Ordagh Desert, Nezhu (Cawau Desert), Lawassa Desert, Xumer

Mammals: Felines, Jaguars

Ghost Jaguar

A species of jaguar found in the jungle systems of southeastern Falnir, the Ghost Jaguar has an all black coat with the exception of a human-skull-shaped pattern around its head. This pattern is a defense mechanism born from the beliefs of the surrounding hunter-gatherer communities, who, prior to this adaptation, would regularly engage in hunting and population control measures against the species. These forest nomads believed that the distinctive patterns were the sign of a reincarnated ancestor, and thus they avoided preying on Ghost Jaguars who bore them, leading the entire Ghost Jaguar population to adopt the coloration.

• Size: 7 to 10 hands long (4-6 feet)
• Coat: Black with a white head
• Climate: Falnir's rainforest system
• Habitat: Pan Rin, Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest

Shimmering Jaguar

A breed of jaguar with a blue-gray coat and a dark blue pattern of erratic splotches. The Shimmering jaguar is named for its semi-separated hide, which is similar to what is found in some species of badger, making it both resistant to injury and granting it the ability to wiggle and distort its fur. When underwater, this behavior resembles the movements of a disturbed school of fish, and the Shimmering Jaguar is able to use this camouflage in concert with its durable hide and expanded lung capacity to ambush crocodiles, alligators, and larger river fish from beneath the water, luring them to clamp down on their pliant skin and delivering gouges and slashes to vital regions as their prey is latched harmlessly to their detached hide.

• Size: 7 to 10 hands long (4-6 feet)
• Coat: Blue and gray
• Climate: Tropical-subtropical climates on both continents, near river systems
• Habitat: Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Datyavam

Mammals: Felines, Leopards

Craven Leopard

A common, smallish breed of leopard that mimics the fur patterns of other indigenous species of big cat. The Craven Leopard will imitate the behavior of limps or other minor injuries in communal gathering environments like lakes and streams. When it has closed in on its prey, it will burst to life and quickly charge them down. The Craven Leopard also possesses a robust gland system that can mimic the scent of infections and other injuries, even the smell of decayed flesh, which it uses to prey on scavengers. Though the ability is poorly understood, the Craven Leopard also has some capacity to willfully alter it's color scheme to better capitalize on variations on local ecology.

• Size: 6 to 8 hands long (42-56 inches)
• Coat: Varies by habitat
• Climate: Found across Falnir, particularly temperate and subtropical zones
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever, Dachai, Velian Plain, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains, Navarid Isles (Rare), Sarnakos Forest, Prakalra Mountains (Rare), Bashra Plateau, Wajukara, Nezhu (Shanxin, Nowa Forest, Fezhong), Pan Rin (Rare), Mwaseta (Rare), Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam

Helix Leopard

A leopard with an orange and black color pattern and a white underbelly. The Helix Leopard gets its name from these black sections, which join and split off into a pattern of interlocking spirals and helices instead of the more traditional spots, circles, or blotches.

• Size: 7 to 9 hands long (49-63 inches)
• Coat: Orange and black with a white underbelly
• Climate: Fertile regions of eastern Ilroin
• Habitat: Eastern Azrajid, Xumer

Icecave Leopard

A large species of leopard with a white coat and black spots native to the northern regions of Falnir. The Icecave Leopard gets it's name from the way it uses it's incredibly hard claws to kick cracks into dense blocks of ice, creating a shelter where it can rest. These nomadic leopards will create multiple caves like this each season as they migrate to various hunting grounds, leaving the region littered with ice shelters that travelers can use, so long as they judge the risk of freezing to death to be greater than the chance that the cave is occupied.

• Size: 7 to 10 hands long (49-70 inches)
• Coat: White with black spots
• Climate: Polar and sub-polar climates in Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest (Rare), Kalvriz Isles, Kurever (Northwest extension), The Marches, Shrigora Mountains (Rare), Xizai Mountains (Rare)

Leafpile Leopard

A small leopard with a brown coat and a pattern of green patches in the shape of leaves. The Leafpile Leopard leads a largely sedentary existence, concealing itself within it's environment while exposing its long, tapered ears to hear the movements of any smaller woodland mammals, at which point it will spring up for long enough to pounce and chase down it's prey. The Leafpile Leopard will use it's 2/3rds hand-long claws to deliver single, fatal or crippling injuries to a vital internal organs and tendons in conjunction with its teeth to instantly kill its target before they can flee.

• Size: 6 to 7 hands long (42-49 inches)
• Coat: Brown and green
• Climate: Tropical and semitropical climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin, Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha

Mammals: Felines, Lions

Braided Lion

A somewhat small breed of lion native to eastern Ilroin and Vyadalam, the Braided Lion is named for the long strands of hair found on both genders of the species. In males, the lower portion of their tan-brown colored manes will form together into braids that gradually shift to a darker shade of brown the closer they are to the ground. The females have a similar darkening color scheme, but rather than being part of the mane, their braids run in two rows along the top of their head, dangling down from either side. While comparatively small, Braided Lions are known to be some of the fastest members of the species.

• Size: 7.5 to 10 hands long (54-72 inches)
• Tan to brown, darkening as it gets closer to the ground
• Climate: Semi-tropical to semi-arid climates in eastern Ilroin and the Vyadalese peninsula
• Habitat: Azrajid, Xumer, Datyavam, Nitlam, and Vyadalam

Skullcrown Lion

A large breed of lion native to Eastern Falnir, the Skullcrown Lion is so named because of the male's three hand long horns, which extend straight from it's forehead with a slight upward curve at the tip. While, like most lions, the male Skullcrowns typically do not hunt for food, during mating season they will actively seek out large prey to kill, at which point they will impale their skulls upon these horns for the sake of attracting a mate.

• Size: 12 to 14 hands long without horns (7-8 feet), 15.5-19 hands long with horns (9-11 feet)
• Coat: Dark gray
• Climate: Tropical-subtropical regions, typically in Falnir
• Habitat: Dachai (Rare), Bashra Plateau, Nezhu (Nowa Forest, Fezhong), Pan Rin, Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Datyavam (Rare)

Whitemane Lion

A medium sized lion native to mountainous regions across Falnir. Possessing a white fur coat with patches of grey, Whitemane Lions are one of the few varieties of the species not follow pride hierarchies, owing to the scarcity of resources in their chosen habitat. The roar of the male Whitemane Lion is known for being particularly terrifying, especially when done on the flat, snowpacked mountain terrain. It has been speculated the Whitemane Lion use these roars to deliberately cause avalanches.

• Size: 10 to 12 hands long (6-7 feet)
• Coat: Gray and white with an all-white mane
• Climate: Mountain regions in Falnir
• Habitat: Prakalra Mountains, Bashra Plateau (Rare), Shrigora Mountains, Xizai Mountains

Mammals: Felines, Lynx

Cackler Lynx

A species of lynx known for emitting loud screeches that sounds similar to maniacal human laughter. While not typically aggressive towards humans, travelers have been known to get themselves lost fleeing or pursuing the Cackler Lynx’s distinctive cry.

• Size: 4 to 7 hands long (2.5-4 feet)
• Coat: Tan
• Climate: A broad range of habitats in Ilroin
• Habitat: Azrajid, Xumer, Datyavam, Nitlam

Diving Lynx

A species of lynx native to the the northwestern coastal regions of Falnir, where it’s thick fur coat and layers of blubber allow it to navigate the cold conditions on both land and water. The Diving Lynx is capable of using it's heightened lung capacity to go deep into the water to catch fish.

• Size: 3.5 to 5 hands long (2-3 feet)
• Coat: Gray to white
• Climate: Polar-temperate climates in northwestern Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest (Rare), Harlynd (Rare), Kalvriz Isles, The Marches

Sunglint Lynx

A species of lynx native to the northern regions of eastern Falnir, the Sunglint Lynx has a glossy, snow white coat which it can use to direct the reflection of sunlight, allowing it to selectively blind its prey.

• Size: 5 to 7 hands long (3-4 feet
• Coat: White
• Climate: Polar-temperate climates in northeastern Falnir
• Habitat: The Marches, Shrigora Mountains (Rare), Xizai Mountains, Wajukara (Rare), Nezhu (Shanxin)

Mammals: Felines, Miscellaneous

Midnight Fury

A very large breed of cat with a jet black coat and a strange set of vocal cords more akin to a Myna Bird or Parrot than any other member of the feline family. The Midnight Fury has an astonishing ability to mimic the sounds of it’s environment, even throwing the sound of it’s voice great distances. It is capable of reproducing anything from the sound of running water to an approximation of human speech. This ability is used as a hunting mechanism, luring both animals and humans into an ambush. The Midnight Fury is one of the rare animals that naturally preys on humans without the Dark God’s intervention, and has been known to imitate anything from the sound of footsteps around a camp at night to the final distress cry of an earlier victim. It’s preferred mode of hunting is to lure parties of humans out one at a time, often chaining the voices of it’s targets together in ways that suggest a strong grasp of vocal pitch and intonation if not some rudimentary understanding of language.

• Size: 14 to 19 hands long (8-11 feet)
• Coat: Black
• Climate: Temperate forests in western Aios
• Habitat: Silipian Forest, Sarnakos Forest, Azrajid (Western), Nitlam

Mammals: Felines, Tigers

Gorefang Tiger

A large species of tiger native to the tropical regions of both Falnir and Ilroin, the Gorefang Tiger is notable for the two, three-hand long, upward curving fangs protruding from it's lower jaw. The Gorefang Tiger uses these fangs for both hunting and mating purposes. The former is accomplished through the razor sharp outer edge of the horn, which rips open the abdomens of it’s victims, while the latter is achieved through performative displays that combine the ritualized charges of large apes and the physical, impact oriented style of mountain goat duels.

• Size: 12 to 17 hands long (7-10 feet)
• Coat: Orange and black
• Climate: Tropical climates in southeastern Aios
• Habitat: Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Datyavam

Moss Tiger

A medium sized species of tiger with a dark green and black coat. The Moss Tiger is most known for its habit of rolling around in the muck and brush of the forest, using the adhesive characteristics of its fur to coat itself in layers of twigs and mud, allowing it to move through the jungles nearly undetected.

• Size: 10 to 15.5 hands long (6-9 feet)
• Coat: Dark green and black
• Climate: Tropical jungles in central Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta

Night Guardian

A species of tiger with a dark gray and forest green color pattern coat, Night Guardians are most known for their unique relationship with human settlements. Rather than simply hunting livestock in the manner of most predators, Night Guardians have evolved a symbiotic relationships with human populations. They will wait on the outskirts of fields and pens late at night, ambushing anything that comes to eat their crops and livestock. Because of this, Night Guardians are held in high esteem by the peoples of Ilroin, and often feature in their art and stories.

• Size: 12 to 15.5 hands long (7-9 feet)
• Coat: Dark gray and forest green
• Climate: Hot, semi-humid climates in eastern Ilroin
• Habitat: Azrajid, Datyavam

Zurven Tiger

An extremely large breed of tiger with a traditional orange and black color pattern. Zurven Tigers have been known to grow to twice the size of other breeds of Tiger, and are known for being particularly aggressive and territorial, owing to the large hunting grounds needed to sustain a single member of the species.

• Size: 15.5 to 20 hands long (9-12 feet)
• Coat: Orange and black
• Habitat: Telzur

Mammals: Horses

Kulburz

The large black destriers ridden by the Kulbakkas heavy cavalry. Kulburz have a uniform coat of dark black fur with bright red irises. They are are notoriously fierce and foul tempered.

• Size: 9 hands long (64 inches)
• Coat: Black
• Habitat: Domesticated (Ukni)

Thekhaln

A breed of courser used by the Kulnarn light cavalry for skirmishing. Named for the red streaks along the brown fur of its back, the Thekhaln require much less upkeep than the larger Kulburz destrier, and are thus useful for long distance skirmishing and scouting in addition to their more traditional light cavalry engagements.

• Size: 8 hands long (56 inches)
• Coat: Brown and red
• Habitat: Domesticated (Ukni)

Mammals: Lagomorphs

Barbed Rabbit

A gray colored rabbit with hundreds of stiff, sharp needles mixed into its fur. These sturdy needles will stand up when the Barbed Rabbit becomes agitated, and can be detached to mangle the mouth of a predator in situations of extreme distress. These needles will regrow naturally, and do so in a fashion that naturally threads together any wounds in it's hide, allowing for fairly rapid healing after warding off an attacker. This also means that Barbed Rabbits who have survived many attacks become particularly spiny, acting as a further deterrent.

• Size: 1.5 to 2 hands tall (10-14 inches)
• Coat: Gray
• Climate: Found in warm, non-arid regions across Ilroin
• Habitat: Datyavam, Xumer, Azrajid, Nitlam

Burrow Hare

A species of hare with long, flat, unusually sharp front claws. When chased, the Burrow Hare will sprint towards soft soil and quickly dig itself underground in a manner that fills up the hole behind it rather than spraying the dirt everywhere, leaving only a small mound in the soil. The Gravedigger Fox specifically developed their adaptations to hunt Burrow Hares.

• Size: 2.5 to 3 hands tall (17-21 inches)
• Coat: Brown to white depending upon region and season
• Climate: Temperate areas in western Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains (Rare), Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest

Fool’s Huntersbane Hare

A species of hare almost identical to the Huntersbane Hare in form and coloration, save for their close-set eyes, slightly increased top speed, and the fact that Fool’s Huntersbane Hares do not release any poison into their bloodstream. This feigned adaptation allows them a similar level of deterrence to their cousins but without the drawback of long periods of sickness.

• Size: 3 to 3.5 hands tall (21-25 inches)
• Coat: Brown to white depending upon region and season
• Climate: Temperate to subtropical regions in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Xizai Mountains (Rare), Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong), Pan Rin Rainforest

Huntersbane Hare

A species of hare with the ability to change the color of it’s fur by season, with the exception of a silvery white mohawk running down their back. When threatened, this mohawk will rise up in a deliberate signal to predators. The Huntersbane Hare then releases a specialized poison into it’s own bloodstream. Having a natural resilience to this potent venom, the Huntersbane Hare will only get moderately sick from the poison even as it renders their body completely useless as a food source.

• Size: 3 to 3.5 hands tall (21-25 inches)
• Coat: Brown to white depending upon region and season
• Climate: Temperate to subtropical regions in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Xizai Mountains (Rare), Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong), Pan Rin Rainforest

Mammals: Miscellenious, Small

Mudchucker

A long, thin mammal with tight, rounded ears and a long, blunted snout. Mudchucker's possess razor sharp front claws that they use to rapidly sift through mud and loose dirt for insects. They are known for the distinctive appearance of their hunting grounds, leaving the surrounding fauna cakes in erratic splatters of dirt.

• Size: 2 to 2.5 hands long (14-18 inches)
• Coat: Dark brown
• Climate: Hot, wet regions in southeastern Aios
• Habitat: Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Datyavam

Nunochrog

A species of weasel with black fur, a red underbelly, and a long, hooked, inside claw on their paws. Native to the inner Khavasak, the Nunochrog possess an infectious stream of urine that induces paralysis in any animal who consumes it. The Nunochrog will urinate into a water source, whereupon the short-lived bacteria will quickly disperse through areas as large as a pond or small marsh. While harmless to fish, reptiles, and amphibians, any mammal who drinks from a tainted water source will fall limp, giving the Nunochrog a chance to devour the paralyzed prey, typically eating through the abdominal cavity. The Nunochrog will feed on humans, but a number of precautions, most notably boiling water or simply letting it sit in a container before drinking it, will neutralize the toxic urine.

• Size: 1.5 to 2 hands long (10-15 inches)
• Coat: Black with a red underbelly
• Climate: Wetlands in the inner Khavasak
• Habitat: Galghad

Mammals: Miscellenious, Medium

Ambling Rockhurler

A short, slow, stocky mammal with a cartilaginous snout and incredibly strong hind legs, which it uses to both hunt and injure predators. The Ambling Rockhurler is most known for its strange methods of hunting, such as kicking over extremely large rocks and using it’s flexible mouth to get at the insects below or even using stones as projectiles to bring down bird’s nests from the ground. Owing to the force with which it can kick small rocks, travelers must be wary of getting pelted by them.

• Size: 5 to 7 hands long (35-50 inches)
• Coat: Brown with a black forehead and paws
• Climate: Temperate regions in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Xizai Mountains (Rare), Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Fezhong, Shanxin Lakes), Pan Rin Rainforest (Rare)

Birdcatcher

A short, stout species of mammal with strong legs, a long tail, a thin one-hand-long snout, and pointed teeth. The Birdcatcher can leap into the air to snatch up birds as they fly overhead, and spends much of it’s time hiding in ambush.

• Size: 4.5 to 6 hands long (30-40 inches), including a 1.5-2 hand long tail (10-14 inches)
• Coat: Burgundy, brown, and gray in patches
• Climate: Temperate regions in western Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Navarid Isles (All) Sarnakos Forest, Bashra Plateau, Nowa Forest, Wajukara, Nezhu (Fezhong, Shanxin Lakes)

Blockader

A species of mammal with an arched back; broad, strong paws with extended claws; a short, rounded snout; and a coat of white fur with a black gash design and a black coloration on its paws and lower legs. A ferocious creature, the Blockader will stand its ground regardless of the size of it’s adversary. The species was given it’s name due to the fact that, if encountered along a trail or road, it will refuse to budge, to the point that, even if an arrow is shot into it’s thick hide, it will charge the attacker while bleeding out rather than flee.

• Size: 3.5 to 5 hands long (25-35 inches)
• Coat: White with dozens of black, slash shaped markings along it's body
• Climate: Mountainous regions in Falnir
• Habitat: Prakalra Mountains, Bashra Plateau, Xizai Mountains, Wajukara, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes (Rare))

Finpaw

A species of mammal with large, flat, webbed feet; a fan-shaped tail; a wide snout; and large, bulging eyes. Finpaw usually dwell in underground burrows just above the water line, and have a second set of lungs which allow them to breathe underwater for extreme lengths of time. They typically hunt by lurking on the floor of rivers, ponds, and lakes and spring up to eat frogs, toads, and unwary birds.

• Size: 4 to 5 hands long (28-35 inches)
• Coat: Brown, varies by the color of the local soil
• Climate: Temperate coastal regions
• Habitat: Velian Plains (Coastal), Navarid Isles (All), Nitlam (Coastal)

Snaresetter

An extremely intelligent, bipedal mammal with a short snout and tight ears. Snaresetters typically move on their haunches, using their comparatively small arms for a tactile purposes, including building of simple vine nets, sharpening sticks to hurl and stab with, and even developing rudimentary fishing spears that it uses with its legs while seated on the shore.

• Size: 4 to 4.5 hands tall (28-32 inches)
• Coat: Typically black with white patches, but sometimes dark red and with white patches
• Climate: Northeastern Falnir
• Habitat: Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes)

Mammals: Miscellenious, Large

Gajakus

A large breed of war elephant with black skin, oversized tusks, and protective bone-protrusions along the kneecaps, upper shins, and lower thighs. While war elephants are commonly used throughout the Kusadha/Vyadalam/Datyavam regions, the Gajakus is unique to Vyadalam. While most of it’s traits arose through traditional breeding practices, there were a few attempts after the Ukni conquest of Vyadalam to use Zuthruhk magic to further modify it. This has left the modern Gajakus in the strange liminal position between animals whose traits evolved through natural process and true creations of the Zuthruhk.

• Size: 2.75 to 3.25 men tall (15-18 feet), 2.5 to 3.5 men long (14-20 feet)
• Coat: Black
• Climate: Domesticated (Ukni)
• Habitat: Vyadalam

Mammals: Rodents

Mottled Hoarder

A species of rodent with a spilled paint coat of browns and whites, a sloped head, a short snout, and beady eyes. The Mottled Hoarder rests on all fours with muscular, angled-out legs. It’s front claws contain a poison that, while lethal to many predators, only causes nausea to humans, horses, and most livestock. Despite this weapon, Mottled Hoarders are very timid creatures, and get their name from their practice of storing large caches of food within the holes they dig, typically at the base of stumps or large rocks.

• Size: 1.5 hands long (9-11 inches)
• Coat: Brown, tan, and white in a piebald pattern
• Climate: Warm, non-arid regions of Ilroin
• Habitat: Datyavam, Xumer, Azrajid, Nitlam

Pronghorn Squirrel

A squirrel whose males possess two curved horns on their head. Male Pronghorn Squirrel are notoriously territorial, and will stake out a claim on a group of suitable trees, such as Blackgash Trees, and then defend them ferociously against other squirrels and small mammals.

• Size: 2 to 2.5 hands long including tail (14-18 inches)
• Coat: Brown with a thick, dark brown line running down the back
• Climate: Temperate forests in western Falnir
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest

Tree Dancer

A nocturnal species of rodent with thick hind legs, long front claws, and a long, tapered snout with rows of thin sharp teeth and two large fangs. The Tree Danger spends most of it’s life in the forest canopy, springing from one branch to another with it’s hind legs. Tree Dancers can often be heard moving between branches late at night.

• Size: 1 hand tall (6-8 inches)
• Coat: Brown
• Climate: The rainforest system of eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest

Birds: Corvids

Flamesnatcher Crow

An all black species of crow, the Flamesnatcher gets it’s name from legends told about it by the people of Nitlam. It is claimed that the reason the Flamesnatcher is one of the few black animals not to bear the Dark God’s touch is because they had initially agreed to participate in his corruption in exchange for heightened intelligence, but after being given their gift, they used it to steal a flame altar and escape Saklugz’ clutches.

• Size: 4 to 5.5 hand wingspan (2.5-3.5 feet)
• Coat: Black
• Climate: Temperate regions in western Ilroin
• Habitat: Nitlam, Onima Mountains, Azrajid

Snow Raven

A solitary, all white species of raven living in snow covered areas across Falnir. Immensely clever scavengers, they are known for employing complex tricks to get predators to abandon their prey: everything from leading larger predators to the sight of the kill to imitating the sounds of humans.

• Size: 5.5 to 8.5 hand wingspan (3.3-5 feet)
• Coat: White
• Climate: Northern Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kalvriz Isles, Kurever (Northern), Shrigora Mountains, Thurka, Marches, Xizai Mountains, Nowa Forest, Wajukara, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes)

Birds: Miscellenious, Small

Note: Because Aios does not have a unit of measurement smaller than a hand, accurate measurements for the wingspans of passerine and similarly sized birds is difficult. Unless otherwise specified, it is safe to assume that they are roughly proportional to more familiar members of the same species.

Birds of Renewal

A species of passerine bird renowned for their multicolored plumage. While the Pan Rin Rainforest is host to an impressive variety of colorful avians, the Birds of Renewal are unique in the way their coloration varies between each individual bird. Much as each flake of snow possesses a unique shape, each Bird of Renewal has a coat that is distinct from any other. Some have feathers in bright, rainbow-colored pastiches, while others are monochromatic. There is even a great deal of variance in the luster and pattern of these feathers. It is said that the Birds of Renewal came into being when the Shugatyad Huidai banished the Dark God’s creations from the Pan Rin.

• Coat: Varied
• Climate: Tropical climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest

Blue Terror

A passerine bird with a white underbelly and a blue back with patches of white and black lines that resemble a human face. Native to western Falnir, the Blue Terror has a long association with the practice of augury, with the expression of the facial pattern on its back being treated as an omen for future events. However, for many centuries now, the Blue Terror have only borne the pattern of a howling, enraged visage.

• Coat: Blue, white, and black
• Climate: Temperate climates around the Nostrean Sea
• Habitat: Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest, Bashra Plateau, Azrajid, Xumer, Nitlam

Constricted Woodpecker

A species of red crowned, black and white colored woodpecker native to the southern Nostrean. The Constricted Woodpecker is known for its distinctive markings. It has a white body with a black spiral winding around it that gives the impression that the bird is trapped or restrained.

• Coat: Red, black, and white
• Climate: Temperate regions in western Ilroin
• Habitat: Nitlam, Onima Mountains

Ember Sparrow

A species of sparrow with a gray-black fringed coat with a bright red coloration near the tail that resembles the look and color of a dying fire.

• Coat: Gray and red
• Climate: Cold climates in northwestern Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kalvriz Isles, Kurever

Gloaming Dove

A species of dove with a shimmering grey coat, the Gloaming Dove are named for their distinctive, melodious night songs.

• Coat: Gray
• Climate: Temperate climates in western Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kalvriz Isles, Kurever, Dachai (Rare), Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains (Rare), Navarid Isles, (All, Rare), Sarnakos Forest

Nightbelly

A species of passerine bird with a long straight tail, and a strange pattern of coloration on it’s stomach that resembles the night sky. The “stars” of it’s underbelly use their own bioluminescence to give off light, the Nightbelly has the ability to manipulate these stars with it’s abdominal muscles to attract insects and confuse predators.

• Coat: Black
• Climate: Temperate, Arid, and Subtropical climates in eastern Ilroin
• Habitat: Datyavam, Xumer, Azrajid

Rainbowtail

A species of passerine bird with a sloped head and broad, fanned out tailfeathers in a erratic, technicolor pattern that looks as if someone dripped dozens of different paints on it.

• Coat: White and black with a technicolor tail
• Climate: A broad range of climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong Valley), Pan Rin Rainforest

Royal Kingfisher

A species of Kingfisher with a bright purple back and headdress, and a red underbelly. Royal Kingfisher were named for their appearance, which reminded early Nezhuan settlers of the purple ceremonial robes worn by their monarchs.

• Coat: Purple and red
• Climate: Tropical and subtropical climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam

Trumpet Finch

A blue and grey breasted species of finch native to western Falnir with an unusually loud call that many have likened to the sound of a trumpet.

• Coat: Blue and grey
• Climate: Cold to temperate climates in western Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kalvriz Isles, Kurever, Dachai, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains, Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest

Vuwavatun

A green and black passerine bird with twin red mohawk-like feather bumps along the side of it’s head. The Vuwavatun are known for the distinctive feeding habits of their young. Rather than having a dedicated nurturing period where the mother bird will tend to her hatchlings, Vuwavatun emerge from their eggs already capable of flight. The hatchlings will derive their nourishment from consuming the young of other, nearby birds. The Vuwavatun are able to do this because, in the hours after completing the carnal act, males of the species ejaculate a special, secondary fluid that is laden with parasites. The male Vuwavatun will immediately fly off to any nearby nests, penetrating the shells with their phalluses and injecting them with an infectious seed that leads them to emerge helpless and prone, emitting a scent that the newborn Vuwavatun are drawn towards.

• Coat: Black and green
• Climate: Temperate climates in or around the inner Khavasak
• Habitat: Harlynd (Rare), Kalvriz Isles, Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad, Velian Plains, Bashra Plateau

Websnared Finch

A species of white colored finch with a pattern of thin grey lines across its feathers that gives the impression that it flew through a spiderweb.

• Coat: White and grey
• Climate: Arid and subtropical climates in eastern Aios
• Habitat: Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Xumer, Azrajid, Datyavam, Nitlam

Birds: Miscellenious, Large

Phujeng Bird

A large species native to the Pan Rin Rainforest, Phujeng Birds are most recognizable for their distinctive plumage. The Wajukara Phujeng, found in northeastern Nezhu, has a glistening coat of feathers in various shades of white, while the Pan Rin Phujeng has bright, multicolored feathers. Despite the fact that their large talons are deadly enough to defend against the Pan Rin’s fiercest predators, Phujeng are usually docile towards humans, owing to generations of contact with the Pan Chui tribes and their Namapha mages.

• Size: Roughly 1 man tall (5-7 feet)
• Coat, Pan Rin Phujeng: A bright, multi-colored coat and headdress
• Coat, Wajukara Phujeng: A glistening, white-hued coat and headdress
• Climate, Pan Rin Phujeng: Hot jungle climates
• Climate, Wajukara Phujeng: Temperate forest climates
• Habitat: Wajukara, Pan Rin Rainforest

Swordbreaker Toucan

A species of toucan found in the jungle systems of eastern Falnir. The Swordbreaker Toucan is most known for it’s powerful jaws, which are capable of bending steel, and for their fascination with shiny, metallic objects. These two traits, when taken together, often lead to problems for travelers and denizens of the jungle system. Swordbreaker Toucans are drawn to the swords, shields, and metal tools carried by humans. They will snatch these objects right from the hands of their wielders and fly to their nests with them. By the time the unfortunate victim finally locates their possession, it is typically warped and bent beyond use.

• Size: 3.5 to 4 hands long (25-28 inches)
• Coat: Black and white body with a blue and orange beak
• Climate: Tropical climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta

Birds: Owls

Wentuk

A species of owl with a black back, gray belly, and two small, upward curved horns on the side of it’s head. Despite it’s fearsome appearance, it is a stupid, relatively harmless animal.

• Size: 5 to 8.5 hands long (3-5 feet)
• Coat: Black and grey
• Climate: Temperate regions of the outer Khavasak
• Habitat: Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad, and Galghad

Birds: Parrots

Amethyst Parrot

A bright purple species of parrot found in coastal areas, the Amethyst Parrot is most known for their distinctive nests. Males in the species will take colorful sea shells and drop them on the rocks, shattering them so that they can take the most visually interesting fragments and construct a glimmering nest to attract females.

• Size: 6 to 7 hand wingspan (42-48 inches)
• Coat: Bright purple
• Climate: Coastal regions around the Nostrean Sea
• Habitat: Velian Plains (Coastal), Navarid Isles, Bashra Plateau (Coastal), Vyadalam (Coastal), Datyavam (Coastal), Xumer (Coastal), Azrajid (Coastal)

Crimson-Tufted Cockatiel

A species of grey and dark green cockatiel most known for the distinctive crest on their head. When lowered, this tuft of feathers appears as a small white bump, but when threatened or engaging in mating behaviors it will rise up, revealing a glimmering crimson crest that reflects light like a gemstone. The way that an individual Crimson-Tufted Cockatiel’s headdress glistens is used as a means of mate selection, with bright, jewel-like headdresses being intensely sought after by females of the species.

• Size: 1.75 to 2 hands long (12-15 inches)
• Coat: Grey and dark green
• Climate: Tropical climates in eastern Aios
• Habitat: Nezhu (Fezhong Valley), Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Xumer, Azrajid, Datyavam

Emerald Parrot

A bright green species of parrot found in rainforests, the Emerald Parrot is immediately recognizable for it’s glossy feathers, which give the bird the appearance of a large gemstone.

• Size: 5.5 to 6.5 hand wingspan (38-45 inches)
• Coat: Bright green
• Climate: Tropical regions in central Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest

Jesterbird

A small species of parrot with a bright, seemingly random technicolor feather pattern. As a defense mechanism, the Jesterbird will vocalize the calls of large predators, which, alongside it’s bright appearance, many humans find comic.

• Size: 6.5 to 7 hand wingspan (45-50 inches)
• Coat: Technicolor
• Climate: Tropical climates in southeastern Aios
• Habitat: Vyadalam, Datyavam, Kusadha

Birds: Raptors

Crowned Eagle

A species of eagle with jet black feathers and a white head that is topped with a thin bronze-colored ring which resembles a crown.

• Size: 10-13 hand wingspan (6-7.5 feet)
• Coat: Black and white with some brown
• Climate: Coastal regions around the Nostrean Sea
• Habitat: Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest, Bashra Plateau, Azrajid, Nitlam

Dawn Falcon

A species of falcon with a white, black-spotted underbelly and a white back with thick golden lines emanating towards the tailfeathers from the nape of it’s neck.

• Size: 6.5 to 7.5 hand wingspan (45-52 inches)
• Coat: White, black, and gold
• Climate: Temperate climates in Nezhu
• Habitat: Xizai Mountains (Rare), Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong)

Oasis Falcon

A species of falcon with streaks of blue running along the tips of its wings. Oases Falcons are said to know the location of every oasis within the Lawassa desert, and many travelers have been saved by following them to water.

• Size: 5 to 7 hand wingspan (35-49 inches)
• Coat: Tan-adjacent (brown to white) with blue streaks
• Climate: Desert climates in Ilroin
• Habitat: Xumer, Lawassa Desert, Azrajid

War-Banded Eagle

A species of eagle found in the forest system of western Falnir, the War-Banded Eagle is most known for it’s large size and the distinctive coloration along it’s head. While the rest of it’s body is covered in black, grey, and white feathers, there is a band of crimson feathers running around it’s crest and forehead that resembles the headbands certain Pan Chui tribes wear into battle.

• Size: 10 to 12 hands long (70-85 inches), 5 to 6 hands long (35-42 inches)
• Coat: Black, grey, and white with a crimson band
• Climate: Tropical climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest

Birds: Scavengers

Gagruhk

A large species of vulture native to the Uru and Ordagh deserts. The Gagruhk, like the Agrugag, are creations of the Dark God forged from the common vulture. However unlike the Agrugag, which are used for military applications, the Gagruhk spend their entire lives in the Khavasak’s two main desert systems. While they are not used offensively, Gagruhk possess a number of adaptations that make them useful for defensive purposes. The most important is its ability to communicate mentally with other Gagruhk, which, when combined with their heightened taste for human flesh, goad the vultures to attack any humans who try cross the desert without the pheromone pouches used by Ukni soldiers and merchants to ward them off. Once the Gagruhk locate a traveler, they will communicate their location to both other Gagruhk and their Tukbharan handlers, who use the vultures as an information system to monitor passage from the free kingdoms.

• Size: 6-7 hands tall (42-50 inches), 14-17 hand wingspan (100-120 inches)
• Coat: Black
• Climate: Deserts in the Khavasak
• Habitat: Uru Desert, Ordagh Desert

Birds: Waterfowl

Armored Heron

A species of heron found in northwestern Falnir whose bright silver feathers resemble a polished suit of armor.

• Size: 8.5 to 12 hand wingspan (5-7 feet)
• Coat: Silver
• Climate: Cold climates in northwestern Falnir
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kalvriz Isles, Kurever (Northeast)

Chazerun

A species of bright red goose with a green pattern dappling their heads, the Chazerun hides from predators by submerging itself to it’s neck in the swampy, overgrown waters of the Galghad. Despite this defense mechanism, the Chazerun is incredibly aggressive and territorial towards any creature that it does not see as a threat, charging out of it’s hiding place and biting travelers with it’s jagged beak.

• Size: 7 to 10 hand wingspan (4-6 feet)
• Coat: Bright red with a green-dappled head
• Climate: Migrates through the inner Khavasak
• Habitat: Galghad (Winter), Thurka (Summer)

Tukvatvat

A species of duck with a yellow and black brindle coloration whose males have a hard, flower-petal-esque protrusion surrounding their phallus. The Tukvatvat use this strange adaptation to tear through the flesh of females to hold them in place during coitus.

• Size: 4.5 to 6 hand wingspan (32-42 inches)
• Coat: Yellow and black
• Climate: Migrates through the inner Khavasak
• Habitat: Galghad (Winter), Thurka (Summer)

Amphibians

Plaguechaser Newt

A species of bright green and orange newt, Plaguechaser Newts are known for their unusual hunting strategy. Large hordes of them will follow insect swarms, feeding on them as they touch down. They are particularly beloved for their practice of harrying swarms of Khezhdavun, and were said to have been created by the Lithir to prevent the Dark God’s locusts from spreading into their forests.

• Size: 1-1.25 hands long including tail (7-9 inches)
• Coat: Green and orange
• Climate: Found throughout Aios in all but the harshest climates
• Habitat: All over Aios

Spikefrog

A species of brown colored frog, the Spikefrog is named for its peculiar defense mechanism. After inflating it’s abdomen, it releases a barrage of poisonous needles from all sides of it’s body. While Spikefrog needles are fatal enough to be used in spit darts by the tribes of the Pan Rin, they also have a much milder poison coating their bodies that both Ukni and Nezhuan soldiers have been known to deliberately ingest for its intoxicating effect.

• Size: 0.5-1 hand long when deflated (3-6 inches), 1-2 hands long when inflated (6-12 inches)
• Coat: Brown
• Climate: The jungle systems of eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam

Reptiles: Chelonians

Longshu Tortoise

An extremely large species of tortoise native to Nezhu’s desert coast and the surrounding oceans. Longshu Tortoises are known to be particularly aggressive and territorial when they come to land to breed, using their retractable necks to deliver powerful, poisonous bites to anyone foolish enough to approach their nests. The defensive, territorial nature of the Longshu Tortoise led early Nezhuan Emperors to adopt them as the symbol of the imperial house.

• Size: 1-1.5 men long (65-95 inches)
• Coat: Tan and black shell
• Climate: The desert coast of Nezhu
• Habitat: Cawau Desert

Reptiles: Lizards

Scorpion Gecko

A species of gecko found in the jungle systems of Falnir, Scorpion Geckos are most known for the venom-tipped stingers at the end of their tails. Like many geckos, the Scorpion Gecko can detach their tails in times of distress. Unlike other species, however, Scorpion Gecko’s tails are laden with a deadly poison that is released through the blood vessels the moment it breaks off from its body, allowing the Scorpion Gecko to pierce the skin of predators and then flee with its tail (and the venom coursing through it) still embedded in their attacker’s body.

• Size: 3/4-1.3 hands long (5-10 inches)
• Coat: Bright green with black spots
• Climate: The jungle systems of eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest

Reptiles: Snakes

Drum Viper

A large, brown species of snake with an interlocking diamond pattern along it’s scales. The Drum Viper is notable for it’s two pairs of venomous fangs: one pair curved inward in the manner of more traditional snakes and the other, longer set of fangs emerging through the top of the mouth above the eyes (though connected to the same venom glands as the main fangs), angled outwards to aid in defending itself from behind. The Drum Viper also contains a number of chambered vertebrae that produce a sequence of deep, concussive sounds when it oscillates aggressively: a warning that sounds almost akin to a war drum being steadily beaten.

• Size: 9-12 hands long (65-80 inches)
• Coat: Brown
• Climate: A broad range of climates throughout Ilroin
• Habitat: Nitlam, Azrajid, Xumer, Datyavam

Water Fang

A medium length, blue and algae-green species of snake that resides in swamps and other lowland environments. The Water Fang is known for lurking in the overgrown banks of ponds and streams and then lunging out at animals as they come to drink. While Water Fang’s do not usually attack humans, it is not uncommon for livestock being led to water to be ambushed in this fashion.

• Size: 6.5-8.5 hands long (45-65 inches)
• Coat: Blue and green
• Climate: Wetlands and other moist climates throughout Falnir
• Habitat: Galghad, Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwasekola, Jagraha Forest

Reptiles: Dragons

Nedrachra

A long, serpentine species of dragon found in the northern seas of Aios. Unlike most species of dragon, which, while dangerous, do not tend to go out of their way to attack humans or their vessels, Nedrachra are known for being aggressive and attacking the ships they encounter on the open water. However, Nedrachra spend most of their time deep underwater, preying on large ocean life like whales and sharks, so such occurrences are rare.

• Size: Data on the range of sizes for adult Nedrachra is lacking, owing to both the low survival rate of those who encounter them and the wide variations in size found in surviving accounts
• Coat: Grey and dark blue
• Climate: Northern oceans

Nezhuan Dragon

A species of dragon found in the deep waters off the coast of Nezhu. In addition to their armored, turtle-shell-esque carapace, Nezhuan Dragon’s are most known for their distinctive fire production systems. The Nezhuan Dragon’s flames are capable of repelling water, allowing them to release geyser’s of flame below the water’s surface. They will use these flames to rapidly boil an intense stream of water that stuns their prey, but when released too close to the surface it will shoot geysers of fire out from the water.

• Size: Data on the range of sizes for adult Nezhuan Dragons is lacking, owing to both the rarity of encounters and the wide variations in size found in surviving accounts
• Coat: Green-grey body, variable shell coloration
• Climate: Open oceans, particularly around the Nezhuan coast

Fish: Freshwater

Bloodmouth Fish

A small species of brown and tan spotted fish, the Bloodmouth is most known for the distinctive red substance that it secretes below its mouth. This congealed liquid has a corrosive effect on the algae and plants that the Bloodmouth Fish feeds upon, allowing it to dissolve large patches and siphon out the nutrients. Many fishermen, however, have mistaken this substance for the blood of a predatory feeding frenzy, giving them their distinctive name.

• Size: Roughly half a hand (3-4 inches)
• Coat: Brown with tan spots
• Habitat: River systems in the forest zones of eastern Falnir

Rockpusher Catfish

A species of grey river catfish known for pushing boulders to form barricades. Rockpusher Catfish get the majority of their nutriment during the annual spawning period, and because of this they can vary wildly in size depending upon the time of the year. At the end of spawning season, they will use the glut of energy at their disposal to move large boulders into a single choke point that will be used for hunting during the next season. Once this is done, the Rockpushers will revert to a more sedentary hunting strategy, shrinking in size as they lay in wait until the next years spawning season starts and they begin the process anew.

• Size: Varies greatly, but can grow to be as much as a man and a half long (8-9 feet)
• Coat: Grey
• Habitat: River systems across Aios

Fish: Saltwater

Koras

A medium sized species of saltwater fish with bright red scales, a large tail fin, and relatively small dorsal, pectoral, and ventral fins. Koras fish are considered a delicacy, especially in societies around the Nostrean Sea.

• Size: 3-5 hands long (22-34 inches)
• Coat: Bright red
• Habitat: Open ocean, Nostrean Sea

Jambanas

A species of saltwater fish most known for its distinctive fins and tail. Starting at the first dorsal fin, which is curved like a scimitar, a series of triangular fins runs down the length of the Jambanas’ back, terminating in a sharp, curved, bone-tipped spike at the tip of it’s tail. This spike is used for both hunting concealed prey and fending off predators.

• Size: 8-11 hands long (55-75 inches)
• Coat: Blue-grey
• Habitat: Open ocean, Nostrean Sea

Pefket

A species of saltwater grouper known for it’s tremendous size and it’s distinctive pattern of spikes. Like many other species of grouper, the Pefket has a long row of spikes along it’s dorsal ridge, but, unique to the species, these spikes fork off extend down the sides of its head, terminating just above the eyes with two slightly longer spikes that are reminiscent of horns.

• Size: 12-15 hands long (7-9 feet)
• Coat: Blue-grey with tan splotches
• Habitat: Open ocean, Nostrean Sea

Turu

A species of saltwater fish known for it’s distinctive color palette, featuring a panoply of bright reds and blues. The Turu fish posses a sharply forked causal fin and a long, thin dorsal fin running most of the length of its back.

• Length: 2.5-3 hands long (18-24 inches)
• Height: 1.75-2 hands high (12-15 inches) including dorsal fin
• Coat: Bright red and blue
• Habitat: Open ocean, Nostrean Sea

Invertebrates

Bird Crab

A large, sand-colored species of crab with long, spindly, three jointed legs whose elongated bottom joint can bend in both directions. Because of the Bird Crab’s unique musculature, when the bottom joints of it’s legs are bent back, it allows the crab to spring forward with incredible speed, ambushing prey and even picking sea birds out of the air. Bird Crabs typically hunt by covering themselves in sand with their legs tucked back and springing out once their prey is in range. While Bird Crabs do not hunt humans, it is not uncommon for them to spring out at passing travelers, scampering back into the water once they recognize the size of their prey.

• Size, Carapace: 1.5-1.75 hand long (10-12 inches)
• Size, Legs: 3-3.5 hands long (20-25 inches) with slightly shorter pincers
• Coat: Sand colored
• Climate: Saltwater coastal areas throughout Aios
• Habitat: Anywhere in Aios with a coastline, save the furthest northern extremes

Insects

Note: Aios’ system of measurement (hands and feet) isn’t equipped for measuring the size of extremely small species. Assume that the insects are roughly proportional to their earthly counterparts, with adjectives like large or small denoting comparative size to similar species

Blister Ant

A species of unusually large ant native to the forest zones of eastern Falnir. Blister Ants are most known for their painful stings, which produce blisters that leave permanent marks upon the flesh. In extreme cases, victims of Blister Ant swarms have been known to scratch their own skin to ribbons just to stop the pain.

• Coat: Black with brown or tan near the base of the legs
• Climate: The jungle systems of eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Nezhu (Fezhong Valley, Rare), Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha (Rare)

Dirge Cricket

A species of cricket found in eastern Falnir, the Dirge Cricket is most known for it’s distinctive song. Where most crickets chirp at a single, fixed pitched, the cries of Dirge Crickets vary in pitch in a way that is reminiscent of vibrato on a stringed instrument, giving their call a mournful, musical quality.

• Coat: Tan to brown
• Climate: Temperate to tropical climates in eastern Falnir
• Habitat: Bashra Plateau (Rare), Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong Valley), Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam

Flying Centipede

A species of centipede most notable for the connected system of wings emerging from the segments of it’s trunk. Contrary to the Flying Centipede’s name, when deployed, these wings do not allow them to fly, but rather let them glide between tree branches, allowing them to live their entire lives in trees. Still, while not capable of propelling the Flying Centipede’s into true flight, any traveler in the jungle systems of Falnir will attest to the terror of having a skittering antipode dive down on them as they try to navigate through the forest.

• Coat: Varied shades of red, brown, tan, and black
• Climate: Tropical climates in Falnir
• Habitat: Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta

Khejhdavun

A corruption of the common locust with red bodies and a black lion sigil emblazoned on their carapace. Khezhdavun were created by the Dark God to devour the fields of bordering enemy kingdoms. They possess a number of modifications unique to their species, including alterations to their pheromone system that prevents them from crossing into the bounds of the Khavasak. Seen as omens of famine and disease, Khezhdavun are an ever-present danger to the citizens of the free kingdoms. This danger is mitigated by Plaguechaser Newts, who are bred by the thousands and set loose to follow the locust hordes, keeping their population in check.

• Coat: Reddish brown
• Climate: Migratory, nearly any climate bordering on the Khavasak except the far north
• Habitat: Skjlda Mountains, Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains, Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest, Prakalra Mountains, Bashra Plateau, Xizai Mountains, Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong Valley, Cawau Desert), Pan Rin Rainforest, Datyavam, Azrajid, Nitlam

Krukkot

A large, dark brown species of cockroach with elongated feelers and a high yield breeding strategy that favors aggressive behavior and fast bursts of speed. Krukkot are known for being significantly less skittish than other species of cockroach, and for being more than willing to surge out en masse to ambush disgusted humans and swarm across whatever they happen to be eating.

• Coat: Dark brown
• Climate: Any
• Habitat: Everywhere

Wanderer Fly

A species of fly most known for it’s distinctive form of movement. Where most flies seem to move more or less at random, while larger animals tend to be more purposeful in their movements, the Wanderer Fly does neither. Scholars from Nezhu have studied the way they seem to meander back and forth between different potential food sources, often oscillating in the manner of a confused, elderly person, and have concluded these behaviors are the marks a drastically different system of food selection than can be found in any other species of insect. Rather than just going directly to the place where their sense organs detect the greatest amount of food, it is theorized that the Wanderer Fly has an internal system of sorting food sources that involves repeatedly visiting multiple sites and refining the optimal feeding grounds by repeated comparison.

• Coat: Black
• Climate: Temperate to tropical climates throughout Aios
• Habitat: Adranta Forest, Harlynd, Kurever, Dachai, Nethgorad, Velian Plains, Silipian Forest, Lianin Mountains (Rare), Navarid Isles (All), Sarnakos Forest, Prakalra Mountains (Rare), Bashra Plateau, Galghad, Thurka (Rare), Wajukara, Nowa Forest, Nezhu (Shanxin Lakes, Fezhong Valley), Pan Rin Rainforest, Jungles of Mwaseta, Jagraha Forest, Kusadha, Vyadalam, Datyavam, Xumer, Lawassa Desert, Azrajid, Onima Mountains (Rare), Nitlam, Telzur

Leeches

Kulbalren

An extremely large species of leech known for their madness-inducing venom. While Kulbalren bites are harmless to humans, they are incredibly effective against horses. Countless travelers have found themselves stranded in the middle of the Galghad or thrown from their horse once the poison from an unseen bite sends them into a frenzy.

• Size: 2.5-5 hand long (18-34 inches)
• Coat: Black
• Climate: Swamps in the inner Khavasak
• Habitat: Galghad