Beasts of the Glitterglooms

While they are often seen as a lifeless frigid wasteland by outsiders, the Glittergloom Mountains are filled with unique creatures. Every habitat, from windswept peaks to forested valleys has endless life if one knows where to look.

## Creatures of the Air

The glitterglooms clear skies and many cliffs form the perfect home for a wide number of birds, from the majestic Bluff Eagle to the meagre Snowmock.

###### Bluff Eagle

With a wingspan of up to 20 feet and weighing up to 500 lbs, Bluff Eagles are apex predators among the highest peaks of the Glitterglooms. Bluff Eagles are highly intelligent, sometimes even helping struggling mountaineers. The Bluff Eagle is easily large enough to act as a mount, and more than one orkish tribe has formed a long-running relationship with an aerie.

###### Screech Owl

While they may be smaller than Bluff Eagles, Screech Owls are still much feared by Herdkin Halflings for their ability to swoop in and pick off a calf (or even a halfling child) without making a sound. Screech Owls avoid territory controlled by a Bluff Eagle aerie entirely, and as such are more common in the lower forests of the Glitterglooms.

###### Snowmock

Similar in size to a partridge, the Snowmock is not inherently a dangerous creature. Regardless, children who are raised in the Glittergloom mountains are warned about the Snowmock's ability to mimic any sound it has heard. A friend calling out at night, the growl of a Sabercat, or the whimper of a wounded stranger may all simply be a Snowmock calling out for a mate.

## Creatures of the Mountains

From deep forests to open snowfields to perilous bluffs, a traveller can never assume that there isn't a dangerous creature awaiting them.

###### Great Elk

Great Elk are thought to have resulted from a herd of elk that was blessed by the might of Ulfbargr. They stand up to 20 foot tall at the shoulder, and carry racks of antlers larger than any normal elk. While they are rare, the death of single Great Elk could support a large number of predators.

###### Riding Goat

Fleet of hoof and able to maintain their footing on even the loosest scree, Riding Goats are the most adaptable mounts in the Glitterglooms. Unfortunately goats strong enough to carry a human or orc are rare, so these hardy beasts are most often found being ridden by herdkin halflings.

###### Rothe

A common sight across the Glitterglooms, the shaggy Rothe is the primary beast of burden in the region. Rothe can stand at 10ft tall, and can pull loads that would take teams of horses in conditions that would freeze an ox.

###### Sabercat

Persisting in isolated snowfields, packs of sabercats are the scourge of travelling Herdkin. An adult Sabercat can easily weigh over 700 lbs and be over 10 feet in length, enabling them to confidently take down even large prey such as Great Elk. Sabercats are named for their two curved fangs that jut up to a foot from their mouths. These fangs are used to inflict deep wounds, allowing the pack to follow their prey until it bleeds out. It is not uncommon for Herdkin tribes to require warriors to hunt a Sabercat to prove their abilities in combat.

## Creatures of the Dark

The endless passageways and low roads under the Glittergloom mountains are home to an almost unimaginable variety of beasts, creating dangers beyond what a traveller may expect.

###### Darkfowl

No one remembers what bird the Vae'Nocturnus brought down into their secret city when they fled the sun, but now they farm Darkfowl. With patchy pale-blue feathers over near-luminous white skin, these heavy-set birds are the Secret City's primary source of meat.

###### Deep Gecko

The most commonly ridden animal in the low roads, the deep gecko or riding lizard is the ideal companion in an environment where one may need to ascend vertically. The fact that the Deep Gecko's barbed tail can be used to defend the rider means that gnomish lizard-riders are feared by those who may threaten a Deep Village.

###### Cavehaunt Bat

Most bats in the glitterglooms feed on insects, but cavehaunt bats support their much larger frames on a diet of meat. As they can see in perfect darkness they Cavehaunt Bats are more than able to swoop down upon unsuspecting travellers, often trying to push or scare prey off ledges or into ravines.