[Information] Thystram Collection

[Patories]

Tamerlin's assistant returns to a the room carrying a well worn backpack. Pulling it out he sits it on the table.

"According to Grandfathers Research the information in here was collected and given to him by a fellow adventurer and scholar named Thystram. In it contains creatures that I have never seen nor heard about. I have asked many Savants, Scholars, Druids and explorers none have ever encountered any of these."

Flipping the pages there are entries and some images of exotic and strange creatures that you have never seen before.

[Patories]

Equs Equs are unusual creatures resembling a strange cross between mammal and reptile. They are typically sleek and muscular of build, with scaly hide and a long mane and tail, the color of which varies according to type. Equs are quite intelligent and have their own language, called Equan. Some few are even able to speak the languages of humanoids, though a natural tendency toward secrecy forbids most equs from boasting of this ability. They are prized as steeds throughout the continent and seldom sell for less than four hundred gold lumens apiece. In the wild, equs travel in herds of up to about sixty individuals. There are four sub-species of equs, each with its own distinct attributes. The graymane is the most common type of equs and is found in many regions across Archaeus. Its dusty gray hide and mane lack luster, but it possesses good speed, endurance, and surprising strength. Though deemed unexceptional by breeders and beasthandlers, graymanes make sturdy and reliable mounts and are favored by those who must travel long distances. Silvermanes are the swiftest of all equs, though they lack somewhat in endurance. Some cultures hunt them for their silvery hide and manes, a practice that is illegal in many lands. Snowmanes are white in color and built to endure the rigors of frigid climes such as the northern reaches. Less swift than silvermanes, these creatures have superior endurance and are surefooted on ice or snow. Darkmanes are large, surly beasts with coal-black manes and hides and sharp hooves and fangs. Aggressive and spiteful creatures, darkmanes will often attack other equs on sight. They are known to use foul language and to plot and scheme amongst each other. Darkmanes have attributes similar in other respects to graymanes, but are considered practically useless by most civilized cultures. The Beastmen employ these foul creatures as steeds, a task entailing vigorous use of the lash. Elsewhere, darkmanes are hunted for their shining hides and manes.

Image is From Anson Maddocks, for the Talislanta Gaming System.

[Patories]

Horag The horag is a legendary creature believed to stalk the swamplands of Jhangara during the time of the Septenarial Concordance, a peculiar event during which, once every seven months, all seven of the moons align in the sky for fourteen days. During this time, no Jhangaran would dare venture into the swamps after sunset, fearing that then the horag will come forth to stalk the swamps until the coming of dawn. The Jhangarans claim that the horag is so powerful that its mere gaze paralyzes its victims. Despite the tales told by the Jhangarans, the existence of the horag remains unproven. Some claim it is nothing more than a folktale, intended to frighten children at night. Certain occultists take a different view, believing that the horag may be a creature from another reality, entering through a hole in the dimensional fabric when conditions warrant.

[Patories]

Voltt The voltt is a denizen of lakes, rivers, and swamps and is found across the continent. It resembles a segmented, metallic-scaled serpent in some respects, but is identifiable by its curved fangs, deep-set eyes, and the twin knoblike protuberances that stand forth from its armored cranium. Voltts lair under rocks or in the hulls of sunken ships, keeping to the shadows in order to avoid detection. They mate for life, with the female guarding her broodlings while the male goes forth to hunt at night. These creatures typically prey upon smaller aquatic species such as mudrays, but are known to attack even such dangerous predators as skalanx when hungry. Voltts are well equipped to take on either foe, possessing the ability to emit a powerful charge of electrical energy that is capable of stunning prey in or out of the water. Once a victim has been incapacitated, the voltt latches onto it with its long fangs and drags it off to some secluded place to devour. Voltts are sometimes preyed upon by aqua demons, but otherwise have no known enemies except for Men. Some fishermen find the flesh of this creature succulent and delicious, and hunt them at night with lanterns and glass spears, which are employed in order to avoid electrocution. Voltts are attracted to lights, which seem to fascinate them, so they can be easily lured in this fashion.

Image is by Anson Maddocks for the Talislanta RPG System

[Patories]

The Mogroth Mogroth are great, slothlike humanoids native to the swampy regions of Mog. Standing over seven feet tall and weighing as much as six hundred pounds, they are powerful but exceptionally slow-moving creatures. Their bodies are covered with a thick coat of tawny fur, shaggy around the arms and legs, which affords them protection from fits and other stinging and biting pests. Like sloths, they are expert tree climbers. Mogroth live in simple huts constructed in the sturdy branches of the mungberry tree. The leaves and berries of the mung, intolerably bitter to other creatures, form the main part of the Mogroth’s diet. Though lethargic in the extreme, they occasionally dredge the swamps for bits of gold and amber, which they trade in return for strong drink. Otherwise, Mogroth prefer to avoid any activity that resembles work. Because Mogroth are slow to reason or act, some think them stupid. Although they are not the brightest creatures, Mogroth are not so much dull-witted as they are apathetic and even- tempered. They will tolerate being cheated or insulted, but only up to a point. If angered, Mogroth can be very dangerous. A full-grown adult can easily hoist a humanoid-sized creature in the air with one hand, or toss an offending individual aside like a rag doll.

Image is by Mark Tedin for the Talislanta System

[Patories]

The Mangonel Lizard A relative of the land lizard, the mangonel lizard is a denizen of the jungles of Taz and the Borderlands region. Highly aggressive, these creatures have a sinuous tail that terminates in a knob of spiked bone and gristle. The mangonel can use its tail as an effective battering weapon, and so it is shunned by all but the most fierce or desperate predators. Mangonels are herbivorous creatures who generally travel in herds of twenty to eighty animals. Both the males and females will defend their young to the death. The Thralls of Taz favor mangonel lizards for use as steeds. Though they are difficult to capture and tame, mangonel can be made to serve well in this regard. Their usefulness as steeds depends upon how well the creatures have been trained; a poorly trained mangonel lizard is as much a danger to its rider as it is to any other creature or being

[Patories]

Marsh Striders A somewhat smaller relative of the common strider, the marsh strider is native to the swamplands of Jhangara, Mog, and the Dark Coast. They subsist on a diet of crustaceans, newts, and other small creatures that live along the shoreline. The creatures especially crave scintilla, the luminous eggs of the water raknid, but find humanoids palatable when easier prey is not available. Female marsh striders make their nests in small gullies and depressions, lining their lairs with brambles and twigs. Young hatchlings emerge from the egg hungry and mean-spirited; though barely a foot tall, the pestiferous creatures will bite anything within reach, and as such, are quickly kicked out of the nest by their mothers. The Jhangarans train marsh striders for use as steeds, but the beasts must be kept muzzled at all times due to their irritable nature. This is especially true if marsh striders are being used to hunt scintilla, which they will attempt to devour if not adequately restrained.

[Patories]

Snipes Snipes are a highly intelligent species of mollusk native to the Sinking Land. Their shells, which measure approximately four feet in diameter, are constructed of convoluted spirals of glistening calcinate. When desiring to communicate with others, they extend an eye-mouth stalk some three feet above the earth; snipes are burrowers by habit, and otherwise seldom emerge from the mud and mire in which they dwell. Odd creatures, snipes are possessed of an insatiable curiosity. They speak many languages and can converse with all manner of living and even seemingly inert organisms. As travelers in the Sinking Land are quite rare, the appearance of such individuals elicits much excitement amongst these creatures. With their eye-mouth stalks poked above the ground, snipes see and hear most everything that occurs in their territories and will happily relate all that they know. They expect news in return, however, and will not give information unless this consideration is met. In spite of their awkward bodily form, snipes are surprisingly swift. They are able to move through the ground as fish swim through water and can withdraw their eye-mouth stalks into their shells in the blink of an eye. The shells of these uncanny mollusks are valued for their beauty and are as resistant to damage as plate armor. While Snipes are not violent in nature, they will sometimes tunnel beneath creatures who mean them harm, creating cave-ins and pitfalls.

[Patories]

Raknids Raknids are horrible insect creatures thought to be a sorcerous hybrid of demon and scorpion. Their segmented bodies are encased in exoskeletons of iridescent, chitinous material. There are four distinct types of raknid, each with a specific responsibility within the rigid confines of their society. Raknids possess a certain degree of intelligence, but for the most part seem incapable of independent thought. Much of their activity is either instinctive or dictated by the mental commands of the raknid queen. The hive-mentality of a raknid colony fosters but a single goal: to preserve and propagate their vile species. All other life forms are considered either enemies or a potential source of nourishment. More precisely, living organisms are enemies until they have been slain, whereupon they become food. Among their greatest foes are the Sauran tribes of the Volcanic Hills, who bum raknid nests whenever possible. In the last decade, the raknid population has increased substantially. Naturalists attribute this condition to the Kang, who in recent years have driven many of the smaller Sauran tribes out of the Volcanic Hills. Without Saurans to keep their numbers in check, raknid colonies have prospered, extending their territories to neighboring locales.

Water Raknids Water raknids are an aquatic species of insectoid related to the race of raknids. Like their land-dwelling relatives, these creatures are ruled by a queen who is served by water raknid drones, warriors, and workers. Their hives are located in the shallows, typically in a hidden lagoon, grotto, or other similarly inaccessible area. Water raknids have both rudimentary gills and lungs and are able to survive in or out of the water. The same cannot be said for water raknid spawn, which do not develop gills until they are two to three days old; like the common raknid, water raknids must begin life on land. For this reason, drones are employed to convey the queen’s eggs to dry land, carrying them in protective sacs. The drones distribute these egg sacs along the shoreline, typically among the dense patches of marshweed that grow just beyond the tidal line. While the eggs are maturing, water raknid warriors patrol the shallows, keeping an eye out for predators. There are so many eggs that even these vigilant creatures cannot hope to guard them all; therefore many are stolen by Jhangaran marsh hunters. Water raknid eggs, also known as scintilla, emit a wan luminescence and are valued at up to one hundred gold lumens apiece in civilized lands. Those that survive head instinctively for their nest and become part of the colony as soon as their gills have developed.

[Patories]

The Land Of Urag Urag is a harsh and wind-swept region of arid plains, winding canyons, and sprawling mountain ranges. Once a thriving forest, the area has slowly been reduced to a near wasteland by centuries of neglect and abuse. Its streams are fouled with offal and refuse, its woods felled for timber and fuel, its hills and mountains ravaged by crude mining techniques. The individuals responsible for defiling this land are the bestial humanoid creatures who dwell here, known as the Ur.

The Ur of Urag Standing between seven and eight feet tall and weighing upward of five hundred pounds, the Ur are frightening to behold. They have leathery hide of a yellow-green color, curved fangs, and facial features of a most un-endearing sort: furrowed brows, pointed ears, and deep-set black eyes. Necklaces of teeth and bone, pieces of hammered plate armor, and filthy garments made of fur and hide constitute the typical Ur clansman’s wardrobe. Rings of black iron are commonly employed to restrain their hair, which the Ur wear in double or triple topknots. The Ur are a savage race who settled in the region after being driven from southern Narandu by advancing hordes of Ice Giants. Talislantan naturalists of the New Age theorize that they are an offshoot of the Kharakhan, a race of giants who hail from the Wilderlands of Zaran. Ur live in crude fortresses of stone and earth, which they optimistically refer to as “castles”. There are three main Ur clans, each of which resides in its own settlement. These folk subsist on a diet of roasted beast-flesh, tubers, and a type of sour and foul-smelling cheese made from spoiled erd’s milk, called uryan. It is considered an acquired taste at best. A type of grog, brewed by Darkling slaves from tubers, is the favorite drink; the cheaper and stronger, the better. Ur mate indiscriminately, the dominant males choosing whatever females they desire. Females must often attempt to repulse the advance by force if they are not interested. Ur children, referred to as “brats”, are wild and undisciplined. They roam all over untended and must make do with whatever scraps of food they can find. In any Ur settlement the adult males eat first, followed by the adult females, and lastly, the young. Brats learn quickly to fight for food or starve; a useful lesson in Ur philosophy, and about the only training or education an Ur child can expect. Since their arrival from the Northlands, the Ur clans have succeeded in ravaging much of Urag. They have hunted many animal species into extinction, killing great numbers of creatures in order to indiscriminately harvest the hides, claws and meat. They have felled entire woodlands for timber and firewood, and have ruthlessly stripped the hills and mountains of valuable ores, leaving behind gaping pits and mounds of toxic slag . Having squandered much of Urag’s natural resources, it is believed that the Ur clans must eventually seek to expand into “fresh” territories — perhaps Arim, the Seven Kingdoms, or the Plains of Golarin. In order for such plans to succeed, unification of the three Ur clans would be required — an event feared by many Talislantans. A cruel and domineering folk, the Ur clans long ago subjugated the miserable creatures known as Darklings, a wretched race of humanoids who once controlled the region of Urag called the Darklands. The Ur employ the Darkling hordes as low-class infantry and as slave-laborers in their mines and timber-cutting operations. Nocturnal by habit, the Darklings are only minimally effective in either capacity. Of more use to the Ur are the Stryx, a race of humanoid, vulture-like avians. Tenuous allies of the Ur clans, the Stryx serve as scouts, spies and messengers. Some say they associate with the Ur clan armies only because this allows them to scavenge battlefields for carrion, which it is their nature to feed upon.