SBG Fantasy Design Competition Discussion: Bestiary

Laboratory Snail, (Helicia Psionis)



Height: 0.5-3 in


Weight: 25-45 grams


Strength: Practically nonexistent


Intelligence: Base variety: low


Language: Antenna waving


Special Abilities: Useful in magical experimentation and practice, rune magic


Special Defenses: Magical resistance, life field malleability


Appearance and Rarity: A cousin of the common garden snail, the lab snail was discovered by an alchemist looking for a substitute for rats in magical experimentation. Rats, while intelligent, and possessing similar tolerances and blood types to that of humans, have little to no magical sense or resistance. For example, a simple healing spell that would work wonders on a human will as often turn a rat into a mushroom as actually heal it, it can't detect a fire ward (before being incinerated that is), and a speed draft will cause it to fly apart in spectacular fashion. They may be good for many types of science, but on the whole rats are unfit for magical use.



One day, while out looking for magical ingredients an alchemist happened upon a snail atop a particularly potent magic mushroom. The snail had apparently been eating it, and yet despite having consumed an amount that would have turned a rat into a buttery, the snail was perfectly healthy. The common garden snail thrives in the misty, mossy, moon-lit environs that many other magical creatures favor, and apparently, through diet and evolution this breed of snails had built up a resistance to magic comparable to much larger creatures, even humans. The alchemist took some home, and after observing potion effects in the snails similar to those found in humans began breeding them for magical use.

Today lab snails are fairly common, with many sub-breeds and varieties both natural and a result of magical experimentation. The most common variant is the Psionically Reactive Snail or Psnail. It resembles a tailless snail, that constantly hovers a few inches above the surface below it. While this magical phenomena does not alter the creature's speed , it has been found that when doped with the proper concoctions the life-field of the Psnail can be altered to mimic natural phenomena required for runic magic.

For example, a Psnail fed fireweed and nightshade can allow the etching of runes nearby that typically requre a summer solstice, and a full moon can be replicated with naught but a Psnail fed mint and honey.

Many older wizards argue that this violates the spirit of the thing, and that a sword "forged in fire and blood under the stars of winter, and graven with the icons of justice and fear" sounds much more poetic than a sword "forged in charcoal and oil on a Tuesday and etched with the icons of justice next to a snail in a bowl of allspice". However, with magical swords in higher demand than ever, the schedule flexibility provided by the Psnails is often too tempting to pass up.




(Note: Snails aren't for everyone.  Please consult your wizard if you are considering using snails. Not all magics are compatible with snails including dark, holy, and blood magics. Do not use snails if you are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. Do not use Psnails if you are an elf. Do not use potions of speed on snails or store them near potions of alacrity, agility, or dexterity as side effects can occur. Side effects include, nausea, blurred vision, the impression of blurred vision, numbing of eyes and throat, fingernail sensitivity, Deja-vu, death, undeath, redeath, soullessness, soul engorgement, and fatigue. Please contact your wizard if you experience any of these side effects or have premonitions of the side effects occurring. Stop waiting for the stars to forge your mystical weapons, and you ask your wizard if snails are right for you!)

I have been working on setting up the foundation for the Bestiary over on the dedicated site. Here is a sneak preview of my own humble contribution so far..

GIANT RIDING SPIDER



LOCATION: Demonsteeth Mountains
SIZE: Large

Native to the Demonsteeth mountains, the Giant Riding Spiders are so called because they were partially domesticated by the ancient Sakkala tribe over a period of several milenia, and are now nearly extinct and rarely encountered in Elatreus.

Extremely fast over short bursts (up to 60mph for up to 2 mins) and capable of climbing sheer surfaces, there are few places that the Giant Riding Spider cannot go and few prey that it cannot chase down. Additionally, its powerful legs allow it to leap in any direction up to 20′ in the air and 50′ forward, backwards or sideways from a stationary position, tripled if it is moving at speed..

With 8 faintly glowing eyes set all around its head, the Giant Riding Spider is almost impossible to surprise and has excellent night vision as it is primarily a nocturnal hunter.

The Giant Riding spider displays considerable intelligence close to that of a horse, and through magic and sheer bravery, hatch-lings can be ‘tamed’ by special techniques known only to the Sakkala (adult spiders can never be domesticated). This semi-domestication results in a unique life long bond with its rider and limited close range telepathy to such an extend that if the spider or its rider is killed, the other will become hopelessly depressed and frequently dies from self neglect.

In a wild state, the Spiders are solitary animals and typically hunt by burrowing into the ground near a well established game trail and will attack anything that is smaller than them, ignoring anything larger that may pass by.

The bite of the Giant Riding Spider is extremely toxic and anyone bitten by the spider that survives the piercing fangs will cause paralysis within 30 seconds and, if left untreated, death will follow within 1-6 hours.. They can also bite and choose not to inject venom, which they typically do on very small/easy prey or a warning nip that they are getting irritated by something.

Despite the fear they produce in most peoples other than the Sakkala, in a wild state they are surprisingly docile and if a potential meal puts up too much of a struggle or injures the spider, they will typically jump and sprint away at high speed. This behavior ceases if a Giant Riding Spider is domesticated, and due to the unique bond between rider and mount, they will never harm their rider, nor allow harm to come to them. However, if the rider goes more than 30′ from his mount, it may display some independent and undesirable behavior, moving a short distance from an area it has been instructed to wait, eating any horses tied up near it, etc.. Because of the telepathic link, the spider can sense its riders mood and will be neutral to people whom the rider considers allies and bristle and prepare to attack anyone that he has less than pleasant feelings about.

Lifespan is approx 50-70 years, but despite giving birth to large quantities of spiderlings, shedding to increase size means that it typically takes 15 years before the spider reaches maturity – and for this reason a future spider rider and spiderling are paired at birth and raised together, further increasing the bond between them.

All Giant Riding Spiders are female – the males are smaller and short lived, existing only fertilize the females before they die and are eaten by the female (or the Sakkala).

Well.... if there are rouge sentinels/automatons that you might find in the wild they could be considered beasts, but the ones under control would not be. 

Like a horse is a beast in the wild, but a mount in the army.

heres a few ideas and descriptions, please feel free to share your ideas and opinions ,or even add to or rewrite the descriptions. all these photos are borrowed from google so everyone can get the basic idea of the creatures mentioned. 


Creature name: Gargoyle
Size : varies
Appearance: varies

Gargoyles are statues or figures that are made from stone, metal or terra cota and are brought to life by magic spells or enchantments.

Their strength and defense depend on what material they are created from, it is advised to combat them with war hammers or other crushing weapons and or magic.


Creature name : Mammoth
Height : 11 foot
Weight : 6 tons


Mammoths can be found in colder climates. They are often hunted for their pelts,ivory and meat. Can become highly dangerous if provoked.

Creature name :Tundron
Weight:2 tons
Height :6 feet


Due to is temperament and low intelligence they are difficult to domesticate, but if tamed they are excellent in battle.



Creature name : Giant Ant
Height 2 and a half foot
Length: 5 foot
Weight : 100 pounds

These ants are often used to mine precious gems and metal

this really doesn't belong in the bestiary, as they are a sentient race but it will do for now

Race name : Mergurth

Sometimes called "the deep folk" ,according to legend these beings are said to dwell deep below the sea where they worship their old unknown Gods.


Sailors and fishermen describe them as the size of a man, but much more slender, with webbed hands and feet and with two tentacles protruding from their back near the shoulder blades.Their face fishlike with frilled gills under the chin and large black orbs for eyes.Small pointed teeth line the mouth. They are described as speaking in deep unintelligible guttural sounds.

During the night they come to the reefs and shallows where they are sometimes seen by passing ships, on rare occasions they have attacked said ships and carried the men overboard to drown.
They carry harpoons carved from bone ,while some weld rusted swords and other metal weapons that they no doubt scavenged from ship wrecks, the weapons are carried by the tentacles as they swim.

Kranghorn
Life Expectancy: 55 years

Height:5.6 feet, 8.5 feet long

Weight:1,500-3,000 pounds

Strength:Enormous

Intelligence:Low

Dexterity/Speed:Very low agility, medium speed

Special Defenses:Immune to the extreme heats of the Badlands, Resistance to magic


Rarity/Commonly Seen: Uncommonly found in the Badlands


The Kranghorn is an large herbivore found in plains and the deserts of the Badlands. Much larger than a horse, it has boney plates covering much of its body, making it very difficult to kill, expecially when enraged. The belly lacks plates however, and it is covered in fatty deposits that allow it to survive long stretches without food.

It also has a tall, fan like frill of skin, with cartilaginous spines that stretch out. The frill is used to regulate it's body heat, as well to frighten other kranghorns and predators.

The creature has four upward curving tusks, which it uses for self defence.

The kranghorn is a herbivore, eating the sparse, thorny plants that dot the Badlands. A thick tongue allows it to eat even the most aggressive thorned plants without pain. It also uses its wide nose and tusks to dig around in the sand to uncover water storing roots.

It's name comes from the hollow, curved part of its skull just above the nose that enables it's vocalizations a trumpet like call that it uses to communicate. It's communication is made of of trumpeting

They are extremely difficult to tame, being extremely aggressive and not intelligent enough to understand commands. Only a few have ever managed to ever tame one, many others attemptsay ending in tragedy. The Hobgoblin king owns 2 personal kranghorns, which he is said to have unleashed on a rival faction's warparty.