Bestiary of the Realm

Wild beasts are found roaming in every crevice of Arda, except within the protection of city walls. Many of Ardian creatures are predators or territorial, and often conflict with those they encounter. But not all beasts in Arda are troublesome, there are as many peaceful creatures as there are belligerent ones.

Below is a bestiary of not only creatures, but also other sentient beings, sorted by location. This is a continuing project that will have new information constantly added.

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Anfauglir Desert



Sand Worm
This enormous worm has a large gaping mouth full of sharp little teeth the make up most of its head. It is more than 3 times the size of a human, highly territorial, and a carnivore.


Meerkats
Meerkats live in large families, led by the dominant female, their matriarch. These small cousins of the mongoose live mostly on the southern outskirts of Anfauglir, where the desert still has enough vegetation, food, and water to accommodate their needs. They live in burrows deep under the sands and eat mainly insects, but also lizards, snakes, spiders, plants, eggs and small mammals. Like all mongoose species, they are immune to many venoms, and eat scorpions (including the stinger) and some snakes, without fear of illness, poison or death. They are said to be snake charmers, able to hypnotize serpents and sometimes other creatures.


Cactuar
Mysterious creatures that are so rarely seen, it is unsure if they even exist. Those that have encountered them have reported that the creatures use unique spine needle attacks, launching a staggering number of the needles from their body at an opponent.


Antlion
Though normal-sized antlions are also found in Anfauglir, it is the large antlions that are noteworthy. As large as an elephant, these enormous insects pack a deadly bite with a toxic poison to reinforce its strength. These creatures have also been known to create sand pit traps in the desert, causing any that venture over the edge to fall down into the center of the pit where the hungry antlion waits below ground for them.


Misty Forest



Warg
Wargs are large, evil wolves that are often used by Orcs as steeds. They are also totally independent of the Orcs and hunt on their own. They are fully intelligent and can converse with Orcs. One thing that Wargs are afraid of is fire. Wargs tend to be found on the eastern side of the Ered Annon mountains, in the Misty Forest and roaming Salquedor.


Malboro
The Malboro's tough hide and powerful tentacles make it a formidable opponent. The resilient beast releases a smog gas from its head spores, poisoning its enemies. It is larger than your average human in height and girth.


Owlbears
Seven-foot-tall bipeds incapable of flight. Along with their ursine and avian traits, they also possess large antlers. They live mostly in the Misty Forest and other woods, eating insects and plants. Females are tan-colored and males have a brighter red and black color scheme.


Ered Annon



Great Spider
Enormous arachnids, many times greater in size than men. These beasts most often make thier home within the many caves the mountain's shelter provides.


Dire Cougar
Though not as large as their Dire Tiger cousins, Dire Cougars are still extremely massive compared to regular ones. Their pelt is light brown with a white underbelly and their eyes are red. Rough paw pads, great strength and dagger-sharp claws help it substantially in climbing steep, mountainous areas. They are solo hunters and their numbers are concentrated in the Ered Annon mountain range, constantly in hot pursuit of mountain goats, rabbits, and other prey items. Dire cougars have amazing agility even when running across an unstable cliff face.


Taurerosa Rainforest



Land Naga
The ancestors of the water naga race. They have a strong distrust toward one another. It is rare to see more than one naga working together on something. Nagas are extremely skilled weaponsmiths but live so remotely from any civilization that buyers must travel very far into the rainforest to buy their wares. Many other races dismiss the naga as mere beasts.


Cockatrice
This large bird is most famous for its ability to turn opponents to stone with a glance.


Land Worm
Unlike its cousin the sand worm, land worms are neither very territorial or belligerent. The land worm also lacks the claws that the sand worm has.


Salquedor



Barrow-Wight
Barrow-wights are evil spirits that inhabit the barrows of Salquedor. If exposed to light, these soul-stealing creatures are instantly destroyed, but little else is known of these creatures.


Barrow-Wight Champion
The strongest of the barrow-wight spirits, it is said that they are strong enough to survive when touched by light. The champions serve as the lords of the barrow-wights.


Hippogryph
These creatures are half-horse and half gryphon. They are incredibly rare, because gryphons and horses despise one another, akin to how cats and dogs dislike each other. The hippogriff is therefore a symbol of impossibility and love. These creatures roam freely across Salquedor, and are found most often near the Taurai Woods.


Taurai Woods



Wild Boar
Large pigs that were corrupted by chaotic energies. They are prone to going berserk at anyone who approaches, kicking and biting and ramming into their foes. Wild boars grow large spikes on their backs, which are used on their opponents during fights.


Calaring



Calaring Mammoth
These mammoths are the titans of Calaring the Everlight. As large as a two-story house and weighing several tons, predators must be very crafty in order to kill one, especially since they roam in numbers. Swipes from their long tusks are devastating. The native Snow Lizarians in the region have tamed the smaller breeds of these animals and use them as war steeds.


Thunderbird
Massive avians that are intolerable of civilization and are only found in great numbers in the frozen wastes of Calaring the Everlight. Their wingspan can reach twenty feet in length. Female thunderbirds are mostly white while male ones have all kinds of bright markings. The beating of their wings is said to be so powerful that it causes thunder to roll across the sky, even when there isn't a storm. Thunderbirds have great control over the weather, especially lightning.


Morring



Gargoyle
Creatures that that thrive at night, the gargoyles of Arda spend most of their time in Morring where the sun never shines, because the light of day turns them to stone as long as it shines upon them. They are generally neutral toward others, but have been known to act as guardians and protectors of the innocent.


Bar-nu-Nen



Water Naga
Serpentfolk that adapted to underwater environments. They are capable of breathing both on land and in water. Water naga technology is only slightly more advanced than that of lizarians. Despite this, the architecture in their underwater cities consist of beautiful winding spires expertly created from coral, gems, rock and other materials found on the sea floor. Water nagas are close allies with merfolk but have a xenophobic hatred of land-dwelling creatures.


Alu Cat
Fish-eaters that live and hunt solo. They make their homes in underwater caves or dens created near bodies of water, only attacking others in defense of themselves or where they live. Domesticated alu cats are popular pets in Bar-nu-Nen.


Palanen Ocean, Lake Aelin



Rainbow Piranha
Large scavengers that rove in groups, preying on the leftovers of other creatures’ once-living meals. Their bright coloration is a signal to potential predators that the spines on their fins can inject deadly venom. However, it only uses this as a defensive measure, when it thinks it is being attacked. These colorful scavengers have been known to attack live prey.


Kraken
The kraken is a legendary sea monster of gargantuan size, a cousin of the squid. They are most famous for their attacks on vessels that trespass into their waters, attacking the ship and leaving many destroyed and in pieces.


Aquatic Hydra
Extremely aggressive three-headed reptiles often used by water nagas as beasts of burden. The center head is the largest, strongest, and is in control of the body's functions (such as walking). The only way to kill an aquatic hydra is to cut off its center head. If you cut off any other head besides the center one, two more will grow in its place.


Tiger Shark
Aggressive creatures normally found deep in the Palanean Ocean. They will eat almost anything.

Miscellaneous / Multi-Locational



Chocobo
Wild birds that are very fast runners, making them impossible to catch unless you lure them out with non-violence and a very specific plant they like to eat. They are not violent and will only attack in self-defense if attacked unrelentingly. When they counter attack, it is devastating and will almost always leave their attacker in a critical status.


Cerberus
Three-headed canines. Their type and amount of power depends on who their breeder is. Wild cerberi are usually brown in color and are solo, daytime hunters whose habitat is widespread across the whole of Arda. Red cerberi, those created by the evil Goddess of Chaos, are same size as wild ones but are generally more powerful. Black cerberi hailing from the Underworld, supposedly created by the God of Darkness, have control of many unholy abilities.

Isiltelpë



Moon Gryphon
Reaching almost the size of a standard horse, the great moon gryphons native to Isiltelpë are one of the most ferocious beasts found soaring through the moon's skies. Gryphons are a hybrid between bird and lion. Their head, wings, and forelegs all have birdlike characteristics, while their quadrupedic stance, their tails, and their hind legs carry more leonine traits. Moon Gryphons in particular are usually a silvery-white color. They are found in small groups of two to five. They will generally just attack anyone that bothers them, though they tend to keep to themselves unless their territory is at stake.


Ithilhuin
Sleek, furless, white-skinned canines built for speed. They roam a large territory in packs of up to 15. Highly mistrusting of anyone who comes too close, with the exception of their allies. They hunt in numbers, running down their prey and leaping on top of them. Female ithilhuin are larger and meaner than males. Their howls sound like demonic screams.