TRALODROEN BESTIARY
While the Tralodroen cosmos is a wild mix of all sorts of beast and beings there are some creatures that are unique to Tralodren alone.
BASILISK
Swampy Regions of Tralodren
Basilisks have long lizard-like snouts and bodies like dogs with whip like tails and feet ending in deadly claws. Their frames is covered in thick, dark green and brown scales that help them blend into their natural surroundings.
BEAST CAT
The Northlands
Beast cats are a special type of cat found only in the Northlands. In many ways they look and behave like the more common lynx, having the tufts of fur at the points of their ears and larger feet that aid in movement over snow. The key difference is their size and the longer, more catlike tail that lynx don’t possess. They have a mottled coat of fur that's more black and white mottled in the winter and brown and black mottled in the other months. A white underbelly is common all year round.
BANDED DRAKE
Mostly in the Southern Lands and Southern Hemisphere
These drakes are large, bipedal replies with small, three-fingered forearms and larger hind legs. Their jaws are filled with large sharp teeth. Their bodies are a reddish brown shade with a cream underbelly and black banding on their tail, from which comes their name.
HORNED DRAKE
Mostly in the Southern Lands and Southern Hemisphere
Horned drakes are reptilian quadrupeds whose forelimbs are shorter than their hind legs, giving them a slight slope to the shape of their bodies. Their skin is a greenish-blue with a gray splotch pattern across their back and upper tail. Their most notable feature is the hard bony covering around their head and the three horns that are connected to it: two larger ones above the eyes and one jutting out from time of the snout. They also have a bony turtle like beak that helps in their protection. The horns, and beak are ivory colored the bony frill covering shares the same color as the rest of their hide.
MARSH DRAKE
Mostly in the Southern Lands and Southern Hemisphere
Marsh drakes are massive reptilian quadrupeds who tend to live most of their lives in jungles and marshes where there are rich and diverse collections of flora which they can consume. The have a lighter brown hide and cream colored underbelly/side with dark brown stripes across their neck, back, and tail. Their forelimbs are shorter than their hind ones, but their gait and movement is unaffected. And they have been known to be rather massive beings getting up to ninety feet long and fifteen feet tall at their tallest point—their hip. One third of the length is their neck, one third their body, and the other third their tail, which they can use as whip for added defense.
PLATED DRAKE
Mostly in the Southern Lands and Southern Hemisphere
Plated drakes are large quadruped lizards with a double ridge of hard, bony plates descending from their neck all the way to the near edge of their tail where four to six large, bony spikes just out for added protection. These plates start small and increase in size, reaching its zenith at the middle of the drake before reducing in size down to the end of the tail. Its front legs are shorter than its back legs, adding to its unique appearance and movement. It also possess a beak like mouth with check teeth, further adding an interesting appearance to its long, narrow, and pointed skull.
SEA DRAKE
Large bodies of salt water—mainly oceans and seas
Sea drakes are large aquatic reptiles with four flippers for limbs, a stubby tail, and long neck leading up to a small head. The top of its body is a dark greenish blue with the bottom being a lighter shade in contrast. Its mouth is full of sharp teeth, which helps ensnare fish and other aquatic and sometimes non-aquatic life for food. About 1/3 of its length is its neck.
WINGED DRAKE
Mostly in the Southern Lands and Southern Hemisphere
Winged drakes are large bird like lizards who hunt and live around the coastal regions, seeking out fish and other small animals they can capture for food. They don’t so much have wings as flaps of skin that help them glide and find air currents in their sailing through the air. Their blue-gray bodies help them blend into the sky and waves over which they hunt. Their long, sharp beaks and bony crests tend to range in color from pale white to solid black, and even charcoal gray. The nails on their clawed feet are solid black.
GRIFFIN
Mountainous Regions
Griffins are animals comprising the back section of a lion, and the first half of a hawk (variations in their normally solid colored feathers not being unheard of in various regions through the centuries). Long sought after as mounts over the centuries, Griffins have proven to make reliable mounts, loyal and highly trainable they often bond with their rider after a given span of time that sees them even risking their life for their rider should he ever be in danger.
JACKALOPE
Found Throughout Tralodren
Jackalopes resemble slightly larger than normal jackrabbits with the males sporting a small set of deer antlers. These they use for sparing during mating season and defending themselves, their mate, and offspring from any predators they think they might be able to stand against (they usually run from most threats if they feel they’re at a loss).
KRAKEN
Any of the warmer bodies of water across Tralodren
Krakens are a strange beast that lives in the depths of the oceans and seas of Tralodren. They resemble large squid, save on their head is a hard outer shell akin to lobster’s. From this shell extend two large crab like pinchers which, along with their squid like tentacles, can do some consideration damage to anything this beast comes into contact.
MORKA
The Northlands
Morka is the name given to white-furred bears that were altered by some fiendish experiments long ago. They have since been found in small numbers over the Northlands, used primarily by the vampires of old who trained them to be their servants and protectors during the day. They never were in great numbers to begin with, but with selective breeding and training they served the vampires well for many centuries.
NIGHTHOUND
Scattered across the Southern Hemisphere
Night hounds were the product of fiendish experimentations in the area that housed what would later become the lands of the Southern Hemisphere. They had sought to create a creature similar to the barghest to help them guard their territories and track down their foes. The process created a bear like creature with a dog-like head, large claws, and no tail. Black thick fur covered its black skin while dark brown or black eyes completed the rest of its frame.
ROC
Remote towering mountain tops across Tralodren
Rocs are very large birds with a slight relation to hawks. Hidden away on cloudy mountain peaks or other near inaccessible places, they live out a solitary life hunting most of the time to keep their large frame well fed. With a powerful golden beak that is known to be able to chisel through stone, and talons that can puncture even the strongest of armors, they have few, if any, natural enemies. They are also known to be very territorial. Since their hunting grounds are fairly large it isn’t uncommon for them to find themselves contesting other creatures and even other rocs who have entered into their territory.
SERPENT
Warmer climates—water or land across Tralodren
Serpents are very similar to snakes save they are of a greater size and have a mouth filled with two rows of razor sharp teeth. They also don’t have fangs filled with poison preferring to trap their victims and then either rip their throat out or squeeze them to death and then devour them. Another major difference between snakes and serpents is with their scales. A serpent’s back is covered with thicker, larger scales that make it harder to harm and can be lifted up to a small degree which can then be used as tiny knifes, slicing into enemies or prey (especially when they have coiled around their victim). These scales are lacking on their under belly, making them the same as normal snakes in that respect.
Finally, serpents don’t really stop growing as they age, some serpents having been seen at a some incredible lengths, and even as wide as a man or larger. They also can be found in varied terrain from warmer steps to temperate lands and even in water (lakes, rivers, even coastal areas around the seas and oceans).
SOUTHERN LION
Steppes and Grasslands in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern lions are the only form of lions known in the Southern Hemisphere, just as the more earth-known type lion is found to be the understood example of the species in the Northern Hemisphere. And for the most part they are fairly similar to each other save in some cosmetic differences.
Southern lions are a deep reddish brown that grows a bit lighter in shade on the insides of their legs and underbelly as well as around their muzzle. The male has a sandy blonde mane of hair that covers his head like with the northern lion, but spreads further down his back stopping when it reaches his shoulders. The same thick hair forms cuffs around his ankles that rise up to his knees. The tuft of hair at the end of his tail is also blonde.