Lore24 Roundup 12

Aelyrya Payne
Apr 26, 2024
9 min read

March 18th - 24th (Days 78-84)

Welcome to Lore24 Roundup 12!

More horned bunnies, massive bears, and the tiniest bird in existence make up this particular post, and a part of me wishes I had the time to illustrate them too! 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 12

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84. Pendant Hummingbird

78. Almiraj

An Almiraj is a unicorn-horned rabbit native to the islands of Madelya and the smaller, unaffiliated islands within the Azure Ocean. Despite its appearance, an Almirak has the respect of the beasts surrounding it due to its fierce nature. In fact, an Almiraj is capable of taking on much larger beasts should it so need to, though it rarely fights to the death. Local stories about the Almiraj call it a “Dragon Killer”, but this is something of an exaggeration. An Almiraj’s horn contains a substance that causes allergic reactions in Dragon-type creatures and Dragon-kin Humanoids, but is harmless to all others. In fact, this substance is used as a sweetener in drinks and desserts instead of sugar or honey. Almiraj will fight using their horn, by biting, and by kicking, which can cause some damage given that an Almiraj can grow to the size of a small dog. If its horn is ever broken, an Almiraj will simply shed the old one and grow a completely new one. Depending on the size of the Almiraj, this can take several months.

As stated, Almiraj can grow to the size of a small dog; the largest ever recorded was 32 inches from nose to tail. They have shimmering golden fur that is sleek and smooth, while their spiralled horn is jet black. Their horns are proportionate to their body length, usually about half as long, and they have black or red eyes.

I first heard of the Almiraj when I was playing Tomb of Annihilation, and I thought it was insanely cute. Then I read about the Al-Mi'raj of Arabic myth, and realised just how nasty this creature could be! A dragon-killer bunny, huh... I figured that it would be a bit much to have something as little as this be an actual Dragon Killer, so I gave it the substance in its horn to tie in with dragons. The Greater Almiraj though... well!

79. Arctodus

The largest bear in existence, the Arctodus, or Great Bear, is an omnivorous beast that prefers the temperate, open woodlands of Eirinn and Duraloth. However, it is an adaptable creature that can take advantage of many habitats and feeding opportunities, including those close to Humanoids. Arctodus are territorial beasts that will engage in fights without warning if they feel that their space, food source or cubs are threatened. They tolerate the presence of smaller scavengers, but are quick to attack when their patience is exhausted. Arctodus prefer to eat meat, usually catching small prey, such as squirrels, and grazing herbivores, such as deer, but will also eat roots, fruit and fibrous plants. They rarely attack other bears, which will more often than not run from the more powerful and imposing Arctodus, but they do not tolerate other Arctodus in their territory unless it is mating season. Arctodus will attack Humanoids on sight as they see them as a threat to their food sources.

Arctodus can reach 11 ft in height on their hind legs, though females are usually smaller than males. Their fur tends toward deep red-brown colours, while their claws and eyes are both black. Arctodus are relatively long-limbed compared to other bears, but they are incredibly tough and strong. They have broad, muscular bodies and short-nosed heads with distinctive ear tufts.

Arctodus was a real thing, way way back. It went extinct about 12,800 years ago, so I used research data from archeological findings to make assumptions about how Arctodus might have lived and behaved. Of course, I took some liberties and referenced other large bears, but I'm quite happy with my big old Arcy!

80. Volpertinger

Like the Arthylluan and the Lepucorn, the Volpertinger was brought to A’arde during the Call of the Beacons and has gone from strength to strength, despite the many tumultuous events. Volpertingers are chimeric creatures that feature the body and tail of a squirrel, the head of a rabbit, deer-like antlers and pheasant wings. Males are also in possession of fangs. They are native to mountainous, forested regions in Central and Eastern Eirinn, though some populations have been found on the eastern slopes of the Spine of Ythrynaar. Volpertingers predominantly eat grasses, seeds, fruit, vegetables and roots, though they have also been observed eating grubs on occasion. While Volpertingers can fly, they suffer from poor aerodynamics and can only do so for short, clumsy bursts. They are, however, fast runners and superb climbers, meaning that you will find them in trees as often as you will on the ground. Volpertingers are flighty and cautious, but once tamed make dedicated and helpful companions that can act as sentries and scouts.

Volpertingers can grow up to 18 inches long nose to tail tip, and are often various shades of brown, fawn, tan, or russet red. Their eyes are usually amber or brown, and their antlers a yellowish-white or bone-tan. Their tails are big and bushy, and they have tiny claws on their paws. A Volpertinger’s nose is usually black, but some with a pink nose have been spotted.

Human beings are weird creatures. We create the weirdest of things... And the Bavarian Wolpertinger is just another of those crazy oddities. With my creature, I prefer the regional variant spelling with the V, because a W is sounded like a V in German, so it makes phonetic sense. I also whittled the appearance down from a number of sources to the one that seemed to crop up most and sounded most plausible.

81. Ruby Mallard

A variant of the Common Mallard, the Ruby Mallard is a dabbling duck that is generally found throughout the temperate and subtropical regions of Eirinn, Duraloth and Cnuic Ghlainne. While it previously had populations in Karadal, the lack of shallow waters and higher than average members of predatory species drove them out. Ruby Mallards are almost identical to their Common counterparts in behaviour, feeding and breeding, but are distinctly different in their colouration. Ruby Mallards have reddish bills and feet, and the blue and green plumage is instead a shimmering, deep red. Ducklings also tend to be darker in colouration, considerably more orange than yellow, with deep red bills and feet. Ruby and Common Mallards can interbreed, but studies show that combinations of colours are rare; the young will generally display one set of colouration only. Moulted Ruby Mallard feathers are often collected and used in making fashion accessories, as well as in flower arrangements and art.

Like Common Mallards, Ruby Mallards are considered a medium-sized waterfowl, which are often slightly heavier than other dabbling ducks at 0.7-1.6kg. They are generally between 20-26 inches long with a wingspan of 32-39 inches. Again like Common Mallards, they are noisy birds and make stereotypical “quack” sounds.

I'm not going to lie here... the whole premise of this creature was "what if Mallard but red?". I was having another sick day and that was pretty much all my addled mind could come up with! I honestly think that brilliant red Mallards would be very very pretty, but as far as I know that colour has never cropped up as a variant.

82. Stonemoors Fox

Native to the Stonemoors regions of North Curtana (WEst Eirinn) and South Duuintriya (North-West Eirinn), the Stonemoors Fox is a small species of canid that looks like a fox, but actually is more closely related to wolves. For this reason, they are also known as Stonemoors Wolffoxes or Stone False Foxes. Stonemoors Foxes are omnivorous creatures that have developed specifically to survive in the Stonemoors, which consist predominantly of woody shrubs, hard rock and insects. They are opportunistic feeders, capable of surviving on little water for extended periods of time and happy to consume a fully herbivorous diet if the need arises. Because the Stonemoors are regularly subjected to monster attacks from the Scar, as well as incursions throughout the North Stonemoors where monsters are numerous, the Stonemoors Fox has not only developed superior survival instincts against monsters, it has developed a tolerance for eating them too. The carcasses of many monsters are acidic or poisonous, but due to its harsh environment, the Stonemoors Fox has developed a way to break down these toxins in both its saliva and stomach acids.

Stonemoors Foxes have a head-body length of between 20-31 inches and a tail of 11-13 inches. Their fur is grey all over, with black tips on the ears and paws. It has small teeth with fox-like canines and deep brown eyes.

This fox is based off the Sechuran Fox of South America. I liked the idea of having a creature that was so adapted to a specific habitat or area that you never see it anywhere else, and the Stonemoors was a perfect place for this. The idea of a tiny fox comping down on a monster carcass was also quite amusing to me!

83. Guard Mastiff

The third type of standard mastiff, and the middle in terms of size, the Guard Mastiff is a tough, heavy, strong and devoted dog that, despite its appearance, is actually quite docile with family and trusted friends. However, Guard Mastiffs are very suspicious of strangers and it can take a very long time to earn their trust. If a stranger chooses to push their luck against a Guard Mastiff, the dog will often respond by using its strength and bulk to chase and knock down opponents, biting only if ordered or in self defence. Guard Mastiffs are gentle and affectionate with family members, but they are intolerant of bad behaviour and will knock over poorly behaved individuals as a warning. They are independent thinkers, which can come across as stubbornness and make them difficult to train, but they are loyal and loving when trained well. Guard Mastiffs have better darkvision than other members of the Mastiff family, as well as a keen sense of hearing and smell. It can cover short distances quickly and is able to sneak up on opponents when necessary.

Guard Mastiffs stand between 24 and 27 inches tall with a solid, heavy build. Their coats are short and weather-resistant, often coming in shades of brindle, red and fawn with brown or black markings over the face and feet. They have triangular ears, a long tail, short muzzle, and are prone to drooling.

These dogs are based on Bullmastiffs and Rottweilers, with a little twist in the fact that they are extraordinarily sneaky! None of the Rotties I've met have ever been particularly stealthy, mostly just big and boisterous with a horrible habit of jumping the fence! I know that Rotties and Bullmastiffs have a bad name, but they are seriously misunderstood dogs. People are the problem, not the breed!

84. Pendant Hummingbird

Also known as the Gemstone Hummingbird, Pendant Hummingbirds are tiny members of the Hummingbird family famous for their glittering plumage. It is native to the south of Cnuic Ghlainne and is rumoured to be descended from Fairy Hummingbirds, though has no magical qualities of its own. Pendant Hummingbirds tend to live in areas of thick plant growth with plenty of woody vines and mosses, orchids and ferns. These can be steep-sided, forested hills or swamps, and Pendant Hummingbirds will feed on nectar from odourless, tubular plants that grow in the areas. Outside of Cnuic Ghlainne, Pendant Hummingbirds are very rare, generally kept as ornamental birds in a few wealthy establishments. They are difficult to keep as they only feed on specific plant types and are incredibly delicate, being the smallest bird in the world. Pendant Hummingbirds got their name because when they sit still, they resemble a small, glittering stone in a necklace. Their tiny feathers are used in delicate Elven jewellery which is highly prized outside of Cnuic Ghlainne, and it is said that their song is one of the sweetest sounds you will hear in the Cnuic Ghlainne wilds. Birds in captivity rarely sing.

Pendant Hummingbirds reach about 2 inches in length, and weigh about 2g on average. Their iridescent feathers show shades of red, blue and green, while their beaks, feet and eyes are black. It is a swift, strong flyer that will flee from threats, rather than fight.

This teeny bird is based on the Bee Hummingbird, but given a Fey twist and some colour options! Bee Hummingbirds are so sweet, but I wanted to make this variant very special, so I put in the part about them not singing in captivity. This means that if my PCs ever see one, and it sings, it will be very special to them indeed as they only exist in the wild in Cnuic Ghlainne.