Varnian Bestiary

The Varnian Bestiary is a book written by Skippy Amethya-Blizun, the councilor of culture for Varn Torum, and it describes unique creatures native to the land of Varn, as well as some important plants and other animals that aren't completely unique to Varn.

Varnian Bullfrog
The bullfrogs of the swamps and lush caves of Varn Torum are not only gigantic but dangerous, as some can get to over 3 meters tall and 1,5 meters wide. It seems that if they do not die of natural causes or by predation from hunters they never cease to grow until they get so big that they can not manage to feed themselves. But this is only the case for the females of the species, for the males only exist for the sake of reproduction and never leave the tadpole stage, living to become a bigger than ordinary tadpole that fills itself with sperm, only to be bite the female giant frog near its reproductive organs and giving up life, becoming effectivelly a part of the female made to store sperm for her entire life. As a result female giant bullfrogs lay enormous batches of eggs for their entire lives. These frogs can get so big that the biggest ever seen, a frog over 6,5 meters high, was known as the Dragon Frog.

These frogs are so mighty that some use it as beasts of burden, able to carry hundreds of kilos and specially made wagons with surprising speed. Some especially insane people use them as battle mounts, for they are able to eat almost anything that they are bigger than, but especially they are used as meat cattle by swamp and cave trolls, albeit their meat, especially their legs, are eaten by various peoples all over Varn Torum.

Royal Wolves
The wolves of Varn are ferocious pack hunters that rule the tundras, the forests and the plains. They are known as King Wolves or Royal Wolves, for they are significanlty bigger than the wolves of elsewhere and fairly smarter, and their colours vary a lot more, ranging from snow white to leafy green to the golden shin of wheat and tall grass. They are the bane of shepards and their flock, travellers and traders, for they are bold enough to even attack armed caravans when in big enough packs. Strangelly enough their main source of food is not sheep nor travellers but different kinds of trolls, which is the main believed reason of why they got so big and so smart when compared to other species of wolves. Their eternal war and arms race against the trolls of Varn Torum is known as The War of Elewhere. They seem to be immune to the deadly effects that eating raw troll meat, albeit they have been seen many times throwing pieces of troll meat at fires then waiting for it to extinquish itself naturally then coming back to eat the carbonized flesh. It seems they really enjoy it.

Some anbitious dwarves in the distant past used these royal wolves as deadly mounts of war and legitimate companions for life.

Fox Squirrel
The fox squirrel native to Varn Torum is a tree canopy dwelling marsupial that predates other small mammals. They are generally very friendly and can be used as pets... or food, depending on the person. They used to be hunting partners for the ancient dwarves that predated Varn Torum. More specifically they chased small game into the trees or burrows, killed them and brought them to the hunter, in exchange getting some of the meat back.

Pard
The pard is a feline native to the many forests of Varn Torum, with its territory heading a bit into Aristos turf. It is the natural enemy of both the Royal Wolves and Forest Wyverns, for it competes with for prey with both, albeit in different ways. Juvenile Royal Wolves, still not big and strong enough to hunt their preferred prey, the troll, gather together in small, three member packs to hunt relativelly small game, like deer or elk, and practice hunting tactics. In this juvenile form they compete with the pard, who uses ambush tactics to get its prey. The forest wyverns are considered to be oportuniscit scavangers, for they fly into the battlefield between a pard and a pack of royal wolves to snatch their prey, not alert to attacks from above, right under their noses. This three way competition makes it so that the pard population is never high, for they struggle to feed their young. As such, they are considered very rare and it is a good omen to spot one.

Legends say that the breath of a pard upon waking up is so sweet that it attracts every animal around to its den, including sentient species like dwarves or humans, but the pard is so good natured that it licks the wounds of the incomers and lets them be without taking advantage of the situation to eat. In contrast the only animals that the sweet breath does not attract but actually drives off is the forest wyvern, although it is debated if other draconics would suffer the same effect. It is as such that the pard is often is considered an omen for good, whereas the forest wyvern became known as an omen for evil.

Kelpie
The kelpie is a bizarre creature native to Varn Torum. It lives on bodies of water, skulking around in the shallows, waiting for people to come nearby so it can pull them with its frog-like tongue to the dephts and devour them. It also lives on the lush caves found in the underrealm and its a terribly dangerous creature. They are about the size of a horse on the small end, and are almost as fast as the equines. Legends tell that some kelpies are able to manipulate nearby water, shooting droplets like bullets and shaping water around their target to drown them. Beware! Never go against one of these creatures in the rain, for it will use the water all around against you.

The leather of a kelpie can be used to make armour that grants the user a similar effect to the helmets made of turtle scutes, and its tongue is an extremely strong rope. Its eyes, too, also have a use, specifically in making tea. Yes, tea! Kelpie Eye tea grants perfect vision when under water and immunity to the dehydrating effects of salted sea water, meaning you can open your eyes when emerged innit and actually drink it with no side efects.

Mallean Wasps
The Mallean Wasp is a mosquito-like wasp native to the pine forest of Malleus and northern Varn. It's known for transmitting the infamous Botan's Pox, a deadly disease. The Pox takes its time to weaken the diseased, bringing them both mental and physical anguish. The disease seems to be generated organically by the wasp, and exchanged when it drains blood from its victims. That being said, not much is known about the mallean wasp, due to the sheer danger in handling them. Even when the creature has expired, the substances thought responsible for the pox linger for years to come. As such, generally the remains are incinerated completely rather than studied or otherwise preserved.

Abyss Demons
Also called Withers, these demons, as the name written upon here suggests, live amogst the deepest areas of the very bowels of the earth, so much so some believe they actually spend most of their life cycle beneath bedrock. They are extremely dangerous and even the mightest of varnian cave trolls dare not to get near the lair of one of these creatures. They are almost extinct for, even if they are absurdly dangerous, from their hearts you may gather the Wither Star: a singularly powerful artifact that is used to craft a supremely useful and supremely expensive beacon, albeit the iron or other minerals that are needed to operate the beacon is found elsewhere.

Trolloids (Troglodytarum)
Trolloids are a bundle of related species that mostly live on the underealm and have taken the name of the most famous species to be part of the sub-group: the troll.

Schnoz
Schnozi, the plurar version of schnoz, are underground creatures that have found that the strip mines that run beneath all of Varn Torum are suitable for living, as they hunt rats, bats and silverfish for food. Yes! They are flesh eaters, and their big noses hide a mouthfull of sharp teeth. Dwarves hunt the schnoz for their meat, to prevent overpupulation and because their snot is not only edible but flamable and can be used as lamp oil. Legends say that they are distantly related to dwarves, for the they are just as stocky, just as short, just as angry and have just as big of a nose. Beware when approaching one of these: if you aren't carefult it will have smelt you coming. The massive nose of a schnoz is taxidermied and used as decoration by some.

Varnian Cave Trolls
The cave trolls of Varn Torum are the main predator on the underealm beneath Khun-Drakhar, and they mainly feed upon schnozi, glow berries, axoatl, fish and glow squids. They are extremely dangerous for just one of them can, with some effort, lift up an entire horse, and one should never approach the territory of a troll without being an experienced hunter or, preferably, alongside a small army, for trolls are never too far from each other. Averaging around 2 to 3 meters, with some outliners going over 5 meters in height, they have black fur that is often covered In moss. Their skin various shades of brown, especially dark brown, and their claws are yellowish white. Their eyes are white, with black pupils, but when they reflect light they become entirely white. They are fairly smart, being able to use simple tools and weapons, as well as crafting with flint and wood. They are basically on the paleolethic era when compared to the other races of eldham.

There used to be a tribe of cave trolls that lived at what is now Khun Drakhar and scholars think that they are responsable for the overhunting of the local sub-species of mountain wyvern. Their burial grounds now make up the market and undermarket and that is why it is very much haunted with the spirits of the long dead. They were known as the Wicker Tribe and they were the most advanced troll civilization ever found, but they could not survive the greed of the dwarves. Legends say that they had begun to use the alloy of copper and zinc known as bronze. General civilization has long passed the bronze age but it is still very impressive for trolls.

There are many different kinds of trolls, including forest trolls, hill trolls, steppe trolls, swamp and river trolls, and even beach and sea trolls, but the most common one in Varn is, by far, the humble Cave Troll.

Troll meat is a delicacy and is seen as delicious and a luxury item all over the world, especially Cave Troll meat since they are so difficlt to hunt. Beware! If you do not properly cook the meat it will expand and mutate on your stomach to the point of, at best, causing stomach ache and, at worse, completelly bursting your digestive system.

Draconics
Whilst uncommon throughout Eldham as a whole, both living dragons and remains of dragonkind have been found throughout Varn Torum, whilst remaining a rarity elsewhere. These mysterious creatures hold great power and undoubtedly have influenced the development of the nation. Still shrouded in mystery, the fossils and friendly dragons found in Varn Torum grant us an opportunity to try to further understand these wondrous beings, for even if they have become a prevalent part of Toumite culture and a common sight in the capital, it is suggested even more members of Dragonkind may still roam the land in hiding.

What the exact reason for their seeming rarity and disappearance in the rest of Eldham may be is still unknown, and a topic of much discussion. Some suggest the creatures were hunted down in ages bygone, simply as they posed a threat to the civilizations of old. Others propose the creatures worked together with said civilizations, but perished whilst being used as instruments of war and conquest. Some even put forward the idea that mighty materials we thought were geological come from their very essence and flesh, and that ancient peoples drove the creatures to extinction in harvesting them for resources. There are even theories that state that dragons came from a world before ours, and most of them expired with it.

Types of draconics
Dragonkind, as it is often referred to, actually comprises a variety of different creatures: wyverns (often erroneously referred to as wild dragons, lesser dragons, or simply dragons), wyrms (often called sea dragons), and true dragons. Whilst these creatures all have draconic blood, they do so in varying degrees, and the quantity of blood is frequently linked with the creature's magical prowess. These all have their own unique different characteristics, still being discovered as more and more evidence of their variety and capabilities is found.

Wyverns
Often referred to as lesser dragons, to the inexperienced they may seem to be one and the same. Wyverns, however, have only hind legs and wings. These creatures seem to live off of sheer instinct and will to survive, with no evidence whatsoever of conventional intelligence or wisdom. Nevertheless, the creatures are dangerous and a mighty foe, capable of attacking using their powerful bites or barbed tails. There are also recorded instances of toxic remnants near wyvern fossil sites, as well as accounts from wyvern attack survivors, suggesting the creatures may have access to venom, poison, or even acid as part of their arsenal.

These creatures are known to ravage the forests and countryside of Varn Torum, striking down cattle and travellers alike for sustenance. Born from a need to counteract these attacks, the physiology and nature of wyverns has been a topic of much study. It has been found that their abilities do not stem from magic, as with true dragons, but rather they secrete complex chemicals from glands in their body. Researchers have even linked certain cases of the well known plague affecting Eldham livestock to the toxins created by these creatures. Whilst an antidote has not yet been found, many bandits, pirates, and other individuals bordering the law employ such biological weapons to their favour.

Wyrms
Wyrms, often mistaken for great snakes, or referred to as sea dragons, are probably the easiest to differentiate. Unlike the other members of dragonkind, they possess neither legs nor wings. In fact, they seem to lack any appendages at all. Nevertheless they seemed to have been incredibly dangerous, leading researchers to wonder if they had capabilities beyond the physical. Much like the wyvern, there appears to little to no evidence pointing towards rational thinking, suggesting they too survived through instinct. Nevertheless, there seems to have been one notable exception: the sea dragon of Khun-Drakhar.

True Dragons
Whilst being the most elusive, their power and cunning makes them colloquially known in myth and legend. As such, other lesser known creatures mentioned above were once thought to be dragons themselves. Four-legged and with a powerful pair of wings: these beings possessed intelligence, strength and magic powerful enough to decimate those unaware of their power. It is also due to their sapience that they seem to have very strong personalities, and range from being deemed benevolent to utterly despicable.

These creatures are also some of the most common sights, especially in Khun-Drakhar. Having reached an accord with ancient dwarves, after realising that aggression and bloodshed were suboptimal for both parties involved, true dragons are now often born and raised in the dwarven capital. Here, they provide assistance as accountants and protectors of Varn Torum. Whilst they are unable to control their magic when young, true dragons have the uncanny ability to quantify and sort the contents of a treasure hoard. It is this that has made them excellent accountants. Whilst growing up and learning to control their magic, they are guided by dwarves and their elders alike, whilst being taken care of and protected. In exchange for this they handle the treasury of Varn Torum. Once they reach adulthood, however, they can either stay in the capital as powerful allies, or leave to forge their own destiny.

The other defining ability of a true dragon is it's access to powerful dream magic. Whilst the exact mechanisms behind this prowess in reality manipulation are still a mystery, years of research and coexistence with True Dragons have revealed that the source of a dragons breath, and other magical capabilities, stem from their very ability to dream. Indeed, it seems as if they are capable of dreaming things into existence.

In order to best use their abilities, as dragons grow they learn to strike a balance between being fully awake and in a deep sleep, somehow achieving both. It is through this sort of lucid daydreaming that they are able to control their abilities whilst conscious, rather than surrendering them to the subconscious. This is also why many adult dragons seem aloof, nonchalant, or downright disconnected from reality. It is worth noting, however, that when entirely asleep they are significantly more powerful. This, coupled with the associated lack of control, makes dragons be at their most dangerous and unpredictable when asleep. Conversely, if fully awake a True Dragon cannot access its dream magic whatsoever, and must rely solely on their physical capabilities.

It is also worth noting that whilst the magic of a True Dragon comes from within its dreams, that is not to say that once the creature perishes the magic dies with it. In fact, the dream magic tends to linger in the draconic body, granting special properties to the remains of the dragon. Dragon blood, for instance, has wondrous healing properties no matter how long ago its original owner expired. The bones of a dragon have properties of unique resilience, and are thought to act as purifiers or amplifiers of other energies. Even the faecal matter of dragons is surprisingly sought after, as it is arguably one of the best fertilisers known in all of Eldham. All of this, however, pales in comparison to the tears of a dragon. It is thought that since tears, much like dreams, can be a way for the creature to express its emotions and subconscious, the magic of a dragon is most concentrated here. Through the tears of a dragon one is able to replicate to an extent the abilities each subspecies wields, and ongoing research is trying to take this potential further to create fascinating new enchantments.

Subtypes
As True Dragons have been studied and understood better than other draconic kin, we now know that amongst those known as True Dragons, there is great variety. Amongst these there are three main groups: chromatic dragons, metallic dragons, and gemstone dragons. These, along with their subtypes, all feature defining abilities and characteristics that differentiate them, allowing for easy categorising by those who know.

Chromatic Dragons
The most common type of True Dragon, especially above-ground, they are most easily recognizable by their vibrant colours and attitudes to match. Interesting as well is the fact that the colour of their scales seems to be dictated by their attunement of their magic to different conditions, elements, or states of matter. Below is a table with some known colours, as well as their characteristics and abilities:

Metallic Dragons
This kind of dragon is significantly rarer than the chromatic dragons, but still encountered somewhat frequently by virtue of Toumite and Dwarven spelunking and minery. These are easily recognizable by their sheen and brilliance, for their scales shine like well polished metal, granting them their name and defining characteristic. Whilst once again the type of scale is often correlated with the particular dragon’s abilities, significantly less is known about metallic dragons and their capabilities. Nevertheless, they appear to be in tune with specific ores and metals found underground, and may even be capable of generating and manipulating these at will. In the following table is a list of known metallic dragon types, as well as what is known about them:

Gemstone Dragons
Finally, gemstone dragons are objectively the rarest kind of dragon, remaining ever elusive even to those that actively seek them out. Extremely little is known about these dragons, for as they hide themselves they hide their powers, but it is said their dream magic is the most powerful of all, and can not only affect matter but also the mind of those around them. Their scales range from dull and grey to sharp and glistening, much like geodes where precious stones are often found. In fact, a majority of the few recorded encounters with gemstone dragons resulted in scared and confused miners wondering why the gems they sought to collect suddenly took shape and moved as if they were alive. That being said, most of these recollections are almost blurry, and seem to end before any precise information can be found. It is therefore theorised that the magic of a gemstone dragon can alter the mind, and erase or modify the memories of the afflicted. Whilst the possibility of memory modification and erasal makes all information about gemstone dragons unreliable, sighted gemstone dragons include diamond, emerald, lapis-lazuli, amethyst, quartz and redstone variants.

Of these, the redstone dragon is an especially harrowing encounter to an average dwarf, for redstone is petrified and crystalized dwarven blood. The redstone dragon, then, is to the dwarf the blood of their ancestors come back to life, with a will of its own, and unknown abilities and intentions. To some, the birth and sheer existence of redstone dragons is seen as a last hurrah of the once spilt dwarven blood, whilst to others it is a desecration of all that is holy.

The Sea Dragon of Khun-Drakhar
Whilst expanding deep into the capital's mountain, cave systems and structures pertaining to an ancient city were found. Whilst this in of itself is an incredible archaeological discovery, notable too was the discovery of a dried out underground basin, hosting the remains of a large wyrm. Dubbed the sea dragon of Khun-Drakhar, the site has been at the forefront of draconic research. This is in part due to the fact that not only was the proximity of such a creature to a dwarven settlement noteworthy, but the ground around and mouth of the creatures were also littered with shackled remains. It is then hypothesised that the creature had a synergistic relation with the dwarven populace, who used it as a tool for execution, thereby keeping it fed with little to no effort. It is with this in mind that some suggest that even though wyrms were wild and unpredictable, there may have been instances where they could be tamed to an extent if the conditions were right.

Colectria´s Dragon Cave
Past the western walls of the city of Colectria, an astonishing archaeological discovery was made: evidence of the largest dragon known to have inhabited Eldham. Whilst research is ongoing, the humongous structure seems to be but one tooth of the colossal being. The sharp structure protrudes from an underground island and reaches into the sky above, catching the eye of nearby travellers. Even if just a small part of the remains of the creature, the dragon’s magic is very much still alive and affecting the surrounding ecosystem. Glowing orbules shine bright around the peeking pillar, illuminating the night sky. Rich harvests and dense vines grow abound in the Dragon Cave, slightly infused with the energies of the great dragon itself. Even the waters of the underground lake, it’s originating spring, and the many tunnels leading out of the main chamber appear to have calming properties.

Nevertheless, next to nothing is known about the creature the tooth belonged to, as well as the potential effects it may have. Varn Torum´s Minister of Lore, NanoArbo, is currently leading research on dragons and Colectria´s Dragon Cave. How could a creature of this size sustain itself? How old is this tooth? Where are the rest of the creatures' remains? Is the great dragon even deceased, or did it just lose a tooth in a great conflict? Whilst the site undoubtedly holds great power and magic on extreme scales, the experimentation to harvest these is ongoing. As of now, drinks and foods are being produced from strictly Dragon Cave resources, in an attempt to evaluate the differences, if any, with materials from other parts of Eldham. Dragon Cave Artisanal Wine is one such product, available to the public in order to sustain the investigation and gauge the impact of the native vegetation.