Lore24 Roundup 10

Aelyrya Payne
Mar 30, 2024
8 min read

Updated: Apr 26, 2024

March 4th -10th (Days 64-70)

Welcome to Lore24 Roundup 10!

This post, we continue to explore some of the non-magical fauna that inhabits the world of A'arde, and see how some of them came to be! As always, all original posts can be found on my Mastodon.

Remember, all Lore24 posts are initial thoughts - they are not finalised at this stage!

Breakdown of Lore24 Roundup 10

Click the links below to jump to that particular post

64. Alescattus

A product of the Age of Arcana’s infatuation with the manipulation of the biological, the Alescatti are domesticated cats with wings, often kept as pets by Nobles and Weavecrafters. While common during the Age of Arcana, Alescatti did not fare well at the Fall of the Age, dwindling in number until only a hundred or so remained. During the Ages of Chaos and Darkness, Alescatti were kept alive purely by luck, in many cases, with Weavecrafters in secluded towers and a few Nobles in Cnuic Ghlainne being acknowledged for their survival. Alescatti were bred for their beauty and little else. While they greatly resemble cats in their temperament, Alescatti lack claws, meaning they are terrible hunters. Additionally, most Alescatti are long-haired, meaning that they are prone to matting and require regular grooming. They are considered extremely high maintenance and are terrible for people with allergies.

The average lifespan of an Alescattus is 15-16 years. They average at 18 inches head to body length, 12 inch tails and a wingspan of 30 inches, with males usually being larger than females. Alescatti birth live young, and kittens are born featherless, as well as blind and with poor coordination. Alescatti are unable to properly fly until around a year old. They are very social animals and love to play, which continues throughout their lives.

Cats that can fly sounds like a recipe for disaster... but A'arden scholars in the Age of Arcana were obsessed with the idea of creating chimeric creatures that mimicked celestial, fey, or even monstrous, beasts. The Alescattus was probably one of the less worrisome creations of that time!

65. Simocyon

Simocyons are a carnivorous relative of the Red Ponya, making them something of a mix between bears, procyonids (such as raccoons) and mustelids (such as weasels and badgers). Despite having no real relation to dogs as we know them, Simocyons are also known as Short-Snouted Dogs. Simocyons are predominantly found in forested, mountainous regions, particularly in Eastern Eirinn, Duraloth and the main body of Karadal. Simocyons have never been fully tamed, and even those born in captivity are prone to violence against their keepers, making them incredibly dangerous to keep around people. In the wild it is generally better to avoid them and not engage in combat due to their powerful jaws and powerful clawed limbs. Simocyons are adept climbers and spend as much time in trees as they do on the ground.

Simocyons generally reach between 24-35 inches tall at the shoulder and between 6ft 5ins and 7ft 10ins in length, nose to tail tip. Males are generally larger than females. Simocyons have reddish-brown fur with darker limbs. Their faces are patterned with lighter colours and they have light rings along their tails. Simocyons generally live alone or in mated pairs, and are known to be incredibly territorial.

Based on the extinct creature of the same name, I took a few liberties with the behavioral side of the Simocyon, because nobody knows precisely how they actually behaved! I liked the idea of a giant raccoon-bear cross, but also wanted something that would look quite sweet, but totally rip your face off!

66. Karkadann

Karkadann are grey-skinned creatures native to Zeratal and Madelya in the continent of Duraloth. Relatives of the Rhinoceros, Karkadann are broader yet sleeker than any of the Rhino species, and are the fastest Rhino-like animal, reaching speeds of up to 40mph. They are rarer than other Rhino species, but are considered stronger, more aggressive and more resilient. For this reason, some leaders in the areas where Karkadann can be found will attempt to capture one or two for use as war mounts. However, Karkadann are stubborn and proud creatures, and many resist their captors to the point of killing themselves in a bid to escape. Another reason that Karkadann are highly sought after is because their horn contains a natural poison, which automatically seeps out of special pores in the horn when the Karkadann becomes aggressive. Karkadann horn neutralises the poison, ensuring that the beasts don’t poison themselves, but a single drop of the poison can cause catastrophic organ failure.

Karkadann reach 7ft in height at the shoulder and 13-15ft head and body length. Their skin is tough, grey and naturally armoured, while their horns are spiralled, reaching almost 5ft in length. Their feet have three yellow-clawed toes, and their tails are long and tipped with coarse hair. Despite being herbivorous, Karkadann are aggressive and volatile, often fighting to the death, rather than running.

This started with a name, rather than a cemented creature idea. I'd heard of the word "karkadann" before, and found out that it was etymologically related to "kargadan", the Persian word for Rhinoceros. Mythological Karkadanns are linked to Unicorns, and are said to have healing properties in their horns. Because the Unicorn also features in my world, I decided to change it about a bit with the poison and horn neutralising it.

67. Greathorn Elk

The Greathorn Elk is considered one of the Kings of the Forest; a massive, agile beast with imposing antlers that make it recognisable by even the most reclusive of city-dwellers. Somehow related to both the Common Elk and Fallow Deer, Greathorn Elk are rare creatures most often seen in the Heartlands and West of Eirinn, as well as Cnuic Ghlainne. The Fey call this beast the Fiaghmore (Border) or the Fiadhmòr (Fey) and it is considered sacred to the God-King Oberon. The appearance of a Greathorn Elk, particularly stags, is said to foreshadow an important event. Some of the Nature Gods will take on the form of a Greathorn when visiting the Material Plane, and Oberon is known to use them to deliver messages. Many cultures believe that hunting and killing these creatures will invoke divine wrath, while some see them as great trophies worth the risk. Greathorn Elk are reclusive creatures and will generally avoid combat with humanoids and demihumans.

Greathorn Elks can reach 7ft 4ins at the withers, with males being significantly larger than females. Both sexes have a hump between the shoulderblades, and only the males grow antlers, which can span 11ft in width. Greathorns generally have a pale reddish-tan colouration with a dark face, back stripe and tail. Pure white Greathorns are so rare that they are considered holy.

Based predominantly on the Irish Elk, I wanted to create something that wouldn't be out of place in one of the Fey Realms, but would easily fit into the Material as well. I ended up sizing the Irish Elk up for this description, because I wanted the males of these to be used as plains mounts for Oberon, and in his "everyday form", he stands at a little over 7 feet tall!

68. Mosshog

The Mosshog is a strange little creature that perfectly displays mutual symbiosis. For a long time, it was believed that the Mosshog has magical abilities because of this perfect symbiosis, however this has proven to be false and the creature has no special abilities of a magical nature. Related to the Common Hedgehog, Mosshogs are believed to have split from the main line due to disease, which caused them to have fewer and finer spines than normal. The disease also caused the sick hogs to secrete a sweet-smelling ichor that attracted predators to the defenceless animals. However, this ichor proved a blessing, as it attracted moss spores which developed into a new type of moss. The moss rooted itself into the hogs, creating a new animal, the Mosshog. The hog sustains the moss with its secretions, while the moss provides protection in the form of camouflage. There is also a form of protective collaboration between them, as the moss generates a potent toxin that collects in the Mosshog’s fine spines. Mosshogs are diurnal.

Mosshogs reach approximately 5ins in length and have pale brown fur on their undersides and faces. Their backs are naked aside from a scattering of fine spines and the moss that grows on them. This moss is deep, rich green and can grow to be extremely thick and luxurious.

I have to thank my husband for this one... he was talking about how cute and amusing it would be for a hedgehog to grow moss on its back, and I loved the idea so much I wrote about it! I gave it a bit of a sad origin story, where disease ravaged the populations of common hedgehogs, but it ended with a vaguely happy twist!

69. War Mastiff

Mastiffs as a whole are large, impressive and powerful dogs bred for guarding, hunting and war. The War Mastiff is the largest and most formidable of all Mastiffs; fiercely loyal and dedicated to their Masters. They are large enough to be used as mounts by small Humanoids, and can be trained to wear a variety of different types of armour. They are also incredibly smart, able to differentiate between people and objects by name, sight and smell, as well as identify and recognise locations. A well trained War Mastiff is both obedient and vicious, responding to commands with efficiency and fighting with ferocity. They use their powerful bulk to knock or drag foes prone before delivering powerful bites. War Mastiffs are capable of grappling their targets, and a pack of three or more can take down significantly larger foes. They work well as part of a pack or team and can be trained to operate semi-autonomously, though this takes many years of dedicated training. When not being used in actual war or combat, War Mastiffs double as guard dogs, often patrolling areas with high value targets.

War Mastiffs average between 30-36ins at the shoulder, with blocky features and muscular builds. They are short-haired and tend toward darker coat colours, though light tan is also common. They typically have drooping ears, a long low-set tail, large feet and a broad muzzle.

War Mastiffs are one variant of the Mastiff-type dog in the world of A'arde, and are heavily influenced by the Alano Español, the Dogue de Bordeaux and Rottweilers. This is a chonky doggo, and is a worthwhile companion to any adventuring party! The fact that they can double as mounts or pack animals is an added bonus!

70. Phoenix Pheasant

Bright and flashy, the Phoenix Pheasant is not related to its magical namesake in any way, but features distinctive plumage reminiscent of red and gold flame. Phoenix Pheasants are native to the forests of Karadal, particularly the northern regions, though small wild populations can also be found in south-eastern Fehdaine in Duraloth. They are also kept in domestic environments, usually living semi-wild on forested estates where their moulted feathers are collected for use as decorations and spell components. Phoenix Pheasants are not innately magical, but they are incredibly resilient to extremes of temperature. They feed on berries, grubs, grain, seeds and other vegetation, and spend much of the day on the ground. As a ground bird, it is a clumsy flyer and only able to fly for short bursts. It is, however, a fast runner and will roost overnight in trees.

All Phoenix Pheasants have red plumage with golden wings, heads and tails. The males have significantly longer, showier tails and a distinctive head crest. Their eyes, beaks and legs are yellow. Males can reach 39ins in length weighing 1-2lb, while females can be between 24-31ins and weigh around 1lb. Their eggs are a pale golden colour speckled with black.

The Phoenix Pheasant started as a creation for another project entirely, but after leaving that project for painful personal reasons, I took it with me and have recreated it. It isn't identical to the original creation, but I'd rather my ideas were useful somewhere, rather than sitting and gathering dust because of people being... well... people.