Taluman Bestiary

Throughout the history of Taluma - by the work of many different scholars, sages, and other people and influenced by its mythology - a generally accepted classification of the beasts of the land developed. This includes natural beasts like mammals, reptiles, birds and fish and more as well as preternatural monsters and creatures. The Primary Classifications of beasts include:

  • Fauna - Fauna, usually called animals or beasts, are entirely natural non-sentient beings such as the mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, fishes and insects of the world.

  • Monsters - Monsters are beings that are natural of origin but have some quality that is considered unnatural, either supernatural or paranormal, either by being a previously thought impossible combination of animals, an animal with powers beyond natural phenomena, or simply animals with intelligence rivaling the mortals. They include gryphons and pegasi. Many monsters are the result of the introduction of Gwyven’s blood, either inherited or inflicted. The most powerful monsters are the direct progeny of Gwyven herself.

    • Behemoths - Behemoths are gigantic, monstrous, beings that evolve to be the alpha predator in their home. The lack of competition and usually a large area (in the sea, underground, roaming plains) to live allowed them to evolve into such enormous beings.

      ankheg, behir, bulette, dragon turtle, hydra, kraken, purple worm, roc, tarrasque, umber hulk

    • Dragons - Dragons are undiluted, direct offspring of Gwyven. Like Gwyven, dragons have the features of more than one beast, always reptilian with the features of one other beast: bird, fish or mammal, such as feathers, gills, or fur. They are like giant serpents and are the largest beings known to man outside and can be as long as a town.

    • Chimaerae - sing. chimaera, include the many monstrous beasts that are made up of more than one natural fauna, hybrids such as one of the most well-known, the griffon, which is part lion and part eagle.
      griffon, hippogriff, owlbear, pegasus
      cockatrice, manticore, peryton, stirge
      naga

    • Harrows - Harrows usually start as an existing being and are mutated into something else by the influence and power of another being. They are often similar to a monster but have additional abilities beyond natural abilities.

      basilisk, gorgon, grick, mimic, nightmare, remorhaz, rust monster

    • Gryms - The grym beasts—also gyms or knurled—are savage, dangerous, deviant forms of normal beasts. They are infected with a magical disease that makes them grow bony protuberances (knurs) that can form as ridges and spikes that give them bony armor and also can be used to attack. The disease is known as petrifaction and the beasts are known as gryms, such as a grymwolf.
      hook horror, dire wolf, gargoyle
      drider & ettercap, wyrs

    • Fera - Fera are bipedal, upright walking beings that are close to mortals but lack true sentience, or at least are not ‘civilized’ and are likely solitary beings. They live in conditions and with facilities closer to beasts than mortals. They typically live in remote places, often choosing themselves to retreat from normal society, but sometimes they may be forced into seclusion and evolve unwillfully. Some have always been feral, some were mortal but in seclusion have reverted to being feral.

      doppelganger, grimlock, quaggoth, thri-kreen, yeti

    • Phytes - Phytes are plants that have gained intelligence and mobility similar to fauna - other animals or monsters.

      Blight, fungi, myconid, oozes, shambling mound, treant

  • Abominations - Abominations are beings which are alien to Eost or have been corrupted, usually by Sezsezkya, beyond typical Taluman natural characteristics. Though some could be qualified as monstrosities, they are so much further corrupted in anatomy or temperament that they are something altogether different

    • Aberrations - beast-like abominations
      Aboleth, chuul, cloaker, flumph, gibbering mouther, grell, otyugh, piercer, roper, xorn

    • Deviants - humanoid abominations
      Ghasts & ghouls

  • Eidolons - Eidolons are immortal beings that are not divine in power. They can be corporeal or incorporeal and often represent or are the manifestation of preternatural essences like the elements or radiant power. Eidolons do not die as mortals do, yet they also are not immortal as the gods are, instead their energy returns to its source and powerful spirits may be able to restore themselves to their previous form.

    • Luminals - corporeal eidolons with intelligence and personality - possibly souls
      Angel, Couatl, Empyrean, Sphinx, Unicorn

    • Internals - the minions of the Nemeses Sezsezkya and Gwyven. It is said that introduction of the blood of Gwyven, voluntarily or involuntarily, into a mortal or beast transforms them into a demon while Sezsezkya’s corruption can make a mortal a devil. First generation fiends are the strongest and are the greater demons and devils.
      demons, devils, and the like.

    • Elementals - manifestations of an element or essence
      Azer, Elemental, Galeb Duhr, Genie, Invisible Stalker, Magmin, Mephit, Salamander, Treant, Water Weird

  • Undead - beings or beasts that persist beyond death

    • Algors - undead who have a corporeal ‘body; but have lost their soul, usually in death, but the boy continues to operate by another force.
      Death Knight, Demilich, Flameskull, Lich, Mummy, Revenant, Skeleton, Vampire, Wight, Zombie

    • Shivers - undead whose souls persist after the death of the body as incorporeal ‘spirits.’
      Banshee, Ghost, Shadow, Specter, Wraith

Follow the bestiary tag to read more about the unique folklore of the beasts of Taluma.