Beastiary

"I have petitioned Headmistress Wyrnona many a time on allowing me to collect and maintain a menagerie in the Enelian ward of the University. She constantly claims my fascination with these creatures will cause my death. However, if I die hugging a flaming horse, I believe that would be a much more fitting end than a sword to the chest or a miss-cast spell exploding in my face." --Arch Arcanist Calye Estes, Compendium of Ilderon's Curious Creatures, 1008 AE.
== Overview ==
Ilderon contains a variety of different creatures. There are many naturally occurring magical beasts in the world. Many of these species find their origins in magical catastrophes of or arcane anomalies, but through years of breeding and later generations a natural new non-magical species will often emerge. Many of these creature are recorded by the Mapheus University. However, ecology, zoology, and taxonomy are the least funded most under appreciated branches of research within the University.
== Common Beasts ==
=== Jackanga ===
Living in the swamps and marshes of Lowlakes, the Jackanga is an annoying creature that pesters travelers and swamp life. Most easily referred to as thieving flying monkies, they are often called Jackies by residents of the region. 
== Uncommon Beasts ==
=== Alyiuar ===
Common to the forests of Alyan, these black cats are ill omens to the forest life around them and ward off normal mundane animals. Their presence however attract bound spirits. While Alyiuar are technically a corrupted species, the corruption has triggered a trait in these beast that prevents them from being possessed by spirits. Many Brendori Shadowknights raise Alyiuar as faithful hunting companions for their ability to track the bound and resist their strange magic.
=== Blight Squirrel ===
During the days of the Shatterers, the wildlife of Galken suffered tremendous losses from the blighted landscapes and twisted magics employed by Olivia the Lost. However, some of the smaller quicker breeding species developed along with these magic. Among these are the rodents of the world known as Blight Squirrels. These poisonous squirrels have spread all over the world. While essentially harmless if left alone, bites of from these creatures can cause a maddening magical sickness that lingers for days. Blight Squirrels should never be consumed for risk of death.
=== Camelhound ===
These hearty beasts come from the Darkenvale. The ritual that blighted the Darkenvale causes many strange powerful creatures to emerge. Through careful breeding and care, the Darkenvale ranchers have tamed some of the more useful monstrous creatures to emerge and managed to to breed out them into an entirely new species. Camelhounds make crossing the vast stretches of desert much easier than any horse, hound, or camel could.
=== Celebrin ===
Celebrin are primates that occur around the forests of Lowlakes and Undar. After the Shatterers ripped apart Galken the forest creatures were mutated and corrupted beyond saving. However, that didn't stop the dryads, druids, and arborists that call the forests home from trying. What resulted were the Celebrin. A childlike warped species of primates with an innate connection to nature and the forests around them.
=== Conflagus ===
Often simply referred to as the warhorses of Undar. Conflaguses are fiery pegasus make their habitat in the plains and fields of Undar. While initially the Fire Augurs of Undar worshiped the conflagus as a celestial gift, in recent years after Ascetar Berina Girius conquered the country, the breed has been completely domesticated. Conflaguses are solely used as mounts and companions for the Giori Knights in Undar. In some rare cases the flying horses might be seen in other parts of the world, but for the most part the flaming beasts don't do well in captivity or being transported across vast distances. 
=== Eniawing ===
Eniawings are winged creatures with powerful riis (souls). When they are killed, often times if their spirits are not properly dampened, the birds reincarnate, returning to life stronger and more powerful than before. Eniawings get their names from the prefix "en" denoting death and the suffix "ia" denoting life. In old tongue their name would loosely translate to the wings of death and life. Because of their ability to reincarnate when unhindered, eniawings often live for thousands of years. There are four confirmed types of eniawings. One type exist for each element: fire, water, earth, and air.
=== Houndfish ===
These dangerous boney fish only reside three places in the entire world: the West coast of Seadale in the small Outer Sea bay of Alyan, the Eastern bay of the Darkenvale facing the Outer Sea, and the Outer Sea Straights of Lowlakes. The massive rare fish are often the size of a small tree but have been reported to be able to grow large enough to swallow a boat a boat whole. Houndfish is a delicacy in every nation across the world. Naval technology has not yet progressed enough for fishing expedition boats that can properly hunt the beasts.
=== Lopkin ===
These small bouncy creatures are often described as dinner balls. They hop around the outskirts of forests and towns feasting on small vegetation. Drawing ancestry to rabbits, a pack of hopping lopkins might be the cutest thing in all of Ilderon, but the beasts cause nightmares for farmers.
=== Mountainhound ===
The mountains of Ardorserii are home to many different dangerous creatures. The ever present Northern Earthfire caused the mountain creatures to grow and adapt quicker than most other regions of the world. A clear indicator of these is a breed of wolves known as mountain hounds. These wolves are capable climbers and bare horns and sturdy bodies to deal with the harsh obstacles mountain life provides.
=== Venpamden ===
These monsterous froglike creatures roam the sands of the Daraus Desert in Galken. They are toxic lurking predators that trick prey to approach with mirage clouds of gas and pools of mercury that appears as shimmering puddles of water. When anything gets new the venpamden, it leaps quickly trying to consume whatever is in range of it. Venpamden have 4 limbs that they can stretch like fins, attached to each limb is a cilia-like appendage that they can use to sense nearby prey.
== Books ==
Calye Estes' Compendium of Ilderon's Curious Creatures
Fecten's Specter's Collection of Exotic Beasts
Rashin's 100 ways to Cook a Lopkin