Races of Qirsyllviar/Fauna

Well known fauna of Patria. Along with normal fauna found in our world, a number of magical and mega-fauna fauna are found around Patria. Several species of animals not found in our world anymore exist on Patria as well.

Acromantula
An Acromantula is a species of giant spider, native to the northern of Ingodija, particularly Gupta, where it inhabits dense hollows.

Acromantulas sport eight black eyes (white if blind) and are typically covered in thick black hair, with a leg span that can reach up to fifteen feet. They are the size of a bull mammoth at full adult size.

They possess a set of giant chelicerae which they use to eat live prey or their own dead kin. Their pincers produce a clicking sound when they are agitated or excited. They also secrete poison when excited. Their fangs contain highly toxic venom.

The female is usually larger than the male, and can lay up to one hundred soft, wide, beach ball-sized eggs at a time. They usually hatch in six to eight weeks.

Acromantulas tend to reside in thick jungles and heavily forested areas, and their webs are large and dome-shaped.

Arthropleura
The Arthropleura is a species of giant millipede native to swamps.

Basilisk
The Basilisk is a giant serpent, also known as the King of Serpents. It is a creature bred hatching a chicken egg beneath a toad. A basilisk can grow up to fifty feet, or longer, in length, and is a dark green color with large yellow eyes. Basilisk skin is armored like that of a dragon's, and a basilisk sheds its skin at intervals, like all other snakes, when it grows.

Basilisks can live a natural life of at least nine hundred years, though some basilisks have been known to live for approximately a thousand years. This is accomplished by the creature going into a deep sleep that prevents it from aging, similar to suspended animation. Their mortal weakness is the crowing of a rooster, although no one knows why. While basilisks feed off vertebrate animals, it is unknown how much they eat at one time. The male can be distinguished from the female by a single scarlet plume on its head.

Basilisk eyes have the power to instantly kill anyone who looks into them. When a victim looks indirectly at the basilisk's eyes, such as its reflection, they will merely become Petrified. Another way of surviving a basilisk's gaze is by seeing it through another object. Phoenixes alone are immune to this deadly gaze.

Basilisk venom is an extremely poisonous substance that only has one known cure: phoenix tears. Basilisk venom is so powerful that it can kill a person within minutes, making the person drowsy and blurry-visioned before they die. It has a very long lasting effect which still remains potent even up to five years or more after the snake has died. It can also damage inanimate objects so thoroughly that they are impossible to restore.

A basilisk egg is the egg of said creature. Normally, they are chicken eggs hatched beneath a toad, thus creating the deadly King of Serpents. Female basilisks do lay eggs, but even if they are fertilized they are unlikely to hatch on their own. Breeding of basilisks is illegal in most parts of Patria, the penalty often being death. However, even though they are nearly impossible to domesticate, there are still illegal breeding operations at work around the world, due to the serpent being a great threat to any who oppose it.

Cerberus
A Cerberus is a giant three-headed Dog.

Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptilian species that range from human-sizes to gigantic proportions.

Direwolf
Direwolves are an unusually large and intelligent species of wolf native primarily to the northern regions of the northern hemisphere. Their range is usually farther north, but they have been known to venture south. They're still relatively common in Aquilonis and Marlakcor, while the direwolf population in Eurodon, while still significantly large, is steadily declining.

An adult direwolf is as large as a small horse, and can rip a man's arm from its socket. Even a juvenile direwolf is quite capable of killing a man by ripping out his throat. Physically they are not simply larger versions of wolves, but have slightly different proportions than their smaller cousins; their heads are larger with a leaner, more pronounced muzzle, their legs are longer in proportion to their body, and they have proportionately larger teeth that are often used to crush bones.

Direwolves can give birth to litters of at least seven puppies.

Tame Direwolves are loyal to their masters and will attack anyone who threatens them. They will also come to the aid of those they know are loyal to their masters.

Dragons
Dragons are giant winged, fire-breathing reptiles. Widely regarded as terrifying yet awe-inspiring, they can be found all over the world. All dragons are able to fly and breathe fire, and are considered dangerous if handled improperly. Dragons cannot be truly "tamed", but they can be bonded with and trained, and can be fiercely loyal to their masters.

Probably the most famous attribute of dragons is their ability to breathe fire. Dragon flame can turn flesh to ash, melt steel, even Zedylrian Steel, and crack stone. Young dragons can only let out only a mildly hot fire in short bursts, but as they get older dragons can produce more intense flames for a longer duration.

All dragons are digitigrades with their hind legs, but quadrupedal dragons typically walk on the whole foot of their front legs. At first glance, dragons appear too heavy for flight, but they have large hearts and a honeycombed bone structure, traits typical of flying creatures. Dragon flight relies on a pair of sacks in their bodies called flight-bladders. Dragons produce hydrogen and methane when they digest their food; these gasses are stored in their flight-bladders. The lighter-than-air gasses allow dragons buoyancy, thus enabling flight.

For dragons with wings too-small to fly, like forest/jungle dragons or marine dragons, they serve a different purpose. For forest/jungle dragons, the vestigial wings are too small to allow flight, thus such dragons are only able to glide small distances with their stunted wings; but the buoyancy of the gas bladders let them tread less heavily, and thus quieter when stalking prey. The forest/jungle dragons gasses can also be used for another purpose, a unique adaptation: mimicry. By controlling the flow of gases out of its bladder, a dragon is able to mimic the sounds of other animals, and thus entice prey to come closer, or tricking competitors into thinking they have easy prey. For aquatic marine dragons, who spend their entire lives in the sea, only venturing on land when food in the water is scarce, their flight bladders become swim bladders, allowing extra buoyancy, and preventing the dragon from sinking.

A dragon's fire-breath relies on the gasses too. Dragons have molars in the back of their mouths, but not for eating plants; these molars are for holding a metallic mineral: platinum. The dragons shoot the gas out of two tubes in the back of their throats; when these gasses hit the platinum and mixes with oxygen, the platinum ignites the gas, resulting in the concentrated flames dragons are known for. The bodies of dragons are also very resistant to fire, particularly their own flames, which don't even damage their own mouths as they expel them.

All dragons lay eggs, and dragon mothers build a furnace-like nest out of rock and breathe fire on the nest with their eggs inside to keep them warm. The rocks shield the eggs from the direct blast while also retaining the heat, and the eggs usually hatch within three, four or five months, depending on the species. As mentioned above, dragons produce hydrogen and methane from digesting food. While dragons eat meat from the time they're born, and thus produce their crucial gasses early on, the dragon's first fire breaths, usually accompanied by thick grey smoke, appear when the dragon is around six months old. However, the ability to fly is normally developed later, at around twelve or thirteen months, and the dragon will not be fully mature and ready to live on its own until it is six or seven years old. The only known exception to these "rules" is Suguha Oda's dragon Hitokage, who was able to fly and breath fire from the moment he hatched.

Depending on the size of the egg, and the adult size of the species, newly hatched dragons are about the size of a small cat or dog; but they grow very rapidly, reaching the size of a small pony in about seven months, and the size of a large horse in only one or two years. The only known exceptions are the magical Hachukaji eggs lying at the bottom of a pool guarded by Ran-Shao in Mt. Hirotomo, which are twenty-five feet long when they hatch.

Dragons, like birds, tend to imprint on whoever is present when they hatch, regarding that person as their parent. Another part of dragon behavior is that some breeds, such as the wyvern, are attracted to shiny objects. Because of this, dragons are known for taking such object, such as particularly polished coins, tableware, armor, weapons, jewelry etc, thus resulting in the creation of so-called dragon "treasure troves." Some experts believe that the metal in these "troves" are for preserving heat in the spot where they build their nests, not out of a fondness for valuable treasure. Regardless, these habits by some dragons have been a source of adventurous spirit by ambitious treasure hunters, and one of the largest troves ever found was a wyvern trove in Britannia, worth an estimated 16,000,000 Britannian Sovereigns.

It is unknown at what age dragons reach reproductive maturity, but dragons usually reproduce for the first time at about five-to-six years of age. Dragons usually stop growing at the age of ten or twelve.

Adult dragon sizes vary by species; depending on the species, some full-grown species never get larger than one or two full-grown horses, while others can reach the size of two or three bull mammoths. However, much like fish, they grow in accordance to their environment. If dragons are chained or confined into an enclosed space for long periods of time it can hinder their growth and their overall size once fully mature.

While regarded as fauna, dragons are fairly intelligent animals, and like a horse or a dog they can be trained by handlers to respond to basic voice commands; some can even understand a whole language. Some experts even regard dragons to be as intelligent as sapient beings.

Dragons are heavily armored along their head and back, and usually have softer underbellies. dragon hunters usually exploit this weakness, but over the centuries, many dragons have learned and many have adopted strategies to protect that weak spot, though the underbelly is still relatively armored in its own right. Their eyes are a weak point as well, the weakest of all, but they're not an easy target.

Dragons are also rumored to have a strong connection to magic, but to what exact extent is unknown. What's more, it is rumored thar some dragons, very rarely, spontaneously develop the ability to shapeshift into a humanoid form, allowing them to reproduce with other races (most often humans). This exceedingly rare ability allowed the birth of people claiming to be descended from dragons.

Dragon Slaying & Dragon Taming
Dragon Slaying was an ancient "sport". It was originally believed that slaying a dragon was a glorious achievement, and made one legendary for being able to conquer one of the most powerful beasts in the world, since at the time they were believed to be nothing more than ferocious mindless monsters. Back then, dragon meat was considered a rare luxury, as the meat is supposedly better than the best venison. Dragon skin is also a highly coveted material, as it's supposed to be better than leather. However, this all changed at an uncertain point in history.

When a certain young human girl, known to Patrian history as Adalinda Lindwurm, became lost in a mountain range, she came across a dragon. Though she was afraid of it at first, she soon realized that the beast's wing and rear leg was injured from an attack by a dragon slayer, and was in no condition to attack her (though it tried but was unable to breath fire). Adalinda, taking pity on the creature, instead nursed it back to health, even stealing meat from a nearby village to feed it. Eventually, the dragon, which she named Drachen, was able to move on its own again and did something most unusual... he allowed Adalinda to climb on his back, allowing her to experience the dragon's flight. Because of her frequent visits and kindness, Drachen had grown to trust her, even care for her. Adalinda had become the first person in the world to tame a dragon and earn its companionship. The two remained companions for the rest of their days, and fought together during a number of wars, changing the rules of warfare forever.

Adalinda and Drachen's story soon sparked the realization that dragons could be their friends, and soon people all over Patria were taming dragons, for the use of military and labor, but most importantly: companionship. Drachen is rumored to be buried with Adalinda, but this in unconfirmed.

Dragon Slaying in general was soon outlawed in many parts of the world, but there are still people hunting and killing dragons, as not all parts of Patria have outlawed the practice.

Since slaying of wild dragons is now illegal in many parts of the world, some dragons are bred as livestock for slaughter for their meat and skin, much like farm animals. Even today, dragon meat is considered a luxury, and dragon skin is still used for many purposes as a superior to leather.

Known Breeds:
Dragons can be five-limbed or seven-limbed (that includes their tail).

Bipedal Types
Bipedal Types are dragons that stand on two feet. Their wings and arms can be one and the same, have arms and legs along with their wings (this type is rare), or they can have no arms at all. Some of these breeds are actually semi-quadrupedal, meaning that while they walk and run on two legs, they will drop down to all fours when they eat or stalk prey.
 * Drakyncian Frostyrion: The Frostyrion is an albino armless bipedal dragon native to the Heartstone Peninula occupied by Drakyncia, usually inhabiting the snowy mountains of the northwest.
 * Lechian Ironhide:
 * Raptor Dragon: Raptor Dragons stand on two legs and have arms with three main fingers and an apparent thumb, a rare trait for a bipedal dragon. Its wings protrude from its back and it has two horns. Raptor Dragons are the smallest of any known dragon species when fully mature, reaching the size of a large horse. Raptor Dragons are not inherently aggressive towards people, and are a popular species for breeding as mounts.
 * Soleilian Ironbelly: A bipedal breed, metallic grey in color, with an immense wingspan, long talons and rough scales said to be as hard as steel. Native to Soleil, it is the largest breed of bipedal dragon, reaching up to six tons, and its eyes are deep red. Sometimes the eyes seem to be the same color as its body because of a protective scale. It gets it name from the fact that it has a hard belly, a trait rare for a dragon, which usually have bellies softer than their backs.
 * Sverigese Short-snout: The scales are silvery blue, and its powerful flame is also a brilliant blue color - and hot enough to reduce timber and bone to ashes in seconds. Its attractive skin is much sought after for the making of gloves and shields. Since it rarely comes into contact with humans, save for domestic ones, the Short-Snout has less deaths to its name than most wild dragons. However, the Short-Snout is nevertheless one of the most dangerous species due to its agile flying and the extremely hot fire that it produces. The Short-Snout tends to be less agile on the ground because of its lack of forward limbs.
 * Transylvanian Siverhorn: The Transylvanian Silverhorn has dark green scales, and two long, silverish horns, hence its name. Its arms and wings are one and the same.
 * Wyvern: The Wyvern is a dragon native to the Brythonic Isles in southeastern Eurodon, but it is also endemic to New Albion, and their territories have been known to extend as far as Navarre. Its breed is usually in one of three main colors, albino, green, and red. Its wings and arms are one and the same. It is one of several breeds known for taking vasts amounts of treasure.

Marine Dragons
Marine Dragons are types of dragons that spend their entire lives in or near the sea. Their flight bladders become swim bladders, allowing extra buoyancy; the wings are vestigial and serve as fins, and the large tail is rudder-like. They are the only type of dragon that can't breathe fire.
 * Ocean Dragon:

Quadrupedal Types
Quadrupedal Types are dragons that walk on four legs. They can have front and back legs in addition to their wings, or their wings and their front legs can be one and the same.
 * Aztec Feathered Dragon:
 * Germanian Horntail: Native to Germania, it has black scales, and is lizard-like in appearance. It also has yellow eyes, its wings and forelimbs are one and the same, it has bronze horns and similarly colored spikes that protrude along the spinal area down to the tip of its long tail which it will gladly deploy in combat. The dragon's roar is a yowling, screeching scream, and its flame can reach to about fifty feet. While having a very far reaching flame, the Horntail's breath can reach extremely high temperatures as it can make a stone turn red hot in seconds. Its eggs are cement-colored and particularly hard-shelled. The Horntail's foods of choice include cattle, sheep, goats, and whenever possible, humans.
 * Huaxian Lion Dragon:
 * Ice Dragon: The Ice Dragon is a rare dragon species native to the frozen wastes of Arctica. It has forward limbs in addition to its wings. Despite its name, the Ice Dragon breaths fire just like a normal dragon. It gets its name due to its native lands.
 * Ingodijan Jungle Dragon:
 * Noregrian Ridgeback: It resembles the Germanian Horntail, except for the black ridges on its back instead of spikes, the browner texture in its scales, and its less hostile attitude. It has venomous fangs, and its food of choice is large mammals, including water mammals, which is unusual for a dragon. Its eggs are black, and young Ridgebacks develop the ability to shoot flame earlier than any other breeds (around one to three months). Female Ridgebacks are generally more ferocious than the males.
 * Saimese White:
 * Sand Dragon: A desert-dwelling dragon native to southeastern Aquilonis. It gets its name from the fact that it mainly inhabits dune seas, where it hides itself beneath the sand before jumping out to ambush its prey. Its approximate range is from the northern Great Kalahari Desert to the dunes of Kemet on Nubia.
 * Talmyri Rainbow-scale:
 * Hachukaji: the dominant breed of dragon native to Yamtai. Hachukaji are long and relatively slender. When fully grown, they can reach up to fifty feet or longer from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, and their wingspan is usually equally long, and their bodies, from their neck to their pelvis, can get up to five yards around. Their muzzles narrow like crocodiles and their canines protrude out (the only teeth visible when their jaws are closed. Hachukaji also grow antlers, one of the few dragons that do.

Concertina Types
Concertina Types are serpentine-like dragons without legs, leaving only their wings for flight. Rather than serpents, these types of dragons are better described as legless lizards.
 * Quetzalcoatl: The Quetzalcoatl is a serpentine dragon with feathered wings native to central Nekcroz. Possessing dexterous wings much like a harpy's, a Quetzalcoatl is fully capable of flight despite their lower half's sheer size.

Gargoyle Beasts
Gargoyle beasts are reptilian animals closely related to gargoyles.

Gargoyle beasts are quadrupedal gargates. They have a more "animal intelligence," as compared to the "human intelligence" possessed by gargoyles. They also lack wings. Other than these differences, gargoyle beasts do not differ much from gargoyles, including turning to stone during the day.

Gargoyle beasts, like gargoyles, are fertile every twenty years; each egg hatches into one pup after two years of gestation in the egg. Also like gargoyles, gargoyle beasts have a variety of skin colors.

Gigacroc
The Gigacroc is a species of giant crocodile, the size and weight of two bull elephants, native to the inland Nahuatl Sea in Nekcroz.

Gryphon
The Gryphon is a creature that has the forelegs, wings and head of a giant eagle, and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion. The main diet of the gryphon is raw meat. Gryphons are known as fierce creatures, however, despite this, skilled tamers have been able to befriend them. Gryphons are mainly found in mountainous regions of Arquperio (Eurodon and Aquilonis), and some minor colonies have been reported in Nekcroz and Marlakcor, typically inhabiting mountain ranges.

Unless a partner dies, gryphons mate for life, and males are aggressively protective of their mates and young; the exceptions are people they've bonded with, in which case they will allow them to go near their mate and play with their young.

Gryphon mothers lay eggs, normally five or six in a clutch during summer, which normally hatch after about ten weeks. Gryphons grow fast: gryphon hatchlings are about the size of a full-grown basset hound when they hatch, and after about six months they're the size of a full-grown golden retriever; by that time they learn to fly and their parents teach them to hunt for themselves. Full grown gryphons are about the size of a Clydesdale horse.

Gryphons reach sexual maturity after about only fifteen months, and females often lay their first fertile clutch before they're two years old, but gryphons reach full maturity after about three years.

Demigryffs
Demigryffs are a gryphon sub-species that has the whole body of the lion and the head of an eagle. Unlike normal gryphons, which have the forelegs and wings of an eagle, demigriffs have the forelegs of a whole lion and no wings.

Hippogriffs
A Hippogriff is a magical creature that has the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. It is very similar to another mythical creature, the gryphon, with the horse rear replacing the lion rear; this trait alone makes them unrelated to gryphons in any way. Hippogriffs have cruel, steel-colored beaks and large eyes. The talons on their front legs are half a foot long and appear deadly. Hippogriffs are normally grey in color, but other colors have been reported.

When Humans, or any sapient race, approach Hippogriffs, a proper etiquette must be maintained to avoid danger. Hippogriffs are intensely proud creatures, and an individual must show proper respect by bowing to them, and waiting for them to bow in return before approaching. Eye contact should be maintained at all times, without a single blink. The Hippogriff should be allowed to make the first move as this is polite. If offended, it may attack. Hippogriffs are tameable, but only by experts in their care. Although proud, hippogriffs can also be fiercely loyal and protective of those who have earned their trust.

The diet of the hippogriff consists mainly of insects, birds, and small mammals such as ferrets. They will sometimes paw at the ground for worms if no other food is readily available. When breeding, hippogriffs build nests on the ground, and lay only a single, fragile egg. The egg usually hatches in twenty-four hours. Infant hippogriffs are capable of flight within a week, but it takes many months before they are strong enough to accompany their parents on long journeys. It is unknown at what age hippogriffs are able to reproduce, but hippogriffs reach full maturity after about three years.

Hippocampus
The Hippocampus is a sea creature with the upper body resembling a horse, and the lower body of a fish.

Hydra
A Hydra is a quadrupedal, fire-breathing, reptilian, monster with five long-necked heads. This beast can grow up to the size of a bull mammoth, and is the only beast other than a dragon that can breath fire.

Legends say that if you cut off one head, two more will grow in its place, but this is nothing more than a myth.

Kraken
A Kraken is a sea monster that appears a cross between an octopus and a squid. The kraken can grow up to a mile long and have a body the size of a bull mammoths. Krakens have ten arms, and eight of its arms can grow five hundred feet long and have suckers on the underside, while its two longer arms can grow a quarter-mile long, and the "hands" are shaped like rhombuses and have suckers too.

Krakens are known for attacking ships, and such make crossing the sea dangerous; but the only reason they attack ships is because they mistake them for small whales, one of their prey. Aside for small wales, krakens are known to feed on dolphins or animals of similar size. Regretfully, krakens aren't alpha-predators because they are prey to leviathans, having less armor than the latter.

The kraken is most commonly found in the sea between Eurodon and Aquilonis, but sightings in other waters have been reported.

Leviathans
Leviathans are a giant carnivorous species of sea monster that can grow up to 2 kilometers long and 500 meters around. It appears and resembles a cross between several marine species; with a crocodile-like head, whale-like body and fluke, lobster-like claws and legs, and shark-like dorsal fin, they are truly monstrous in appearance. The topside of their body, below the dorsal fin, has a lobster-like shell for armor, but their undersides are fleshy like whales. Despite having a "Whale-like" body, a leviathan's belly is completely covered in scales, save for their claws, legs and armor.

They are the alpha-predators of the oceans, being predators of mainly small whales as well as sharks, marine dragons, Krakens, smaller fish, and sometimes humans and other species; although leviathans tend to only hunt humans and other species just because they mistake them for small prey. Other times it's because they view them as invaders of their territory, particularly during mating season. Sometimes they will prey upon each other when fighting over territory, and will sometimes kill younger leviathans that wander into their territory. Because leviathans are solitary creatures, they generally don't tolerate intruders, but will sometimes let the intruders go depending on their mood.

Extremely resistant to water pressures, they are capable swimming in the open sea or traversing the seabed, but they're not fish and must still come up for air, and posses three separate blowholes on top of their heads; although they can stay submerged up to eight days before coming up fro a breath.

Despite their massive size, leviathans are very agile in water; they're capable of bending their bodies 180° into a U-shape, allowing them to turn the other way when they sense prey or danger, not that most sea creatures are a danger to it; they are also capable of leaping out of the water, despite their large bulky build. Leviathans aren't as common as they were long ago due to habitat change, but the biggest issue was over-hunting by glory-seeking hunters, but a few hundred still inhabit Patria's waters.

Leviathans mate roughly once every ten to fifteen years, going into a period of sexual activity that lasts a full year. Males will often fight each other over a female, usually ending in death for one of them. Impregnated females lay a single large egg the size and weight of a bull elephant, and will usually lay their egg in warmer waters, nesting them in soft sand. The female will then become aggressive, guarding the egg zealously until it hatches, leaving only for brief periods to hunt; it is during this time that females are the most dangerous to humans, merpeople and other sapient life. The egg hatches approximately two years after it's laid, and the juvenile will stick with its mother for about four years, long enough to learn how to hunt, before striking out on its own. Leviathans reach full maturity after about fifteen years, and adult leviathans can live up to two hundred years.

In ancient history, and parts of Maritymir today, leviathans were worshiped as the heralds of water deities, and killing one was said to bring down their wrath. Even today it is the ultimate taboo, but many hunters ignore the superstitions.

Leviathan scales posses magical properties, and half-merpeople who can shape-shift their legs, but can't control them, use the scales to control their transformations.

Mammoth
Mammoths are an elephantine species with smaller ears and much more mass compared to an elephant. While mammoths and elephants are distantly related and are capable of reproducing together, they remain distinct species and hybrids are known to be sterile.

Bald Mammoth
The Bald Mammoth, also known as the Southern Mammoth, mammoth native to Nekcroz. They get their common name from that fact that their actual hair is so thin and sparse on their bodies that they're perceived as bald from a distance. They're mostly extant in Weirland and the northern half of the mainland, but there are herds that have been seen as far as south as the Xotilic jungles.

Woolly Mammoths
The Woolly Mammoth, also known as the Northern Mammoth, is a hairy mammoth native to the northern tundra regions of northern Eurodon, the "arch" of Arqupeiro and northern Marlakcor. There are a several herds of mammoths reported to be in the Salrinoan states and Soleil, but these populations have been declining in recent years.

Manticore
The Manticore is a beast with the body of a lion, but with the tail of a scorpion, large bat wings, and horns. Manticores are among the most feared beats on Patria; not only are they considered an alpha predator, but they're vicious, and are known for attacking anything that moves. What's more, the venom from their teeth and tail is so potent, that even the most skilled of potioneers have a hard time synthesizing antidotes.

Manticores generally live in all matters of environment, but are more commonly found in mountainous regions, and are known to compete with gryphons over territory. Contrary to popular belief, since manticores are known to hunt alone, manticores are social animals that live in large groups, ranging from a pack of just five, to a familial colony of over a hundred. Female manticores lay eggs, usually a clutch of five or six, but most often only three hatch at once; the others usually turn out to be either duds, or are simply unfertilized.

Manticores are vicious and untameable, but not untrainable. As such, they were a popular beast of war in ancient times. Many fables tell of whole armies breaking at the sight of a single manticore charging the ranks.

However, recent years have seen the outlawing of training manticores for war in many countries (but not all of them).

Meganeura
The Meganeura is a giant dragonfly native to swamps.

Pegasus
The Pegasus (pl. Pegasi) is a winged horse. Pegasi are found on all corners of Patria, but are more scarce in Maritymir and Alfheim. Unlike normal horses, which are prone to capture for use as mounts and beasts of burden, Pegasi have an easier time escaping due to their ability to fly away.

Phoenix
The phoenix is a large swan-sized scarlet bird with red and gold plumage, along with a golden beak and talons, black eyes, and a tail as long as a peacock's. Its scarlet feathers glow faintly in darkness, while its golden tail feathers are hot to the touch.

Phoenixes will usually nest on mountain peaks or in caves in the rock face. Phoenixes are omnivorous: as birds of prey they normally feed on fish or small amphibians or mammals like frogs, mice, rats or insects; when not hunting, they will feed on small fruits, nuts, or berries. Despite being partially carnivorous, they are gentle creatures that are not known for fighting, unless it is over a mate.

As phoenixes approach their Burning Day they resemble a half-plucked turkey. Their eyes become dull, their feathers start to fall out, and it begins to make gagging noises. Then the bird suddenly bursts into flames only to rise from the ashes shortly after. Within a month, they grow back to full size. Thanks to this ability, phoenixes live to an immense age. They can also go into a premature burning day if they are killed. However, if a phoenix's ashes are swept away before it has reborn, it will die permanently. After being hatched or reborn, phoenixes generally go through a Burning Day naturally once every five or six years.

Phoenixes are immune to the gaze of a basilisk, which would normally kill anyone who has direct eye to eye contact, or petrify through indirect eye contact.

Their tears have potent healing capabilities. For instance, phoenix tears are the only known antidote of basilisk venom. Their tears are also able to bring a person back even from the brink of death, while the phoenix song will increase the courage of the good and strike fear into the hearts of the evil. Phoenixes are capable of lifting a great weight, such as being able to effortlessly fly up a distance with four people holding on to its tail. It can also carry immensely heavy packages in its talons, carrying it from one point to another without tiring.

Phoenixes are very difficult to domesticate, but phoenixes that have been domesticated, or hatched and raised by people, are extremely loyal to their owners, and would depart to find their own paths if their owners die, rather than finding a new master.

Phoenixes mate for life, a rare trait for birds. Fertilized phoenix eggs are glossy red with a natural orange flaming pattern that varies from egg to egg; unfertilized eggs are more a dull grayish-red. Female phoenixes lay a clutch of about five eggs at one time, hatching them over the course of a year. Just like when they're reborn after dying, phoenix chicks grow to full size in about a month.

Rhinos
Aside from rhino species found on earth, three other species are native to Patria as well.

Elasmotherium
The Elasmotherium, or Woolly Rhino, is a species of rhino covered in fur with a massive horn, as long a a full grown man is tall, native to the tundras of Rossiya in northern Arquperio.

Embolotherium
A rhino with a wider horn that is horizontally narrower near the top. Native to Weirland on northeastern Nekcroz.

Megacerops
A rhino with a y-shaped horn, native to Weirlend in northeastern Nekcroz and parts of Ingodija.

Roc
A Roc, sometimes also known as Great Eagles, is an eagle of gigantic proportions. Rocs can reach the size of two bull elephants, but are nowhere near as heavy.

Rocs generally make nests in small elevated valleys tucked within mountain ranges. There have never been many reports of them being disturbed by predators; it is said their gaze can be so piercing, even the alpha predators steer clear of them.

Roc mothers normally lay a clutch of six eggs, each the size of three healthy human babies.

Scorpioch
The Scorpioch is a species of giant scorpion native to the deserts of Kalahar. Scorpiochs are roughly the size of a labrador when hatched, but can grow up to the size and weight of a two bull mammoths.

Despite their immense size, scorpiochs are extremely fast; they can move with near-lightning-fast speed, and can spear its prey on its tail before it has a chance to react. Scorpiochs are also capable of burrowing underneath the sands of the desert, and will often use this ability to ambush their prey.

While under the sand, they can "swim" through the sand to reach one destination from another.

Smilodon
The Smilodon, more commonly known as the saber-toothed cat, is a large predatory cat native to Nekcroz.

Sphinx
The Sphinx is a magical creature native to southeast Aquilonis. It has the head of human, the body of lion, and eagle wings.

Sphinxes are renowned for being extremely intelligent: they are capable of speech, and are known for their love of puzzles, riddles, and enigmas. Their riddles are normally extremely long and complicated, with profusely subtle references to the answer that most people would almost certainly miss. They also possess superhuman strength, especially in their brutally powerful paws - this makes them very dangerous to other beings. Yet, despite their intelligence, they are considered beasts rather than sapient beings due to being a threat to unwary passersby.

Criosphinx
The Criosphinx is a subspecies of sphinx with the head of a ram instead of a human.

Hieracosphinx
The Hieracosphinx is a subspecies of sphinx with the head of a hawk instead of a human. This species if often confused with a demigryff or a gryphon.

Terror Bird
The Terror Bird is a large predatory flightless bird native to Nekcroz, found primarily on the northern half of the main continent.

Unicorns
The unicorn is a white, equine creature with a single horn on its forehead.

Unicorn foals are born pure gold in color. They remain so until they are about two years old, at which time their coat turns silverish. At around four-years-old their horn grows in. They are fully grown at about seven years old, at which at this age they turn to their dominant color. Unicorns are usually silver-white, but other colors such as black, grey and chestnut have also been documented. Their hooves are golden, (remaining so from their gold stage, the first two years of their life), and their blood is silver-blue in color and shines under the moonlight. It is not known how long a unicorn can live for.

Unicorns inhabit forests and are more commonly found around Arquperio (Eurodon and Aquilonis), but there are plentiful herds in Weirland as well. There are known small herds in Marlakcor too, but they're otherwise scarce there.

Unicorns prefer a woman's touch, but can grow more trusting if a bond is formed with a man. The young ones are more trusting and do not mind men as much. Unicorns are also so fleet-of-hoof that they can rarely be caught by hunters, and make excellent steeds.

Various parts of the unicorn, the horn and tail hair in particular, are used in potions. Unicorn hair in general is used for the cores of wands, and the tail hair can also be used as binding in bandages due to its incredible strength. The blood of a unicorn can be used for divination purposes or potions, but is seldom used because of recent laws tabooing it.

Winter Fish
Winter fish are a group of freshwater fish species that have a physiology that lets them thrive in winter seasons. Their life cycle normally begins when they hatch in late-summer. While most fish thrive in warmer temperatures during warmer seasons, Winter fish are most active during autumn, winter, and early spring.
 * Known species:
 * Sloi: a breed most often found in northern and central Eurodon. Their population is greatest in Transylvania.