Creatures

These flying (more like levitating) reptiles will move forward by repeatedly slicing through the air, hoping to stab into prey. They are the most mindless of the large underground predators. They can be found in deep natural caves.

Deauk-birds soar in pairs. They are born in these pairs and are only separated when one or both birds find a mate, who becomes their new soaring-mate. These birds are near impossible to capture, and will usually keep to hunting bugs and small rodents. They may also be seen picking at fruits or eating worms. The reason they are so difficult to capture is their unique ability, and the reason they fly in pairs. These birds, through some mysterious (no doubt Zinful) means, are able to switch locations with one another; Trading locations is extremely useful for hunting, for there is a vast difference between the physique and abilities of the male and the female. The male Deauk-bird is a fast and agile bird with a large tail used to quickly take off or change direction. Their feathers are brown and their bellies are almost always a shade of white or cream. The females are the true hunters; They posses much larger and sharper claws which weigh them down and hinder their aerodynamic potential. However, they are able to thrust themselves on prey, launched by the momentum of the male in full charge, needing only to be ready to switch places with him and ready her claws. The female’s wings are slightly larger than the male’s. They remain together until one of the two birds dies, at which point the remaining bird also passes away within hours.

Deauk-birds soar in pairs. They are born in these pairs and are only separated when one or both birds find a mate, who becomes their new soaring-mate. These birds are near impossible to capture, and will usually keep to hunting bugs and small rodents. They may also be seen picking at fruits or eating worms. The reason they are so difficult to capture is their unique ability, and the reason they fly in pairs. These birds, through some mysterious (no doubt Zinful) means, are able to switch locations with one another; Trading locations is extremely useful for hunting, for there is a vast difference between the physique and abilities of the male and the female. The male Deauk-bird is a fast and agile bird with a large tail used to quickly take off or change direction. Their feathers are brown and their bellies are almost always a shade of white or cream. The females are the true hunters; They posses much larger and sharper claws which weigh them down and hinder their aerodynamic potential. However, they are able to thrust themselves on prey, launched by the momentum of the male in full charge, needing only to be ready to switch places with him and ready her claws. The female’s wings are slightly larger than the male’s. They remain together until one of the two birds dies, at which point the remaining bird also passes away within hours.

Half-Turtles are small fat lizard-like creatures living in the shells of dead turtles. They pretend to be turtles, dragging the shell slowly, then pounce on and poison their prey with venomous bites. They naturally prefer colder climates. It’s quite rare for one to be found far from water. Half-Turtles are economic reptiles; They maximize the usage of the space by keeping their young in the shell with them. Each shell is likely to hold either one turtle, or a small family of Half-Turtles. Travelers who come from Half-Turtle infested lands will have nodoubt developed a reflexive distrust of turtles.

The Hishans are the most popular riding animals on the mainland. They resemble a 1st era Human empire horse in their outline, but outdo their ancestor with their extra set of eyes. They are also generally hairless, although certain breeds originating from colder areas sometimes have a thin coat of shaggy hair on them. Their skin appears cracked, more so the older they get. Unlike horses, they stand at a slight angle, making it difficult to ride one without a saddle; you’d slide down the back and onto the ground. The saddle, then, is fastened under and over their forelegs. Primitive/minimalistic Hishan saddles look like wide straps of cloth or leather stretched around the creature’s chest & neck and securing the rider only as long as they lean back against it.

Joons are perhaps the most famous creature on this list. The Joons resemble a stag, only much smaller and much more fragile. They are incredibly light and nearly impossible to catch. Their pearl-white fur is never messy or dirty, and bite-marks are never found on them. The reason for this perfection is their unique defense mechanism. Despite their fragile nature and lack of offensive capabilities, this ability has allowed them to live and prosper since the earliest recorded ages of the Mainland. They have been documented in ancient carvings and books since the dawn of the first era. Any creature that comes close to a Joon becomes devastatingly unlucky. The closer you get, the worse your luck. By the time a hunter is within shooting distance, they usually fall into a sinkhole, get crushed by a tree, eaten by a lion, have a heart attack, get sleepy, etc. Do NOT go after Joons. Just... don’t.

Titanadons are exceptionally large herbivorous creatures resembling a mountain-goat, except for its large size, bulky build, and a third, front-facing, horn. Much like their smaller relatives, titanadons only attack when provoked. But when they do, few creatures can stand in their way. These fierce climbers can be seen on the tops of cliffs and mountains at any time of day, chasing some bird or rodent along sheer cliffs. Their hides are exceptionally sought after, as well as the material of their horns. They often travel with groups mountain-goats to protect them from hunters and predators.

Torch-Cats are owl-eyed felines residing in forests and feeding on fruits and insects. Their eyes light up at night, and when they are in hordes they create a fantastic and frightening mirage. Their large eyes are used to fool and frighten predators.

Tsum-Mothers are birdlike in behavior, rodent like in appearance, and like the rest of the lowercased “masked” of the Masked Lands, they too have a four-holed bonewhite mask on their face. Tsum-Mothers are small creatures who stand on two or four legs. They have short brownish yellow fur and a pocket in their belly. They can fly, or rather, be carried by the wind like the Masked themselves; and as they do they carry with their two front limbs a large egg. They carry this egg with them until their death. The Tsum-Mothers are all female, and they all lay their egg - one egg – at the age of three. When they hatch, their mother would have passed away one year prior, and hid the egg somewhere safe. The life of a Tsum-Mother is spent looking for the perfect hiding spot for her egg. They live for five years on average. The egg is bonewhite. It feeds on plants, Oums and Saccos.

Zeutseu-Dogs, named after the great Yaw Zeutseu who discovered them, are Dog-like lizards that can sprint across 200m in 20 seconds. They are ferocious hunters, relying on slow methodical tracking and, when they’ve finally tracked their prey, vile, unnatural sprinting. They will attempt to get as close to their prey as possible before launching their attack because in the event that they miss, they will be so exhausted so as to become sitting targets. They stand tall on four legs, with a clearly reptilian tail wiggling behind them, and a vaguely reptilian head in front. In the dark, they might be mistaken for dogs or wolves; In the light, however, their true nature becomes apparent.