Difference between revisions of "Fauna"

Revision as of 09:31, 2 December 2012

General content: | Felaryan fauna | Felaryan flora | Races | Characters | Locations | History and Lore | Science and Magic | Culture and Customs | List of all available articles

The Felayan fauna is composed of many species from many worlds which makes it very varied and unpredictable. See also carnivorous plants and plant life. These pages feature mostly dangerous or remarkable creatures. There are many many others, from small animals to harmless herbivores, or unreported species that aren't listed here but exist and are part of the great Felarya food chain.

• Jungle fauna - page2 - page3

• Marsh fauna

• Aquatic fauna

• Rough terrain fauna

• Dungeon fauna

• Plains fauna

• Ice terrain fauna

• Dimensionally unstable terrain fauna

• Underground fauna

Threat Ranking:

• Minimal: A totally harmless being such as a mouse or a rabbit.
• Very Low: Mostly herbivores but who can still strike back if attacked.
• Low: Various animals such as felines.
• Moderate: A moderately dangerous Felaryan creature can still be very dangerous in another world. For example a great white shark would rank between Low and Moderate here...
• Medium: A predatory, dangerous and often man-eating creature.
• High: A great predator. Crisis is in this category.
• Very High: A top predator. This creature could take on a small army.
• Critical: In Felaryan scales, very few creatures reach this rank.
• Extreme: A guardian or a mythical creature. Only a god can hope to survive a confrontation with one of these.

Note that threat ranking is based on the threat that the creature represents for a normal human. It's not necessarily linked to the strength of the creature. For example the dryad Cypress would rank very low because she is very friendly to humans, yet she is a powerful being.

Jungle fauna

In Tolmeshal forest

Noghdong

Size: 20 to 50 feet
Threat: Very Low

Noghdongs are large, peaceful turtles who move slowly through the jungles of Felarya, grazing on various plants. Their carapace is usually of a brownish green color, mottled with dark splotches, while their leathery skin is of a dark green, allowing them to blend relatively well in forest environment. Their shell is extremely heavy and strong, providing an indestructible sanctuary where the noghdong retreats whenever it detects a danger. At this point, if for some reasons you wanted to harm the creature, you might as well just give up, as a rocket would barely even scratch the noghdong's shell. Despite their imposing and hulking frames, noghdongs are almost entirely harmless. There is some known cases of noghdongs swallowing a human whole, but this behavior is extremely rare and, in each cases, the human was going out of their way to annoy the animal. As long as you don't do anything really stupid, you are perfectly safe. They are rather easy to tame and, while slow, they can carry a very heavy load.

Starkala Bug

Size: 1 inch
Threat: Minimal

This tiny creature is extremely common, and often ends up as lunch for basically any other species. Starkalas bugs look like a little blue berry, with small spines all over. These spines are actually legs, and they also have a pair of wings reminiscent of fly wings. Many biologists are confused as to how classify them. They look like insects, but they actually use photosynthesis in order to feed, and possess both animal and vegetal cells. They congregate in large numbers, forming light blue balls the size of a grape. They have a life span of two days and breed rapidly, providing an endless supply of food for other creatures. They taste delicious as well.

Duiker

Size: 3 feet
Threat: Minimal

Felaryan duikers are a common herbivore of Felarya found in many place where the jungle isn't too thick. Three feet high at the shoulder, the little antelopes survive through by being very stealthy, agile and alert. With their keen senses, they spring and run at the slightest sign of danger at an incredible speed, easily surprising and leaving behind inexperienced or young predators. They taste very good though, being a choice prey of many of the inhabitants of the jungles. For example they are the favored prey of the naga Anna, although she has quite a hard time catching them.

Glouteux

Size: 30 feet
Threat: Moderate

A sort of large fowl with strong running legs. Glouteux have been dubbed the 14th dumbest creature in the known universe by the famous biologist Dr. Ebb Anguimon. Their extremely limited brain basically thinks of only two things: moving and eating. Their stupidity doesn't mean that they aren't dangerous though. They are definitely voracious and, with their size and strength, they can easily overpower a human and swallow them whole. Still, they are incredibly stupid and very easy to trick: once they spot you, they will run after you, no matter what. If a pit is between you and it, the glouteux will run straight over the edge of the pit. If it survives the fall it will stare blankly at the wall it faces. Moreover, glouteux do not recognize danger of any sort, and will walk in front a pack of kensha beasts, as if they weren't even there !

Kensha Beast

Size: Males 33 feet, Females 30 feet
Threat: High

Kensha beasts are one of the dominant animal predators in the Felaryan jungles. Essentially enormous six-legged wolves, they hunt in packs of four to twelve beasts, of which three out of four are female. With their robust legs, very keen senses and powerful maws, they make formidable opponents, aggressively hunting prey and foes. They are social creatures, highly loyal to their pack and deeply territorial, and won't hesitate to fight off any intruders, be it a giant dridder or another Kensha pack. Their attacks typically involve two beasts chasing their prey into the waiting jaws of the others. Single attacks are fast and depend heavily on surprise when stalking larger prey. Their claws contain a paralyzing venom that can kill in large doses, and their large fangs can easily crush through bones and exoskeletons alike.

Drakewillow Nexolt

Size: 20 feet
Threat: Moderate

An avian creature which in some ways resembles a goose, but with a long, snakelike, reptilian neck, and a large gaping maw. A nexolt will wrap its powerful neck around a drakewillow tree and shake loose all the dragonapples. After that it will hide and use it's long neck to reach down and gobble up the woodland creatures, or passing travelers, who stop to pick up the fruits on the ground.

Mumansi

Size: 60 to 70 feet
Threat: Low

Mumansis are large and mostly peaceful herbivores, resembling a bulky rhino with a long neck and longer legs. They are territorial and aggressive toward large creatures, but almost harmless to humans. Actually, the beast seem to have no problems with a human's presence at all, and adventurers can take cover under its body and be entirely ignored by the creature. It remains fiercely independent though, and no tamed mumansis has ever been reported. With their extremely thick hide, formidable strength, and sharp horns, they are more than a match for many predators and tales of a single enraged mumansi wiping out a small pack of kensha beasts are not uncommon. The sheer ferocity and savagery of the attack is usually enough to send any potential predator running for cover.

Bugle Lizard

Size: 2 feet tall - 4 feet long
Threat: Very Low

A small lizard found in the jungles of Felarya. It has a bony neck frill and a long, slender body which at a distance gives it the appearance of the small hunting horn that gives it its name. In fact, the similarities don’t stop there, for the Bugle lizard is capable of a honking sound that can sound quite musical and pleasing to some. The lizard is completely herbivorous and is only known to eat bugleberries. The lizard will honk when anything comes too close, or if someone is taking its supply of bugleberries. It won’t attack, and it’s sonic assault causes no harm to anyone, but it typically will attract any predators nearby, usually to the detriment of whoever is taking the bugleberries. Some enterprising species have trained these reptiles to be guard creatures, honking when someone approaches. Rosic nekos have also trained these creatures, but more for musical reasons then defensive, although with Rosic nekos, the two things are often synonymous.

Boom Bee

Size: 2 inches
Threat: Low

A purple wasp-like insect with a long, narrow section and no stinger. Boom bees follow a typical hive mindset, with a queen-worker hierarchy. Instead of stinging, however, boom bees explode. A single boom bee explosion isn't very powerful, and will give a human a first degree burn, or possibly a light second degree burn at most. Several boom bees exploding can cause more severe injuries however, and they tend to travel in swarms. They are relatively non-aggressive, but some strangely specific actions seem to set them off, making them rather unpredictable. For example, if you cause harm to a flower with red petals in their presence, they will immediately attack you. That's just one of the several bizarre known actions that can turn them angry.

Black Skin-Diver

Size: 2 to 3 inches
Threat: Minimal

This insect resembles a black beetle with a round body. A first encounter with one can be downright terrifying. If left alone, the creature will simply crawl on your skin and then dig and painlessly enter your body ! It then can be seen moving, making a bulge as it crawls under. However instead of causing harm, the black skin-diver secretes an enzyme that eats toxins, cleansing very efficiently the body of poisons. The insects themselves are actually completely harmless, and will die in the body, eventually making their way out through natural means. Still, it's creepy as hell to watch, and indescribably strange to experience. They are sometimes used in cleansing rituals among some tribes of Felarya.

Squirrel

Size: 8 inches
Threat: Minimal but maybe not..

Squirrels are one of the most bizarre and strange creatures that live on Felarya. Many scientists have agreed that they are not native to the dimension, but are stumped when they try to identify where they came from. They appear to be some sort of rodent with a strange, large, furred tail and gleaming black eyes. The story of their arrival is that one day, a powerful mage attempted a dangerous portal spell to defend himself from a predator, while in the already unstable Miragia forest. What occurred was known as a black day in Felaryan history. Both mage and predator were buried under a furry tidal wave as squirrel after squirrel was flung through the portal. Predators flocked to devour the strange creatures en mass, causing nearby settlements to be put in serious danger. The squirrels themselves got everywhere and ate crops and flowers, ruining the village harvests. They were dubbed "Squirrels" after "Skwe U'Rell", the lord of the underworld in Sagolian mythology.

After a few days, the flow of the squirrels plague stopped as the portal closed and the predators moved on. Many squirrels somehow survived and continue to live on Felarya to this day. Predators consider squirrels animals of good fortune and tend not to eat them - seeing a squirrel is seen as a sign of good luck. They are considered cute and appropriate animals to give baby predators as pets. For the smaller species however, seeing a squirrel is the equivalent to seeing a black cat cross your path on Earth and is said to be the harbinger to terrible misfortune. Many nekos and humans refuse to eat them, convinced they will suffer a deadly curse. Even the most professional and hardened adventurers can get a little skittish if they think there's a squirrel nearby. In Negav, there are specially trained exterminators who deal solely with this odious threat. The squirrels themselves seem only interested in collecting nuts, for reasons unknown. They appear to be preparing for an event which has yet to occur in the Felaryan jungles. Prey species list this as another reason not to trust the furry little freaks.

Iampi

Size: 3 feet
Threat: Low to Moderate in group

The iampis are a species of green-brown monkeys living in the canopy of many forests across Felarya. They have rather short arms and big strong legs, making them able to leap from one branch to another, in jumps of nearly 30 times their size. This allows them both to quickly escape a danger, and to hunt prey. Iampis are omnivorous, but they have a special liking for insects. Large groups of iampis can be quite dangerous when disturbed. Their lifestyle is completely arboreal: they eat, sleep, mate and breed on the branches of the large Felaryan trees, using their legs and tail to keep their balance. However, due to this, iampis avoid touching the ground. Even when they are in the lower branches they feel uneasy and, even though they're excellent jumpers, they seem utterly defenseless and struken by panic when walking on the ground.

Nexocula

Size: 20 inches
Threat: Very Low

Nexocula is a kind of corpse-eating butterfly living in small swarms in Felaryan forests, often resting under the shade of a big tree. People don't often see the insect, as they only move around when they detect a corpse, a creature near-death, or for reproduction. An adult Nexocula looks like a butterfly with 4-6 closed evil-looking eyes on its large purple wings. They are actually real eyes, that can blink and roll around, and follow a nearby creature's moves. If someone wander into a Nexoculas swarm, a lot of these eyes would open to stare at the intruder, and put them into an hypnosis state, showing them vision of horrors. When picking up the scent of a dead, or nearly dead, creature, the nearest swarm of Nexoculas will fly to that corpse, and use a special enzyme to liquefy the flesh and drink it until there is nothing left, aside from the victim's equipments. If the “food” is still alive, the butterflies will wait until they die. Obviously, seeing Necoxulas appear is seen as a very bad omen, and a sure sign a nearby creature is going to die soon. Some claim the butterflies are actually able to see into the future and will gather around a person about to die, even if the person is in perfectly good health. Sentient undead creatures like vampires will confuse them. However, they will attack and consume mindless ones like zombies. Due to its unique diet and habits, there is many terrible rumors and legends surrounding this butterfly. The name Nexocula actually means “Eyes of Death”

Cyganeka Worm

Size: 2 inches
Threat: Low

A very unpleasant creature, the Cyganeka worm is a parasite digging through the skin of its host, using an anesthetic and numbing saliva to remain undetected. It targets primarily smaller creatures strolling through the jungle, slowly sucking out their energy and making the victim host feeling tired and easily exhausted. It's usually not lethal if removed in time, but several of them can seriously ruin a person's health. Moreover their removal is difficult and messy, unless you use a certain Cogamosia-based ointment. Rubbing it on the segment of the body where the worm is will make it quickly attempt to crawl out of its host.

Eliocanthe

Size: 6 feet wingspan
Threat: Low

A strange bird with and elongated body and two pairs of wings. Eliocanthes have a sort of insectoid look to them, while retaining skin and feathers. Their bodies are blue and grey, with white underparts, and males sport a characteristic crest on top of their head. Eliocanthes are notably attracted by Ley lines and flock in large numbers around those zones. They can be sometimes seen accompanying leptabas in the sea, although they are mostly found inland. The creature is largely harmless, but have a vicious, slightly venomous bite if bothered.

Balbakh

Size: 20 to 30 feet
Threat: Medium

Balbakhs are massive quadrupedal creatures native to Felarya. They possess a sturdy, muscular body and a humped back covered by a long, shaggy brown and green fur resembling vegetation and providing them an excellent camouflage in the jungle. Balbakhs are ambush predator, patiently staying hidden in wait. Once they sense a prey nearby they will use their curious ventriloquist ability to project their deafening roar where they want, in order to trick their prey. The roar of the Balbakh is a truly frightening noise the first time you hear it, well able to send even hardened adventurer running for cover, usually right into the Balbakh's waiting maw ! Seasoned veterans know the best way to escape a Balbakh is usually to run exactly toward the source of the roar.

In Giant tree

Treestars

Size: 5 to 45 feet
Threat: Minimal

Treestars resemble massive arboreal sea stars that live on the giant tree. They tend to be a mottled brown or leafy green in color with bioluminescent organs that dot their bodies. They feed on the tree's fluids, sucking them out with a proboscis located on their underside. They often go unnoticed, blending very well with their surroundings. Their skin is thick, and nearly bulletproof. They move slowly and are utterly harmless.

Arboreal Frog

Size: 10 to 15 feet
Threat: Moderate

These large frogs can be mostly found in the canopy of the trees. They are voracious and usually feed on snakes, though at their size they wouldn't have much trouble swallowing a human or a small harpy whole. They move little, usually waiting patiently in ambush among the branches and dense foliage of trees for a prey to pass by. When it's time to strike, they display very quick reflexes though, launching their long, sticky tongue at their prey to catch it. Their brown green bark-like skin is rich in nutrient and grows moss, leaves and small branches, making them very hard to spot when they stand still in spite of their size.

In forest of whispers

Tonorion

Size: 40 to 120 feet long
Threat: Medium to High

A sort of armored and spiked centipede with the front claws of a praying mantis. Their bodies are divided into well-marked segments, each of them adorned by lateral mean-looking spikes and supported by thick armored legs, each ended in a sharp claw. With their razor sharp fangs-filled maw and multiple glowing eyes, tonorions look positively nightmarish. They are agile and can run with great speed and strike in the blink of an eye. They dwell in hives deep underground, such as the great hive in the forest of whispers, and come to the surface to hunt, mostly during the night. Tonorions naturally emit an anti-magic aura, strong enough that only a very powerful offensive spell caster can hope to harm them magically. While Tonorions are very capable of tearing their prey into bits, they will still attempt to swallow them whole if possible. They represent a formidable threat for any adventurers party walking through the jungle, and one of the thing making Felarya so dangerous at night.

Glowbug

Size: 6 inches
Threat: Very Low

A small, floating, jellyfish-like creature with sharp proboscis underneath them instead of tendrils. Glowbugs have an extremely low tolerance to cold and thus have to prepare for each night. They do this by attaching themselves during daytime to a particular tree with their proboscis and absorbing nutrients from them. When day turns to night and the temperature drops, the Glowbugs will use these nutrients to create heat for themselves, creating a bright and pretty glow. These creatures are useful for adventurers traveling through Felaryan forests as they provide a good source of light. They are naturally attracted by heat. Glowbugs prove to be pretty harmless, although they have been known to accidentally attach themselves to people instead of trees, resulting in a nasty, but non-lethal, sting.

Feather Boa

Size: 3 to 6 feet (Although rare giant-sized exceptions have been spotted.)
Threat: Low

A kind of feathered serpent, the Felaryan feather boa boasts a brightly colored plumage in shades of lurid pink or purple ( a scarlet, and more aggressive variety may be found in the Jungle of perils.) They are best known for their habit of dropping onto unsuspecting explorers from overhead and wrapping themselves around their necks. If attempts are made to remove the boa, it will simply coil tighter, eventually strangling the unfortunate wearer. If ignored, however, the serpent is quite harmless, and will eventually drop off of its own accord in order to feed, or when the wearer is confronted with a greater danger, such as a giant predator.

Kowo Cat

Size: 5 feet
Threat: Low

A fast and agile feline creature with red fur and a long, large bushy tail. Kowo cats have their backs and tails covered by long and very thin spines that look like hair. Those quills are released by simple contact and are able to embed themselves very easily in the skin of an attacker. They may drop out when the Kowo cat shakes its body or when the creature is under extreme stress, but they grow back in a matter of seconds. Kowo cats feed essentially on small animals and are utterly harmless to humans, unless you ask for trouble. The creature can then turn quite nasty and will whip the air with its quilled tail, launching spines at the offender, a very painful experience. Kowo cats are rather affectionate when they don't feel threatened though, and the fur on their head is as silky and smooth as that of other cats.

Flish

Size: 20 inches
Threat: Minimal

This strange creature resemble a brightly colored scalaire fishes with short feathered wings. What strange evolution led to this odd mix is unknown. The animal is utterly harmless and will only float slowly in the air and feed on fruits. Its vibrant colors are a warning to potential predators though, as most specimens are highly poisonous. Fairies are usually fond of flishes and love to pet the animal.

Echydin

Size: 25 feet
Threat: Medium

This creature looks sort of like a big unicorn with sparkling colors and antenna. The most noticeable thing about them is how silent they are. An echydin can gallop without producing the slightest sound, which is probably a magically enhanced ability. Echydins are very dangerous. When you encounter one, the creature will first stare at you, trying to determine if you are edible, the right size and if it's hungry. If the answer to all three is yes, then the echydin will instantly teleport you in to its stomach ! Most anti-magic protections can't counter that because the spell is actually not cast on the prey but on the space directly around it. Once trapped in the stomach the prey has little to no chance of getting out as the echydin possesses a very tough and stretchy stomach which nullifies magic and a rather fast metabolism. Echydins are usually very friendly to fairies.

Whisper Wisp

Size: 1 to 3 inches in diameter
Threat: Low

Whisper wisps are stranger, ethereal beings native to Felarya. Resembling glowing orbs of light that come in a variety of colors, they've earned their name from their whispering speech. In childish voices they are known to taunt and make fun of those they come across like little children, much to the annoyance of many adventurers. However, they are also wary of them as whisper wisps appear to have a knowledge beyond that of mere mortals, speaking of things that only the wisest of beings would know. If scared, they will suck in all nearby magic and then unleash it all as an explosive blast known as as a "nova". This burst can be very destructive and loud, as well as distracting. Strangely though, whisper wisps appear to have little need of doing this as most physical objects merely phase through them as if they weren't even there. This has led some to believe that their nova is merely a way to "get back" at the offender in an act of childish revenge, and leaving them more vulnerable to any nearby predators.

Furred Parrot

Size: 20ft from head to feet.
Threat: Low

This unusual creature is found in the forest of whispers and the western part of the Tolmeshal forest. Interestingly, the furred parrot is not actually a parrot at all; rather, it is a kind of mammal. Its name comes from its ability to "parrot" the sounds it hears with near perfect accuracy. This is its primary defense mechanism-when danger approaches, it hides and mimics the growl of a kensha beast or another large dangerous predator. Should this fail, it then attempts to escape by flight. Furred parrots have bat-like wings, which are covered in colorful and complex patterns, while their body proper is a rather drab shade of brown. The animal actually does have a somewhat parrot-like head, due mostly to its vertically thick snout. Its long tail helps it to steer while in flight. When on the ground, it hops along rather like an oversized sparrow. Its meat has a somewhat sweet taste, due to its diet of ripe and overipe fruit and nectar.

In evernight forest

Abyssal Slug

Size: 30 to 40 feet
Threat: Medium

These creatures usually live in very dark places such as caverns. They glow lightly and have a beautiful pattern of vividly colored lights on their skin. However, the moment you spot those lights it's probably already too late, as abyssal slugs can locate their prey far away with a sort of natural sonar. When the slug knows the exact location of its prey and is in the right range, it creates a sudden and very powerful vacuum, sucking the prey right into its large mouth where it is promptly swallowed. The range of their vacuum can reach up to 200 feet for the largest specimens.

Shadow Fish

Size: 1 to 40 feet
Threat: Very Low to Medium

The size of shadow fishes varies a lot and this name comprises many sub species. Shadow fish have the unique ability to breath shadow, which means that they can live in or out of the water, so long as it is dark. Exposing them to light will suffocate them, much like what happens to a regular fish out of water. They float in the air and can move quickly if needed. Because they have no teeth, shadow fish swallow whole anything that is the right size. Larger specimens can easily gulp down an human, posing a serious threat to adventurers.

Wandering Nightmare

Size: Varies
Threat: Low to Medium

Wandering nightmares are grotesque creatures, seemingly made out of pure darkness. Their appearance, size, intelligence and agressivity vary a lot. Some of them are merely harmless pranksters, while some others display nothing but pure savagery, hunting in deadly packs. Wandering nightmares are said to be expressions of Déméchrelle's troubled sleep. Some theorize they are originally parts of her that somehow became independent and now roam Tenebra maze, the Evernight forest, and even others parts of Felarya. It is said that, when a place become dark enough, wandering nightmares have a chance of appearing...

Glophorbia

Size: 12 to 40 feet
Threat: Moderate to Medium

Glophorbias are strange, alien creatures. During the first stage of their life, they look like a sort of large white flatworm. They live in very dark environments and vivid light is very painful, sometimes even lethal, to them. They crawl around slowly and they don't have any particular weapons, but they are voracious and will attempt to swallow anything of the right size. Later, the glophorbia begins to develop additional features such as legs or a tail. Their appearance remains grotesque though, with an eyeless head and a large, gaping maw. The more they eat, the larger and the more complex they become, sometimes based on the creatures they consumed. Fortunately, once large enough, glophorbias will take flight and leave Felarya altogether. They then start roaming in space where some specimens can reach truly gigantic proportions, becoming a serious threat even for space battleships.

Flash Medusa

Size: 20 to 30 feet
Threat: Moderate

Drifting in dark places such as Evernight forest , these creatures look like a large, round jellyfish. They hunt blindly by spreading their long tentacles and sweeping them across their surroundings in order to find prey. They are very sensitive and once a medusa senses a potential prey nearby, it immediately releases a powerful flash to dazzle and blind its prey... or suffocate it in the case of shadow fishes, which make the bulk of its diet. In such pitch black environment, a vivid light can become a deadly weapon. The medusa then moves rapidly in range to swallow its meal.

Lightseeker

Size: 15 inches
Threat: Minimal

A small and extremely fast bird. Little is known about them because once you see a trace of a lightseeker, it's already gone. They possess a strange glowing globe on their belly that emits a blinding light when the bird flies, and they leave a long tail of light behind them, a bit like a comet. In the eternal darkness of Evernight forest, this is one of the rare sources of light. For some reason, lightseekers seem to always fly very straight trajectories, and turn with very sharp angles, creating long jagged lines of light that remain for several seconds before being swallowed up by the dark.

Night Anemone

Size: 50 feet
Threat: Medium

A dangerous creature lurking in dark places such as caverns or Evernight forest. They feed on anything that they catch with their long and agile tentacles and they can swallow very large prey. While their most common prey are shadow fishes, a human would also easily fit in such a large stomach. What makes night anemones especially dangerous is their tentacles which are strong, swift, and can stretch to frighteningly long distance. Moreover their tentacles are semi-immaterial and can't be harmed in any normal way.

Credits to:

• Icalasari for the Starkala bug
• Hitomi for the glowbug
• Globfish for the Feather boa
• Feadraug for the Iampis
• Jasconius for the whisper wisp and treestars
• Zoekin for the duiker
• Tkh1304 for the Nexocula
• Jaette-troll for the squirrels
• Randomdude for the Kensha beast
• Silent eric for the Drakewillow Nexolt and Bugle Lizard
• Haar for the boom bee and Black Skin-Diver
• Oldman40k2003 and French-snack for their great help at editing. ^_^