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The Bestiary

Thank you for choosing a product from the Daracoss Tourism Agency (a company of the Five Dragons Corporation).

The Daracoss Tourism Agency (a company of the Five Dragons Corporation) would like to point out once again in compliance with the guidelines (set up and represented by the Five Dragons Corporation) that the information mentioned in this bestiary does not replace extensive combat training and therefore does not constitute basic training to be successful to fight against named creatures. It is strongly advised not to seek out these beings without suitable equipment and battle-proven escort or at all.

This bestiary contains various creatures from the world of Daracoss. A more detailed explanation of the characteristics and abilities of the individual creatures can be found in the entries. In most cases, each entry describes a typical creature of the corresponding species and corresponds to the form that adventurers would most likely encounter.

(Your experience may vary)

The entries are listed in abbreviated form. The usual wild and farm animals were not inserted.

The Daracoss Tourism Agency (a company of the Five Dragons Corporation) would like to point out that the entries in this work do not represent a complete list of all creatures. It may well be, that creatures roam the world that are not listed in this bestiary or in a different form than described in the entries.

Thank you for your trust and a pleasant journey.

Carrioncrawler:

The stench of rotting flesh surrounds the creature's multifaceted, segmented, approximately 3.00 m long body. Eight slim, squirming tentacles arise directly below her mandibles and her toothed mouth.

Carrioncrawlers are aggressive, underground scavengers who are very feared due to their debilitating attacks. They browse their underground areas for dead and rotting meat, but they don't hesitate to attack and kill living creatures as well.

Each scavenger tentacle is about 60 cm long and secretes a sticky, paralyzing substance. A fully grown specimen can weigh up to 230 kg.

Carrioncrawlers use their keen eyes and fine sense of smell to track down carcasses and possible prey. An attacking carrioncrawler strikes with its tentacles and tries to paralyze its victim. The strokes of the tentacles cause no direct damage, but the debilitating effect sets in shortly after skin contact and lasts for several hours. The scavenger then kills its paralyzed victim with its bite attacks and then devours it. Carrioncrawlers are loners and can only be found in groups during the mating season, which makes them no less dangerous. They like to ambush with their tentacles as they move swiftly around the walls or ceiling.

Achaierai:

The big creature stands on four stilt-like legs. Her round and clumsy body is strongly reminiscent of that of a bird, but roughly the size of a young horse. This body is covered by feathers, the color of which ranges from brown to red. Her terrible claws and beak shine like polished metal.

Achaierai are huge ratites that live in the desert areas of Sullfar and can only occasionally be found outside of this area. They are evil, smart, predatory and have a strong tendency to torture. What is shown in playing with their prey. A long way of suffering can take place before the grace strike arrives.

In close combat, Achaierais swing out with two of their four legs and snap shut with their powerful beak. They usually attack in a flash and then withdraw again before the victim can react. In the event of danger, they can secrete a suffocating, black poison cloud that covers a radius of almost three meters. When in direct contact, it causes severe shortness of breath and stunned vision. Prolonged exposure can even lead to loss of consciousness. The effects can last for several hours.

Adult specimens reach a weight of up to 300 kg and a standing size of 3.00 m. But this is due to the stilt-like legs, their bodies themselves do not get any bigger than those of an adult horse. They are often traveling in groups of up to eight creatures.

Ankheg:

The floor opens up in an explosion of small rocks and dirt. A segmented insect with slender legs that ends in sharp claws emerges from the hole. A hard chitin shell covers his body, and glittering black eyes sit over the powerful mandibles.

An Ankheg is a monster that digs through the earth and has a penchant for fresh meat. To be found mostly in warm areas.

An Ankheg has six legs, and some specimens have a yellow rather than brown shell. Adult specimens can be up to 3.00 m long and weigh 350 kg.

The Ankheg uses his legs and mandibles to dig. It typically does not leave a usable tunnel when digging, but can create tunnels if it so wishes. In this case, it only moves forward at half its movement rate. Ankhegs dig passages up to twelve meters below the surface in the rich soil of forests or farmland. These tunnels are approximately 1.50 m high and wide and between 18 and 45 m long. The hollowed out ends serve the Ankheg temporarily as a shelter for eating, sleeping and hibernating.

Ankhegs can eat rotten, organic material, but still prefer fresh meat.

An Ankheg is usually between 1.50 and 3.00 m below the surface of the earth and waits until its feelers sense that prey is approaching. Then he digs himself up and attacks surprisingly. Groups of Ankhegs (2-4) share the same area, but do not work together. When several of them attack, each of them tries to catch another enemy. If there are not enough targets, it can happen that two Ankhegs take the same target and fight with it.

First and foremost, they try to bite their victims. Their strong jaws grab the prey and then they pull them into their tunnel, where they ultimately kill and eat them. If the first packing maneuver fails, they often pull back underground to try again. If they are injured or the prey continues to elude their grip, they spit on their victims with caustic stomach acid. This attack can have a range of up to 9.00 m. They cannot use this attack very often. After such an attack, their body needs several hours to produce enough acid again.

The acid is very aggressive and is able to dissolve meat within seconds. This effect can be achieved with leather or metal armor, but the affected piece of equipment should be removed as soon as possible after contact.

Ethereal Marauder:

This creature comes from the world of summoning and is also at home in the Deathtrap-Labyrinth below Path, or summoned by the help of a magician.

This creature resembles a bipedal lizard with a snake-like tail. Probably its most confusing feature is the complete absence of a head. Instead, the creature has a wide gaping mouth, which is lined with three strong mandibles and inside which shiny, night-black teeth line up. Between the mandibles three small eyes frame the mouth.

Ethereal marauders are aggressive predators who can quickly move out of the material level to attack enemies even through obstacles. The color of such a creature ranges from light blue to deep purple. An Ethereal Marauder is approximately 1.20 m high, but almost 2.00 m long and weighs approximately 90 kg.

These monsters do not speak a known language. Survivors of their attacks, however, claim that they emit an eerie and high howl that varies depending on the speed of the creature.

When an Ethereal Marauder discovers its prey, it changes from the material level to the etheric level during its attack. For the short duration of this effect, his body pulls a distorted, shadow-like veil behind him. In this state, it is able to move through solid objects and becomes insensitive to physical attacks. You can fight that with magic.

This doesn't make them any less dangerous, their jaws are strong enough to crack even a plate armor with ease.

Ethereal Spider:

This creature comes from the realm of summoning and is also at home in the Deathtrap-Labyrinth below Path, or it was summoned by a magician.

This creature is strongly reminiscent of a giant wolf spider, except that it has a larger head and there are piebald drawings in white, gray and blue on its back and eight legs. Her eight eyes are silvery white.

Ethereal Spiders are aggressive predators who like to attack from ambush. They are able to switch from the material level to the etheric level, which they like to use in their attacks. What can make them dangerous enemies. While moving on the other level, they cannot do direct damage or suffer on the material level. Which can be fatal at the wrong time. They like to jump their victims out of the shadows from the walls, or let themselves fall from the ceiling to surprise their prey.

The body of a large ether spider is 2.40 m long and weighs approximately 200 kg. They have strong mandibles on the sides of their mouths and two large fangs in their jaws, which hold an anesthetic poison ready. Each of her eight legs ends in a smooth black claw, which can also be used as effective weapons.

Magic can get them, or at least prevent them, while changing levels.

Barghest:

A horrible wolf-like creature with a shimmering blue fur, long sharp claws, and a devilish glint of intelligence in her hateful, glowing eyes.

A barghest is a monster that is shaped like a distorted wolf. However, with fearsome fangs and sharp claws. They roam the world to feed on blood and souls and become stronger.

As a puppy barghest can hardly be distinguished from a wolf except for their size and their claws. When they get bigger and stronger, their skin color darkens to a bluish red and finally turns completely blue.

A fully grown specimen like the one described here is about 1.80 m tall and weighs just under 80 kg. A barghest's eyes shimmer in an orange glow when excited.

Depending on their prey, they use their natural weapons. Although they have an urge to kill, they usually lack the courage to attack directly. Which is why they prefer to approach ambushed and attack when the opportunity arises. They have the ability to wrap themselves and their immediate surroundings in a black, opaque veil. Which makes their sneaky attacks even more deadly. If they attack in a group, they usually concentrate on the weakest opponent.

Basilisk:

The creature is reminiscent of a large reptile, but has a stocky body and eight legs. A row of bony spines grows on her back and her eyes emanate an eerie, pale green glow.

The basilisk is a reptile-like monster that can petrify living creatures with its naked eyes. Surviving a basilisk fight requires either careful preparation or a lot of luck.

Basilisks can live well in almost any climate and also in underground areas. They usually live in flat buildings, caves or other protected places. The entrance to a basilisk nest can often be recognized by the lifelike statues and sculptures, which are actually the unfortunate beings that met his eyes. Basilisks are omnivores and can even devour their petrified victims. They make excellent guards, provided you have the magical or financial means to catch and hold one.

The body of a basilisk is usually dull brown with a yellowish undertone. Some specimens have a small, curved horn on their nose. The body of a full-grown basilisk is up to 1.80 m long, although the tail is not included. This can again reach the length of 1.50 to 2.10 m. The creature weighs approximately 300 kg

Basilisks rely on their eye attack and only bite when their prey approaches melee distance. The petrifying effect is heralded by a bright shimmer in her eyes. This is followed by a conical, black flash of light, which can have an effective range of up to 8.00 m in length and up to 4.00 m in width. Every living creature that is struck by the black flash of light in this area begins to turn into stone. The time it takes for a complete transformation varies in size and type of victim and can range from a few minutes to a few hours. A completely petrified living creature can no longer be saved. Basilisks are immune to this flash of light.

Although the basilisk has eight legs, its sturdy build makes it relatively sluggish. They don't waste their energy unnecessarily. In the worst case, intruders who flee from a basilisk instead of fighting it may face half-hearted persecution. They spend most of their time lying down and waiting for prey. When not hunting, they often have an extended digestive sleep in their homes.

Treeshepherd:

This large creature closely resembles a busy tree. Their skin is thick, brown and has a bark-like structure. The arms are gnarled like branches and the legs look like a split tree trunk. Dozens of small branches grow from the eyes and head, from which large leaves hang.

The properties of trees and humans come together in Treeshepherds. They are inherently peaceful, but can be deadly opponents if irritated. They hate evil and careless handling of fire because they see themselves as the guardians of the trees.

The foliage of a Treeshepherd is deep green in spring and summer and changes to yellow, orange or red in autumn and winter, but rarely falls off. When a Treeshepherd closes his legs, they fit together so that they look like a tree trunk. And if a Treeshepherd does not move, it is practically indistinguishable from a normal tree.

A Treeshepherd can grow up to 9.00 m tall, and his trunk is almost 60 cm in diameter. Such a specimen weighs approximately 2000 kg.

Treeshepherds prefer to watch potential enemies carefully before attacking. Often they suddenly storm out of their cover to trample the wicked of the forest. When troubled in a fight, they enliven trees and plants to support them.

These wooden creatures are easy to get hold of by fire, but care should be taken not to let them fight.

Behir:

At first glance, the creature appears like a giant, armored snake that moves forward across the floor at great speed. Then suddenly, without slowing down a bit, she unfolds a full dozen legs from her snake-like body and rushes into the attack.

The Behir is a snake-like monster that can crawl over the floor like a snake or move on its twelve legs at a remarkable speed.

An adult Behir is about 6.00 m long and weighs about 900 kg. If he wants, he can put his limbs close to his narrow, long body and crawl across the floor like a snake. The color of a Behir ranges from ultramarine to a deep dark blue with brown stripes. The belly is light blue. The two big horns, bent backwards, look dangerous, but they are not used for fighting. The Behir uses them to clean his scales.

The Behir shows a great aversion to dragons and their relatives and never live with dragons of any kind. If a dragon enters a territory of a Behirs, he will try everything to drive the dragon away again. If this does not succeed, the Behir moves away and looks for a new home. A Behir would never knowingly enter a dragon's territory.

Usually a Behir bites and seizes its prey first, then devours it completely or strangles it. A Behir can only use its claws against opponents that it has already taken hold of. When faced with a large number of opponents, he uses his ability to protect. Here he puts his scale armor under power, which discharges when the Behirs is touched and then has to be recharged. The discharge is strong enough to kill someone in bad shape. In most cases, painful cramps or loss of consciousness are among the symptoms that occur. This gives the Behir time to escape.

Living Item:

Living Items come in all colors, shapes and sizes. They owe their existence as creatures to spells and incantations.

Living Items only fight like the one who animated them, directs and guides them. They obey orders without asking and to their best ability. Since they do not have to breathe and never tire, they can be extremely capable servants.

The type of attack depends on the type, size and shape of the animate object. A Living Item becomes inactive as soon as the spellcaster is turned off or the creature is released.

Beholder:

It hovers exactly in the middle of the passage, a spherical body with a never blinking central eye and a large mouth full of dagger-like teeth. On the top of the spherical body arise numerous, twisting tentacles, at the end of which there are smaller eyes.

Beholders are the stuff nightmares are made of. These creatures, also known as the "Eye-Tyrant", are notorious as deadly adversaries.

A Beholder is a sphere about 2.40 m in diameter, the sight of which is shaped by a large central eye and a tooth-reinforced mouth. Ten more tentacle-like stems emerge from the top of the sphere, each with a smaller eye at its end.

A Beholders primary weapon is his extraordinarily powerful fighting magic. With deadly precision, this monster uses a wide range of elemental magic and is even able to conjure up the eye of a basilisk. They also like to use telekinesis to throw larger objects at their opponents. A brief glimmer in the central eye, or the eyes of the tentacles, announces the impending attack. The color of the shimmer gives an indication of the magic used to attack.

If a Beholder gets into trouble, he uses his protective mechanism and creates an anti-magic cone around him, which covers a diameter of 45 m. All life forms in the light cone, including the Beholder, immediately block their magical access and

cannot use it for several hours.

Beholders come from the realm of summoning and requires a high degree of willpower to control them, even after they are called. Beholders are aggressive and full of hate and always try to rebel against their callers. If they overcame the will of their masters, they would roam the world uncontrollably and cause chaos wherever they appear. But whoever has them under control has an excellent guard in his service.

Beholders often attack without any provocation. Although they are not particularly strong physically, they often jump in the middle of the ranks of their opponents in order to use as many eyes as possible.

During a fight, they create a magical barrier around them, which makes them almost insensitive to physical damage. These monsters must be mastered with strong magic. The central eye, as well as the magic-like tentacle eyes should be targeted as weak points.

Blood-Mosquito:

This vicious-looking creature looks like a cross between a feather mouse and a giant mosquito. It has four membrane-like bat wings, a short furry body, eight articulated legs that end in sharp pliers and a needle-thin suction proboscis.

Blood-Mosquitoes are bat-like creatures that feed on the blood of other creatures. A single Blood-Mosquito poses little danger to an adventurer, but several together can pose a serious threat.

The color of a Blood-Mosquito ranges from rust red to a reddish brown. The underside of their bodies is dirty yellow. The trunk is pink at the tip and turns gray at the root. The body of a Blood-Mosquito is about 30 cm long. They have a wingspan of around 60 cm. It weighs almost half a kilo.

A Blood-Mosquito attacks her victim by landing on him, looking for a vulnerable spot and sinking her proboscis into the flesh. Once a mosquito has established itself, it is very difficult to get rid of it without serious injuries. The sharp tongs on her legs can cause deep cuts when removed. In addition, their proboscis are welcome carriers of diseases and infections. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that it does not become stuck.

Chuul:

The creature rises from the still water like a monstrous insect or shellfish and clicks furiously with its scissor-like claws, while the light of the torch is reflected on its gray shell. Her tiny black eyes fix everyone hungry and the tentacles growing out of her mouth twist with excitement as the creature rises from the water.

The Chuul is a terrible mixture of shellfish, insect and snake. A real hideousness that waits for its prey, half or completely submerged, to devour it.

Chuuls are amphibians, but only clumsy swimmers who prefer to stay on land or in very shallow water during a fight.

A Chuul is known to collect trophies from its victims. Although they cannot use weapons, armor, and most other equipment, they still store them in their homes. If one of her victims does not have any interesting possessions, the Chuul takes his head instead.

Although most Chuuls live in swamps and jungle areas, some have adapted to living underground and hunt near subterranean rivers and lakes or him himself.

An adult Chuul is approximately 2.40 m long and can weigh up to 300 kg.

A Chuul usually submerges in cloudy, near-shore water and waits until it hears prey nearby (in the water or on land), which it can then surprisingly attack.

Chuuls grab and choke their prey with their powerful claws before using their debilitating tentacles. The debilitating substance is secreted at the tip of the tentacle and the effect occurs immediately after skin contact. The strength of the effect varies according to the size and type of the victim, as well as the amount delivered.

A Chuul always tries to have at least one of its claws hands free. So when dealing with multiple opponents, he drops paralyzed or dead victims and first tries to kill, choke, or paralyze the rest of them.

Demons:

Demons arise from the realm of summoning and require a high level of willpower to call and control them.

The biodiversity of demons knows no limits. They often manifest themselves as nightmarish images of their victims' fears. Even if it does not appear to be so, demons always try to break the chains of their callers and masters and seize them. If they succeed, they will bring death and destruction to their masters.

Called demons need an anchor to stay in this world. These can be ordinary objects or even living persons. To finally banish a demon, it is not enough to destroy its manifestation. The anchor must also be destroyed, otherwise this hideous creature can manifest again.

Demons are masters of deception and intrigue. They feast on the misery of mortals, which they cause through their actions.

Dragons:

Dragons are an ancient, venerable family of winged, reptile-like creatures. They are known and feared for their size, physical power and magical abilities. In addition to the Guardians, the oldest dragons are among the most powerful creatures in the world (for more information, see the issue: The Guardiandragons).

Not all types of dragons gain more skills and power as they age. This is reserved for the Archon dragons only. The use of magic among the dragons is only possible for the Archon (further information can be found in the edition: The Folks of Daracoss).

Their physical size differs greatly, depending on the type and gender. Dragons have a very long lifespan of several thousand years, but it turns out that only a few experience such an old age. Territorial fights, wars and targeted hunts for the dragons efficiently ensure a lower life expectancy. The oldest dragon still alive is said to be Arbraxxas. His lifespan has been in existence for more than 1600 years (approximate estimate).

The physical sizes in adult age vary depending on the type and gender. They move from the day of hatching from 40 cm shoulder height to an imposing stature of up to 10 m. The span results, depending on the genus, proportional to the body size.

Biodiversity is now divided into a spectrum that is difficult to document, as their species have increasingly mixed and even some hybrid crosses have crept in.

This entry focuses on the types typical in society:

-Horntail

A Horntail can be easily recognized by the long tail. In the size category they are located at the middle and can be ridden. The physical characteristics are the massive horns and claws, as well as the spiked tail. The tail tip has bony outgrowths that match those of its horns. They can use them like a pointed club in combat. The color of their scales mostly shows up in darker shades of green and brown.

Adult specimens reach a shoulder height of 2.50 to 4.00 m.

-Bladewing

A Bladewing is probably the best known plagiarism as a mount among the dragons. Their physical proportions and also their trustfulness made the Bladewing an excellent companion in earlier times. They can easily be recognized by the eponymous claws on their long wings, which strongly resemble a straight blade. The length of these claws can be up to 60 cm. These can also be used as effective weapons in combat. They can cause deep cuts in flight, but are also stable enough to cling to walls and structures for landing. They have dense scales on their bodies and the chest and abdomen are covered by larger plates. The colors change depending on the origin. Often it is shades of gray with green or red features. Metallic glitter is also common when sunlight falls on their scales.

Adult specimens reach a shoulder height of 2.00 to 3.00 m.

• Spineback

A Spineback can be easily recognized by its physical size and the spiked body. They are among the largest representatives of the dragons. Adult specimens are able to trample whole houses. In addition to their physical size, their eponymous spines make it impossible to use them as mounts. They can set up their spikes imposingly for intimidation purposes and even repel them in the event of danger. In this case, it only takes a few days for a new stinger to grow, and they are also highly resistant to poisons. The scale colors are mostly in light and dark brown and green tones.

Adult specimens reach a shoulder height of 4.00 to 6.00 m.

• Sanddiver

Sanddivers are a dragon species that can only be found in desert areas. In Sullfar, these wingless kites are not a rare sight. They have a leather skin, covered with small overlapping scales in pale browns and yellows. As their name suggests, they are able to dive through the high sand dunes of the desert and thus result in a fast and reliable means of transport through the scorching distances. They have a high and stable back crest, which always sticks out of the sand during their dives. The scales on the neck and over the back are plate-like and very resistant, plus a streamlined bony head. Their paws look like fins, but with sturdy leather webs between their toes. The tail is serpentine with broad and resistant bone plates on it.

Adult specimens reach a shoulder height of 2.50 to 3.00 m.

• Fintail

Fintails seem to be the wet twins of the sand divers. Their bodies are more elegantly shaped and their back comb and broad caudal fin are a lot smoother than their sandy colleagues. With the one big difference that they have wings. But these kites are better swimmers than flyers. With their powerful fins, they are able to pull even the largest merchant ships out of the harbor. That is why they have become indispensable employees in trade and fisheries. Unlike the sand divers, their scales are finer, streamlined and not as thick. Their colors blur in beautiful patterns of dark and light shades of blue with striking features of red, green and violet.

Adult specimens reach a shoulder height of 2.00 to 3.00 m.

A dragon attacks with its powerful claws and bite. In addition, he can use his innate abilities (depending on the species) and has special physical attacks depending on the size. A dragon also likes to fight from the air (if it is airworthy) and remains out of range until it has worn down its enemies with ranged attacks. Older dragons are also trained to accurately assess their opponents and to eliminate the most dangerous ones first, or to avoid them first and take care of the weaker ones first.

Their arsenal of physical weapons and protective scale skin make them tough opponents that are not easy to overcome.

Additional caution is required with Archon dragons, which have a wide range of combat magic and are even more dangerous opponents when dealing with their Archon weapons.

Dragonturtle:

This creature has a wide, streamlined shell with sawtooth-like protrusions. From one end of this shell emerges a long neck that ends in a bony head with sharp jaws. Claw-reinforced fins spring in separate holes on the sides of the shell and the creature pulls a long, snake-like tail behind it.

Dragon turtles are among the most beautiful, impressive and feared creatures in the water. Deadly jaws, steaming hot breath and the tendency to capsize large ships make them a nightmare for all sailors.

An emerging dragon turtle is sometimes mistaken for reflecting the sun or moon on the water. Her rough, dark green shell is almost the same color as the deep water she prefers to be in. The silver spots on their tanks are reminiscent of lights dancing on the open sea. The legs, tail and head of the Dragonturtle are lighter green and have golden spots.

An adult Dragonturtle can measure between 6.00 and 9.00 m from snout to tail, have a shell with a diameter between 4.50 and 7.50 m and weigh between 3600 and 14500 kg.

Dragonturtles are fierce fighters and usually attack any creature that threatens their territory or looks like a possible meal. They often start their attack by appearing at lightning speed and capsizing the ship. A fully grown specimen is able to capsize even a ship with a length of 18 m. They are also not afraid to pull smaller ships and boats into the deep if they cross their territory. They are able to emit a gush of boiling hot steam, which can cause the worst scalding in direct contact. They can also use this ability under water and thus bring the water to a boil in a matter of seconds.

Dark Coat (Corpseshrouds):

The stalactite above you seems to be breaking up, revealing that it is actually a creature reminiscent of an octopus. Her body is covered by a rock-hard shell and a firm membrane stretches between her tentacles.

The Dark Coat, or often called the Corpseshroud, lurks near cave ceilings and waits for its prey to pass beneath it. His ability to create a magic shadow makes it difficult to spot.

A Dark coat can hold onto the ceiling with the help of a muscular foot at the top of his head. It can look like a stalactite when it rigidly extends its tentacles down, or like a boulder by spreading its tentacles so that the membrane covers its body. Its shell and membrane are usually the color of limestone, but the Dark Coat can change its color to resemble almost any stone background. A gloomy coat is about 14 kg heavy and 1.20 m long from the tip of its tentacles to its head.

A Dark Coat attacks by dropping on its prey and wrapping its tentacles around its head. Once it clings, it squeezes and tries to suffocate its prey. The membrane contracts so much that the larger specimens can deform even a metal helmet. If the first attempt at packing fails, it often flies up again and tries to fall on the opponent again.

Physically, they are easy to overcome, provided you know about the trap. The deadliest weapon of a Dark Coat is therefore the element of surprise.

Elves:

(Further information on society can be found in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss)

This humanoid is slim and a little smaller than a human. He has pale skin and dark hair. Pointed ears adorn the sides of his slightly elongated head. The average size is 1.60 m and the weight is almost 50 kg.

Elves are cautious fighters and take the time to analyze their opponents and the location of the fight beforehand, if possible. They maximize their advantage by using ambushes, sharpshooters and camouflage.

The preferred weapons are longbows, shortbows, rapiers and longswords. In close combat, elves are graceful and deadly. They use complex maneuvers that are wonderful to look at. They have an innate bond to magic, which gives their magicians an additional advantage, but at the same time makes them more susceptible to their effects.

Flickerdog:

This big wild dog has a yellow-brown fur and appears completely normal at first glance. Then he suddenly disappears and reappears in another place at the same moment.

A Flickerdog is an intelligent dog creature that has limited teleporting skills. (Scholars have yet to explain how these creatures do this because they are not susceptible to magic)

Flickerdogs have a pronounced social behavior and always move around in packs. They eat meat and vegetable material in equal parts. They avoid the lands of the people and drive out humaniods who enter their territory. Flickerdogs speak their own language. A complex mixture of barking, gasping, whimpering and growling, with which they can exchange information with each other. If they don't hunt, they are very playful. However, they are very careful to protect their puppies, which are sometimes stolen by strangers and then trained as guard animals.

Flickerdogs hunt as a pack. They teleport in an apparently random pattern until they have encircled their prey, allowing some of them to pinch their victim. The range of the teleportation is limited and does not extend further than 3 m. However, this ability can be used at short intervals, making it extremely difficult for a hunter to keep an eye on his target. Especially when the whole pack is moving.

Adult specimens reach a shoulder height of 1.10 m and a length of 2.10 m with a weight of 180 kg.

Gargoyle:

This creature looks like a grotesque little humanoid with wings. She has a horned head and skin like that of stone.

There is no direct danger from these pests. They are also commonly called the plague of travelers if they are unlucky enough to run into them.

These buggers can speak and are no taller than 30 cm. Their skin is gray to dark gray and they have an elongated, thin tail. Despite the wings, they are not creatures capable of flying. They only use them for short gliding flights.

The claws of these beings cannot do any particularly threatening damage. They prefer to use nerve-wracking pranks, such as stealing provisions and valuables, but also stupid sayings and bad jokes to travelers. In this regard, they have their own kind of humor, which is why they mostly only laugh at their jokes themselves.

They make fun of the hidden things about travelers and can become uninvited, extremely annoying travel companions. They are often found in the mountains, but also in denser forests.

An effective way to get rid of them is to ignore their prank and pretend it isn't there, which will ultimately make them lose interest. Which goes wrong in most cases, because these beasts have a talent to drive travelers to the heat. Another option is to chase him away or kill him. However, this presupposes that you also find him. Because in hiding these beings are almost as talented. If they are discovered, they usually get into a tantrum, insult their victim and start spitting on them. Their saliva emits a foul-smelling stench as it dries.

If a Gargoyle is killed, its body hardens rapidly and becomes a lifeless, small granite figure. These small trophies are always a good explanation for delays in dealerships.

Mindflayers (Illithids):

This strange, in the broadest sense humanoid, creature is somewhat larger than a human. Their rubbery, mauve flesh is covered with a glittery slime. The creature's head is reminiscent of an octopus with four tentacles and looks even more terrifying due to its white, puffy eyes.

The Mindflayers, also called Illithids, have been found in Daracoss since the spherical conjunction (for more information, see the issue: The Spherical Conjunction). They are a rare and feared sight. Mindflayers are so insidious, devilish, and powerful that many creatures fear them. They subject other creatures to their will and smash their enemies' spirits. They prefer to stay in underground areas.

When the hideous mouth of a Mindflayer is not exactly sucking out the brain of a living victim, oily mucus drips from it constantly. Mindflayers are not only highly intelligent and sadistic, but are also exclusively concerned with their own good. If a fight turns against a Flayer, he flees on the spot. He is completely indifferent to the fate of his companions and servants.

A Mindflayer is a little bigger than a human, but about the same weight. They are able to speak, but prefer telepathic communication, similar to the Gift of Voice used by the Archon (for more information, see the issue: Rituals and Magic).

Mindflayers prefer to fight at a distance and relentlessly use their powers and magic, especially their thought thrust. This attack ignores any armor and directly attacks the body. The effect usually causes sufferers from paralysis or loss of consciousness. Mindflayers often hunt by incapacitating their victims and then dragging them away to feed on them.

When a Flayer is forced into close combat, it strikes its opponents with the tentacles that surround its mouth. If he can grasp the victim's head with all tentacles, he immediately pierces the skull and sucks the brain.

Mindflayers are able to subject other creatures to their will. These slaves obey their masters at their word. Like a malicious puppeteer, they tempt these creatures to attack their opponents, or try to sneak into their enemies' thoughts and anger them. So beware of suspicious whispers that enter your thoughts in the dark. It could be a Mindflayer who wants to seize them.

Ghosts:

Ghosts are the disembodied remains of intelligent creatures that, for one reason or another, cannot find rest in their grave.

Some ghosts go about their business without showing much interest in the living. Others, however, are malicious creatures who hate all life and try to destroy it whenever they can. Ghosts can be driven out or destroyed, but they keep coming back until they take care of the reason for their existence as a Ghost.

A Ghost closely resembles its physical form during life, but in some cases the spiritual form is slightly changed. Some Ghosts look peaceful and beautiful, while others are distorted and terrible things that you can clearly see the suffering of the undead. Often (but by no means always) there is a connection with the external appearance of a Ghost and its ethos. But such speculations are very dangerous.

The behavior of a Ghost typically corresponds to obsolescence during life. For example, the Ghost of a greedy person could continue to accumulate wealth even though it has no use for it. Similarly, a ghost is typically tied to the place of its death. If the miser just mentioned died in a robbery, his Ghost could remain in the shop and terrorize the new owner just like everyone else who does business there. However, this is not a rule set in stone. Many ghosts roam freely.

Ghosts are considered undead and in some cases are able to move through solid objects. This also applies to their attacks. With magic and weapons infused with magic, they can be effectively added. But in order to banish them completely, you have to take care of the reason for their remaining on this level, otherwise they keep coming back.

Ghoul:

This disgusting creature still looks more or less humanoid, but its spotty rotting flesh stretches across its clearly visible bones. It is largely hairless and has the sharp fangs of a predator. Her eyes glow like hot coals deep in her sockets.

Ghouls haunt cemeteries, battlefields, and other sites where the carrion, they are hungry for, is abundant. These terrible creatures lurk wherever the stench of death fills the air, waiting for an opportunity to devour unwary victims.

It is said, that Ghouls are the result of the death of men and women who have enjoyed the taste of human flesh. This may or may not be true, but it explains the repulsive behavior of these man-eating undead. Some also believe that any particularly extravagant or evil life runs the risk of becoming a Ghoul. The transformation of the living being into this terrible creature of the night has disfigured his mind and filled him with predatory cunning.

If possible, Ghouls try to attack unexpectedly. They jump behind tombstones or break out of flat graves. Bites and scratches from Ghouls can have a paralyzing effect and there is a risk of getting the Ghoul-Fever. Ghoul-Fever is an aggressive disease that kills the person concerned without quick treatment within a few days and subsequently revives him as a Ghoul.

Although they are loners, their hunger usually lures them in packs to their feeding places. Like many undead, they fear fire especially.

Gnoll:

This humanoid creature is a little taller than a human. It has gray skin, a body covered with fur, the head of a hyena and a reddish gray mane.

Gnolls are malevolent humanoids with hyena heads that roam in loose tribal groups. Most Gnolls have a dirty yellow or reddish brown fur.

Gnolls are nocturnal carnivores, which prefers intelligently creatures to prey, because they scream more. They tend to think with their stomachs, and when they form covenants (usually with goblins or trolls), they are often obsolete once the Gnolls get hungry. They don't have much left for travelers and other humanoids and loathe physical work. They are able to use weapons and armor. A Gnoll is about 2.00 m tall and weighs about 130 kg.

A Gnoll tribe is ruled by its strongest member, who uses fear, intimidation, and sheer strength to stay in power. When a leader is killed, the strongest members fight to succeed him. If these fights last too long or several fighters die, the tribe may well split into smaller gangs, each going their own way. Thanks to their aversion to physical labor, they always take slaves for the dirty work. A slave always pays for 10 Gnolls. These are mostly humans, elves, dwarves and goblins. However, the mortality rate of these slaves is very high due to the Gnolls' appetite.

Gnolls particularly like to attack when they are outnumbered. And they use hordes tactics and their great strength to overpower and defeat their opponents. They usually show little discipline in a fight, but if they have a strong leader, they can maintain battle lines and fight in a coordinated manner. They typically don't set traps, but they often ambush and try to pinch their opponents.

Goblin:

This small humanoid has a flat face, a wide nose, pointed ears and a wide mouth with small, sharp fangs. He walks upright, but his arms are almost down to his knees.

Goblins are small humanoids that many see only as a nuisance. Nevertheless, you should keep them under control, otherwise they can overrun and devastate civilized areas due to their huge number, their rapid reproduction and their evil nature.

A goblin is almost 90 cm tall and weighs between 20 and 25 kg. They have red to yellow, mostly glassy and cloudy eyes. The skin color of the goblins ranges from yellow to all shades from orange to deep red. As a rule, all members of a tribe have the same skin color. Goblins wear dark leather clothing, often in dark, earthy colors. They do not seem to have their own language and can speak and understand the common language in chunks.

Being pushed around by bigger and stronger creatures has taught the goblins to take advantage of their few advantages: their large number and their malicious ingenuity. The concept of a fair fight has no meaning in their society. They prefer ambushes, outnumbered tactics, dirty tricks and anything else they can think of to give them superiority.

Goblins have little sense of strategy and are naturally cowardly. When the battle turns against them, they usually take flight. However, with expert guidance, they can execute complex plans, and then their large numbers can become a lethal advantage for them.

Goblins live in tribes, which are usually led by the largest, strongest and sometimes by the smartest members. They have practically no understanding of privacy and live and sleep in large common areas. Only the leaders live for themselves. Goblins live by attacking and stealing from others (if possible those who cannot defend themselves or defend themselves so easily). Nor are they too good to lurk travelers on the streets or in the woods and take away all their possessions, even including the clothes they wear.

These creatures live wherever they can. From damp caves to barren ruins. Because they lack hygiene completely, their homes are always dirty and smelly. Goblins often settle near civilized areas that they can raid to steal food, livestock, tools, weapons, and other goods. If a tribe has plundered a place, it simply packs its things and moves on to a more suitable place.

Golems:

Golems are magically created constructs of great strength. Making a Golem requires the use of powerful magic and materials. The base material changes depending on the type of Golem to be created.

The force that brings a Golem to life is a spirit from the elemental level of the earth. During the creation of the Golem, the spirit is involuntarily bound into the core of the artificial body and subjected to the will of the one who makes the Golem.

Golems are extraordinarily strong and tireless in battle. Since they are mindless, they do nothing without an order from their creator. They follow their instructions verbally and are incapable of strategies and tactics of any kind. They are completely emotionless and therefore cannot be provoked. The creator can give orders if the Golem can hear and see it. A Golem who is not commanded will follow his last order to the best of his ability, but if attacked, will return the attack. This makes them excellent guards who carry out their orders uncompromisingly.

The Tormenter-Collective is an exception (further information can be found in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss).

Their sizes and shapes vary based on the purpose of the creation and the materials used. The rough classification is:

• Iron Golem

  • Meat Golem
  • Crystal golem
  • Clay Golem
  • Stone Golem

Golems are insensitive to many types of magical attacks. They are also unable to feel pain and are immune to poisoning. If ordered to do so, they will tirelessly attack until the order has been executed, they are destroyed, or given another order. Killing the creator is ineffective and leaves the Golem with his last instruction, which he continues until he is destroyed.

Grasxen:

The Grasxen belong to a dying race. They fled to Daracoss during the Sphere Conjunction events (for more information, please see issues: The Sphere Conjunction / The Folks of Daracoss).

The more hostile conditions in their home world made their bodies extremely resilient. They show a strong resistance to toxins and infections. In addition, they have at least every important organ twice and also have a redundant nervous system that can overcome even the most serious injuries. This makes them one of the most resistant species in Daracoss.

They are physically similar to a human, only a generous piece of stocky and taller. Grasxen of 2.00 to 2.50 m in size and sometimes over 200 kg in weight are therefore not uncommon. The yellow, lidless eyes are also striking. These are on the side of their heads, which enables them to better recognize fast movements. Their skin is leathery and has bony growths on the arms and legs. The face shows a slightly forward muzzle, also with such bony features, only finer. Over the forehead and head down to the neck, these bony outgrowths are more plate-like and appear to be a kind of hairstyle. Despite this tough appearance, these protrusions are very flexible. However, they harden rapidly if they are hit by an attack.

Male Grasxen express themselves through the deep voice and the denser growths on the face. In the case of women, the whole stature is a little more delicate and the features on the face are finer, moreover, they also have a gentler voice.

Due to their physical strength, they are able to wield large weapons with ease and are just as skilled in handling them. They are unable to use magic and show a natural resistance to magic effects. The bony outgrowths of the arms and legs can be used effectively as blunt weapons. Most of the time their attacks start with a storm run in the middle of the enemy ranks in order to do as much damage as possible.

Due to their redundant nervous system, which allows their injuries to be regenerated quickly, they are bitter opponents with extremely persistent stamina and can hold themselves against outnumbered opponents.

Grasxen can get into a frenzy of blood, which, like a berserker, lets them attack their opponents uncontrollably. They often then make no distinction between friend and foe.

Gryphon:

The body of this creature is like that of a muscular lion. The head and front legs come from a giant eagle and it has a pair of large, feathered wings.

Griffins are powerful, majestic creatures that combine the properties of eagles and lions. They hunt prey of all kinds, but especially love horse meat. (Further information on society can be found in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss)

An adult gryphon can measure up to 2.60 m from beak to tail. The wide, feathered wings on the back have a wingspan of 7.50 m and more. Griffins weigh approximately 230 kg.

Griffins prefer to jump at their prey by either diving or jumping from a higher point.

They are roughly divided into three subspecies. An exact determination is not possible because the subspecies have increasingly mixed and even some hybrid crosses have crept in.

-Royal Gryphon

This type corresponds to the typical picture of a griffin. Body of a lion with the head and forelegs of an eagle.

-Hippogriffin

This type usually differs in the color of the fur and the fact that they have the torso and hind legs of a horse. Claws, wings and the head correspond to that of a giant eagle.

-Scalegryphon

With this species, the cross between gryphon and dragon is clearly visible. They have the body of a dragon and the head and forelegs of an eagle. The characteristics are often distributed differently. In the form of horns on the head, dragon-like wings or strong paws on the front legs instead of the yellow claw hands.

Grick:

The body of this worm-like monster is about as long as a human and has four tentacles, each a little longer than a human forearm. These tentacles arise from the creature's head on either side of its jaw. They are segmented like the rest of their bodies.

Gricks are furtive, underground robbers that nest in vaults, caves, and other dark places, waiting patiently for prey to come near them.

An adult Grick measures about 2.40 m from the top of his tentacles to the end of his body and weighs about 90 kg. His body is of a dark color with a pale lower abdomen.

Gricks live in protected places that offer their bodies space. These can be holes, burrows, rocky outcrops or crevices. They do not collect treasures, but mostly their homes contain the possessions of their victims that they have not eaten. When prey is scarce, Gricks also venture to the surface and hunt in the wild, using the same tactics as underground. However, these creatures do not feel comfortable under the open sky and always return to their subterranean realms as quickly as possible.

Gricks attack when they are hungry or feel threatened. They hunt by hiding in heavily trafficked areas and using their natural coloring to blend with a suitable shade. When prey approaches, they strike with their tentacles. Attacks of a physical nature appear to bounce off the rubbery body of a Grick. His jaws are relatively small and weak compared to his body. Therefore, a Grick does not eat its victims on the spot, but drags them into its home to eat them there in peace.

Hobbits:

This humanoid is about half the size of a human. He has pointed ears, a healthy complexion, straight black hair and dark eyes. (You can find more information about society in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss)

Hobbits are imaginative survivors who find a living space of their own wherever possible. They can be reliable, hard-working citizens.

Hobbits are about 90 cm tall and weigh between 15 and 20 kg. Their eyes are black or brown. They often wear long sideburns, but you rarely see beards and mustaches almost never. They prefer comfortable, practical and simple clothes. Unlike the members of most other races, they prefer convenience to the display of wealth.

Hobbits prefer not to fight, and if they do, they are on the defensive.

Hobbits try to get along with everyone, they are trained to fit into the community of elves, humans or dwarves and to make themselves useful there. They prefer to live in or near the countries of this peoples.

Harpy:

This creature resembles an old person with an evil-looking face and the lower body, legs and wings of a reptilian creature. The hair is matted, dirty and crusted with blood.

A more malicious and depraved creature than the Harpy is hard to imagine. The sadistic Harpies cause grief and death with great pleasure and are constantly looking for new victims.

The coal-black eyes of a Harpy clearly reflect her evil soul, as do her mean claws on her knotty fingers. These repulsive creatures do not wear clothes and often swing large, heavy bones as if they were clubs. Some even use improvised bows.

Harpies like to seduce hapless travelers with their siren-like chants and then lead them to unspeakable agony. Only when the Harpy has played enough with her "toy" does she release her suffering by killing it and then eating it.

When a Harpy gets involved in a fight, it prefers to fly by, striking with a melee weapon or its claws. Or use their bows to shoot from a higher position.

Hobgoblin:

This stocky humanoid is almost 1.90 m tall. He has hairy skin, wild eyes, a flat nose and a flat chin.

Hobgoblins are the larger representatives of the goblins. They are far more aggressive and better organized than their smaller relatives and are constantly waging war against other humanoids.

The color of a Hobgoblin's hair ranges from dark reddish brown to dark gray. Their skin has a dark to red-orange tone. Large male specimens have blue or red noses. Hobgoblins' eyes are yellowish or dark brown while their teeth are yellow. Their clothes are typically very colorful, often blood red on black leather. Their weapons are polished and kept in good condition. Hobgoblins speak and understand the common language.

These creatures have a good understanding of strategy and tactics, which enables them to implement sophisticated battle plans. Under the guidance of a skilled strategist or tactician, their discipline can become a critical factor.

Hydra:

This beast is reminiscent of a very large reptile, but has a multitude of heads on long and slender necks.

Hydrae are reptile-like monsters with multiple heads. If their opponents don't have the best and strongest armor, the Hydra will likely tear them to pieces in no time.

A Hydra is gray-brown to dark brown and has a light yellow to beige belly. Her eyes are amber in color and her pointed teeth are yellowish white. Depending on the specimen, it can be 8 m long and weigh up to 2000 kg.

There are confirmed sightings of eight, ten and twelve headed members of this type.

A Hydra can attack whatever is within range with all heads. She likes to hit and trample with her clumsy paws. She often tries to snatch her opponents with two of their heads, which ends in a tug war between their mouths.

A Hydra can be killed by either cutting off all of its heads or by killing its body. However, the first method requires haste, because after a short time two new heads grow from the stump of the neck. The Hydra can thus increase its head count to twice the original number. The surplus heads die within a day.

To prevent regrowth of two heads, the neck stump must be burned out before the new heads appear. Badly coordinated attacks mean quick death.

In addition, the Hydra has a strong regeneration and is extremely resistant to poisons.

Fortunately, these monsters are fixated on their territory and usually don't leave them. If you encounter such a creature, escape is always a safe choice.

Wisp:

This creature seems to be nothing more than a pale glowing ball of light.

Wisps are evil creatures that feed on the strong emotions associated with panic, horror, and death. They relishly entice travelers into deadly dangers and feed on their fear of death.

Wisps can be yellow, white, green or blue. It's easy to confuse these creatures with lanterns, especially in the misty marshes and swamps where they live.

The body of a Wisp is made of spongy material about 30 cm in diameter. It weighs approximately 1 to 2 kg. Its glowing body emits about as much light as a torch.

Wisps can speak the common language. Although they do not have a vocal tract, they can generate a ghostly voice by vibrating their bodies, with which they lure their victims into ruin.

Wisps basically avoid every fight. They prefer to confuse and mislead adventurers and lure them into swampy or other dangerous areas. When forced to fight, they emit lightning strikes in melee range, which can cause painful cramps.

Wisps are immune to a variety of magical attacks and are difficult to hit due to their small size and quick agility. A startled wisp can make its light go out, making it invisible for a short time before its light returns. Which gives this creature enough time to flee.

Kobold:

This humanoid is about the size of a Hobbit. He has scaly skin, a bare tail like that of a rat, and a dog-like head with two small horns.

Kobolds are small, reptile-like humanoids with a tendency to cowardice and sadism.

The scaled skin of a Kobold is rusty brown to reddish black. He has bright red eyes. Its tail is not suitable for gripping or clinging. Kobolds wear ragged clothes, preferably in red or orange.

Usually Kobolds eat plants and animals, but do not shy away from eating intelligent creatures. They mainly spend their time securing the land around their homes with traps (e.g. pitfalls and trip wires) and warning devices.

A Kobold is almost 60 to 70 cm tall and weighs between 15 and 20 kg. Kobolds understand and speak the common language in fragments.

Kobolds live in dark places. Usually underground or in forests with thick undergrowth. Kobolds like to attack in the protection of a clear majority (at least two to one) or with the help of traps. If the number ratio moves below the specified threshold, they usually flee. At the beginning of a fight, they always attack with ranged attacks and only go into close combat when they see that their opponent is weak. Often they also ambush near a trapped area where several Kobolds are ready to pour burning oil over their enemies or shoot them.

Octopus:

This creature is reminiscent of a giant squid. She has a streamlined body, two constantly staring eyes and a mass of curling tentacles. The body is about 9.00 m long and protected by thick layers of muscle.

The aggressive, cruel and highly intelligent Octopuses rule entire regions of the deep sea. Although these gigantic sea monsters are rarely seen on the surface, there are many stories about deep-drawn ships and entire islands that have been depopulated by these monsters.

Octopuses live hundreds of meters below the surface of the sea. They often inhabit huge cave complexes, which also contain areas filled with breathing air. There they keep and breed their humanoid slaves not only as servants, but also as food.

Six of the tentacles serve as tentacles and are only about 9.00 m long. The remaining two are almost 18 m long and covered with sharp spines. The Octopus's beak-like mouth is located at the point where its tentacles spring from its body.

Octopuses hit their opponents with their spiked tentacles, which they then grab and crush with their tentacles, or pull between their huge jaws.

In the event of danger or camouflage, the Octopus can create a cloud of night-black ink that covers a large radius of up to 24 m under water. He uses this to take his blind victims or, if necessary, to flee.

Lich:

The skeletal creature wears the rotten, once great robes of a long-dead, powerful magician. Hateful, blazing flames burn in his eye sockets.

Lichs are undead spellcasters, typically magicians and summoners, who have used their magical skills to unnaturally extend their lives.

Generally, these creatures are scheming and, as some say, insane. They are hungry for ever greater power, long forgotten knowledge and the most terrifying of all magical secrets. Because the shadow of death is not over them, they often develop plans that take years, decades, or even centuries to bear fruit.

A Lich is a lean and skeletal humanoid with decayed flesh that tightens across its horribly visible bones. His eyes fell a long time ago to rot, but bright spots are still burning in their sockets. Even the weakest of them were powerful people during their lifetime, which is why they are often wrapped in clothing that was once richly decorated. Like his body, a Lich's clothing shows clear signs of decay. Rotting and decay are the constant companions of a Lich.

These creatures have a wide and hideous arsenal of corrupt spells and are not afraid to summon servants and slaves from the realm of the dead. They also like to use the summoning to achieve their goals. They are attracted by great power, like the moths rush to the light, and usually concentrate their efforts in combat on the strongest enemy. Souls that have piqued their interest, they usually try to get hold of and enrich themselves.

Lichs are tied to their soul vessels, which they made themselves during their lifetime. The character and vitality of the Lich are stored in these apparently insignificant objects. The only sure way to destroy a Lich is to destroy his soul vessel. As long as this has not been found and destroyed, a Lich returns after its apparent death.

Mimik:

What originally appeared as a simple object now shows signs of life and around it grows arms.

Mimiks are strange and deadly creatures that can change their shape and skin color. They use this ability to lure unsuspecting victims close to themselves and to be able to kill them.

It is said that Mimiks are not natural creatures, but were created a long time ago by a forgotten magician. Since then, these terrible things have served as guardians of treasures.

A Mimik can have practically any dimensions, but is usually not more than 3.00 m long. A typical Mimik weighs about 2000 kg.

If an adventurer comes within reach, the Mimik trains strong arms to grab or kill his victim. The unsuspecting victim is full of anticipation for a hoped-for treasure and as the chest lid opens, razor-sharp rows of teeth are exposed. Two strong arms emerge from nowhere and press their prey into the growling throat.

Mimiks cannot be distinguished from the original and are resistant to magical attacks. Their deadliest weapon is the element of surprise. If the trap fails, they are still serious opponents. Due to their shape change, they have a wide arsenal of pointed horns, claws, teeth and skewers.

Those who overcome such an opponent can look forward to a lucrative reward. Not only do you get access to the treasure they were guarding, you also get the items that these monsters had captured from their previous victims.

Minotaur:

This creature looks like an incredibly tall, extremely muscular person covered in shaggy fur and with a bull's head. The beast's dark eyes glow with fury.

Minotaurs are strong, very territory-related creatures that are often found in underground labyrinths. A Minotaur's natural cunning and predatory instincts allow him to effortlessly find his way through even the most confusing tunnel complexes. A skill that is of great use in chasing, torturing and ultimately killing intruders.

A Minotaur is more than 2.10 m tall and weighs about 320 kg.

Minotaurs prefer hand-to-hand combat, where their great strength serves well. The fight often begins with a typical assault, in which he bows his head to bring his mighty horns into play. At full speed he is able to pierce plate armor himself. The best tactic is to avoid this onslaught.

Orcs:

This creature looks like a primitive human with gray skin and shaggy hair. She has a stooped posture, a fleeing forehead and a pig-like face with large fangs that are reminiscent of a boar's tusks.

Orcs are aggressive humanoids that raid, pillage and fight other creatures. They have an innate hatred of elves and dwarves, the roots of which go back many generations. They often attack them without warning.

An Orc's hair is usually black. He has wolf-like ears and blood-red eyes. Orcs have bright, screaming colors that most people find unpleasant, such as blood red, mustard yellow, yellow green or deep purple. Their equipment is often dirty and in poor condition.

An adult male Orc is just over 1.80 m tall and weighs about 95 kg. Female Orcs are a little smaller.

When not fighting other fights, Orcs either plan raids or train their combat skills. Some of them speak the common language, but each tribe has its own dialect.

Orcs are trained to use all simple weapons, but prefer weapons that can cause as much damage as possible in the shortest possible time. They love to attack or ambush them out of camouflage.

Orcs believe that they have to conquer as many areas as possible to survive. As a result, they automatically come into conflict with all intelligent creatures that live near them. They constantly fight against them, also against other Orc tribes, or prepare wars against them.

An Orc deposit can be a cave, a series of wooden huts, a fortress, or even a large city that extends underground. They generally avoid daylight, but are not affected by it.

Pseudo-Dragon (Dragonette):

This creature looks like a tiny dragon, but is a little smaller than a domestic cat. It can have a deep red to light purple color. It has extremely small scales and pointed horns and teeth. Their tail is about twice as long as their body and can be covered with flexible thorns. In addition, they have a scorpion-like spike at the tip.

Pseudo-Dragons, or in most cases also called Dragonette, are extremely small and playful members of the dragon family.

The body of a Pseudo-Dragon is about 30 cm long and its tail measures about 60 cm with the sting. The creature weighs just under 3.5 kg. Compared to their larger relatives, they also have an extremely shorter lifespan of 15 to 25 years on average.

Pseudo-Dragons are intelligent, understand the common language and can make simple animal noises such as purring (satisfaction), hissing (unpleasant surprise), chirping (desire) or growling (anger).

A Pseudo-Dragon can bite amazingly firmly, but its main weapon is the tail prick. Their poison is unique and has a different effect on every stung: simple itching and rash, paralysis, numbness, skin color changes, hair loss all over the body. In more severe cases, it can also cause severe cramps and nausea, temporary blindness, or flu-like symptoms. The effects vary greatly, depending on the type and size of the stung and can last up to a week.

In the worst case, it kills those affected within a few days, but only if there are no other symptoms. For an effective antidote, the blood from the specimen that has stabbed is required. A Pseudo-Dragon is immune to its own poison.

It sometimes happens that a Pseudo-Dragon decides to join a humanoid as a companion. In this case, he secretly pursues his chosen one for days, observes him and judges his actions. When he is satisfied, he reveals himself and offers himself as a companion, carefully observing the reaction of the other person. If the chosen one is pleased and promises to take good care of him, the Pseudo-Dragon accepts. Otherwise it just flies away again.

Some compare the personality of Pseudo-Dragons with that of cats. They often appear arrogant, demanding and not helpful at all. A Pseudo-Dragon is quite ready to support his companions and, if necessary, to defend them, if he is well looked after. They like to be pampered and petted and enjoy the impression that they are the most important thing for their companions. If you mistreat him or insult him, he leaves his companion. Or worse, he decides to stab him at the most inappropriate moment.

There is no particularly great danger from a Pseudo-dragon. They are playful creatures who have no urge to use violence. But they are quick fighters, should they get into trouble and are not afraid to attack a larger opponent. But this is rarely the case. Most of the time they flee before there can be a fight. They avoid possible confrontations at an early stage or hide themselves.

Rust Monster:

This creature is about the size of a big dog. It has four insect-like legs and a stocky body, which is protected by a thick, wrinkled skin. The tail is covered with bony plates and ends in two larger bone plates that resemble a paddle. From the head of the creature, directly under its eyes, arise two long antennae with fine hair.

Most fighters would rather fight an army of Orcs than a single Rust Monster. These creatures corrode and eat metal objects and have therefore already destroyed the weapons, shields and armor of countless adventurers. They act instinctively and have no urge to kill.

The skin of these creatures is yellowish brown on the underside of their bodies and rusty red on their backs. The long, movable feelers of a rust monster can rust metal with a simple touch in a few seconds.

A typical Rust Monster is about 1.50 m long and 90 cm high. It weighs approximately 90 kg.

A Rust Monster can smell metallic objects from a distance of up to 27 m. When it detects an object, it immediately runs towards it and tries to touch it with its feelers. A Rust Monster always pounces on the largest metal objects first and therefore attacks armor first, then shields and the smaller objects. The creature prefers ferrous materials (iron or steel) over precious metals (gold or silver), but also eats the latter if the opportunity arises.

This creature is tireless and can chase groups of adventurers over long distances if they still have intact metallic objects. A Rust Monster, however, mostly stops to eat a piece of metal that has just been corroded. A clever, or desperate, adventurer can sometimes distract a Rust Monster by throwing some metal objects at him and then fleeing.

Attacks with metal weapons against the body of the Rust Monster also corrode and break them. Weapons made of wood, stone, bone, crystal, obsidian, volcanic glass or mithril are recommended against these opponents, because they cannot corrode these materials.

Sahuagin:

This humanoid has scaly skin, webbed fingers and toes and a large mouth full of sharp fangs. He has a long tail that ends in a curved fin and there are fins on his arms, back and head. His big, bulging eyes are black.

The Sahuagin, or known to the sailors as Drowned, are predators living in the sea that are exceptionally well adapted to underwater hunting. They live in coastal waters and can form larger groups, which are sometimes brave enough to raid coastal communities.

Most Sahuagin are greenish to blue in color, darker on the back and lighter on the belly. Many have darker stripes, bands, or dots, but these fade with age. An adult male Sahuagin is about 1.80 m tall and weighs 90 kg standing upright.

They have their own language that only they understand. This manifests itself in gestures and distorted grunts. However, no researcher has yet been able to find any specific meaning in it.

The Sahuagin are aggressive predators and are not afraid to raid larger ships. They always attack in groups. If they suffer too many losses, they usually flee again. As marine creatures, they show a great aversion to fire and can be effectively driven away with it.

Silt:

A Silt is an amorphous creature whose only purpose is to eat. They inhabit underground places around the world and roam caves, ruins and vaults in search of organic material, alive or dead.

Silts attack all creatures they encounter. They strike with sham masses or enclose their victims with their bodies, which secrete acid, which helps them to catch and digest their prey.

The entire body of a silt is a primitive sense organ that can perceive prey within 18 m via smell and vibrations.

They can be found in different forms:

• Gelatin Cubes

The almost transparent Gelatin Cube slowly wanders through the corridors of vaults and the floors of caves, simply absorbing carrion, living things and garbage. Inorganic materials remain visible and trapped in the body of the Gelatin Cube. A typical Gelatin Cube has a side length of 3 m and weighs 6800 kg. However, much larger specimens have been seen.

• Gray Silt

What looked like a harmless puddle now turns out to be a slimy horror that moves and flows dangerously quickly. At first glance, a Gray Silt appears to be just a harmless puddle of water, a patch of wet sand, or a section of damp stone until it moves or strikes. Their acid is extremely aggressive and corrodes everything organic that touches them. Gray Silts can reach a diameter of 3 m and a thickness of 15 cm, with a weight of almost 300 kg.

• Black Blob

This creature looks nothing more than a round blob of black ink slime. Black Blobs glide and wriggle through underground terrain in search of food. A typical Black Blob has a diameter of 4.50 m and a thickness of 60 cm. It weighs approximately 8000 kg. The oldest Black Blobs are huge lakes of inky death.

Their bodies make them extremely resistant or immune to most physical attacks. But magic can effectively add to them. Gelatin Cubes are sensitive to lightning and a Black Blob cannot stand the fire.

Siren:

As experienced hunters use wooden ducks to attract their prey, sirens lure humanoids with their bodies as bait. They can change their shape so that they look like beautiful female virgins, who, however, have a tail covered with silver scales instead of legs and fin-like wings on their backs. As soon as a naive sailor goes within reach of these beautiful creatures, their faces suddenly become fish-like mouths with sharp fangs and the tails, which previously promised unexpected joys, turn into deadly claws.

Sirens often hunt in shoals, taking advantage of their numerical superiority as well as their ability to move effortlessly through the water and air.

With their beguiling singing voice, they lure stray ships into shallow waters, where they eventually run aground or capsize and then attack the crew.

On land, they are virtually defenseless and it is advisable to destroy their wings, which increasingly limits their mobility. In distress, they can utter an extremely loud cry that can cause drowsiness and numbness.

Sorati:

The humanoid figure walks upright and acts like a two-legged, wingless dragon.

The Sorati are not a typical race. Their culture, or rather their existence, revolves around only one task: to protect Sorathis, the Guardiandragoness. (Further information on society can be found in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss)

A Sorati shows a dragon-like appearance, especially with regard to the head and the strong legs. The snout is drawn forward and two straight horns stick back over the dragon-like eyes. Some have spiny protrusions on the neck and back. Despite their physical strength, their arms are rather thin and end in strong claw hands with a thicker thumb and two longer fingers. The legs look like dragon's hind legs and have three big toes with short claws. They also have a short tail.

Their skin is leathery and covered with an overlapping scale dress. These are plate-like on the chest and thus form a natural armor. The colors of the scales vary between yellow-red and brown-green tones.

Standing upright, a Sorati is 2.40 m tall and weighs about 180 kg without armor.

They can always be found near the abbeys of Sorathis, the Golden Castle, the Daughters of Sorathis and of course Sorathis herself. They understand the common language and can speak it. In general, however, they rarely do that. They all follow only one task: protecting Sorathis and her daughters.

If they have reason to believe that their master is in danger, they attack without warning, even if Sorathis would tell them not to.

A Sorati in full armor and armament poses a serious danger, should he attack. They are familiar with all known types of weapons and show particular skill with their typical, serrated double blades. Their combat maneuvers are second to none and are still unmatched to this day.

In addition to their combative talent, they also use their own form of combat magic, which they combine with their armament.

They fight tirelessly no matter what their situation is. Until the danger to their master is averted or until they are dead.

(Important note for travelers!: Never be hostile to a Sorati, the Daughters, or the guardian Sorathis, not even in a joke! You would be attacked without hesitation, which could result in serious injuries or death)

Stryx:

These humanoids look like tall, slim people with the body of an owl. (Further information on society can be found in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss)

Stryxes are shy and rarely seen. They are taller than a human but of slimmer build. Her owl-like heads and the often magnificent plumage of her body are striking. Despite the feathers, most of them cannot fly.

The male specimens are larger and stronger than the female ones. An adult male Stryx is 2.20 m tall and weighs approximately 80 kg. The males also differ well in the larger beaks and more muscular upper bodies.

Each of them is sensitive to magic and uses it as needed. They are usually peaceful and avoid contact with others. But if they get into trouble or if something is a danger to them or their homeland, they can become bitter fighters.

With their magic, which is strongly connected to nature, they conjure up plants and animals in their vicinity, which they bring up against their opponents.

Succubus:

In front of you is a beautiful, naked woman, who suitably covers her body with one of her bat-like wings. The dodgy smile is only surpassed by the greedy sparkle in her eyes.

A Succubus, or Succubi, are female-like creatures, which came to Daracoss through the effects of the Spherical Conjuncture (further information can be found in the issue: Spherical Conjuncture). They are about the size of a human being and appear as human women with bat wings and small, curved horns over their foreheads, which they often hide under their neat and fiery red long hairstyles. In addition, usually a lush bust and a delicate, supple skin.

They feed on the life force of other creatures and are filled with an almost insatiable lust. They enjoy seducing their prey and use their body and its attributes in a targeted manner to achieve this. A Succubus kills its prey during mating. At the height of these connections, she strikes and deprives it of the vital force. All that remains is a dry and lifeless shell. But they don't kill everyone who they seduced and mostly keep a small harem of willing slaves to satisfy their irrepressible lust or to keep other options open.

Victims who escaped the Succubus caught, symptoms after a few days similar to drug withdrawal. Tremors, insomnia, cramps and the ever growing desire to return to her.

Succubus use simple illusion spells to hide their true form and mostly appear as human women. They mainly seduce human peoples, because they are particularly susceptible to their methods. They are not afraid to tempt other species. Their delicate appearance should not be underestimated. Succubus are considered to be serious opponents should there be a fight. Her fingernails can become sharp and deadly claws, and the vampire-like bite of her short fangs holds a debilitating poison. They also have a small collection of powerful attack spells in the backhand. Nor are they too good to incite their willing slaves against their attackers.

They show a certain susceptibility to magic and quickly fall into a tantrum if their seduction skills do not work.

(Note for travelers: If you are aware of a Succubus, please report this immediately to the local authorities. Do not act against them alone, as this can lead to seduction or death)

Deathalp:

This eerie, ghostly figure is shrouded in darkness. She has no recognizable features or limbs, apart from the glowing red spots in her eyes.

Deathalps are disembodied creatures that are born from the ground and the dark. They loathe all living things as well as the light that feeds them.

In some cases, the silhouette of a Deathalp can look as if it were armored or carrying weapons. However, this has no effect on his fighting skills, but only reflects the appearance that he had in his lifetime.

If you encounter such a creature, take your legs in your hand and flee into the sunlight. Deathalps are absolutely powerless in the sunlight and vehemently escape it. They have an unnatural aura that can be felt at a distance of up to 9 m from the Deathalp. Both wild and domesticated animals can sense this aura of Deathalps and fall in panic if they are forced to approach further. This panic continues as long as they are within this radius.

Their disembodied shape makes them difficult to fight at and their touch is fatal. Every creature killed by a Deathalp becomes a Deathalp itself within a few days. The body remains intact and dead, and only the soul is torn from the body and transformed. These are under the command of the Deathalp that created them and remain enslaved until they are destroyed.

Troll:

This large, two-legged creature is almost one and a half times the size of a human being and shows corpulent features. It has long and unsightly arms and legs. The legs end in large feet with three thick toes and the arms in broad, strong hands with sharp claws. The skin is thick and leathery.

Trolls are horrifying carnivores that can occur in all climates, from arctic deserts to tropical jungles. Most creatures avoid these beasts that have no fear and are constantly attacking when they are hungry. Trolls have an insatiable appetite and devour almost anything, from caterpillars to bears and humanoids. They often set up camp near settlements and hunt their inhabitants until they have devoured the last one.

Trolls walk upright, but lean forward with their shoulders drooping. Their gait is uneven and when they run their arms hang down and drag across the floor. Despite all this apparent awkwardness, Trolls are quite agile.

A typical Troll is 2.70 m tall and weighs approximately 230 kg. Their leather skin can be moss green, green, or gray. The females are slightly larger than the males.

Trolls are terrifying adversaries who can literally tear their victims apart. They also have a strong regeneration, which allows even a severed arm to grow back in a few weeks.

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Turanians:

The Turanians are physically similar to humans or elves, but they are very different from them. (Further information on society can be found in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss) Apart from the body size, which is slightly above the human average, their bodies are provided with a kind of exoskeleton over their plate-like skin. This makes them stronger, but also more vulnerable. The panels themselves are very resistant, but the open spaces in between are not. However, they compensate for this weakness with their progressive craftsmanship. Their armor and weapons are among the best in Daracoss and their fighting magic is among the strongest.

The average Turanian is 1.90 m tall and weighs around 120 kg. They can also live to be over a hundred years old.

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Vampire:

These nightly hunters, forever bound to their coffin and the unholy earth of their graves, are constantly making plans to strengthen themselves and fill the world with their repulsive offspring.

Vampires appear just as they did in life, although their features often appear hardened and brutal, and they have the predatory look of a wolf. Like Lichs, they often prefer wealth and decadence and often disguise themselves as nobles. Despite their appearance, vampires can be easily recognized because they do not cast shadows and do not have a mirror image.

Vampires are relentless fighters with superhuman strength and dexterity who have the same skills as in their lifetime. With a bite they can suck out the vitality of their victim and strengthen themselves with it. As a rule, the victim dies, but the vampire has the option of turning them into full-fledged vampire or into his vampire brood.

The vampire brood acts as willless slaves who obey their masters without a word. They use their inhuman strength by hitting their opponents with powerful blows or by smashing them against rocks and walls.

Despite all their power, vampires have a number of weaknesses:

Vampires cannot stand the harsh smell of garlic, they also shy away from a mirror or an emphatically presented sacred symbol (e.g. Sorathis' winged sun). These things don't directly harm the vampire, they just hold him back. There are certain things that vampires can kill. If a vampire is exposed to direct sunlight, he is initially disoriented, begins to burn shortly afterwards and decays to a glowing pile of ash if he does not find protection in time. Burning them is also a reliable method. If a wooden stake is pushed through his heart, he dies on the spot. However, he comes back to life immediately, after the stake should be removed.

Winterwolf / Farramwolf:

This creature is like a big wolf with icy blue eyes. She is about the size of a horse and her breath is steaming from the cold.

As dangerous predators of the tundra and other dangerous regions, Winterwolves tirelessly pursue their prey. They rarely give up the persecution before they have captured their prey.

Winterwolves are more intelligent than their smaller cousins and prefer to hunt in packs. A Winterwolf reaches around 2.40 m in length and a shoulder height of 1.35 m. It weighs approximately 200 kg.

Winterwolves usually hunt in packs. Their size, pitfalls, and remarkable strength allow them to hunt and kill creatures that are much larger than themselves. A pack mostly circles its opponent, attacking each wolf in turn until it is exhausted.

Winterwolves are native to icy areas and are characterized by their white fur.

Their conspecifics, the Farramwolves, prefer warmer climates, like that of jungles and desert areas. They are characterized by a black-red to green-gray fur. The color varies depending on their habitat.

Widow-Spider:

The light from the torch exposes a huge, hairy insect on the wall. The piebald skull pattern on her armor shimmered white in the light, while six eyes stared at her prey with a dark, blue glow before falling down hissing and with dripping fangs.

A Widow-Spider can easily be recognized by its size and the skull-like pattern on its back. They are nocturnal hunters and mostly live in caves or underground. They generally avoid daylight, but it is not dangerous for them.

They are carnivores and their bodies are protected by thick, black-gray chitin shells that are covered with large touch hairs. With their eight legs they are able to move quickly on walls and even the ceiling and to ambush their prey. Below her eyes are two strong mandibles, each with a poison spike, on the sides of her tooth-reinforced mouth, plus two additional tentacles with which they grab their prey.

Widow-Spiders are able to establish entire colonies and can infiltrate entire cities with enough time and food. The queen can lay eggs with over 1000 eggs within one year.

Their hierarchy is as follows:

• Queen

The largest and only specimen in a colony

• Soldier

Soldiers are not quite as big as a queen and form the fighting power of a colony, they are the ones who defend the colony and the queen in case of danger. Otherwise they use their size and strength to dig for nest building.

• Drone

Drones are among the hunters and form the eyes and ears of the colony. Their number makes up an estimated one quarter of the colony. It is they who hunt for prey in the wilderness and the surrounding caves, which they carry alive into their nest.

• Worker

They are among the smallest representatives of this type and roughly make up half of a colony. Her main activities are nest building. They keep the colony clean, get feed for the queen and take care of the brood chambers. If necessary, they fight for their queen until death.

Widow-Spiders carry their prey alive to their nest, where they eat them with pleasure or store them for their offspring. They prefer to eat their prey alive and hunt all creatures that seem tasty to them. The poison of a Widow-Spider has a debilitating effect that can last for several hours. You are fully conscious, but you cannot move.

The lower representatives are instinct-controlled and obey the orders of their queen without any ifs and buts. The queen shows a certain level of intelligence and can precisely guide her brood. Using pheromones, she can give precise instructions that are implemented immediately.

A queen's body can reach a length of 4.50 m and can weigh up to 900 kg. The legs are up to 4 m long. The body of a soldier measures 3.00 to 3.50 m with a weight of almost 500 kg with 3 m long legs. The drones are a bit smaller with a body length of 1.00 to 1.60 m and a weight of 80 kg. The leg length is between 1.00 and 1.20 m. The workers are the smallest in the colony with a body length of no more than 60 cm, a weight of 40 kg and a leg length of 80 cm.

Wyvern:

This bipedal creature is bigger than a troll. It has a long tail, at the tip of which sticks out of a thick cartilage knot that resembles that of a scorpion. It also has leathery bat wings and a huge mouth full of long, sharp teeth.

The Wyvern, distant relatives of the dragons, are giant flying lizards with a venomous sting on their tails.

Wyverns do not exude a strong smell of their own, but the dead bodies of their victims are often in the air in their homes. The body of a wyvern is 4.50 m long and colored dark brown to gray. A good half of it is on his tail. It has a wingspan of around 6 m and weighs around 1000 kg.

Wyverns are, compared to their distant relatives, stupid and always aggressive. Hunger and instinct controlled. They attack almost anything that does not appear to be more powerful than themselves. A Wyvern rushes out of the air, grabs its opponent with its claws and stabs it until it is dead. They are happy to grab their living prey as they fly by and simply drop them from a breakneck height. The poison of a Wyvern causes severe pain and cramps.

Dwarf:

The figure in front of you has a broad, stocky body and is extremely muscular. It may lack physical height, but it may not lack strength or presence. It wears metal armor and a battle axe, has slightly tanned skin, reddish cheeks, bright light eyes, black hair and a long, carefully groomed beard of the same color.

(You can find more information about society in the issue: The Folks of Daracoss)

Dwarves are noble warriors whose strengths lie in metalworking, stonemasonry and warfare. They are typically serious, determined, and very honorable.

Dwarfs prefer earth-colored, simple and functional clothing. Their skin may be dark, but it is always brown. Their hair is usually black, brown, or gray. Dwarfs are on average 1.20 m tall and weigh as much as an adult human. Beards are not gender-specific, which is why women also have a lush beard. In addition, they are so similar in voice to their male colleagues that they are often mistaken for male dwarfs.

Most dwarfs that you encounter outside of their home country are warriors.

Dwarves are experts in the art of war, use their surroundings effectively for their attacks and carry out well-planned group attacks. They rarely use magic because there are only rare magicians among them.

They are inherently resistant to magic.