Bestiary: Chimaerae

The chimera is one type of monster, but chimaerae, sing. chimaera, is the classification for 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. Some chimaerae have features of up to three different beasts - though not necessarily three different classes of beasts - such as the hippogriff which is eagle, lion, and horse; or the aforementioned chimera (it is unknown which was named first, though it is likely chimera is a derivation of the more archaic chimeara). Chimaerae are not inherently evil in nature, they are unaligned or neutral generally, and react to situations as one would expect from natural fauna. They usually originated as the offspring of Gwyven with a beast and they retain the ability to breed and create more.

The most well-known examples of chimaerae include: chimera, griffons, hippogriffs, owlbears, and pegasi.

Malefics

Malefic is the term for a type of chimaera: beasts that have been corrupted usually by exposure to powerful magic, causing them to develop features of a different beast, and often to experience significant growth. In addition to their enhanced size and natural features, inherited from their base beasts, and the chimaeric addition of another feature like being able to fly due to wings; malefics have additional—supernatural—abilities akin to magic, that make them even more deadly, and often lean towards evil. Malefic are sterile and cannot breed, but they create more by spreading the corruption.

Examples of malefic chimaerae are: cockatrices, manticores, perytons, stirges.
Gibbering mouthers are the ultimate form of chimaerism, able to absorb other beings into themself.

Chimaerae of the Baest Notera

The Baest Notera, the bestiary of Taluma, lists many other chimaera. The vingenkaat is a lynx-owl hybrid of Lokk folklore and the naktvulf is a bat-winged wolf of the Pyth.

You can easily make a chimaera by adding wings and flight to an existing flightless beast. Depending on the creature, you can decide if its physique is conducive to full flight or if the wings only allow limited flight or even just enchanted leaping. The flight speed can be 10 faster than their land movement, 10 slower, or increased jump distance.

One such beast is the skjurrig, one of the chimaeric beasts most likely to be encountered by regular folk, especially those of large cities. It is a vile creature that is a blight on urban environments, especially those near a body of water. Resembling, and likely simply is, a huge rat with pigeon wings and tail; it is especially suited to plague communities. It cannot fully fly, but its wings allow it to bound and flit farther than a regular rat can jump. The main areas of impact they have are ravaging stores of food, destroying property, and fouling spaces with their scat; but they also are carriers of infection and disease as their smaller, natural kin do.

A skjurrig has the same stats as a giant rat or a diseased giant rat with the addition of a flying speed of 20.