Large Predators

Sirens are a plague on the nation. The half-bird, half-woman monsters infest the southern shores and are scattered along the eastern ones. It's one of the reasons Saromatia's not a large trading nation - few ships are willing to risk getting within earshot of the sirens' deadly songs. Sirens live on rocky outcroppings at the ocean's edge, and have no qualms about attacking a ship full of humans - with their voices, of course. Sirens are cunning, but not intelligent (rumors of a Queen of Sirens notwithstanding).

Fire cats live in the mountains. Think of a mountain lion. Now think of it breathing fire. That's a fire cat. Thankfully, they're not pack hunters. Usually, they leave humans alone, but there are nighttime stories of fire-cats who become woman- (or dwarf-) eaters.

Dragons, or great worms, are forest creatures. These aren't the huge, winged dragons of modern fantasy. Rather, they're sort of more snakey Komodo dragons or monitor lizards, six to ten feet long and wingless. They unfortunately can exhale a cloud of poisonous gas. They are usually more of a threat to livestock than humans - a dragon will breathe poison to kill one cow for its meal, but the gas will also kill the five other cows standing in the general vicinity. Rumors speak of great worms reaching dozen of feet long and standing fifteen feet tall at the shoulder, but the largest on record was 16', snout to tail, and 4' high at the shoulder. It is stuffed and on display at the capital.

Rhacos are well-known as the trusty avian steeds of light cavalry everywhere. Imagine a beefy ostrich or emu. They do live in the wild on the northern plains, however, and they are carnivores. The abilities that make rhacos prized war steeds also makes them dangerous creatures in the wild. Remember, nearly all rhacos are trained from birth to be steeds. Sometimes heroes of legend are said to tame a remarkable adult, but those are children's stories.

Crucifixion birds are downright dangerous to a lone human. They swoop on their prey from above, without warning. When they've killed something, they carry it to a nearby thorny tree (in forests and mountains) or shrub (in plains) and sort of hang it there while they eat it. Luckily, they are not intelligent and leave the remains of previous meals stuck to the hedgerow. This usually provides a clear sign that you've entered a crucifixion bird's territory. These birds are nearly as large as a woman.

Hydrus are usually harmless, if you let them alone. Imagine a weiner dog the size of a German shepard, cut it in two at the waist, and attach a snake tail. Hydrus live in freshwater streams and lakes and feed on fish, frogs, and so on. They can be captured and trained to perform as "moat monsters." In the wild, they are shy and will avoid humans. If trapped, they will attack.

Wolves are regular wolves. They live in the mountains and forests and hunt in packs. They typically avoid people but find livestock tempting. There are werewolf legends in Saromatia; other forms of lycanthropy aren't even rumored.

Cute, Fuzzy, and Tasty

Rock hoppers are a staple of dwarven diet. These small, furry, large-eyed creatures live in colonies on mountainsides. They can make good pets.

Glimmercats are forest dwellers, slightly larger than the average tabby. They are ugly, homely creatures, but their fur is soft, beautiful, and highly prized. It is a swirl of two or more colors, and the lighter color actually glows or sparkles softly. Only landed Ladies or higher are permitted to wear glimmercat fur by law. The creatures do not breed in captivity.

Wing-cats are grey-and-white leather-winged felinoids who live in the mountains, hunting rodents and small lizards. They tend to be smaller than the average housecat, and are more delicate. They are a popular choice for a wizard's familiar.

Birds are popular in Saromatia. Countess Charlee is unusual in that she doesn't maintain an aviary (other than her mews for the falcons). There are birds that glow softly at night, birds with light-refracting, color-changing plumage, and birds with aphrodisiac songs. One bird is reputed to have healing abilities; another is said to be a messenger of Saromata. There are birds which serve the military, hunting birds, and even bad-tempered guard birds for on the farm. Gifts of rare, attractive or useful birds are well thought-of in most courtly circles.

And of course, there's the usual assortment of mundane wild creatures: rabbits, foxes, deer, and so on.

Domestic Animals

Cattle, goats, pigs and sheep are all raised. Ducks, chickens and geese are kept. Guard or hunting dogs may be kept by the nobility or wealthy merchants, but few peasants are eager to have another mouth to feed. Cats, on the other hand, are everywhere, used as organic pest control. Someone with appropriate terrain nearby might try to set up a colony of rock hoppers, like a chicken coop. Bee-keepers are uncommon but not rare. Few people bother to raise rabbits in hutches.

Elemental Creatures

Salamanders are small lizards who live above the treeline of the Baset (bah-SAY) (aka Bersi) Mountains. They glow like living coals, red, orange and yellow colors moving over their skin. Their eyes are coal-black. They are burning hot to the touch. It's rumored that a single touch would turn a woman to ash; as far as anyone knows, this hasn't been tested. They're rarely seen, and it's not known if they are intelligent or not. They seem to be mute.

Sylphs are translucent, airy creatures that float along the breeze. They favor windy spots, and so are often found by the seashore and in the mountains. They like a shady, breezy forest glen as well. Their forms are mutable, but are always pale and diaphanous. A sylph might take the form of a floating woman, a white deer drifting through the trees, a great pale bird, or a patch of fog. Sometimes they are mistaken for ghosts. Sylphs may be intelligent, although it's hard to pin one down for a conversation. They can speak, and their voices are breathy whispers. Most commonly, they simply repeat other things they have heard carried by the breeze. Sylphs avoid smoke and bad smells; indeed, one can die if the air around it gets too contaminated.

Naiads are water creatures. They are highly mutable, like sylphs, and are nearly invisible underwater. They can raise themselves above the surface of the water for short periods of time, taking whatever shape they wish. However, the naiad will always remain connected with the water in some way. If anyone tries to move one, it will dissolve into water instantly, splashing back into its home. Like sylphs, they are vulnerable to their element being polluted. Naiads are the most conversational of the Elemental children - in fact, they tend to ramble on a bit, if one can be coaxed into conversation. Their voices are pleasant and liquid.

Gnomes are what the Saromatians call the children of the Stone Lord. These are not gnomes like the Zalgatyl or their kin. They are short (2-3 feet tall) humanoids who appear to have been chiseled out of some form of rock. Stone (speckled granite, layered shale, powdery limestone) gnomes are most common. Shining metal gnomes and even gem gnomes are though to exist. They live around rocky areas. Mountains are where they are most common, but a huge boulder deep in the forest might well have some gnomes living near it. They are taciturn in the extreme and were thought for many years to be as mute as salamanders. They can and do speak, but very, very rarely, and always briefly. Their voices are harsh, deep, and gravelly.

Wood nymphs are not Elemental children, per se. They are held to be sacred companions of the Forest Maiden by her clergy. They are very human-like, although covered in a soft, downy fur. They are pack hunters. Normally, they do not leave their deep forest homes, but there have been cattle raids and even attacks on travelers which were reportedly by wood nymphs. They make plenty of noise when pursuing prey, but no one's sure if it's communication or not. They may or may not be intelligent.

Mythological Beasts

Dwarves have whispered tales of the Fire Serpent, a immensely enormous salamander than lives on (or sometimes in, depending on the story) the tallest mountain in the Bersi chain. The occassional earthquakes in the area are said to be the Fire Serpent stirring in its sleep. If it awakens and leaves its mountain home, it will begin to burn the world.

Centaurs fear Killing Bird, which is described as a crucifixion bird of incredible size, and is invisible to boot. Centaurs who disappear suddenly are thought to have been taken by Killing Bird, and the whole tribe will immediately flee the area.

Saromatians have many tales. The Queen of the Sirens is an intelligent member of her species who is rumored to be a sorceress as well. A farmer who finds all his livestock dead one morning might blame the Great Dragon with its pasture-encompassing poison cloud.

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